Please Make Every Highway EV Charging Hub Like This!

[@marklefler4007]

One think they do in Europe is instead of putting in a slab of concrete, they use paving blocks. That way the next time they need to update a charger and run a new cable, they pull up the blocks, run the line, then put the block back instead of having to jackhammer everything. I see they used blocks at this location.

[@ryandoyle4344]

They must use strong pavers to hold the mass of EVs

[@-Jethro-]

That’s also better for letting rain water soak in instead of running off.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

@@ryandoyle4344 They're "cars" and lighter than US "Trucks"

[@OutofSpecStudios]

There’s areas for using pavers instead of concrete. It’s all about drainage and what considered a permanent structure. Pavers are not considered permanent and do allow drainage. Disadvantages include load bearing and keeping up between pavers for loss of sand and weed growth. Eventually, some pavers give way under load bearing and water gets underneath the paver and support gives way.

[@marting1056]

@@OutofSpecStudios Pavers could be permanent, its all about the thickness (and form). on a privat home you may use 6-8cm thick and with heavy Traffic you change to 10cm. and more important than the outer layer are the base layers, the heavier the load the thicker the base layers, its really the same as with tarmac. here the coice of pavers or tarmac has more to do with creating the differnt zones for driving and parking, letting water soak in at the parking lot (no fear of gas or oil-spills with evs!) and as said reinstallation later

[@PeaceChanel]

Thank You for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste.. 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤

[@niklaseklund88]

Love seeing Kyle in Europe. Things are happening slightly faster than i US. Much more collaboration between companies and state.

[@MHG1023]

I just researched a little bit (being German helps ...) and EnBW says they´re prepared to have up to 32 HPC´s at Schleiz. It is also planned to have a bakery next to the lounge asap ... Btw. EnBW is building a lot of its own charging hubs all over Germany and even beyond. They´re now growing fast way outside their home state Baden-Wuerttemberg. Their charging stations have a reputation for working reliably and the customer base actually honours it ...

[@guidodraheim7123]

it turns out that EnWB is the operator with the largest number of fast chargers in Germany. As of today they have 4871 fast charging points, while Tesla has 2850 charging points. (I came across those numbers while working on Wikipedia Schnellladenetz / fast charging network)

[@MHG1023]

@@guidodraheim7123 True, but the downside of this (certainly planned) position in the market is that they have a great influence on the pricing for charging - which they do use to the great disadvantage of customers, unfortunately.

[@lukasweishaupt2708]

I think it's really frustrating to see a new charging location without charging spots for trailers. I was at Schleiz two days ago (in the Tesla Nav it's still not available but i thought I just give it a try) and I had to block 4 stalls. Of course it doesn't matter when nobody is there, but this will change in the future. Also, a roof would be really nice, especially when it's raining.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

I thought the pair at the side of the building were designed for "pull past" if not "pull through"? 7:00

[@chantzsch3916]

agreed, and it's more than ridiculous when you consider that a trailer hitch is a common OEM option. Not like it's a surprise people tow then.

[@wiezyczkowata]

bus charging places would probably work but there is not many of them, problem is there is probably not enough people traveling with trailers so there is not enough demand to do it

[@adamcarlson4922]

Agree 100%. Really wish Kyle and other people that clearly have the manufacturers ear wouldn’t say things like, “please make them all like this” when they have no thought for trailers. I actually think that as charging speeds get faster, going back to the gas station model where almost all of the chargers are pull through would be a better design.

[@voelkela]

@@wiezyczkowataBS

[@LearningFast]

It would be cool if they had solar awnings for the chargers.

[@jacquelinecracchiolo925]

That would never happen because solar just doesn't give enough power to charge your car you might get a couple of miles a day

[@JTube571]

@@jacquelinecracchiolo925 would still help with powering the site overall, especially with how large the awnings usually are and with how many solar panels can be used.

[@LearningFast]

@@jacquelinecracchiolo925 we are talking about covering roofs with the solar panels and not the cars. These solar panels would cover plenty of area if each stall was covered. Also would protect the drivers from rain too.

[@kensmith5694]

@@jacquelinecracchiolo925 The awnings are a good idea as awnings. Look at what a gas station does. A lot of them have something to keep the rain off you.

