A startup called Itselectric has developed curbside level-2 EV chargers that connect to building electric panels, making installation quick and cheap. Co-founder and COO Tiya Gordon discusses the company’s award-winning charger design and vision for a future of ubiquitous urban charging.
Next time, please challenge the guest: Why are these chargers going on sidewalks? It's astonishing that Tiya, herself a New Yorker, assumes that pedestrians (and wheelchair users, people pushing strollers, etc.) should yield yet more public space to private vehicle users, who constitute a minority of NYC residents. Both Dave and Tiya assert that this is "no cost" for anyone but the EV owners, but these chargers will come at a daily, ongoing cost to sidewalk users. (Separately, note that most of NYC's "protected" bike lanes on busy corridors are configured with a curbside bike lane, and a row of parked cars between the bikes and moving traffic. If these chargers are in high demand, it's a recipe for vehicle owners to start trying to claw back that curbside space from cyclists.)
I had the same thought. I agree the city should be regulating where there is space to put these on sidewalks, much as they do for CitiBike docking stations, and also charging for use of that space. However, I'd think many sidewalks could accommodate a bollard-sized charger without causing major disruption. The bigger problem is the free overnight curbside parking.
Some amount of overnight curbside parking might make sense even in NYC, but it absolutely should require payment. Try suggesting that at your local community board meeting, though! If paying for EV charging while parked overnight gets drivers in the habit of paying for overnight parking, could that be a way to - over time - transition overnight curbside parking to paid? And also designate certain streets as "car streets" and other streets as for people? And eventually to price in the true cost of driving so we discourage cars and properly fund transit?
Really awesome solution & hope they arrive in Hawai'i soon. One potentially silly question: Are they upgradable? I heard the mention of modular design, but how modular is it? (Meaning: If, for some wacky reason, it becomes easier to have Level 3 everywhere- would these devices need to be replaced? I'm guessing yes- but that would be a great problem to have.)
I have not listened yet, and I will, but I just wanted to point out that curbside charging is fraught. There are so many demands on the curb, including non-compatible uses such as moving away from auto-centricity to allow for bike lanes, parklets, re-greening, or paratransit, delivery, and regular transit. My concern is that installing curbside charging (parking) raises a higher bar for converting curb space to other uses. That said, I'm all for converting cars to electric while we work as hard as we can on reducing the overall number of cars, and ! understand the needs for charging that come with that.
I came to ask some questions on the cable but I see some of them already asked.
New question: I assume the charger side is a NACS connector. Can you confirm that you have both cables with J1772 and NACS connectors on the car side so a customer can get the cable they need for their car?
Thanks for great segment, as usual. This pod is like environmental Prozac. Random, non-specific suggestion that I'm not sure is a great fit for your audience: I don't think people are yet able to visualize the potential of the energy transition, specifically in the area of jobs. So, I'm wondering if it makes sense to asks guests, as a standard type of question, what sorts of skills they and their employees and contractors needed or will need to be successful.
Such a great post, I got on the waitlist immediately! I've also loved the series, ever since the episode with Gabe Klein, I feel like my hopes/dreams for urban Level 2 are ever-expanding. Agree with all the other commenters about more transit and more car-free streets. However, where I am on the north side of Chicago, there's still an incredible amount of driving, so getting as much of that electrified as possible is also an important bridge goal as we work to reduce overall car usage.
Dave, if you're continuing on this EV charging trend, take a look at Electric Era and Quincy Lee. Their big battery-backed fast charger philosophy is similar to itselectric's in that they both allow sites to bypass the long wait time for utility connections and upgrades.
Another great interview. I was wondering about the new NACS. Will they provide a cable that compatible with Teslas and all the other vehicles switching to this standard?
It's a good point and it would have been a good question to hear the answer to but...
* the cable is locked on both sides,
* the cars may have sensors to deter a thief,
* the cable has to be worth cutting and selling for copper. It's short, so it will be fairly thin; it may not be worth the risk to the thief.
* The cable is from the car owner. If the risk is high maybe add a L1 cable (even less valuable)... the charger - or the car - should know not to pull more than what the cable can deliver.
I understand well the problem of ppl wandering off and leaving their already charged vehicle… can you add an incentive to ppl being prompt about returning by adding an extra charge after a sensible interval, if a charged vehicle remains plugged without charging?
For folks living in Seattle, there is a Seattle Public Utility program for installing curbside level two chargers outside of single family and multi unit homes. Chargers are public and can be installed on an existing power pole or a pedestal. PDF with more details and requirements here:
Street charging not an issue: go to Montreal youcan find them here and there along major roads in the city. For appt. dwellers. All new complexes should be required to have one station for every 4 appts. So many charging companies willing to install their stations. The Grid could be an issue needing addressing. Comunities should squeeze them to upgrade system grif in their communities. The state could have the communities back on this squeeze.
Ms. Gordon was a great guest. She has a great sense of humor, and a pleasant voice to boot. Really enjoyed this episode.
