Design Contest: What does the charging station of the future look like? Hint: Yes to yoga, no to trailers

[COdogman]

Green Car Reports posted this article today about a contest promoted by Electric Autonomy Canada and Parkland Corporation (a fuel retailer). The winners of said contest will not win any fans here at our family forum, mostly because they seem to have ignored the possibility that any EV might ever tow something behind them. But the good news is the winning designs are heavy on relaxation areas, playgrounds, cafes and even fitness centers…. So if you tow with your R1 you will be relaxed, well fed and swole while you wait for roadside assistance to come give you a charge.

https://www.greencarreports.com/new...-the-charging-station-of-the-future-look-like

This is just another reminder how early in this transition to EVs we really are. All of these companies are just throwing spaghetti at the wall right now.

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[Rivian_Hugh_III]

Future charging stations *themselves* will be inductive affairs that you drive over and which charge from below. A secondary possibility is induction from the side. We won't be attaching cables to our trucks in a decade, thank God. For those of us in northern climes who often park outside in driving rain and sleet, induction will be profoundly welcome. Park and forget about it. Probably my car will manage the last 10 feet so the connection is ideal.

As for the grounds of the charging station, why would it look different than a gas station? Head inside and buy a drink and chewing gum. Head out and find your car is ready to roll. I'll happily sit in my car for the 10-20 minute charge we're talking about.

 

[COdogman]

Future charging stations *themselves* will be inductive affairs that you drive over and which charge from below. A secondary possibility is induction from the side. We won't be attaching cables to our trucks in a decade, thank God. For those of us in northern climes who often park outside, induction will be profoundly welcome.

As for the grounds of the charging station? Why would it look different than a gas station? Head inside and buy a drink and some chewing gum. Head back out and your car's ready to roll. I'll happily sit in my car for the 10-20 minute charge we're talking about.

Oh I agree with you - the only one of these “features” that interests me is a restaurant or coffee shop so I can fuel up while my R1T fuels up. Hopefully one day the roads we drive on wirelessly charge our vehicles and we only have to stop when we want to. Until then we need to watch out for absurdist designers who put form far before function on the list of priorities.

 

[zefram47]

Future charging stations *themselves* will be inductive affairs that you drive over and which charge from below. A secondary possibility is induction from the side. We won't be attaching cables to our trucks in a decade, thank God. For those of us in northern climes who often park outside in driving rain and sleet, induction will be profoundly welcome. Park and forget about it. Probably my car will manage the last 10 feet so the connection is ideal.

As for the grounds of the charging station, why would it look different than a gas station? Head inside and buy a drink and chewing gum. Head out and find your car is ready to roll. I'll happily sit in my car for the 10-20 minute charge we're talking about.

Strongly disagree. Just look how hot your phone gets while inductive charging at no more than 15W. Also look at phones refusing to charge with cases that are too thick. Inductive charging is horribly inefficient, generates a ton of heat, and with higher power levels EMF becomes a big concern.

 

[Bobthebuilder352]

Future charging stations *themselves* will be inductive affairs that you drive over and which charge from below. A secondary possibility is induction from the side. We won't be attaching cables to our trucks in a decade, thank God. For those of us in northern climes who often park outside in driving rain and sleet, induction will be profoundly welcome. Park and forget about it. Probably my car will manage the last 10 feet so the connection is ideal.

As for the grounds of the charging station, why would it look different than a gas station? Head inside and buy a drink and chewing gum. Head out and find your car is ready to roll. I'll happily sit in my car for the 10-20 minute charge we're talking about.

Future? Maybe eventually, but not in our lifetime

 

[Dark-Fx]

Strongly disagree. Just look how hot your phone gets while inductive charging at no more than 15W. Also look at phones refusing to charge with cases that are too thick. Inductive charging is horribly inefficient, generates a ton of heat, and with higher power levels EMF becomes a big concern.

My phone doesn't have any ability to cool itself besides reducing power usage/input. It also gets quite warm charging with the cable plugged in.
Wireless fast charging EVs in the lab has demonstrated nearly the same efficiency levels as plugin charging. We obviously aren't at the point where deployment is going to happen, but it's an inevitability.

 

[Max]

Only the third place design accommodate R1T with a trailer.

 

[E.S.]

Only the third place design accommodate R1T with a trailer.

(my impression of today's Youtubers/reviewers)
What?! No Sauna/Jacuzzi?!?! This place is FULL OF FAIL!!!

(Nice design. Glad to see spots incorporating for those with trailers).

 

[Forager]

Only the third place design accommodate R1T with a trailer.

The most common argument I’ve gotten for tow-capable charge stations is that connecting/disconnecting trailers causes some people too much anxiety, so they need pull through spots (I’m looking at you TFL). I cannot imagine they’d handle the prospect of backing up a trailer any better!

 

[COdogman]

The most common argument I’ve gotten for tow-capable charge stations is that connecting/disconnecting trailers causes some people too much anxiety, so they need pull through spots (I’m looking at you TFL). I cannot imagine they’d handle the prospect of backing up a trailer any better!

I agree, and it’s hard to tell from the drawing if the “trailer friendly” spots are intended to be 2 spots each or just one. I can imagine the logjam it would create trying to get in and out of those areas if there is another trailer already parked there. Or more likely you pull in from the road, can’t see if there is another truck/ trailer back there and there is probably a car parked in that area designated for backing up… Then you are stuck trying to back all the way out towards the front again

 

[Max]

The most common argument I’ve gotten for tow-capable charge stations is that connecting/disconnecting trailers causes some people too much anxiety, so they need pull through spots (I’m looking at you TFL). I cannot imagine they’d handle the prospect of backing up a trailer any better!

I agree pull through is ideal. Even though I have never pulled a trailer, I think ignoring people that do is a mistake. They already drive the most polluting ICE trucks and should be the main target for conversion. Range loss and frequent stops make buying a BEV a difficult decision for someone that tows. Piling up an awful charging experience on top of it will ensure they will never convert.

 

[E.S.]

Heck, this only thing this is missing is a place to lay down for 30 mins or an hr to fight off the "itis" after eating

Observation: the stalls designed for trailers, shouldn't they be open ended so instead of having to back out, the driver can just pull out from the station at the other end (maybe angle those stations to permit pulling in one side and exiting by driving forward out the other)?

 

[zefram47]

The most common argument I’ve gotten for tow-capable charge stations is that connecting/disconnecting trailers causes some people too much anxiety, so they need pull through spots (I’m looking at you TFL). I cannot imagine they’d handle the prospect of backing up a trailer any better!

I don't think it's anxiety. It's more that leaving a disconnected trailer with stuff in or on it while grabbing a bite to eat or something while charging is a non-starter. Sure, there are locks you could buy, but most all locks are shit. Just watch a few LPL videos and you'll see.

 

[COdogman]

Heck, this only thing this is missing is a place to lay down for 30 mins or an hr to fight off the "itis" after eating

Observation: the stalls designed for trailers, shouldn't they be open ended so instead of having to back out, the driver can just pull out from the station at the other end (maybe angle those stations to permit pulling in one side and exiting by driving forward out the other)?

Exactly. That is what others are calling “pull through”, like at a gas station or truck stop. The plan as designed would be a clusterf*ck. No thought put into how the largest, most complicated vehicles would get in and out easily.

 

[SANZC02]

I think one thing they are missing is a place to que up when forced to wait.

When I first got the Tesla, people were pretty good about waiting their turn but last couple of years you see more people jumping the line.

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