[@simonpaine2347]

Came here to say the same! Find me a gas station built in the last 20 years that doesn't have a roof, or at least some protection for the operator. All new installations should be compulsory made to install full solar bifacial panels and a sizeable battery backup. Most if not all countries are experiencing more and more severe weather issues. Imagine this location, high up and totally exposed to wind and rain!

[@JU-we1lo]

Hi Kyle, welcome back to Germany ! Here some infos about the energy network: there is a local carrier (Thüringen TEN the State you are right in now), and EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg) who has installed your beloved Alpitronic chargers and will do more at the side where it says in the future (in der nahen Zukunft) and is roaming thru the local network. I guess Tesla is too they will be both linked to the local network but it looks like EnBW has the local carrier as a supporter on side. Where I am from (NRW near Dortmund) Aral pulse is also connecting there Alpitronic 300s to the local carrier. Thanks for the great content here! BTW on those 300s I can get my Q4 e-tron 50 quattro up to 152kW in between 5-25 % - how cool is that? Have a great time in Germany / EU. See u soon 🚙🤗👌 one more thing. The big open spot looks like a space for a NIO swap station. Could be- right? Jens

[@bikergeekgd]

A great EV charging facility design. But these facilities ideally should include cover (like EVERY gas station in the world). I visit a lot of Superchargers. And it is awkward to charge during bad weather.

[@FuncleChuck]

This is pitiful. I hate claiming this is even ok

[@kensmith5694]

Yes and the charge stations should be drive through. This design requires people to back up into oncoming traffic and also is a nightmare for anyone towing. Gas stations solved all this a generation ago.

[@bikergeekgd]

Yes. The Porsche charging station that Out of Spec featured recently was the best EV charging station I have seen; with drive through charging slots under a canopy. As you noted, gas stations worked all of this out over time. Not sure why EV stations can't follow the same design. Back-in charging stalls make sense for an existing parking lot retrofit. But for a new station? Why?

[@stijnbarbe5575]

TEN is the electricity distribution network operator for that region. EnBW(Energie Baden Württemberg) is the energy provider (they send the invoice for your home/company electricity.)

[@robert5008]

I really like the combo branded joint charging hub approach to reduce building cost. Unfortunately for the US market I don't think companies like sharing the spot light at their hubs. Love these videos Kyle

[@SvenLaudel]

Nice to see you in Eastern Germany near my home town Plauen (which has it's own SC). This SC is Schleiz near Autobahn A9. Unfortunately the Autohof with restaurants is on the other side of the Autobahn. Btw. Schleiz has been famous for it's racing tradition (Schleizer Dreieck) in East Germany.

[@djmattyb]

Yes, make more kind of like that. But lets also have some cover to protect from rain/snow. Gas stations have them, so lets start getting covers at charging stations.

[@rp9674]

At least plastic shower caps

[@EhabAboud]

Here's an idea for sixt: having a Germany based charging card that is attached to each vehicle. If you rent said vehicle and spend money on it, you are charged later upon return. What do you think? I see international visitors welcoming that a lot

[@abraxastulammo9940]

Exactly my idea

[@tauzN]

The market is sadly still not mature enough. There would be too many caveats; what networks would work, and at what price.

[@AndrewLumsden]

Hertz in the UK already provide you with an RFID card that Hertz subsequently charge you for using.

[@Polschinski]

Sixt provides Shell Recharge cards when you rent an electric vehicle

[@jonevansauthor]

Why wouldn't you just use contactless payment from your debit or credit card?

[@IuseanXboxController]

This was cool to see, have y'all seen Franklin's Charging in Little Rock, Arkansas? Little DCFC hub with Chademo and CCS run by a private guy. My wife and I stopped there at midnight on the way across country in our 2017 Bolt, we did 5700 miles in 2 weeks without planning before hand. We planned the next stop while charging and it went pretty well. :-D

[@GermanGuy007]

From Germany‘s biggest to Germany’s third biggest city, Berlin and Munich, it‘s about 365 mi. or 590 km. Although there‘s quite a few superchargers around Berlin and from Munich to Nuremberg, they are almost too close leaving on a full charge from either Berlin or Munich. The supercharger in Schleiz is located almost directly in between these two cities. On the other site of the A9 Highway/Autobahn there‘s McDonald‘s (2 HPCs), Subway and a gas station (4 HPCs), so it‘s really a convenient stop on that route.

