MAPS & APPS
Today’s Mapping and Location-Based Services for Plug-In Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Report and Recommendations May 2012 This report was developed by the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative, a multi-stakeholder partnership working to ensure a strong and enduring transition to a plug-in electric vehicle marketplace. Members played guiding and consulting roles in developing this report, although individual organizations may not formally endorse every recommendation.
The PEV Collaborative would like to thank John Shears of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies as the lead author of this report. The document was developed by volunteers of the Collaborative Working Groups and Collaborative staff. The PEV Collaborative also acknowledges Peter Dempster of BMW Group and Richard Schorske of EV Communities Alliance for their assistance in developing this report.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 2 May 2012 California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative
James Boyd, 2012 Chairman Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative
Adrienne Alvord Bonnie Lowenthal Union of Concerned Scientists California State Assembly Robert Babik Richard Lowenthal General Motors Coulomb Technologies Forrest Beanum Ron Mahabir CODA Automotive Greenlots Janice Berman Marvin Moon Pacific Gas and Electric Company Los Angeles Department of Water and Power John Boesel Mary Nichols CALSTART California Air Resources Board Dan Bowermaster Diarmuid O’Connell Electric Power Research Institute Tesla Motors, Inc. Elisabeth Brinton Terry O'Day Sacramento Municipal Utility District NRG Energy Jack Broadbent Alex Padilla Bay Area Air Quality Management District California State Senate Dan Davids Colin Read Plug In America ECOtality Nancy Gioia Clifford Rechtschaffen Ford Motor Company Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Elmer Hardy Michael Peevey Honda Motor Company California Public Utilities Commission Bonnie Holmes - Gen Carla Peterman American Lung Association in California California Energy Commission Roland Hwang Nancy Skinner Natural Resources Defense Council California State Assembly Enid Joffe Tom Turrentine Clean Fuel Connection, Inc. Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis Christine Kehoe Eileen Tutt California State Senate California Electric Transportation Coalition Alex Kim Barry Wallerstein San Diego Gas and Electric South Coast Air Quality Management District Doug Kim V. John White Southern California Edison CEERT Andreas Klugescheid Jason Wolf BMW Group Representative Office California Better Place Barbara Lee Tracy Woodard Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District Nissan North America, Inc. Alan Lloyd Toshio Yoshidome International Council on Clean Transportation Toyota North America
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 3 May 2012 Table of Contents
Executive Summary 5
Introduction 6
National Database 8
DOE Provides Basic and Reliable Mapping of Charging Stations 8
DOE’s Database Provides the Foundation for a Growing Mapping Industry 10
Industry Needs 11
An Open Data Exchange and Open Standards will be Critical for PEV Drivers 12
Rapid PEV Market Expansion Will Pose Challenges to Reporting and Optimizing New Infrastructure Deployment 13
Organizational Roles 15
Further Recommendations 16
Addenda 19
Addendum A 19
Addendum B 20
Addendum C 21
Endnotes 22
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 4 May 2012 Executive Summary
The market success of plug-in Institute a comprehensive electric vehicles (PEVs) depends in research program to collect part on the effective placement and data on PEV drivers’ real- promotion of publicly accessible world use of the vehicles and charging stations. User-friendly infrastructure to determine mapping tools available via desktop the optimal deployment of computers and mobile applications future charging equipment. (apps) on smartphones and vehicle The PEV Collaborative and dashboard displays enable users to PEV Regional Coordination access charging stations Councils should assist conveniently and reliably. These planners with developing tools will be integral to support and consensus-built infrastructure grow current and future PEV use. deployment strategies and collaborate with the National This report describes the current Renewable Energy status of PEV infrastructure Laboratory/Alternative Fuels mapping and navigation services and Advanced Vehicles Data and outlines what will be needed to Center (NREL/AFDC) to meet the future challenges that ensure that it further come with this relatively new, yet develops its mapping and rapidly growing industry. navigation tools. Ensure that specific charging The PEV Collaborative station information (e.g., recommends that the following location, access type, activities be undertaken to enhance payment methods, charger mapping, navigation, and location- details) is available through based tools: both the NREL/AFDC database and mapping tool, Establish an open data and location-based exchange to allow real-time subscription plans. interactivity with the charging equipment and enable PEV These recommendations will help drivers to use a single app to advance the “maps & apps” access the most current market, and in turn, the PEV information. market.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 5 May 2012 Introduction
