2000 new EVgo chargers coming to 500 locations along US highways -- to be built by GM/Pilot

[DJG]

Where is the map of the proposed chargers for this project?

Just look at the current EA map, and there you go with about 90% accuracy.

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[Ralph]

Where is the map of the proposed chargers for this project?

Yeah, I'd be interested to find the map as well. The best I could find was a somewhat less than useful list/map of all Pilot/Flying J locations. Quickly adding the number of locations for each state I came up with 772.

Unfortunately, I see no way to show all the locations on a zoomable map. Using the "Plan a trip" function gives you the sites along a route, but that is not very useful until they show which 500 of the 772 are going to get EVgo.

Still, I'm not so sure I'd say the plan is for "all are in the exact same areas that already well served". I planned a couple of routes and at least for those routes, it looks like the additional 350kw stations would help me get to where I'm going.

Edit: Added link to Pilot/Flying J locations

 

[Ralph]

Just look at the current EA map, and there you go with about 90% accuracy.

Would you mind explaining that please? Thanks!

 

[DJG]

Would you mind explaining that please? Thanks!

Just like with the RAN, the existing EA network is more or less where you end up when designing a nationwide charger network to connect people. For example, to connect Houston to El Paso, you have essentially one option (along I-10) and that's how EA did it and how Rivian will do it, and how EVGo will do it. Just like you have Shell, Valero, Exxon all in the same town, you'll have the same with chargers. They may or may not literally be on the same intersection, but in a lot of cases they will be in the same towns.

Also, I presume this network is getting federal money, which means it will be where the Feds want them to be, which is on major transportation corridors.

 

[Ralph]

Just like with the RAN, the existing EA network is more or less where you end up when designing a nationwide charger network to connect people. For example, to connect Houston to El Paso, you have essentially one option (along I-10) and that's how EA did it and how Rivian will do it, and how EVGo will do it. Just like you have Shell, Valero, Exxon all in the same town, you'll have the same with chargers. They may or may not literally be on the same intersection, but in a lot of cases they will be in the same towns.

But if I understand correctly, Pilot/Flying J are putting these at existing facilities. Yes, those facilities are/were placed in a similar fashion as you describe. But the routes I'm looking at sure seem to be underserved by 350 kw, pull through stations. It only takes 1 or 2 well placed chargers to make a huge difference.

Generalizations really aren't very helpful. Surely they will give us a map at some point. Actually @Bigeasy70075 says he has looked at the locations of the new chargers so maybe he can point us to a map/list. In *general* I have no doubt it will look like as you describe.

 

[DJG]

But if I understand correctly, Pilot/Flying J are putting these at existing facilities. Yes, those facilities are/were placed in a similar fashion as you describe. But the routes I'm looking at sure seem to be underserved by 350 kw, pull through stations. It only takes 1 or 2 well placed chargers to make a huge difference.

Generalizations really aren't very helpful. Surely they will give us a map at some point. Actually @Bigeasy70075 says he has looked at the locations of the new chargers so maybe he can point us to a map/list. In *general* I have no doubt it will look like as you describe.

Seems to be a strange concentration around SE Michigan...

https://pressroom.gm.com/gmbx/us/en...l/Pages/news/us/en/2022/jul/0714-gmpilot.html

 

[Bigeasy70075]

Where is the map of the proposed chargers for this project?

2nd link in the initial post

 

[Ralph]

Seems to be a strange concentration around SE Michigan...

https://pressroom.gm.com/gmbx/us/en...l/Pages/news/us/en/2022/jul/0714-gmpilot.html

Thank you for the link; very helpful. Maybe GM, Pilot/Flying J or EVgo will give us a little more informative map at some point. Other information on the page about GM and charging that may benefit Rivian owners apart from the Pilot/Flying J announcement:

"This collaboration is targeting the installation of charging stalls at 50-mile intervals across the U.S. For GM, this development is one more step of its nearly $750 million investment in EV charging infrastructure, including:

• Enabling access to more than 100,000 charge points in the U.S. and Canada through its Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem
• Collaborating with EVgo to build out a network of 3,250 charging stalls in major metro areas by 2025
• Installing up to 40,000 chargers in local dealer communities through GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program, focusing on underserved rural and urban areas"

 

[DJG]

Thank you for the link; very helpful. Maybe GM, Pilot/Flying J or EVgo will give us a little more informative map at some point. Other information on the page about GM and charging that may benefit Rivian owners apart from the Pilot/Flying J announcement:

"This collaboration is targeting the installation of charging stalls at 50-mile intervals across the U.S. For GM, this development is one more step of its nearly $750 million investment in EV charging infrastructure, including:

• Enabling access to more than 100,000 charge points in the U.S. and Canada through its Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem
• Collaborating with EVgo to build out a network of 3,250 charging stalls in major metro areas by 2025
• Installing up to 40,000 chargers in local dealer communities through GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program, focusing on underserved rural and urban areas"

Yeah, the 50-mile increments is the code word for tax money funded. That was one of the requirements, in addition to public availability, etc.

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

I've been impressed by the 350kW EVgo chargers in my area. There's one right by my office that consistently holds 200+ kW for my R1T all the way up to 50%, and it has a very reasonable per-minute charge.

It's cheap enough that if I'm charging from ~20%-50%, it's significantly cheaper than my home utility rate. Here's a recent session where I got 34 kWh in ten minutes for less than $0.09/kWh (close to half my home utility rate):

WTH!! that's an amazing rate for DCFC!!

 

[Ralph]

Yeah, the 50-mile increments is the code word for tax money funded. That was one of the requirements, in addition to public availability, etc.

But from my understanding each state submits it's own plan for the partial funding of chargers from the infrastructure bill. Are all plans/providers 350kw chargers under those plans? If so, the funding seems to be accomplishing the intended purpose.

 

[DJG]

But from my understanding each state submits it's own plan for the partial funding of chargers from the infrastructure bill. Are all plans/providers 350kw chargers under those plans? If so, the funding seems to be accomplishing the intended purpose.

I believe the power requirement is 150kw+. For many locations the total available power will be a fixed and limited number, so if you want to have all 350kw chargers, you'll have fewer plugs. Some hosts may prefer to have more plugs and thus more customers for their trinkets.

 

[Ralph]

I believe the power requirement is 150kw+. For many locations the total available power will be a fixed and limited number, so if you want to have all 350kw chargers, you'll have fewer plugs. Some hosts may prefer to have more plugs and thus more customers for their trinkets.

Understood. but I'm glad these will be 350kw, but in general hope for a mix due to the reasons you cite (more chargers at a given site).

 

[Autolycus]

Now I’m getting confused by the complaining. First we have the complaint that chargers aren’t reliable and you can’t go on a road trip because you’ll be stranded by broken chargers. Now we’re getting complaints about how overly redundant the network is going to be 2-3 years from now? Don’t we all want and need the redundancy of multiple overlapping networks? That’s a REALLY good thing, especially as more and more EVs are doing road trips. We NEED more capacity on the busiest routes.

Yes, it’s a shame that fringe cases aren’t really served yet, but that’s how the world works. You serve the largest population first and then work your way to the fringes.

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