[@PygKLB]

It would be nice if the EnBW unit with the CHADeMO plug was marked more obviously so that those who need it can get right to it.

[@natehill8069]

...and so that the unaware dont block it if others are available.

[@JamesBabb]

I’d love to see more trailer friendly options develop. Towing with an EV is hard enough.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

Areas on the Tesla location map where you can see the location due to too many chargers!

[@jackgreenstalk777]

Just drop the trailer in an empty spot non charger. Towing limits range and is difficult in i.c.e. vehicles too, compared to not towing. Gotta learn to manage expectations

[@Bigrignohio]

@@jackgreenstalk777 For larger trailers that really is not an option. It is difficult, sometimes dangerous, to connect a trailer. Not to mention time consuming. Can you imagine towing a 30' cabin cruiser and doing that every time you need to charge?

[@jackgreenstalk777]

@@Bigrignohio most people charge 0 to 1 times per day. Most people with trucks only tow 1 time per year (75% of truck owners in us) no reason to cater the grid to something people rarely ever actually do

[@Bigrignohio]

@@jackgreenstalk777 Ah. Then most gas stations should also be set up like these charging stations! Right? After all someone building a gas station wants to maximize profit. That means customers. So why design around a pull-through instead of a pull-up?

[@kingairmech7162]

The only thing missing is the 150 ft tall wind powered generator that not only generates power but also serves as a charging station landmark that can be spotted from miles away.

[@Hermel88]

You have to visit Seed&Greet-Ladepark Hilden in Germany

[@francoiscouturier9875]

Feels like we’re in Norway ! 😄

[@drockjr]

It's funny -in the thumbnail there's just a sole Porto potty outside the building. It made me think you wanted all charging hubs to be like the thumbnail, which was some elaborate, modern design, useless building that housed a sole, utilitarian, plastic pooper out in the cold. 😂 I love your content.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

4 at the back, and the building isn't open.... Duh

[@PygKLB]

I expect there will be toilets in the presently unfinished building.

[@johannesdopke538]

The V4 Superchargers are not approved by the German Authorities so far. That's why the V4 Supercharger at GIGA Berlin is still not opened. Tesla finished several locations with V4 Superchargers and waiting for approval. As soon as the approval is in, they will open them right away. I know of 3 big locations with V4 SC in Germany already finished and waiting for approval. (Berlin, Cologne, Hannover)

[@jasonblair4057]

Now that is a real charging site. Would be cool to see when it’s completed.

[@bradcooke5383]

Kyle I think state highway rest stops already have the land. On a commercial site, truck stops like Flying J have the space to do these installations.

[@denault3985]

Smells so new, what a beautiful location!

[@Asus4508]

If it had a canopy it would be perfect

[@omelborpon3159]

Really need a canopy. People in the USA know this from fueling up ICE vehicles at gas stations where almost every pump is out of the weather. Have we learned nothing?

[@simplygregsterev]

Western Europe is in 2035. It’s wild how good charging is getting there

[@mortis5775]

I don't like the fact that when charging u have go a few miles out of the way they have to make it more like gas stations

[@mortis5775]

Rather give me less stalls right off the highway and more locations I guess with the time hopefully

[@jackgreenstalk777]

Visit California. We have tons of these. Look at firebaugh supercharger all hooked up with massive solar grid

[@50cts]

@@mortis5775that’s because in Germany there’s a monopoly for running gas stations, restaurants, chargers etc on the highway. Company called Tank & Rast is owning this monopoly. It seems they underestimated the need for chargers so you’ll more or less only find IONITY frequently on those locations. Sometimes 2-4 chargers of EnBW or EON. Iirc Tesla and Fastned are suing Tank & Rast currently for not granting access to those locations for every CPO. I think that’s also why you don’t see the IONITY chargers being upgraded there, usually they are 4 and 2 more charger foundations are prepared for upgrades but as long as the lawsuit is on going they can’t upgrade and so can’t other CPOs from what I heard.

[@simplygregsterev]

@@jackgreenstalk777 I’m visiting CA in January and will be checking out charging in CA

[@pienzenau]

I can't believe it's still not finished. We went there on our trip to Sweden in June. Charging was possible (we were the only ones with our Model S), but the building was still being worked on. No great progress in almost 5 months. What I've heard from the workers there is that there is much more to come. A restaurant and additional charging stations will be built nearby. I think they said Ionity and even places for loading and parking for 40 ton trucks.