The market success of plug-in empowering potential buyers to electric vehicles (PEVs) depends, imagine how they might use a PEV in part, on the effective placement in conjunction with the existing and and promotion of electric vehicle planned charging infrastructure. charging equipment (also referred to as electric vehicle supply Market research indicates that equipment, or EVSE) and the business developments around ability of PEV owners to mobile applications will be conveniently and reliably access particularly important to the growth that equipment when home of the PEV market.3 Mobile charging does not meet all their application services will be an needs.1 Today’s PEV charging essential component of the infrastructure – while informed by evolving PEV ecosystem as California’s experience with EVs California enters an accelerating during the 1990s – has been phase of PEV deployments. Mobile deployed in a largely ad hoc applications and social media also fashion. Additionally, there is could serve as important research limited research on how PEV tools to survey PEV drivers and drivers actually use the existing monitor their driving and charging infrastructure. Understanding how behavior, thus providing an PEV drivers use this new empirical basis upon which to plan equipment will help guide the the optimal siting of future EVSE optimal placement of new EVSE. deployments.
User-friendly desktop tools and What follows is a brief overview mobile applications (apps) that and discussion of the status of PEV allow PEV drivers to find desired charging infrastructure mapping EVSE locations and interact with and navigation services. The PEV PEV charging networks is Collaborative provides important for two reasons. First, recommendations to encourage the such tools enable the most efficient future development of mapping, use of the existing charging navigation, and location-based infrastructure (including sub- services (LBS). These optimally placed EVSEs). Second, recommendations will be useful to they can alleviate the range anxiety various stakeholder groups of new and prospective PEV including: PEV Regional drivers.2 Indeed, mobile apps Coordination Councils; city and displaying accurate and timely county staff; property developers information can serve as a and owners; electric vehicle service persuasive marketing tool by providers (EVSPs); those
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 6 May 2012 stakeholders seeking to provide mapping and LBS to the PEV-driver community; and those organizations working to develop the open standards needed to link the many EVSE networks being deployed either directly by, or with the assistance of, EVSPs.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 7 May 2012 National Database
When the first generation of PEVs another consumer of the database took to California roads during the – for use in its Google Maps 1990s, the responsibility for feature – like any other purveyor of mapping charging station locations EVSE mapping services.6 largely fell to volunteer members of the PEV-driver community.4 More DOE Provides Basic and recently, as new PEVs have come Reliable Mapping of to market, federal and state funding Charging Stations through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and The EVSE database and mapping California’s Alternative and tool is managed through the Renewable Fuel & Vehicle National Renewable Energy Technology (AB 118) Program has Laboratory (NREL) and is catalyzed the accelerated integrated into the DOE Alternative deployment of PEV charging Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data infrastructure. This increased Center’s (AFDC) fueling station infrastructure activity has prompted locator website.7 When EVSPs a need to dedicate significant install charging equipment, they resources to the timely and submit station location information accurate collection of data and to to NREL by completing and ensure public access to all EVSE submitting a standardized reporting location information. The public template.8 NREL verifies that the needs accurate information about information for the new EVSE the location and type of EVSE, installation(s) is accurate, and adds regardless of the equipment the information to the EVSE manufacturer or associated database and the mapping tool.9 charging network. In recognition of NREL also conducts periodic that need, the U.S. Department of checks of PEV mapping sites for Energy (DOE) worked with Google user activity and reviews of and 80 stakeholders to develop a stations, and directly calls station national mapping tool for public and location contacts to confirm their private EVSE, which launched in status. spring 2011.5 While Google worked with NREL staff to develop and This static mapping tool provides launch the mapping tool, the simple, robust functionality that company now claims to be just allows a user to find most any PEV
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 8 May 2012 charging station that has been accurately reported to NREL during the previous 2-4 week reporting period. Its functions include the following:
Basic search for station location Advanced search (e.g., station access, owner type, payment method) Driving directions Stations by state U.S. overview maps Total station counts Add/delete stations
