DAY 150: Charging Limits at Work

My workplace has instituted a 4-hour time limit on charging spots in the paid parking lot. For someone who works full time, this a most inconvenient change.

But it caused me to reflect a bit.

A co-worker of mine found it upsetting at the unfairness that while everyone pays their own fuel for their car, the employer provides fuel for free to those with electric cars. Well, that's his perspective, still owning a gas car.

My perspective, is that this is part of the employer's desire to participate in the move towards more sustainable transport, and providing this encourages their massive population of staff and students to get electric cars. And for me, one of the major reasons I could even get a Tesla is that my work provides these chargers. While others will charge at home, I charge at work.

But back to my co-worker... my response is that I don't anticipate that this "free fuel" perk is going to continue. All of these complimentary chargers are incentives. If all of the cars on the road were electric, there is NO way people would just give away free fuel everywhere. All of the defunct gas stations will switch over to charging (which at that time will likely take about the same time as gassing up a car). In fact, Petro Canada has already anticipated this, installing 50 fast chargers across Canada, and Shell talked about it even earlier than that... and is apparently still just talking. (shame)

But back to my current situation... how I am I going to live with this "4-hour charging limit" rule?

If I park to charge in the morning, the chances of finding an alternate parking spot by noon will be difficult... or a long climb up and down the stairs of the parkade. If I move my car in the afternoon, I risk coming out to the parkade only to find that no chargers are available. And if I actually NEED a charge, that could be a problem. This is not to mention that absolute PITA to having go move my car twice as often in a week (since I can only get half the charge amount that I used to).

I've tried it for a week, and yesterday (the actual Day 150 of ownership) I've come up with a plan:

1. Never wait to charge when I NEED it. Always charge way ahead of time. If I arrive at work needing a charge, then I will go ahead and charge in the morning, and deal with parking at noon. But it seems the best to find a good parking spot in the morning, and then look to see if there's a charging spot by noon... which is more likely than the other way around.

2. Get up out of my desk... and actually stretch my legs and walk! Yes, this is actually a positive move. It's much harder to walk when I can do it whenever I want. Because often work gets in the way, and walking never happens. But now that I HAVE to get up... I do it! PTL! :)

3. Charge elsewhere. I did have the awkwardness today of trying out what it would be like to charge at home. It's raining, and my charging cord to my 120V outlet would be sitting on the road where my car is parked on the street. I just feel like it's inviting someone to wreak havoc. But if I was super desperate, I could do it. I have plenty of local shopping centres where they allow for charging (4 hours usually, but sometimes even more). Spending time at Ikea or a massive mall is dangerous though... as I do end up "paying for charging" through my patronage. *sigh*  It may be time to try and find a rental that has charging included... that's going to be tough!

When I "signed on" to become a fully electric vehicle owner, I knew I was coming in at a time when the charging infrastructure was way behind in development. But even in the last couple of years, there was been a real surge of charging options developing. Businesses are realizing the revenue potential and investing early, and new competitors are showing up on a regular basis. I expect the locations and options to continue to grow.

Bring it on! Buying a Tesla is still one of my very best decisions of my life.

*****

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