Apreesh for the destination charger

[R1TVT]

So, one thing that is a little under-rated for EV owners is the "destination charger." These are not DCFC's, and as the name suggests, you travel somewhere, and you get to SLOW charge for short $$$ (or sometimes no money) while you are away from your truck doing something, or while sleeping overnight, for example. Destination chargers may actually alter your behavior and cause you to seek them out when you own an EV, due to sheer convenience, or perhaps due to a lack of DCFC infrastructure wherever your trip might take you. For example, you might book a hotel or campsite because they have destination charging available. Nothing better than waking up with a full battery before hitting the next leg of your trip. One reason to NOT take these for granted is because you just don;t get this sort of convenience with an ICE vehicle while parked, so sometimes your roadtrips might actually be SHORTER WITH AN EV when you find a destination with a charger on-site.

One of the many benefits of "destination charging" may be finding a parking spot more easily, or CLOSER to where you need to be. Sometimes that spot might be conveniently located just outside a door to your hotel, closer to a ski lift when the lot is filling up, or they might sit right outside your office window. Spaces are reserved for EV's, and these spaces are often open.

Cheers to the destination charger! Here's a list of my top 5 locations for destination chargers... Feel free to add to the list:

1. Work - usually free - great perk if it is.
2. Ski Areas, usually a little closer to the lodge or lifts than most of the parking.
3. Schools (while parked for sports events/tournaments/or being near town, etc.). I always search for them at Schools.
4. Parking Garages/Airports - first-come, first-served. These paces can be harder to come by at times
5. Bars & restaurants

Here's a row of 12 destination charges at a ski area in VT. They probably have 40-50 chargers in total across all lots:

 

[dreamweaver]

So, one thing that is a little under-rated for EV owners is the "destination charger." These are not DCFC's, and as the name suggests, you travel somewhere, and you get to SLOW charge for short $$$ (or sometimes no money) while you are away from your truck doing something, or while sleeping overnight, for example. Destination chargers may actually alter your behavior and cause you to seek them out when you own an EV, due to sheer convenience, or perhaps due to a lack of DCFC infrastructure wherever your trip might take you. For example, you might book a hotel or campsite because they have destination charging available. Nothing better than waking up with a full battery before hitting the next leg of your trip. One reason to NOT take these for granted is because you just don;t get this sort of convenience with an ICE vehicle while parked, so sometimes your roadtrips might actually be SHORTER WITH AN EV when you find a destination with a charger on-site.

One of the many benefits of "destination charging" may be finding a parking spot more easily, or CLOSER to where you need to be. Sometimes that spot might be conveniently located just outside a door to your hotel, closer to a ski lift when the lot is filling up, or they might sit right outside your office window. Spaces are reserved for EV's, and these spaces are often open.

Cheers to the destination charger! Here's a list of my top 5 locations for destination chargers... Feel free to add to the list:

1. Work - usually free - great perk if it is.
2. Ski Areas, usually a little closer to the lodge or lifts than most of the parking.
3. Schools (while parked for sports events/tournaments/or being near town, etc.). I always search for them at Schools.
4. Parking Garages/Airports - first-come, first-served. These paces can be harder to come by at times
5. Bars & restaurants

Here's a row of 12 destination charges at a ski area in VT. They probably have 40-50 chargers in total across all lots:

View attachment 12930

We have 10 free chargers at the local court house. open 24/7

 

[04Ram2500Hemi]

We have 10 free chargers at the local court house. open 24/7

Those aren’t free. It’s called taxes.

 

[dreamweaver]

Those aren’t free. It’s called taxes.

Only sales & property taxes in Florida.

 

[J Alynn]

Those aren’t free. It’s called taxes.

Free to the users. If I’m paying taxes on it anyway why not take advantage of it

 

[R1TVT]

Those aren’t free. It’s called taxes.

My town received a grant of $130K from a major utility supplier under a program called "Make Ready EV" and recieved a $51K grant from the state as part of its E/V incentive program, so it isn't always taxes. They also just installed 2 DCFC's at the town hall from FLO. They charge full freight for charging at those DCFC stations and plan to "break-even" on those stations, since the town supplies the power to them.

 

[04Ram2500Hemi]

My town received a grant of $130K from a major utility supplier under a program called "Make Ready EV" and recieved a $51K grant from the state as part of its E/V incentive program, so it isn't always taxes. They also just installed 2 DCFC's at the town hall from FLO. They charge full freight for charging at those DCFC stations and plan to "break-even" on those stations, since the town supplies the power to them.

Grants aren’t free. That’s federal money, which in one way or another we all pay for. We’re going to get taxed on stuff no matter what (if I remember correctly, the only two guarantees in life are death and taxes), so if you can benefit from it and charge for “free” then why not. But there is no such thing as a free lunch or a free pet.

 

[R1TVT]

Grants aren’t free. That’s federal money, which in one way or another we all pay for. We’re going to get taxed on stuff no matter what (if I remember correctly, the only two guarantees in life are death and taxes), so if you can benefit from it and charge for “free” then why not. But there is no such thing as a free lunch or a free pet.

Not just federal - Federal and State in this case. I was simply explaining that the monies from these grants came from both a public utility and from the state - not just straight tax revenue with no other incentives. Incentives are there for a reason, and if you have the choice to utilize the end-result, then more power to you. My town also has seen significantly increased EV-adoption over the last decade, for reference. States may also offer their own direct rebates/incentives for EV's.

 

[N Wilson]

Grants aren’t free. That’s federal money, which in one way or another we all pay for. We’re going to get taxed on stuff no matter what (if I remember correctly, the only two guarantees in life are death and taxes), so if you can benefit from it and charge for “free” then why not. But there is no such thing as a free lunch or a free pet.

In talking about destination chargers, many are at private businesses such as hotels, ski areas, etc. In those instances, it's likely the business made a calculated decision that the revenue that will come in from people patronizing the business will be more than what it cost them to install and operate the chargers.

You have a point about chargers that were paid for with tax incentives and other government revenue sources. Those would use tax dollars. Likely, DCFCs used more of those incentives, but probably some destination chargers did too, so it's probably a mix of public and private money that has paid for them so far.

Since the oil and gas industry is heavily subsidized by tax money, I'm fine with some of my tax dollars going to help build out charging infrastructure as well.

 

[BeerParty]

Cheers to the destination charger! Here's a list of my top 5 locations for destination chargers... Feel free to add to the list:

1. Work - usually free - great perk if it is.
2. Ski Areas, usually a little closer to the lodge or lifts than most of the parking.
3. Schools (while parked for sports events/tournaments/or being near town, etc.). I always search for them at Schools.
4. Parking Garages/Airports - first-come, first-served. These paces can be harder to come by at times
5. Bars & restaurants

6. Casinos - every one I have seen was free and right by the main entrance.