Planerench
Well-known member
The nearest one I can locate is 315 miles away in Utah! Beat that!
How far away is the nearest level 3 charger to you?
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SparkE
Well-known member
OK, easy : about 5000 feet (a little less than a mile).
3.2 miles. Only used it once so far.
Signing up for the EVgo Flex plan cost $5.35.
The L3 charge cost $8.59, I seem to recall starting with 24 miles showing and ending with 68 miles showing.
Got me where I wanted to go when I wanted to go there, about a 50 mile round trip leaving me 18 miles to spare.
More importantly, it satisfied my L3 charging curiosity. It is a nice resource to have available.
Time will tell if I should stick with the Flex plan or switch to On-The-Go.
Location is best avoided during the 12 days of the year when the Dallas Cowboys are playing at home, though!
Signing up for the EVgo Flex plan cost $5.35.
The L3 charge cost $8.59, I seem to recall starting with 24 miles showing and ending with 68 miles showing.
Got me where I wanted to go when I wanted to go there, about a 50 mile round trip leaving me 18 miles to spare.
More importantly, it satisfied my L3 charging curiosity. It is a nice resource to have available.
Time will tell if I should stick with the Flex plan or switch to On-The-Go.
Location is best avoided during the 12 days of the year when the Dallas Cowboys are playing at home, though!
How does this 'plan' work?charles said:
Is that'cost' a flat rate per session?
No matter how many kWh's or time spent plugged in?
Why did it end when it did (68 mi.)?
Just curious what my DCFC future might be like.
Thanks,
I initially paid ChargePoint $5 for a card, but nothing after that. I get to see my usage history online with CP.
Planerench
Well-known member
It’s like a different planet here. There is no hope of L3 charging, in the near future. L2 public chargers are novelty items put up by the power company and are free of charge. Work lets me use a 120v outlet all day no questions asked and now I can L2 at 3.3kw at home. I use just under half a battery to round trip to work. Trying to get a routine down so I can charge to full at work in 9 hours on 120v and round trip without charging at home.
See the EVgo website for details on the Flex plan as well as other plans.NORTON said:
My experience with it is the $4.95 setup fee (for an EVgo card) resulted in a $5.35 invoice. It is not clear to me whether the extra $0.40 is an added tax, fee, or what.
I chose to end the charge just after hitting 80%, at which point I understand that the charge rate slows, but is still faster than L2.
If I am paying $0.20 per minute I am getting less value for money after hitting 80%, and I only needed 50 miles range for my trip, so that left 18 miles of cushion.
With the EVgo Flex plan, each DCFC session bills a $4.95 connect fee plus $0.20 per minute. For a one time test use, this was the most economical test.
How the total cost for my test charge worked out to be $8.59 is a mystery to me, it's not a multiple of $4.95 + minutes * $0.20. Probably some added tax or fee.
ChargePoint is also an option for this location, L3 charging would have been a $9.95 flat fee. Perhaps a better choice if I normally prefer to charge to 100% vs 80%.
boatbum11
Active member
Nearest L3 charger is 5 miles (Greenlots 50KW), with 5 more scattered around the city, 8+ Evgo chargers too, however I try not to use them unless absolutely needed as Greenlots is $.23/KW with no time limit, vs Evgo's charges/limits.
Well, while pricey, my positive test experience and short term needs for some local DCFC for a 100+ mile day of local driving have influenced me to upgrade from the EVgo Flex plan to the On-The-Go plan.NORTON said:
EVgo DCFC now costs me $20/month ("to support infrastructure growth") and a reasonable $0.20 per minute.
First off, I am not leasing a Spark EV, I bought it. So while buying a Spark EV in Texas is quite the leap of faith, I'm in this for the long haul. My used 2015 Chevy Spark EV with 19k miles replaced a 2006 Honda Civic SI that I bought new, with hopes that it would serve me for 10 years and 200k miles. It was good for 11 years and 205k miles, so in hindsight, it served me well. It was a fun balance of performance and economy much like the 2014-2016 Chevy Spark EV is. Buying a new Spark at this point is not likely to be an option. Given the entire selection of EV's available, the Spark EV with DCFC appears to be the best EV value available as of 2017, with the 2017 Chevy Bolt being a very, very close second. First if you really need the 238 vs 82 mile range
I am hoping for 8 years and 160k miles out of this Spark EV. We'll see. I might be seduced by a 2017+ Bolt or 2008-2012 Tesla Roadster in the meantime. Nothing else really strikes me as lust worthy in an automotive sense.