[@HenryLoenwind]

That's the usual balance between paying construction companies an arm and a leg for doing the work NOW instead of when they have open capacity and not earning money from your project because it's not yet finished. In this case, the latter won out because the chargers are operational. That's, BTW, also the reason roadwork projects tend to take ages. There's no income source for the state, so they are balanced 100% towards cost savings.

[@hugovale6360]

I understand the need for big charging stations like this, especially for people travelling long distances. But I feel like there should be more attention to the slow charging infrastructure as well, as most vehicles spend 80% of their time parked. There should be more affordable systems to slowly charge cars while they are parked at work, shopping and home. These would be way more abundant as they are cheaper to build. Governments should just install an outlet on any lamp post, which is a no brainer. People would flock to electric cars.

[@timoliver8940]

We have that here in my local town in Scotland - walking distance to the train and bus stations and shopping mall - 5 x 50kW time limited chargers that also have Chademo and 43kW AC on the same posts, 3 x Tesla Destination and 12 x 22kW AC posts with no time limit. Just off the motorway out of town we have a hub with 4 x 50kW DCFC with Chademo and 43kW AC cables in them, 1 x 350kW designated for the electric bus service (big fine if you plug your car into it as it is clearly marked and there are electric buses every 15 minutes stopping) then there are 20 x 22kW AC posts and 30 x 7kW cables (you need your own cable to use the 22 and 7kW though) and there is a courtesy bus into the town centre 2 miles away every 30 minutes too

[@ivanvarcek2814]

Yes, that would be great but there is still no universal payment solution for this. It isn't a no brainer.

[@rp9674]

Cheaper more reliable charging. Even level one is good for long-term parking and work parking.

[@billysturgeon8616]

Kyle, I really do like this station. In the U.S., we are going to need many pull through chargers. I'm a blue collar worker and 9 out of 10 guys that I know own trucks and trailers. I also think that canopies are needed. Keep the great videos coming sir. Also I can't wait for you to drive and review the Zeekr 001.

[@ken830]

As Kyle kind of alluded to: Kettleman City is basically this concept.... A converted fast-food restaurant lounge + high stall-count & solar canopy.

[@gregeplerwood6534]

Thanks!

[@slscamg]

Outside of metropolitan area to metropolitan area charging hubs my favorite charging stops are at fueling stations. 6-8 stalls with multiple locations in rural areas. The restrooms and snacks are already built out and someone else has already looked at where are good places to stop and fuel up. I think the key is lots of options to stop.

[@Sandmonmsn]

If you had one of these at every Rest area on motorways in the US, and something like the Gridserve Braintree Electric Forecourt in more built up areas.

[@keitha.1888]

I would be interesting if kyle can revisit this location next summer when its fully operational. To be continued...

[@dennislyon5412]

Or perhaps a German correspondent - Battery Life Chris?

[@rp9674]

A robot

[@keitha.1888]

@rp9674 yeah right, teslabots...

[@tomrossman9371]

One thing is missing at this beautiful charging site - canopies. Charging in the rain is not pleasant.

[@e-redj]

Been there done that. About a month ago(September 23) I was also alone charging at EnBW. It will be a nice location for charging when the building is finished. At least currently the portable toilets are clean, not that normal in Germany.

[@vinniesaccount]

Would be nice to also hafe a roofed corridor. Doesnt need to be for every charger but at least for the central ones. So in a rainstorm you still could charge comfortable, and during heat you would have shadow.

[@rp9674]

At least offer a garbage bag raincoat

[@jameswagner844]

I love this site so jealous concerning there is NO DC charging in my town AT ALL!

[@andrewlarner6190]

Chargers not as fast but we love the Stroud Park Instavolt near Banbury in the UK - 32 fast chargers and an excellent coffee shop

[@realhelmi]

You're not completely wrong with stating that this site is "in the middle of nowhere" but it's also very close to one of the main Highway connections (Munich - Leipzig - Berlin) - so it will definitely be busy and basically isn't anywhere further from "nowhere" than a gas station directly connected to the Autobahn. This type of land might also get a bit more expensive in the future as these places get rarer.

[@shannonlawhorn1674]

The translation is "Here is where EnBW hypernet will be expanded in the future."