Next time, please challenge the guest: Why are these chargers going on sidewalks? It's astonishing that Tiya, herself a New Yorker, assumes that pedestrians (and wheelchair users, people pushing strollers, etc.) should yield yet more public space to private vehicle users, who constitute a minority of NYC residents. Both Dave and Tiya assert that this is "no cost" for anyone but the EV owners, but these chargers will come at a daily, ongoing cost to sidewalk users. (Separately, note that most of NYC's "protected" bike lanes on busy corridors are configured with a curbside bike lane, and a row of parked cars between the bikes and moving traffic. If these chargers are in high demand, it's a recipe for vehicle owners to start trying to claw back that curbside space from cyclists.)
I had the same thought. I agree the city should be regulating where there is space to put these on sidewalks, much as they do for CitiBike docking stations, and also charging for use of that space. However, I'd think many sidewalks could accommodate a bollard-sized charger without causing major disruption. The bigger problem is the free overnight curbside parking.
Some amount of overnight curbside parking might make sense even in NYC, but it absolutely should require payment. Try suggesting that at your local community board meeting, though! If paying for EV charging while parked overnight gets drivers in the habit of paying for overnight parking, could that be a way to - over time - transition overnight curbside parking to paid? And also designate certain streets as "car streets" and other streets as for people? And eventually to price in the true cost of driving so we discourage cars and properly fund transit?
...probably not, but I'm not sure it hurts much.
Really awesome solution & hope they arrive in Hawai'i soon. One potentially silly question: Are they upgradable? I heard the mention of modular design, but how modular is it? (Meaning: If, for some wacky reason, it becomes easier to have Level 3 everywhere- would these devices need to be replaced? I'm guessing yes- but that would be a great problem to have.)
Nice Interview. Itselectric is addressing an important issue.
I have not listened yet, and I will, but I just wanted to point out that curbside charging is fraught. There are so many demands on the curb, including non-compatible uses such as moving away from auto-centricity to allow for bike lanes, parklets, re-greening, or paratransit, delivery, and regular transit. My concern is that installing curbside charging (parking) raises a higher bar for converting curb space to other uses. That said, I'm all for converting cars to electric while we work as hard as we can on reducing the overall number of cars, and ! understand the needs for charging that come with that.
I came to ask some questions on the cable but I see some of them already asked.
New question: I assume the charger side is a NACS connector. Can you confirm that you have both cables with J1772 and NACS connectors on the car side so a customer can get the cable they need for their car?
Thanks for great segment, as usual. This pod is like environmental Prozac. Random, non-specific suggestion that I'm not sure is a great fit for your audience: I don't think people are yet able to visualize the potential of the energy transition, specifically in the area of jobs. So, I'm wondering if it makes sense to asks guests, as a standard type of question, what sorts of skills they and their employees and contractors needed or will need to be successful.
Such a great post, I got on the waitlist immediately! I've also loved the series, ever since the episode with Gabe Klein, I feel like my hopes/dreams for urban Level 2 are ever-expanding. Agree with all the other commenters about more transit and more car-free streets. However, where I am on the north side of Chicago, there's still an incredible amount of driving, so getting as much of that electrified as possible is also an important bridge goal as we work to reduce overall car usage.
Dave, if you're continuing on this EV charging trend, take a look at Electric Era and Quincy Lee. Their big battery-backed fast charger philosophy is similar to itselectric's in that they both allow sites to bypass the long wait time for utility connections and upgrades.
Please come to Chicago. I have street parking and often have to use superchargers to charge
Another great interview. I was wondering about the new NACS. Will they provide a cable that compatible with Teslas and all the other vehicles switching to this standard?
Am I the only one thinking that cord is gone in the morning? 😄
Maybe my town is special that way.
Granted, the politics of crime are ugly. But I think one has to be practical.
It's a good point and it would have been a good question to hear the answer to but...
* the cable is locked on both sides,
* the cars may have sensors to deter a thief,
* the cable has to be worth cutting and selling for copper. It's short, so it will be fairly thin; it may not be worth the risk to the thief.
* The cable is from the car owner. If the risk is high maybe add a L1 cable (even less valuable)... the charger - or the car - should know not to pull more than what the cable can deliver.
But, totally good question.
I understand well the problem of ppl wandering off and leaving their already charged vehicle… can you add an incentive to ppl being prompt about returning by adding an extra charge after a sensible interval, if a charged vehicle remains plugged without charging?
For folks living in Seattle, there is a Seattle Public Utility program for installing curbside level two chargers outside of single family and multi unit homes. Chargers are public and can be installed on an existing power pole or a pedestal. PDF with more details and requirements here:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/CityLight/CurrentProjects/CurbsideLevel2EVCharging_Requirements.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi9-Z3nq5mIAxWtPDQIHT7qLhgQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw30Wd1zzNB69d4xzpYR-Nm1
How about a photo of their charger?
Just added one to the post!
Short video here:
https://www.cheddar.com/media/cars-powered-by-buildings-itselectric/
Street charging not an issue: go to Montreal youcan find them here and there along major roads in the city. For appt. dwellers. All new complexes should be required to have one station for every 4 appts. So many charging companies willing to install their stations. The Grid could be an issue needing addressing. Comunities should squeeze them to upgrade system grif in their communities. The state could have the communities back on this squeeze.