Though not well publicized, the AFDC also has a mobile web-based platform optimized for smartphones, but with more restricted functionality than the desktop version.10 It offers a basic location search, which displays a static map showing station locations, however, this function needs improvement. (For example, a search for stations in downtown Sacramento using this tool reveals that it omits some of the downtown stations.) The map is accompanied by a listing of the station addresses and associated contact information, and a brief description of the type of chargers available at each station. The user also can enter his or her current location in order to receive general driving directions to the selected station. The mobile platform does not allow for direct feedback from the user to either NREL or to the party responsible for operating a station, nor does it allow users to post comments on specific station locations for the user community to access. See Addendum A for a brief critique of the desktop and mobile versions of NREL’s EVSE mapping tool.
NREL/AFDC’s mobile station locator displaying information for an EVSE at the Santa Monica Civic Center. - Photo Credit: Patrick Corkery, NREL
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 9 May 2012 DOE’s Database Provides the Foundation for a Growing Mapping Industry NREL also provides public access to the EVSE database that any user can download.11 Many private mapping service providers use this database as the foundation from which to build their own mapping and navigation products and LBS. This approach encourages mapping service innovation while leveraging a reliable database of stations. As the pace of station deployments accelerated during 2011, NREL increased the frequency of its database and mapping tool updates from monthly to biweekly. NREL also posted an applications programming interface (API) in October 2011 to enable developers to download and integrate the database and its regular biweekly updates more seamlessly into their own mapping and navigation applications.12 The use of an API means that the application provider does not need to store or maintain the data. As soon as it is updated on the AFDC’s website, the data is automatically updated on the application provider’s website.
There is a growing abundance and diversity of portable EVSE mapping applications available to consumers. Some are offered by independent companies. Others are offered as a service package by EVSPs. Still others are offered by auto manufacturers and their partners. New companies, partnerships, and business models are being launched continuously into this nascent business space. A list of some of the U.S. mobile applications providers is included in Addendum B.
Snapshot of the station locator on DOE’s website http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 10 May 2012 Industry Needs
With the industry still very much in a station networks are conveniently wild-west, gold-rush phase, the available to meet their needs. growing abundance of LBS providers could be both a blessing and a curse At a minimum, these practices risk for PEV drivers. It could be a blessing posing a serious annoyance and in that it serves as an indicator of source of confusion to the second healthy innovation and competition wave of PEV adopters – the market that will lead to improved LBS- that needs to understand the products for PEV drivers. It could be a suitability and reliability of charging curse because new and potential PEV infrastructure mapping and navigation drivers may be overwhelmed, if not services in order to be satisfied with frustrated, trying to navigate their way PEVs. through all of the LBS-products the market offers. Several companies developing LBS products are independent of the Moreover, some companies in the automotive, utility, or EVSP industries. California market that offer access to These companies, such as their own charging networks through CarStations, PlugShare, and Recargo subscription plans provide their own seek only to provide mapping and mapping services to their subscribers, navigation services to PEV drivers. but limit the display of EVSE locations Their products start with the to their own products.13 This practice NREL/AFDC database, but also might be acceptable in states where capitalize on the power of the PEV these companies and their networks driver base to enrich the array of represent a majority of the charging available information about PEV infrastructure. However, it could pose charging infrastructure. These a hurdle to mass PEV adoption in applications allow users to interact California by creating the impression with each other and provide feedback that charging infrastructure is less (including posting photos of charging extensive, more restrictive, and less stations) that is stored and open than it really is.14 It also could immediately made available to other mean that PEV drivers might have to users of the same mobile application. use several different portable Users can add new station locations applications and switch between or point out their existence, even those applications in order to before they are reported and determine which specific stations or integrated into the NREL/AFDC
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 11 May 2012 database. Some service providers rely on the user community to police the accuracy of the information posted using their application. Others verify critical information, such as the location of new stations added by users, before making it available through their applications. The uneven reliability of some of the information displayed using these products also might annoy and confuse PEV drivers as the market expands beyond early enthusiasts.