[@benzclan63]

It's always very interesting to watch these videos of these amazing charging stations. It's predicted to Mercedes-Benz open his own charging Hub up to 400 kW in Mannheim Germany and Atlanta USA this fall, that you could do videos about it in a near future.

[@nicnordic6143]

- No lounges from EnBW yet, the built some toilets and a robo-market at some place(s= - one side parking for car + trailer, could be more - semis/buses starting to charge from time to time on their trips, they use to block 2-6 stalls

[@genethebean7597]

Something that the new German charging stations are doing that the older ones do better is allocating space for the crappy level 2 chargers. At this location, only one of the chargers could support high amp AC charging, and that was baked into a fast charger! It's better to not waste those spots on the leafs. Maybe just give them like a wall outlet or really cheap charger on the edge of the property? If this concept was exported to America, it would also be nice to see multiple J1772 Level 2 chargers. Going to a fast charger with an AC-only vehicle is very rare, but it is so much easier for the station (especially in upcoming years) to just bulk install these chargers on the corner of their lots, as opposed to sharing with the fast chargers. They are cheap and easy to install and maintain and would add simple charging for those who aren't going very far but wouldn't make it back home without it.

[@samjordan3029]

You should visit the gridserve electric forecourt in the UK in Braintree….best I’ve seen

[@ab-tf5fl]

This is just a start for the kind of charging capacity that will eventually be needed to allow everybody road tripping on a major highway to be in an EV. Some math here to illustrate. Let's say you have two big cities 400 miles apart with a highway between them that carries 1,000 cars per hour per direction (2,000 cars per hour total). Barring big range improvements, all EVs traveling this route will need to stop somewhere between the two cities to charge. If each charging session is 20 minutes, that's a EV capacity of three cars per hour per charger. So, with a standard 4-stall Electrify America site and nothing else, you're limited to 12 cars per hour, which means at most 0.6% of cars traveling the route can be EVs (12/2000). Add to that a 40-stall Tesla supercharger, the EV capacity increases from 12 cars per hour to 132 cars per hour, which seems like a lot, but that's still just 6.6% of all 2000 cars traveling the route each hour. To accomodate all 2,000 cars per hour being EVs, you need a whopping 667 chargers near the halfway point, which equates to 6 huge supercharger sites, averaging just over 110 charging stalls in each of them. This is why Kyle is saying that to 40 stalls is not enough. It is clear that Kyle has done the same math I have, and realizes that 40 EV charging stalls only works when 94% of the cars on the road are still ICE vehicles.

[@HenryLoenwind]

Yes, but: 400 miles is nearly exactly the maximum width (east-west) of Germany, border to border. Or 3/4 of its height (north-south). If there are 1000 cars/hour on that piece of road, then maybe 10 of them are going that distance. So for them, a whopping 6.67 chargers would be needed. The rest of the cars would be doing smaller distances, with the vast majority dong less than a full battery's worth (i.e. ~4 hours of driving) per day. I know it's hard to see in the US with its per-state licence plates---Germany has per-county plates, which makes it much easier---but ~90% of cars on the Autobahn are from the county that piece of road is in or one of the neighbouring ones. There are some long-distance corridors where it's more like 70%, but still....driving more than a battery's worth per day is an exception. PS: The easier way to estimate how many chargers are needed along highways is to look at how many fuel pumps are there and multiply that number by 12. Using a fuel pump blocks the space for about 10 minutes, charging takes about 40, gas burners have up to twice the range between filling stops, and then add a 50% error margin on top => 12x. Rest stop stations in Germany have between 6 and 12 pumps, so 64 to 128 chargers every 50-80 km (30-50 miles).

[@RSTX1836]

Note the non Tesla chargers have two parking spots so you can park on either side, depending on charge port location. Kyle had to block one of the Tesla chargers due to the Telsa configuration.

[@The8BitGuy]

It's surprising you're the only one there!

[@Joinusinfrance]

You should come to the southwest of France we have some sweet charging facilities with great stores

[@tommays56]

Shocking BUT the Circle K off I95 at highway 38 in South Carolina now has two new 150 Kw chargers 1 was broken of corse but it’s progress

[@desmoheli]

It would be cool if they could built these charger now finally like gas stations. A roof and trainer friendly would be the way to go. The openings for single charging stalls could be Ionity

[@sniper200478]

The BMW iX supports Autocharge, so you can use the EnBW chargers as easy as the Tesla.

