CO extends charging network

[RBR1S]

Congrats CO - you get more charging stations.

Quick summary - The newly designated corridors include I-270, US 34, US 36, US 287, US 385 and US 550.


https://denvergazette.com/news/loca...cle_06d8d156-0776-11ed-855d-17664da6c39c.html

Sponsored

 

[COdogman]

Love this. One more reason to be proud of this great state.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

Except for US 550, I regularly drive on all those roads. This will certainly be useful to me when I finally get my R1T. That said, I do think the 7 and 72 corridor (peak to peak hwy) could use DC fast charging. There are DCFCs at the north end in Estes park but only level 2 along the route in Nederland. The only other DCFC is are Tesla superchargers in Blackhawk.

 

[Galluprivian]

My profile picture is the fast charger right in town in Durango. Great location, good for business and fast. Pagosa Springs also has a great location. The article sited has a questionnaire that is worth doing. I have trouble going to Cortez because I have to head over to Durango to make it back. Thanks for posting!

 

[COdogman]

The article is definitely worth your time, but here are the links to the NEVI draft plan and survey:

Draft plan (worth a read if you have time):
https://www.codot.gov/programs/inno...rado-plan-for-the-nevi-program-2022-07-12.pdf

NEVI survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsXbT6u2wolj3du2G1GQhigrjUb_7l1-eAz8KDyqfs8-mPZw/viewform

 

[pfbz]

Hopefully the grant payout is not just for completion, but with uptime targets over their operational life! Crazy how EA for example have built out stations around me but NONE of them are fully operational. I have yet to see a single EA setup where every charger is working.... I can definitely see contractors reaping the grant benefits throwing stations up without solid planning on keeping them highly functional.

 

[Andystroh]

Very glad to see Gunnison "In progress" on that map, that is one of the biggest holes I find in the state. And then when that Ouray one finally finishes, basically everywhere I go will be easy in an EV. Fantastic.

 

[DadOf4Girls]

Very glad to see Gunnison "In progress" on that map, that is one of the biggest holes I find in the state. And then when that Ouray one finally finishes, basically everywhere I go will be easy in an EV. Fantastic.

I don't have a source to link to that I can find but talked with a sheriff in Lake City, CO last week who is also the board president of the Gunnison County Electric Association. He said they just signed off on a deal with Rivian to install level 3 chargers at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Claimed they would be operational in the next 30-45 days. I didn't ask about the specific location, but if true, would make waiting on an eventual EA charger in Gunnison less painful.

 

[Andystroh]

I don't have a source to link to that I can find but talked with a sheriff in Lake City, CO last week who is also the board president of the Gunnison County Electric Association. He said they just signed off on a deal with Rivian to install level 3 chargers at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Claimed they would be operational in the next 30-45 days. I didn't ask about the specific location, but if true, would make waiting on an eventual EA charger in Gunnison less painful.

Wow that would be awesome, especially if he is right on that timeline. I am excited to see some of these chargers on the state's plan, but the timeline to get some of them open has been pretty slow. I know supply chains are difficult... But that Ouray one has been in progress for so long. If Rivian can put one together quick at the Blue Mesa that will be fantastic.

 

[kneebuster]

I just did Yankee Boy Basin and the Alpine Loop and will be glad to see more chargers.

I used the one in Lake City (right where Engineer Pass meets town) and it was a 62.5 kW ChargePoint charger. It worked great.

I didn't find any chargers in Silverton.

Ouray had 2 brand new ChargePoint chargers but they were still wrapped in plastic (literally)

.

Ridgway had 2 really slow chargers.

The next closest was Montrose which had a couple of DC chargers.

There are apparently some Tesla destination chargers in Telluride, but I didn't get over there.

Getting the ones in Ouray operational will be a game-changer for wheeling the San Juans.

 

[Andystroh]

There are some new non-tesla chargers in telluride too as of recently, according to PlugShare. Thanks for the update on those ouray chargers.

I just did Yankee Boy Basin and the Alpine Loop and will be glad to see more chargers.

I used the one in Lake City (right where Engineer Pass meets town) and it was a 62.5 kW ChargePoint charger. It worked great.

Lake city -> silverton -> yankee boy basin -> montrose? Do you have any rough estimates on the % charge that took? We will probably head down that way soon, wasn’t sure what to expect as far as range on some of the dirt roads.

 

[kneebuster]

Here's more info than you likely wanted, but might be useful to some.

Keep in mind that my RTT sticks above roofline, and I've added an awning to the passenger side, and recovery boards to the driver's side, so my efficiency will likely be less than you'll get. Next trip the awning will be closer in, and the recovery boards will be inboard of the rack, though the shovel may move outboard.

