Baby, You Can Charge My Car!

By Glenn C. Koenig, Webmaster at Town Wide Mall

Maynard, MA - Drivers of electric vehicles now have the option of using a fast DC charger, right in downtown Maynard.  The charger is a high power direct current (aka "Level 3") kiosk operated by ChargePoint, located in the parking lot adjacent to Memorial Park, just across from the Fine Arts Theatre.  This new charger does not replace the existing "Level 2" chargers, located in the same parking lot nearby, but offers a new alternative: a much faster charging option.

In this photo, the new charging station is at the far right (with my dark gray car parked in the dedicated space for charging). The Fine Arts Theatre is visible at the far left, across Summer street.

The charger, installed recently, offers both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors, and is the first one in town to provide these options.  It was installed by agreement between the town and ChargePoint.  Drivers can use it with either an app on their smartphone (downloaded from ChargePoint) or with a credit card.

Experience

I used this charger for the first time on Saturday.  I was glad to see it installed because the Nissan Leaf I drive uses a CHAdeMO connector for fast DC charging, but this type of connector is somewhat more rare than the more common CCS and Tesla (NACS) chargers currently available around the country (see "Background" section of this story, below).

When I drove up and parked, I used the app on my phone to start the charger.  Then, I plugged the connector into my car, and climbed back inside and sat for about 15 minutes.  I was able to run the heater in my car during the charging session, as it was bitter cold out that day.  I was pleased to get my car's battery from 29% up to 54% during that time, and paid around $5.00.
Granted, this is not as fast as filling a gasoline car but it's certainly lower in cost.  When my car is fully charged, I can get a range of 240 miles.
Although I was glad to use this new charging station at the time, I have since noticed that it sometimes says "Unavailable" on it's lighted banner at the top.  So far, I have been unable to determine the reason for this.

Normally, I charge at home, using the Level 1 setup shown in the photo below, (in the "Background" section).  Since I typically drive short distances, that is usually all I need.  As we have solar panels on our roof, I can often avoid using fossil fuels. This is possible when the sun is shining and we are producing more electricity than we otherwise need in the house.
Occasionally, my car's battery is depleted, perhaps due to taking unexpected trips. When that happens, I want to charge up much more quickly than I can at home.  Up until now, I had to drive two or three towns away to find a Level 3 charger that is compatible with my car.

Impact

If you stand at this new charging station and look up to the left, you can see where it gets its power from:  those three transformers, mounted near the top of the utility pole shown in the photo here.  The other side of those transformers are connected to the region's power grid, of course. That means that the electricity to charge my car is being generated by a mix of fossil fuels (predominantly natural gas here in New England), as well as renewable sources, including solar and wind.
So, why drive electric when it depends partly on fossil fuels?  One reason is that the power plants that use fossil fuels can burn cleaner and more efficiently than the internal combustion engines (gasoline or diesel) in non electric cars.  The other reason is, that at least I'm using some renewable energy sources, whereas a car with an internal combustion engine runs on 100% fossil fuel.

Background

Charging Levels Explained

There are three general levels of charge options for electric vehicles (technically known as a BEVs or Battery Electric Vehicles).
Level 1 means charging from a standard 120 Volt outlet, typically at home.  This is the slowest method; most vehicles will need 12 to 24 hours to reach a full charge.  The photo here shows a Level 1 charging "station" I mounted on the wall in my garage.  The large gray plug and the black box mounted below it were included when I bought my car; I provided the extension cord, metal box, and the switch to complete the arrangement.

Level 2 means charging a vehicle a from a dedicated 240 Volt outlet or charger unit, wired directly into the electric service panel in your house (not shown here).  This type of circuit is similar to one that might serve an electric dryer or stove at home.  Not only is the voltage twice as high, such circuits are often wired to provide three or more times the current (amps) compared to Level 1, so you can charge a vehicle in less than half the time.