[@laurabodycombe7998]

Most of the superchargers I’ve been to here in the U.S. are in the rear parking lot behind a motel. Good enough location as long as the motel lets me come in to use the restroom.

[@rp9674]

Sleeeazy, but I'd take it

[@zachlafond2652]

Needs a roof structure//covered in solar would be even better.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

That'll be local authority planning regs?

[@rp9674]

At least a umbrella chained to a cinder block

[@johannesdopke538]

Kyle you can find the new Alpitronic 400 kW Charger at the Fastned Station in Hilden Germany. There is the 40 Stall Supercharger and Fastned expanded their part of the Charging hub to 22 CCS plugs in total. 5 Alpitronic 400 kW got in service a few weeks ago.

[@mariusmeyer14]

Yes I concur! It looks awesome except for maybe the lack of 'more' pull through options and backup power. Maybe solar carports and power packs? (Or Germany don't know what an unstable grid is)

[@GermanGuy007]

Having spent two years in the US, I know about the challenges in smaller cities and rural areas. But the German power grid is actually very stable. Except for most high voltage lines there are almost only underground cables used for power distribution. In my home town of 45.000 somewhere in the middle between Cologne and Hamburg I still remember that we had an outage this year for 20 min. and last year for about an hour. Before that we didn’t have an outage for at least 10, maybe 20 years. For the past 10 years I have had a device screaming at me even if power was lost for a second only. It comes at a high cost, though. Power is between $ 0.32 and $ 0.38 per kWh for most homeowners or renters.

[@Indy_at_the_beach]

This is exactly what I have been saying we need. Lots of chargers and a place to wait, eat, pee and play

[@jerrymixon9209]

Very nice, now all they need is a roof and the placement of the chargers like gas pumps. No backing in or out, just pull up beside them and plug in regardless of where you charge port is located.

[@kallesintonen7188]

Amazing work in Europe!

[@karllondon5118]

Would be great for you to come to the UK and see hot it compares to the Gridserve Electric Forecourts - albeit they have a few less chargers

[@universeisundernoobligatio3283]

The plan and approvals have been in the works for this site for a while, V4 would require them to go through the approval process again.

[@zeitgeist888]

I keep coming back to why charging stations do not have overhead cover from rain and snow plus adding shade in hot weather. If solar was added to the top of overhead cover some of the power could be recouped in low or no chargers in use times and/or for the lounge/store/restroom use at all times.

[@rp9674]

No one thought of it

[@dutchdryfly]

Fastned puts up overhead cover with solar panels

[@dougowt]

Great to see this kind of installation going in. But as others have said, it needs canopies, preferably with solar, then I would agree that this is exactly what we need to see. That particular location looks like it probably wouldn’t be too difficult to get permission for a couple of wind turbines nearby too.

[@thatevlife]

Kyle, are you going to the UK to visit Martin and the Gridserve electric forecourts?

[@joemartino6976]

A charging hub even half that size in the US would be a wonder...I just have a hard time imagining it in our often infrastructure-adverse environment. For newcomer Tesla, establishing a proprietary charging network was a must-do and they did it well. But a profitable and sustainable business model outside of that, I would suggest, is not yet in evidence here in the US.

[@jang.6661]

Hey Kyle, it’s version 3 because it’s in Service since a year I guess! When I was there first time it was proper construction 😂 Looks pretty finished now.

[@Yanquetino]

Gotta hands it to the Germans! A great charging site! And it's even better since Europe has settled on a plug/connector standard for all EVs. The only thing lacking? A huge solar array canopy over the entire location.

[@ultrastoat3298]

Isn’t superchargers at Buc-ee’s the best design possible for the US?

[@ernestgalvan9037]

Here in the USA, every.single.gasoline.pump I have seen has a roof. Every.single.EV.charger I have seen is roof-less. Why? Is the myth that EV charging is always ‘Sunshine & Roses’ ? 🧐 And it always rains on ‘ICE-Parades’ ??

[@lucistnik]

For gas pump, a roof is a regulatory requirement related to contaminated water management

[@HenryLoenwind]

That's because, unlike with gas pumps, you only spend a couple of seconds outside to plug in and can then sit in the car or do yoga in the middle of the road or whatever tickles your fancy.

