Garages Go Luxury With Well-Appointed Home Charging Options For Electric Car Owners
Originally posted on EVANNEX.
By Charles Morris
Regular readers of this column are surely familiar with how electric car charging works, and the various flavors of home and public charging that are available. For much of the general public however, charging is terra incognita, and this lack of knowledge is holding back wider EV adoption. For the EV-curious, the number-one question (and maybe numbers two and three as well) is always about charging, and until people understand what their options are, they’re simply not going to buy.
Fortunately, we’re seeing more and more how-to articles about charging in mainstream media such as local newspapers and general-interest mags. Recently the Wall Street Journal published a charging primer, in which E.B. Solomont shared the charging experiences of several current EV owners, along with some sound information on charging basics from our colleague, EV expert Tom Moloughney.
As you might expect considering its typical reader demographic, the EV owners interviewed by the WSJ are luxury car buyers who can pay whatever it takes to get what they want. If you’re thinking about a used Nissan LEAF, rest assured that there are much cheaper home charging options than the ones described here. However, it’s safe to say that higher-income consumers need charging advice just as much as we budget buyers do.
Peter Van Deerlin is a doctor, and when he bought a Tesla Model S in 2012, he wanted the fastest home charging solution he could get, in case he needed to get to the hospital quickly. He opted for Tesla’s Dual Charger, a hardware option that allowed Model S to be charged at 22 kW, double the usual rate (Tesla discontinued this option in 2016), and installed a beefy 100-amp electrical circuit in his garage. Dr. Deerlin and his wife have presumably been satisfied with their charging experience, because they later added a Model 3 and a Roadster to their fleet.
In fact, so delighted are the Deerlins that they spent some $13,000 to redecorate their garage, with Tesla-red paint, a wall-mounted T logo and flashy floor tiles. Vivianna Van Deerlin, who is now the president of a local Tesla owners’ club, told the WSJ that she originally went electric for environmental reasons, but fell in love with the Tesla: “I love that driving electric doesn’t need to be a compromise.”
We’re such a @Tesla family, even the #FrunkPuppy drives her own Tesla and parks in the Tesla garage. #FrunkPuppyFriday @28delayslater @mayemusk @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/twk9D3w9Il
— Vivi (@vivivandeerlin) April 19, 2019
Entrepreneur and investor Rich Levandov and his wife, Robin, split their time between Massachusetts and Sausalito, California. Their Massachusetts pad has a simple Level 2 charger, but at their California spread, they’re going all the way, installing a Tesla Solar Roof and a Powerwall, which they’ll use to charge their new Model Y and four e-bikes.
Colin Morales, an executive at a medical firm, drives a Porsche Taycan, and his partner has a plug-in hybrid Range Rover. They may have been among the many who bought a plug-in vehicle without understanding the reality of charging—they told the WSJ that at first, they “found themselves running all over town searching for a charging station.” However, they quickly educated themselves, and spared no expense to get properly equipped. The couple now have three ChargePoint home chargers, and another on order—two at their primary residence and two for their vacation homes.
Mr. Morales said he spent around $2,000 to install each charging station, including the electrical work, and is now saving an estimated $150 per month on gas.
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Leading yard operation 3PL YMX Logistics has announced plans to deploy fully twenty (20) of Orange EV’s fully electric Class 8 terminal trucks at a number of distribution and manufacturing sites across North America.
As the shipping and logistics industries increasingly move to embrace electrification, yard operations have proven to be an almost ideal use case for EVs, enabling companies like Orange EV, which specialize in yard hostlers or terminal tractors, to drive real, impactful change. To that end, companies like YMX are partnering with Orange EV.
“This relationship between YMX and Orange EV is a significant step forward in transforming yard operations across North America,” said Matt Yearling, CEO of YMX Logistics. “Besides the initial benefits of reduction in emissions and carbon footprint, our customers are also seeing improvements in the overall operational efficiency and seeking to expand. Our team members have also been sharing positive feedback about their new equipment and highlighting the positive impact on their health and day-to-day activities.”
This Orange looks good in blue
One of the most interesting aspects of this story – beyond the Orange EV HUSK-e XP’s almost unbelievable 180,000 lb. GCWR spec. – is that this isn’t a story about California’s ports, which mandate EVs. Instead, YMX is truly deploying these trucks throughout the country, with at least four currently in Chicago (and more on the way).
“Our collaboration with YMX Logistics represents a powerful stride in delivering sustainable yard solutions at scale for enterprise customers,” explains Wayne Mathisen, CEO of Orange EV. “With rising demand for electric yard trucks, our joint efforts ensure that more companies can access the environmental, financial, and operational benefits of electrification … this is a win for the planet, the workforce, and the bottom line of these organizations.”
We interviewed Orange EV founder Kurt Neutgens on The Heavy Equipment Podcast a few months back, but if you’re not familiar with these purpose-built trucks, it’s worth a listen.
HEP-isode 26
SOURCE | IMAGES: YMX Logistics.
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On today’s thrilling episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 9 and its “a “rolling living room” pivoting captain’s chairs, Kia gets a go-fast 7 passenger SUV and an updated EV6, while Honda announces plans to start producing solid-state batteries at its new facility in just a few weeks.
We’ve also got big news for American workers – a Minnesota power company is ditching coal for solar while ExxonMobil and LG Chem get to work extracting thousands of tons of lithium out of Tennessee’s soil.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations sitewide. Learn more by clicking here.
You can watch the episode, below.
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Read more: Farm-fegnugen? Volkswagen rolls out an electric tractor.
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Arevon Energy has kicked off operations at Vikings Solar-plus-Storage – one of the US’s first utility-scale solar peaker plants.
The $529 million project in Imperial County, California, near Holtville, features 157 megawatts of solar power paired with 150 megawatts/600 megawatt hours of battery storage.
Vikings Solar-plus-Storage is designed to take cheap daytime solar power and store it for use during more expensive peak demand times, like late afternoons and evenings. The battery storage system can quickly respond to changes in demand, helping tackle critical grid needs.
Vikings leverages provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that support affordable clean energy, strengthen grid resilience, boost US manufacturing, and create good jobs.
The Vikings project has already brought significant benefits to the local area. It employed over 170 people during construction, many local workers, and boosted nearby businesses like restaurants, hotels, and stores. On top of that, Vikings will pay out more than $17 million to local governments over its lifespan.
“Vikings’ advanced design sets the standard for safe and reliable solar-plus-storage configurations,” said Arevon CEO Kevin Smith. “The project incorporates solar panels, trackers, and batteries that showcase the growing strength of US renewable energy manufacturing.”
The project includes Tesla Megapack battery systems made in California, First Solar’s thin-film solar panels, and smart solar trackers from Nextracker. San Diego-based SOLV Energy handled the engineering, procurement, and construction work.
San Diego Community Power (SDCP) will buy the energy from the Vikings project under a long-term deal, helping power nearly 1 million customer accounts. SDCP and Arevon have also signed an agreement for the 200 MW Avocet Energy Storage Project in Carson, California, which will start construction in early 2025.
Vikings is named after the Holtville High School mascot, and Arevon is giving back to the local community by funding scholarships for deserving Holtville High students.
Arevon is a major renewable energy developer across the US and a key player in California, with nearly 2,500 MW in operation and more than 1,250 MW under construction.
Read more: Minnesota’s largest coal plant goes solar: Sherco Solar comes online
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