While the interactivity these applications provide can be helpful to the user community, it is not the same as having real-time interactivity with the charging equipment. One EVSP that has built real-time interactivity into its network of charging equipment recently agreed to share its location and availability APIs with other independent companies. Coulomb has made arrangements with Recargo and Plugshare (Xatori) to use Coulomb’s Open ChargePoint Network Web Services API as part of its service. TomTom, the navigation service company, also recently partnered to work with Coulomb’s ChargePoint Network. ECOtality also might begin sharing its APIs with outside companies soon. Sharing this information enables other mobile applications and websites to provide similar functionality when displaying that particular EVSP’s equipment as part of their service. The independent companies’ users, however, do not have real-time interactivity with charging equipment outside that particular EVSP company’s network.
An Open Data Exchange and Open Standards will be Critical for PEV Drivers Many PEV drivers likely will prefer to have the option of using one application that dynamically displays all EVSE information regardless of which network they are on. Ideally, any EVSE mapping service, whether accessed via a computer, dashboard display, or smartphone, would allow a PEV driver to:
Receive information in real time Provide feedback in real time Locate and identify the type of EVSE he or she is seeking Determine the EVSE’s availability and enable a driver to reserve the station, if necessary Have a simple way (e.g., a single click) to reserve a station (understanding that subscribers to specific EVSP charging networks might be given priority when it comes to making reservations) Receive detailed driving directions to the selected station (e.g., details to locate parking garage entrances and specific parking stalls) Predetermine the pricing structure, the cost of charging at that location, and the available payment methods Select nearby alternate stations if needed or desired Monitor charging progress and receive notification of when his or her PEV is fully charged or if charging has been interrupted
As currently designed, the NREL/AFDC EVSE database and mapping tool do not have such data exchange capability. Such capability would require NREL/AFDC to have backend resources (e.g., servers, software and communications capabilities) sufficient to support such an undertaking. With those resources, NREL/AFDC could then develop an API package suitably designed to interact with the backend of any EVSE networks that have built-in interactivity and communications capability for the
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 12 May 2012 stations within their network (e.g., through cellular service, or Wi-Fi meeting appropriate ZigBee, IEEE or ISA standards). It also would require that the proprietors of the EVSE networks agree to link their networks to an NREL/AFDC network.
In an effort to address this issue of an open data exchange between networks, some in the EVSE industry have been working to develop an open standard for common data exchange between the EVSE management systems used to run different PEV charging networks. In Europe, there are efforts to develop the Open Charge Point Protocol, an initiative of the E-Laad Foundation in the Netherlands.15 This effort should not be confused with the OpenCharge Protocol created by Coulomb Technologies in the United States and released to the public in July 2011.16 Coulomb is using the OpenCharge Protocol as the basis for its OnRamp Program,17 and is proposing that international standards organizations for EVSE communications adopt the OpenCharge Protocol.18
The OpenCharge Protocol definition supports applications that include billing, asset management (access control, driver authentication, remote monitoring, remote diagnostics, and over-the-air downloads), real-time mapping, vehicle telematics, EVSE reservations, fleet management, and energy management (grid load management, demand response and time-of-use pricing support19). The use of the OpenCharge Protocol enables a PEV charging network to accept standardized key cards equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) or contactless (smart) credit cards for any station on the system. A PEV charging system using the OpenCharge Protocol can issue either text or e-mail alerts to the station user once charging is complete or if charging is interrupted for any reason. This capability is important given the mandate of AB 475 (Butler), which makes it a violation for anyone to park at a PEV charging station unless the vehicle is connected for electric charging purposes.20 Some of the other mobile applications, such as the Blink Network app, also have this function.