[@GNiessen]

No pull through stalls? Or covered parking? It would be nice if it was covered with solar panels and batteries.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

Should I point out the charging etiquette would "demand" (or at least politely request) that a "right rear port" car should pull in nose first to a side positioned Tesla supercharger to avoid the "bay sequencing" problem? . In this case, there is the question of whether the cable would reach? . Would be good to see if it will if you pass a similar configuration?

[@Jeddin]

V4 chargers are going in where Tesla has gotten EU funds to install or upgrade superchargers to EU standards with charging screen and credit card terminal required

[@rogerstarkey5390]

KYLE Just noticed BP is buying Tesla Superchargers for their "BP Pulse" charging operation in the US! . (Possibly the first of many?) . Time for Tesla to offer (or someone to ask about!?) the prospect of "third party licencing" to build Tesla units, branded as required....? (Tesla gets the battery backup as a sweetness.... Everyone wins, Tesla, government, the charger operator, the grid utility..... and the EV driver)

[@tomhenry563]

Perhaps I missed this detail, but did the V3 charger already have the “superdock”? I did not see any payment terminal, so did you then charge a “non-Tesla” through your Tesla account? I own a 2023 MY, but anticipate renting an EV, and am planning ahead. Thanks. Tom

[@lucistnik]

You have to use a phone app

[@FrankNolf]

All dc fastcharging in Europe is CCS2 and non Tesla just activate the charger through the Tesla app

[@tomhenry563]

Thank you! I understood the ability to charge a non-Tesla through the Tesla App (which I have), but did not understand the mechanics of the Hardware side. The explanation of all DCFC’s in Europe being CCS made it clear. So no “adapter” required over there.

[@keithwilson1554]

Carport style shades that protect from the Weather and have Solar on top to reduce running costs. Should be on every EV Station.

[@hey8you]

13:27 Kettleman City, CA is a big one between San Francisco and LA. I was able to charge at that one last month on my trip to LA. The weird thing is they have 2 sites there. One with 55 stalls out in the open and the 2nd one with 40 stalls that's just across the road. The one with 40 stalls has a lounge. Its also has destination chargers too.

[@adwol48]

Have you ever been to the UK and tried Gridserves Electric forecourts. I have one near me think it has like 22 350kw ccs chargers and about 8 or so tesla chargers plus a few 22kw. above the 350kw stations is a lounge with a Costa coffee plus a small super market, and there is meeting rooms and they actually have people who can give you information about leasing cars plus they have some cars available for test drives. currently there is only 3 in the UK but more are being built or planned.

[@domg7359]

In the US, need pull-through charging for trucks. I know you briefly mentioned it but it's worth stating again.

[@thayne559]

We need those in the US for sure. They should put in some extra parking where you could unhitch a trailer if need be.

[@jonevansauthor]

That seems like a more practical solution than some and a space saver since no-one really tows that often. Except the horsey people I suppose, and the caravaners. Either way, they need solutions going forward.

[@lukasweishaupt2708]

@@jonevansauthor There are 750000 caravans registered in Germany and I can assure you that most of them are used quite often (at least twice a year). On top of that, there are many car dealers from eastern Europe that use trailers to import/export cars. Every SuC location should have at least four "trailer-friendly" charging spots. With a good layout, it doesn't need that much space and it makes the charging experience so much better.

[@davi-sn3jf]

Kyle you should visit the new charging hub in Merklingen at Autobahn A8. 40 Suc, 16 Ionity + more to come.

[@gchetail]

So an ideal situation if you had a canopy so you're not in the rain.

[@BigBodyPresence]

Would be nice but as he said, this is like a normal, not crazy charging hub, other sites he has visited do have solar canopy’s but as you can imagine that would increase the cost dramatically.

[@ab-tf5fl]

You're only in the rain for the few seconds it takes to plug and unplug the cable. Even if you don't want to walk to the lounge during the charging, you can always just sit in the climate-controlled car.

[@rp9674]

They could provide newspapers so you can hold one over your head

[@gchetail]

@@ab-tf5fl My guess is either you have a Tesla or live in a temperate climate or both. For a non-Tesla owner in South Florida when it rains and you deal with EA, the amount of time outside can mean you are drenched.

[@gchetail]

@@BigBodyPresence I went from the title of the video - if all charging hubs are like this, they're missing a canopy in my opinion.

