Automotive

Work begins on Californian EV fast charging corridor

Work begins on Californian EV fast charging corridor
The DriveTheArc corridor is aimed at making it easier for EVs to travel long distances on what is one of California's most important travel arteries
The DriveTheArc corridor is aimed at making it easier for EVs to travel long distances on what is one of California's most important travel arteries
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A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the DriveTheArc corridor was held on Nov 14, 2016
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A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the DriveTheArc corridor was held on Nov 14, 2016
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the DriveTheArc corridor was held in California's El Dorado Hills
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The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the DriveTheArc corridor was held in California's El Dorado Hills
There will be 50 fast chargers installed along the DriveTheArc corridor at more than 20 locations
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There will be 50 fast chargers installed along the DriveTheArc corridor at more than 20 locations
The DriveTheArc corridor is aimed at making it easier for EVs to travel long distances on what is one of California's most important travel arteries
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The DriveTheArc corridor is aimed at making it easier for EVs to travel long distances on what is one of California's most important travel arteries
An accompanying smartphone app for Android and iOS will provide users with information about charging points on the DriveTheArc corridor
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An accompanying smartphone app for Android and iOS will provide users with information about charging points on the DriveTheArc corridor
The chargers on the DriveTheArc corridor will be compatible with CHAdeMO and Combo EVs
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The chargers on the DriveTheArc corridor will be compatible with CHAdeMO and Combo EVs
The DriveTheArc corridor will run from from Monterey at its southern end to Lake Tahoe and Reno at its northern end
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The DriveTheArc corridor will run from from Monterey at its southern end to Lake Tahoe and Reno at its northern end
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The roll-out of electric vehicle fast charging facilities in the US is gathering pace. Earlier this month, the White House revealed details of 48 charging corridors that will run along 55 interstate highways, while work has also now started on the DriveTheArc corridor in Northern California.

Once completed, the DriveTheArc corridor will run from from Monterey at its southern end to Lake Tahoe and Reno at its northern end. There will be 50 fast chargers installed along the route at more than 20 locations, compatible with CHAdeMO and Combo electric vehicles (EV).

The scheme is aimed at making it easier for EVs to travel long distances on what is described as "one of California's most important travel arteries." An accompanying smartphone app for Android and iOS will provide users with information about charging points on the corridor and feed anonymous data into research about the use and driving patterns of EVs.

Among its features, the app will allow users to find charging points stations on the way to their destination, direct users to charging points, minimize waiting times by providing charger vacancy info and authorize payments for charging. Users will also be able to view stats about their EV driving.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the DriveTheArc corridor was held in California's El Dorado Hills
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the DriveTheArc corridor was held in California's El Dorado Hills

Partner organizations include the State of California, Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Nissan Motor Co., Nissan North America, Kanematsu and EVgo. It is being funded by NEDO purportedly to improve energy conservation and promote new energy technologies, as well as to strengthen US-Japanese ties.

EVgo is the local partner managing the installation of the infrastructure, while Kanematsu has been collaborating with Nissan and EVgo to develop the DriveTheArc mobile app.

Ground was broken on the DriveTheArc corridor yesterday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in California's El Dorado Hills. The corridor is expected to be completed by March next year, with the data collection and analysis project element due for completion in 2020.

Source: DriveTheArc

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5 comments
5 comments
guzmanchinky
But it still takes an hour (or more) to get a good charge, right? Until the battery exists that can be filled in the same time as a fuel tank I think we are "not there yet". But soon...
Shohreh
NA > The scheme is aimed at making it easier for EVs to travel long distances on what is described as "one of California's most important travel arteries."
Wouldn't it make more sense to build a high-speed train line between Seattle and San Diego, and have people just rent gasoline-powered cars to cover the last few miles once they get there?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_the_United_States
GW
There is always one crucial detail missing from these EV charging build-out stories. Who will maintain these chargers? If they are not maintained to be as reliable as Tesla's superchargers, then this is wasted money and energy.
Don Duncan
Public chargers, just as public mass transit is fatally flawed. It is not private. The private sector works to the extent it is "hands-off" by govt. The USA went from 3rd world agricultural to an unpredicted, unparalleled world leading economic power with the highest standard of living, because govt. was almost non-existent compared to the other crippling governments. Private economics is self correcting. Mistakes are punished by losses, and if not corrected, bankruptcy. The public sector mistakes get more funding because authorities never admit their incompetence, blaming failure on lack of enough funding. All that wasted capital stunts the economy, as well as regulation.
Clarity
Don D- I think you missed it. The USA went from 3rd world to World leading because of the investments of government in roads and communications. Some, perhaps many, of the biggest 'private economic' failures were corrected with the public purse.