At this point NREL/AFDC does not contemplate expanding the capabilities of its mapping and navigation system to integrate real-time interactivity and data exchange. It appears that further developments within this space will be left to industry to resolve.
Rapid PEV Market Expansion Will Pose Challenges to Reporting and Optimizing New Infrastructure Deployment Roughly 40 companies currently provide charging equipment and/or charging services to the PEV market,21 but only 18 companies have charging equipment certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).22 The latest count indicates that California has 667 EVSE locations23 (1,541 charging points).24 In January 2012, California adopted the Advanced Clean Cars regulations that will require one in seven cars sold in 2025 to be zero emission vehicles, including PEVs. California’s investor-owned utilities predict that there could be as few as 600,000 or as many as 1.8 million PEVs in the state by 2020.25 The potential scale of the PEV market and the charging infrastructure needed to support it in the coming 10-15 years could pose challenges to the ability of the NREL/AFDC network to keep pace with the timely reporting of new station deployments26 and to the ability of state planners to manage the deployment of new infrastructure in a way that can optimize the use of new equipment.
The first challenge could be addressed either by NREL/AFDC enhancing its mapping tools to make it easier to allow for direct feedback from industry and the user community to report new stations,27 or by NREL/AFDC partnering with other mapping service providers who efficiently use crowd-sourcing to stay
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 13 May 2012 current with new infrastructure deployments. Alternatively, NREL/AFDC could come to a future arrangement or adopt a future requirement wherein all companies that install EVSEs or provide charging services would automatically report any new stations to NREL/AFDC (e.g., through automation by linking networks) immediately upon becoming operational.28 This would require that NREL work with industry to explore ways that reporting to the NREL/AFDC database could be automated.
The second challenge could be addressed through a comprehensive research program that thoroughly examines PEV drivers’ real-world use of the vehicles and charging infrastructure to develop a statistically robust approach for determining future charging equipment deployments that will optimize their usefulness. This is important not only now, but also in the future as vehicle and battery technologies advance and usage patterns for PEVs and charging infrastructure potentially change as a result of these advances. A comprehensive research program could be supplemented through the use of PEV driver surveys or a statistical analysis of crowd-sourced data on recommended new charger locations. The analysis could be run either through the NREL/AFDC mapping tool or some other trustworthy and reliable mapping services that might be willing to share this type of data with state and regional planners.29
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 14 May 2012 Organizational Roles
Given the current age of austerity, Ensuring that infrastructure is the PEV Collaborative and the PEV compatible with current Regional Coordination Councils communications standards play important roles in developing and easily adaptable to optimal charging infrastructure developing communications deployment strategies. Both standards required for recognize that each region is relaying the real-time unique and might need to adopt operational status of differing approaches in building equipment and for managing healthy PEV ecosystems within charging. their regions, and both have Ensuring that all incorporated this understanding infrastructure is inter- into their deployment strategies. operable when it comes to charging station access and Open networking and payment methods.31 communications also are important Ensuring that all charging considerations in deployment infrastructure can be strategies. Instead of merely effectively operated and adhering to basic siting principles, maintained. those developing deployment strategies should consider ways to As the pace of charging build stakeholder consensus on infrastructure deployment this still-unresolved issue. One way accelerates, there also might be to ensure that open networking and opportunities for the PEV Regional communications are built into the Coordination Councils to system from the outset is by coordinate, if not partner, with establishing and requiring that NREL/AFDC. Such coordination specific criteria or standards be met could help NREL maintain and when responding to RFPs for further develop its database and regional infrastructure mapping and navigation tools, and procurement. These criteria could ensure that accurate information include: continues to be available to the PEV community. Coordination also Ensuring that any and all will be important once all federal infrastructure deployed as stimulus and incentive funds have part of a region’s PEV been exhausted. NREL/AFDC charging network is visible to assures the PEV Collaborative that, the public (both in terms of its for the time being, all industry physical location and when stakeholders contacted have