I look forward to reporting back about positive Level 3 DCFC charging experiences in the DFW Texas area where I expect to get about 40 miles of range for a 10 minute $2 charge, which is about like buying traditional $2 per gallon gas for a sub compact that gets 40mpg. We'll see.
If local Chevy dealers really are installing DCFC chargers (nationwide Level 3 Bolt initiative) and allowing me to use them for my Spark EV, that would be quite a game changer in Texas and the greater midwest. I plan to try my luck at a select few regional Chevy dealers, and if all goes well, my Mom might just replace her trusty 2008 Chevy Cobalt with a new Chevy Bolt.
>Cool car! You got your money's worth!charles said:
>>I agree. And I too want a Bolt, someday, but I'm waiting for some advanced tech to be offered on the Bolt, like what GM is now offering on some of their high-end cars, like "Super Cruise".
Come on GM, if you can make autonomous Bolts, make one that is at least your Flag Ship of Tech.
>>>Yep, me too. I can still use it when it degrades to a 42 mile range BEV. "We'll see !!"
>>>>Just this week I called a Chevy dealership in a cool college town 42 miles away and asked about test driving one of their Bolts but said I need to charge my Spark EV at their DCFC.
They said no problem! They couldn't tell me if it's a 24 kW or a 50 kW unit, but I only need a little top up while driving the Bolt. Then it's on to a 'New Brewery Tour' !! This will feel like an EV Road Trip!
Planerench
Well-known member
Well, I have an update. I took myspark in for the recall range estimate thing and our local Chevrolet dealer has installed a level 3 charger! They don’t have a single Bolt for sale so I suspect the unit is unused. Also, can I plug the big level 3 charge into my Spark without the level 3 pins? I know it can’t use the dc portion but does it revert to level 2? I have never used one or seen one for that matter.
There did not appear to be a separate level 2 plug.
That puts the nearest level 3 charger 2.5 miles away! I went from being on an island without a level 3 to being on an island with a level 3. All dressed up with nowhere to go!
There did not appear to be a separate level 2 plug.
That puts the nearest level 3 charger 2.5 miles away! I went from being on an island without a level 3 to being on an island with a level 3. All dressed up with nowhere to go!
No. Just google image both sides of this connector. It won't plug in.Planerench said:
Plus, there is no reason to have the full 3.3 kW of split-phase AC on those 3 pins if the DC pins are supplying the big power. That cable is big enough the way it is with 50 kW on the 2 DC wires
My Level 3 DCFC charging experience in the DFW area is improving.
Since I switched from the EVgo Flex plan to the EVgo On-The-Go plan, one nice feature is that they email me some useful billing related info.
On November 2 I expected to have my first day of 100+ mile demands on my 2015 Spark EV with DCFC.
On that day, I had two successful Level 3 DCFC charging sessions:
1. 21 minutes, $4.55. This was a charge to 100%. As I recall, I started with 15 miles range, ended with 75 miles range. So 60 miles for $4.55. $0.132 per mile.
2. 14 minutes, $3.03. This was a charge to 80%. As I recall, I started with 32 miles range, ended with 68 miles range. So 36 miles for $3.03. $0.119 per mile.
On Monday, November 5th, I had another day that might push my overnight charging range and opted to add about 15 miles of charge using Level 3 DCFC.
3. 6 minutes, $1.30. This was a charge to add 20 miles. As I recall, I started with 35 miles range, ended with 55 miles range. So 20 miles for $1.30. $0.065 per mile.
Interesting statistics. In all cases I needed what I got. Charging for shorter times appears to be a better value.