I left Golden with 97%. I can't find where i wrote down the estimated range, but it was around 275 miles.
I got to Glenwood Springs (145.3 miles) with 39% charge and estimated range of 106, averaging 2.05 mi/kWh. Charged to 85%, with an estimated range of 236.
Got to Grand Junction (total distance 238.9 miles) with 48% charge and 133 estimated range, and cumulative efficiency (since leaving Golden) was 1.99 mi/kWh. Charged to 85%, with an estimated range of 237. Efficiency was 1.93 mi/kWh since leaving Golden.
Hit Ridgway State Park (total distance 322.2 mi) with 51% and estimated 141 range. Was down to 126 by morning.
Drove back to Montrose (used 5% to get there, total distance 344.7 mi) and charged back up to 86% for an estimated 238 miles.
Drove up Yankee Boy Basin to 1 mile from the end of the road. Didn't take any readings. Couldn't get a campsite so headed down to Engineer Pass.
Got to the Engineer Pass trailhead (total distance 405.7 mi) with 56% and 142 miles of range. Efficiency from home to here was 1.84.
Drove in about 5 miles and camped for the night. Didn't take any readings.
Finished Engineer Pass and charged up at the charger in Lake City. Was at 33% and estimated range was 90 miles. Didn't record efficiency. Charged to 90% with an estimated range of 249.
HIt the start of Cinammon Pass with the same numbers.
Rolled into Silverton with 75% and 206 miles range.
Got to Ouray with 70% and 193 miles.
Hit Montrose with 63% and 172 miles range. Charged to 74% and 203 miles range.
Got to the RAN station in Salida (total distance 664.1 mi) with 18% and 49 miles. Total efficiency to this point (since leaving home) was 1.89 mi/kWh. Charged to 71% and 194 miles.
Got back to Golden (140 miles later) with 20% and 53 miles range. Overall efficiency for the trip was 1.92 mi/kWh. The total trip was 803 miles, over 22 hrs driving (over 60 hours), with a total energy use of 418 mi/kWh.

Overall, the guess-o-meter was fairly accurate on the highways when big climbs (Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass) weren't involved. Off-road I saw 15 min efficiency numbers as low as 0.37 mi/kWh, and as high as 4.00 (the max it reads), but in reality, infinite. Coming down from the passes I would see a few % charge increase.

Working chargers in Ouray would have eliminated the need backtrack to Montrose the first time, or to stop at all the 2nd. Biggest risk overall is a non-functional charger, especially in Lake City since there's only the 1. A 30a campground adapter is definitely worth carrying for emergency backup.

 

[Andystroh]

That is very useful, thanks for sharing all those details. Sounds like golden -> grand junction is probably possible but a little tight. Pretty impressed with how far you can get around in the mountains down there on a charge. For the highway driving did you stick to all purpose?

 

[Galluprivian]

Here's more info than you likely wanted, but might be useful to some.

Keep in mind that my RTT sticks above roofline, and I've added an awning to the passenger side, and recovery boards to the driver's side, so my efficiency will likely be less than you'll get. Next trip the awning will be closer in, and the recovery boards will be inboard of the rack, though the shovel may move outboard.

I left Golden with 97%. I can't find where i wrote down the estimated range, but it was around 275 miles.
I got to Glenwood Springs (145.3 miles) with 39% charge and estimated range of 106, averaging 2.05 mi/kWh. Charged to 85%, with an estimated range of 236.
Got to Grand Junction (total distance 238.9 miles) with 48% charge and 133 estimated range, and cumulative efficiency (since leaving Golden) was 1.99 mi/kWh. Charged to 85%, with an estimated range of 237. Efficiency was 1.93 mi/kWh since leaving Golden.
Hit Ridgway State Park (total distance 322.2 mi) with 51% and estimated 141 range. Was down to 126 by morning.
Drove back to Montrose (used 5% to get there, total distance 344.7 mi) and charged back up to 86% for an estimated 238 miles.
Drove up Yankee Boy Basin to 1 mile from the end of the road. Didn't take any readings. Couldn't get a campsite so headed down to Engineer Pass.
Got to the Engineer Pass trailhead (total distance 405.7 mi) with 56% and 142 miles of range. Efficiency from home to here was 1.84.
Drove in about 5 miles and camped for the night. Didn't take any readings.
Finished Engineer Pass and charged up at the charger in Lake City. Was at 33% and estimated range was 90 miles. Didn't record efficiency. Charged to 90% with an estimated range of 249.
HIt the start of Cinammon Pass with the same numbers.
Rolled into Silverton with 75% and 206 miles range.
Got to Ouray with 70% and 193 miles.
Hit Montrose with 63% and 172 miles range. Charged to 74% and 203 miles range.
Got to the RAN station in Salida (total distance 664.1 mi) with 18% and 49 miles. Total efficiency to this point (since leaving home) was 1.89 mi/kWh. Charged to 71% and 194 miles.
Got back to Golden (140 miles later) with 20% and 53 miles range. Overall efficiency for the trip was 1.92 mi/kWh. The total trip was 803 miles, over 22 hrs driving (over 60 hours), with a total energy use of 418 mi/kWh.

Overall, the guess-o-meter was fairly accurate on the highways when big climbs (Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass) weren't involved. Off-road I saw 15 min efficiency numbers as low as 0.37 mi/kWh, and as high as 4.00 (the max it reads), but in reality, infinite. Coming down from the passes I would see a few % charge increase.

Working chargers in Ouray would have eliminated the need stop in Montrose the first time, or the need to backtrack there after Ridgway. Biggest risk overall is a non-functional charger, especially in Lake City since there's only the 1. A 30a campground adapter is definitely worth carrying for emergency backup.

Thanks! This is all super useful. The chargers in Ouray aren't showing up on the charge point app yet. I went out to the Carrizo mountains by Teec Nos Pos and barely made it back to Gallup, NM. The only options for fast charging are in Durango.

 

[kneebuster]

That is very useful, thanks for sharing all those details. Sounds like golden -> grand junction is probably possible but a little tight. Pretty impressed with how far you can get around in the mountains down there on a charge. For the highway driving did you stick to all purpose?

All-purpose all the time. I'll occasionally go into sport mode for windy roads, but not on this trip. I've never used Conserve as the folks at my service center told me it chews through front tires, and for me that's not worth the marginal gain in range.

Sponsored