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 15 May 2012 Further Recommendations
These recommendations for needs of competing “map & charging infrastructure information app” service providers. In and the NREL/AFDC database are particular, the information designed to encourage the future submitted should allow a development of mapping, PEV driver to locate navigation, and LBSs for charging individual charging stations infrastructure. with confidence, even when using a simple browser- 1. All public EVSE based mapping tool. This installations in California basic functionality is should be reported to the necessary regardless of NREL/AFDC EVSE whether this information also database. can be used as the basis for Having this central database other more elaborate ensures that there always will products and services be at least one reliable involving competing mobile mapping resource. There is navigation applications. no way of knowing how well other mapping services will 3. Subscription plan do, or whether they will providers should give their survive long-term, so this customers the option of national database will be a having all charging central clearinghouse for infrastructure displayed in EVSE information. Moreover, their mapping tools. it will be challenging to verify The service provider can submitted data and make this accomplish this by using scalable, therefore reporting different display filters, to one database will help enabling their customers to meet this challenge. choose the display that shows only the stations 2. PEV drivers should be available through their provided reliable and subscription. trustworthy information about charging stations in The following recommendations the most transparent way relate to specific information that possible, no matter what should be included in the type of service is used. NREL/AFDC database and its The EVSE information associated mapping tools. (Many of submitted should be these already are in the database sufficient to enable PEV and mapping tool. Double asterisks drivers to routinely use the ** indicate features that could be service and to meet the added.)
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 16 May 2012 1. Each EVSE unit in the database should be assigned a unique ID number to expedite the ability of other “map & app” service providers to automatically update newly listed/reported equipment installations in their databases.
2. Specific information related to location, accessibility, and EVSE details should be available in the database.
Location information should include: Detailed address (e.g., street address, nearest intersection, 9-digit ZIP code) and navigational location data (e.g., data latitude/longitude, GPS coordinates)32 Detailed driving directions (especially for difficult to access equipment within parking structures, etc.)**33 Easily identifiable photographs of the site (both daytime and night time), including notes regarding any potential safety issues with a particular location.** The ability for easy user feedback.** This could be related specifically to the charging station, or could at some point be extended to include nearby amenities (e.g., shopping districts, restaurants, restrooms, entertainment).
Accessibility information should include: Whether it is public or private Hours available Available payment methods (e.g., subscription cards, credit card/smart credit card, smartphone) Pricing for charging (e.g., by the hour or some other units)** Parking information (e.g., cost, time limits, permit required)** 34
EVSE details should include: Equipment brand/type**35 Availability of renewable power generation**36 EVSE capabilities (e.g., L1, L2, L3, AC/DC fast, battery swap station, inductive, conductive, NEMA 5, NEMA 14-50, SAE, IEC) Wattage (3.3kW, 6.6kW, 19.2kW)** Amperage (16A, 32A, 40A, 48A, 56A, 70A, etc.)** Connector type SPI = small paddle inductive (used on model year 2000-2003 RAV4EVs, and 2000-2002 Ford TH!NK City EVs) LPI = large paddle inductive (an effectively obsolete charger standard used for the 1997-98 Chevy S10EV and 1996-1999 General Motors EV1 which are no longer in the market) AVC = Avcon conductive (used on the Ford Ranger EV and some old EVs as well as home-built EVs) TSL1/TSL2 = first generation 16.8kW-capable Tesla charger (Tesla Roadster) or second generation 90kW-capable Tesla charger (Tesla Model S and Model X)
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 17 May 2012 J1772TM = new SAE plug standard for Level 1 (110/120v) and Level 2 (220/240v) AC chargers DCF/DCQ = DC fast charger CHAdeMO 440v DC fast charger J1772TM combo-coupler (fast charger currently under development by SAE) J2954TM wireless inductive charger (currently under development by SAE) BSS = battery swap station OC = other connector types Number of charging points Contact information for the owner/service provider responsible for the equipment, including a phone number and related website. Ideally, a link should be provided to a website/web service where the status can be accessed in real time, whether provided by the EVSP or users.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 18 May 2012 Addenda
ADDENDUM A
Following is a critique of AFDC desktop and mobile mapping tools.
