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by CalChris 3246 days ago
I use ChargePoint a lot. If the charger isn't broken, it takes significantly less time than dealing with a gas station. 9 times out of 10, I know ahead of time whether a charger is broken or busy.

As for their monetization strategy, I think chargers should require a maintenance contract and that that should be built into the kWh cost. Pay at the pump. I do not like to see free chargers because everyone uses them and no one maintains them because they're not getting paid for.

A buck an hour should be the minimum for 6kWh L2. $5/hr if you leave it 30 minutes past full.

As for the blockchain idea, this seems strange. Too much solution for not enough problem. I don't want to use some random person's L2 in a neighborhood. I could imagine an emergency thing but that's about it.

2 comments

I don't have an electric car, but I was under the impression that filling a tank up took a significant amount of time?

s/tank/battery

You don't have to stand at the car while it charges so the time comparison should really just be how long it takes to plug in and pay. This assumes the charger is at a location you are already visiting. If we accept that assumption you also save the time you went out of your way to a gas station.
That is what I meant. The OP is at the airport and wants to set the car charging. This really doesn't take long at all if the charger is working.

If the charger isn't working that's because someone didn't fix it. That's usually because there isn't a maintenance contract and people didn't pay enough for said maintenance contract. When you buy gas there are use taxes for road maintenance. Kinda like that.

> it takes significantly less time than dealing with a gas station

Considering that most interactions at a gas station are over in 2 minutes, this seems to be a revolutionary fast charging technology!

You need to get to a gas station, where charging stations can be anywhere. If you have one at work and one at your house you will spend vastly less of your time filling up.