Both Level 1 and Level 2 charging options connect to EVs with a "J1772" connector, which all EVs and plug-in hybrids have as standard.  The one major exception is Tesla vehicles, which have their own standard.  Since other companies are now entering into agreements to use the Tesla system, it's becoming a new standard of its own, known as NACS.
There is more detail available at a number of web sites, including this one from LifeWire:
https://www.lifewire.com/ev-charging-levels-explained-5201716

There is a Wikipedia article describing the NACS standard here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Charging_System

Level 3 is a different story.  There are three different standards: CHAdeMO, Tesla (NACS), and CCS.  Why?  The main reason is that when something is very new, it's hard to develop standards because the technology keeps changing so fast.  The three standards evolved at different times as electric vehicles were being developed.
In 2008, Tesla introduced its first car, the "Roadster" and created its own proprietary network of chargers, so that owners of their cars could drive long distances and have a network of charging stations to use along the way.  The company didn't introduce its lower priced Model S until 2012.
In 2010, The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) in Japan formed a consortium of auto manufacturers (Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Subaru) to standardize the CHAdeMO standard.  Nissan began producing the Leaf in 2010 and it became the largest selling electric car in the world soon after.
Meanwhile, other US and European automakers were not as aggressively developing electric vehicles. In the US, the "big 3" Detroit automakers were pursuing mid and full sized pickup trucks and truck based SUVs.  There were many reasons for this, including existing industrial infrastructure, market demand, a strong fossil fuel industry, and a traditional reliance on personal vehicles for transportation when compared to other countries.

After a few years, with the increasing sales of Tesla and strong sales of Nissan's Leaf, other automakers had to get into the game soon or be left behind.  But they had a problem when it came to fast (Level 3) charging.  Tesla's standard was still proprietary.  And the CHAdeMO connector was large, complex, and bulky. 

The CHAdeMO Plug and Receptacle.

Using newer electronic technology, they found a way, to create a new standard, known as CCS (Combined Charging System). This allowed them to reduce the size, weight, and complexity of the connectors and cables.  With CCS, a car needs only one connector to handle all three levels.
Of course, the story is not over, as Tesla has worked to promote its system by opening it up to other manufacturers.

Comparisons

Battery electric vehicles have a slightly shorter range in the colder months because the battery chemistry is not as efficient as when it's warm.  Gasoline or diesel powered vehicles also experience lower fuel efficiency in the cold months, perhaps anywhere from 4 to 8 miles per gallon less.  Most drivers don't pay much attention; they just have to fill up a bit more often when it's cold out.
Running the heat in a battery electric car also reduces the range somewhat.  Internal combustion engines give off a lot of waste heat, so running the heater is "free" because it uses some of that waste heat that would otherwise be dissipated by the car's radiator.  However, they must use extra fuel to "warm up" after starting in the cold.  On the other hand, electric vehicle drivers can get going without any warm up.

Commentary

nTo me, the Nissan Leaf is the best car I have ever owned.  I will never go back to driving an internal combustion car on a regular basis.  The car is quieter, the ride is smoother, there is almost no vibration (except for road imperfections), and there is plenty of power, such as when needed to accelerate from a ramp onto the highway. There are none of the odors or fumes that non electric cars produce, which is better for my health as well as the health of the planet.  The car needs almost no maintenance, as it has many fewer parts. There are no oil changes, spark plugs, fuel filters, or muffler pipes to rust out.
Yes, I have to pay attention to when and how to charge the battery, but for me, it's well worth it.  I enjoy the experience of driving a small car, and seldom need the capacity of a larger vehicle.  I also seldom need to drive long distances, so I'm happy with the range I have (240 miles).
If I want to travel farther, then I have some choices: I can use the apps on my phone to find suitable chargers and perhaps stop for a meal during a charging session.  Or I can rent a hybrid vehicle for the trip and leave my Leaf at home.
One of the reasons I chose to live in Maynard was the downtown area and how "walkable" it is.  This allows me to save even more energy by leaving my car at home when I go to the Post Office, Town Hall, or local shops and restaurants.

I know the sales of electric vehicles have outpaced the roll out of "charging infrastructure," but I'm willing to be patient because I know things will eventually catch up. I know many people cannot afford a new electric car, so I consider myself lucky to have been able to.  However, I expect that the market for used electric cars will improve soon, bringing the cost down for more people.
I am confident that we will continue to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.  My goal is to learn to live more and more in harmony with nature on this planet, largely through conservation and gradual lifestyle changes.  I know I have a lot to learn but I'm dedicated to pursuing that goal throughout the rest of my life.

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