[@albert109]

Yes, it means that that plate is where they’re expanding the charger network.

[@Vinylectric]

What do you think of making multifloor indoor hubs standard, like you saw in New York?

[@rp9674]

Hey I'm chargin ova here

[@jackgreenstalk777]

75% of truck owners in the usa use their trucks to tow 1 time a year or less. They should absolutely not set up chargers for 1% of people less then 1% of the time. 99.99% of people driving to chargers dont have anything towed behind, its way less efficient use of space to assume we need to setup for towing. ps gas stations arent set up for towing, often the trailer at 1 pump blocks another depending on where gas tank is and what spot is available etc..

[@zerokool-2058]

This is what ALL EV charging hub need to be like. Even if the lounge is not as big

[@tyranelewis7763]

Kyle, have you seen the Tesla SC network @ Mobil Gas on Interstate 95 in the USA? Those are nice but need to be increased in number of stalls. Easy On/off highway access and great amenities, plus they are mirror located on the North bound and south bound directions the same. they should make all the ones in the states just like them.

[@NascarAllOut]

EV charging stations should be laid out more like gas stations and less like parking lots.

[@rp9674]

Should have access from both sides so you can have up to four stalls per charger, easier access, also lots of 48a level 2 chargers for overflow, and nice people who want to top off.

[@tylerf1674]

If you build it they will come. Add a few playgrounds to stretch legs. Then lease some land to deli or restaurants. Make it a place in the middle of the trip to stop especially for families

[@steveadams1013]

Hi Kyle, you should check out the Gridserve Electric Forecourt in Norwich in the UK, a great new charge station😀😀

[@mikestrock]

These are OK, but how about covered chargers? I know, in California and Arizona not a big deal, but in other states where the rain season is Jan 1-Dec 31, like Washington, covered chargers would be nice.

[@JenoFletter]

We should put the charging stations in places that don't have any. NY Boston and California all ready have the most.. Where I live I have to drive 20 miles to the nearest charging station. Would be nice to have some closer.

[@stefangabler3469]

So they will adapt this concept here in the US? That would be amazing, but would they really? Anyways, let's keep pitching good ideas to charging providers here in the US. If EA kept fixing their chargers and contributing to a better Public charging experience here in the US ( speaking of public charging, all the Chargepoint Chargers at the local Whole Foods here in Cary NC are down due to a part on the connector that keeps breaking off) I think would be a good start! Spiffy ride Kyle, wish they would offer the IX in the 40 version here in the US, that way more people would be able to afford and consider it. (it's only available in Canada at this point). The cryptic writing on the plate means " This is the future expansion place for the EnBW Hypernet " EnBW stands for "Energie Baden Wuerttenberg, the Power Provider in that Province.

[@trullmann]

I've been seeing this for a few years now. Having these 50 mi apart or so on i-70 going through Kansas would be very helpful. The typical range isn't the problem of an EV. It's the ability to get to a quality fast charger, so you don't have range anxiety. It would open up the possibilities of owning an EV out here in Kansasuch easier. I know several who would love to have the lightning pickup, but it's an issue finding quality fast chargers in these areas to actually use the pickup for towing like we do in Kansas. Many of us including myself waiting on sites like this so we can really utilize an EV out here in Kansas.

[@prestonia24]

I-70 is pretty easy in a tesla, not so much if you had to rely on public DCFC. (have driven cross country on i-70 4x end to end, but ccs reliability was terrible, tesla 👌) Interstate 80 is even worse. Huge gaps in ccs coverage, not safe to travel in winter across Wyoming or Nebraska in a non-tesla.

[@johnkray7352]

PLEASE make them like this in the US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@josephdonnaway5755]

Try that station in rain or snow. Perhaps not so nice. It needs cover over the chargers. Also needs some accessible chargers for EV’s towing trailers. Putting chargers at existing travel centers (Loves, Maverick, Pilot etc. with the amenities already in place will be a much better solution.

[@AlphaDewolf]

I do have a couple complaints about the site. No Canopies, and no windshield washer buckets. Other than that, Thumbs up!

[@Peter.S96]

I wish our mechanic company would use such big battery back as back up :)

[@bobmac1970]

If you're still in Germany and get a chance, roll over to Ramstein Air Force Base! I could give you a tour!