Since I switched from the EVgo Flex plan to the EVgo On-The-Go plan, one nice feature is that they email me some useful billing related info.
On November 2 I expected to have my first day of 100+ mile demands on my 2015 Spark EV with DCFC.
On that day, I had two successful Level 3 DCFC charging sessions:
1. 21 minutes, $4.55. This was a charge to 100%. As I recall, I started with 15 miles range, ended with 75 miles range. So 60 miles for $4.55. $0.132 per mile.
2. 14 minutes, $3.03. This was a charge to 80%. As I recall, I started with 32 miles range, ended with 68 miles range. So 36 miles for $3.03. $0.119 per mile.
On Monday, November 5th, I had another day that might push my overnight charging range and opted to add about 15 miles of charge using Level 3 DCFC.
3. 6 minutes, $1.30. This was a charge to add 20 miles. As I recall, I started with 35 miles range, ended with 55 miles range. So 20 miles for $1.30. $0.065 per mile.
Interesting statistics. In all cases I needed what I got. Charging for shorter times appears to be a better value.
Planerench
Well-known member
Chevysparkevblogspot has pointed out that same thing, hanging out on the DC has a diminishing return. His complaint was about Leaf drivers that could use the service gratis due to a Nissan deal.
SparkevBlogspot
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 25, 2015
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You can read my blog post on taper. Basically, taper starts around 80%, so it's most economical to disconnect at that point. Charger should show the %, but if not, you should disconnect just after it hits 8th bar on energy goo display.
http://sparkev.blogspot.com/2017/05/year-of-dc-fast-charging-and-battery.html
Another I noticed is that when TMS or BMS is active, it doesn't charge to 100% using DCFC for a very long time. I was late to disconnect due to McD taking forever in filling my order and had it sit to 100%. But even at that, it was still sucking power of about 2 kW. Since eVgo is paying by time, that's paying about 23 times what's normal (under 80%)!
http://sparkev.blogspot.com/2017/05/year-of-dc-fast-charging-and-battery.html
Another I noticed is that when TMS or BMS is active, it doesn't charge to 100% using DCFC for a very long time. I was late to disconnect due to McD taking forever in filling my order and had it sit to 100%. But even at that, it was still sucking power of about 2 kW. Since eVgo is paying by time, that's paying about 23 times what's normal (under 80%)!
Several @ 4 miles, plenty more within the Spark range.
However trading in on a Bolt has cut my DCFC use to zero for the time being.
Where I once had to fill to 100% to get home with 10 miles or less remaining, I just head home.
However trading in on a Bolt has cut my DCFC use to zero for the time being.
Where I once had to fill to 100% to get home with 10 miles or less remaining, I just head home.
"2014 1LT Electric Blue with Fast Charging
Replaced 4-14-17 with Arctic Blue Bolt EV BoltaDrome"
A Firesign reference, per chance ??
I had to take a Megabus this weekend (all flts overbooked AUS-DFW). It wasn't as bad as I expected ! It was fairly late at night so maybe the Bozos were sleeping.
Replaced 4-14-17 with Arctic Blue Bolt EV BoltaDrome"
A Firesign reference, per chance ??
I had to take a Megabus this weekend (all flts overbooked AUS-DFW). It wasn't as bad as I expected ! It was fairly late at night so maybe the Bozos were sleeping.
NORTON said:"2014 1LT Electric Blue with Fast Charging
Replaced 4-14-17 with Arctic Blue Bolt EV BoltaDrome"
A Firesign reference, per chance ??
I had to take a Megabus this weekend (all flts overbooked AUS-DFW). It wasn't as bad as I expected ! It was fairly late at night so maybe the Bozos were sleeping.
Hideo Nuts mega bus? I hear beautiful "This Area" is somewhere between Austin and D/FW, maybe you saw it?
I found a "We're All Bozos on This Bus" license plate frame for my 70's camper trailer on their website a while back. Still working on covering the cushions, so have yet to sleep in it, but every thing else is up to snuff. Having a spare kitchen came in handy when the remodel took longer than expected. I'm still looking for a vintage motor operated pushover to complete the 70's look.
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