Today, for the first time, I noticed, next to a local Safeway store near my house (Safeway is a nationwide chain) a couple of new EV recharging stations. I don't know a lot about the program...but apparently it is part of a system called Plug-Share. This particular Safeway store also sells gas, under its own brand name, in a conventional gas station on its lot.

https://www.plugshare.com/widget.html

If so, this will be a long-awaited boost in the availability of EV charge-outlets outside California....particularly for those, like me, who live in homes that don't have outside or garage-outlets built in. However, just what specific EV vehicles these Plug-Share units will fit is also an open question. I may be wrong, but, as I understand it, Teslas have a non-standard outlet on their vehicles that fits only Tesla-suppled outlets.

I'd appreciate it if anyone who has experience with these Plug-Share outlets and/or what EV or plug-in-hybrid vehicles they fit would post or share with us. Thanks.

MM

 

It’s not just California. Pretty much all of our grocery stores here have chargers. My local grocer has two different types of charging stations plus a Tesla Supercharger. These will continue to spread.

I usually see Nissan Leafs at these like pictured above.

 

Our local Target has several Electrify America chargers

 

first off, one charger you saw doesn’t signify anything.

second, i believe teslas all come with an adapters to plug into 110 or to allow the ‘standard’ plug from the charger to plug into the tesla’s car connection.

 

There are two in the parking lot I was at.

Fine, but some people don't have access to any outdoor 100V outlets.

Frankly, I think these Plug-Share chargers are a good idea if they will fit most BEVs and plug-in hybrids. I've obviously never tried one, but I would (guess) they they work by a credit-system whereby you plug your car in, use X amount of electricity, and then pay for it on your credit card. The only problem is, the guy waiting in line behind you to use the outlets might not want to sit there and wait a couple of hours until you are done.

 

A Tesla can charge at any plug except CCS in the US. Tesla can use CCS in Europe though. One caveat is that the CHAdeMO adaptor is expensive so most Tesla owners won't charge at CHAdeMO chargers.

Only Tesla's can charge at Tesla super chargers though.

 

Is this because the cars are different or tesla includes an adapter in europe, or something else? I know i read somewhere about this a while back.

 

The CCS charger is built in for the European version. There is no adaptor that you can buy yet. This is for the Model 3 actually. You can buy CCs adaptors for the S and X so it's just probably a matter of time.

 

Seems to me there ought to be some kind of DOT regulation in the U.S. standardizing the charge-outlet/plug designs for EVs, just like what was done for leaded gas-nozzles many decades ago...and in the 1970s for unleaded gas-nozzles. We saw the same for a number of other auto-related items....license plates, turn-signal bulbs (#1157) tire-valves/valve-stems, etc.... Some things are just impractical or unfeasible to have in different sizes/designs.

 

It's certainly great for companies like supermarkets or other big-box stores to install EV chargers in their lots. But it seems apartment houses, or condos like yours, should install them too. Office buildings too. Residents charging overnight get much more benefit than customers spending 30-60 minutes in the supermarket.

 

Though I don't want to give them any more bone-headed ideas (they have enough of them already LOL) I just wonder how long it will take teen-agers and kids, with nothing better do do in their free time, to start pulling the charge-plugs out of unattended BVs as their latest fad. Some of the publically-located outlets may (?) have to have security-guards, which, of course, will increase the costs of recharging to cover their salaries. Either that, or design secure locks for the plugs when charging.

 

so you said there is no adapter you can buy but you can buy adapters...

 

To clarify, you can buy CCS adaptors for Model S/X but not model 3.

 

This is good to hear. I see this as only the beginning, these chargers will start to pop up like weeds everywhere. The EV revolution is coming to the US.

 

I'd actually be more concerned about other EV owners; both people who overstay a full charge in the space, and those who feel charging their car is more important than your charge.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/d...icle-charging/