Desktop The database has some incomplete information, as a result of incomplete submissions. Sometimes only a 5-digit instead of a 9-digit ZIP code is used. The manufacturer type for the EVSE is not always shown. There is no indication whether it is 3.3kW or 6.6kW for L2 charging (the default assumption is that all L2 charging is 6.6kW). There is no obvious way to provide direct feedback. There is no link provided for the mobile version on the AFDC station locator webpage. There is a bug in the web-based map. Sometimes a search is too literal and misses stations that are within the prescribed search radius. This possibly could be resolved by linking ZIP code information with the associated location entered in the keyword search. Some information is not very user-friendly. For example, some business hour information says, “access available during regular dealership hours. We recommend that you call prior to visiting the station to ensure it is open and that the applicable fuel is available.” This does not provide the user with immediate information about when the station is open. Accessing the information can be cumbersome because there are too many layers. When trying to return to the original search screen after accessing station details, the tool resets to the blank default map and the user has to retrace his or her steps, unless the user can open a search in a new window. The user must link to the web page of the service provider in order to see if there are any detailed directions or photos of the station location. When viewing stations by state, results cannot be filtered according to charger type (e.g., L1, L2, Fast Charge). The ability for users to have some screening function should be added since vehicles are designed to work with different charging standards.
Mobile This mobile platform has not been very well publicized. Many people “in the know” don’t know about this feature, which is available at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/m/stations/. It would be helpful to have a link to this website provided on the AFDC station locator web page. It provides basic functionality indicating station location, basic details, basic driving directions, contact phone number, but provides no real interactivity. It would be helpful for users to be able to provide feedback directly from their smartphone. It omits displaying some of the stations, compared to the same search using the desktop version of the tool.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 19 May 2012 ADDENDUM B
A selection of “maps & apps” providers is listed below.
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/ http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles/geoevse.php http://maps.google.com/maps?q=ev+charging+stations http://www.carstations.com/ http://www.plugshare.com http://www.recargo.com/ http://openchargemap.org http://www.ev-charging.info/ http://www.chargelocator.com http://www.evchargermaps.com http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ev-charger-finder/id354628084?mt=8 http://www.evchargernews.com/ http://www.cleancarmaps.com/ http://www.socalev.org/map.cfm
Corporate providers
http://www.theevproject.com/charging-maps.php http://www.blinknetwork.com/locator.html http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/itunes/index#/leaf-electric-car/itunes/index http://www.mychargepoint.net/find-stations.php http://www.onstar.com/web/portal/connectionsexplore?tab=2 MyFord app still coming http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-57413384-48/ford-focus-electric-priced-at- $39200-plays-nice-with-your-smartphone/;http://ces.cnet.com/8301-33369_1-57352440/ford-to-demonstrate-myfo rd-mobile-app-for-the-focus-electric-at-ces-2012/; http://www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 20 May 2012 ADDENDUM C The chart below provides a simple comparison of select mapping applications.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 21 May 2012 Endnotes
1 Pike Research, Pike Pulse Report: Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Assessment of Strategy and Execution for 10 Leading EV Supply Equipment Vendors (2011). 2 See Tom Turrentine et al., The UC Davis MINI E Consumer Study (2011), http://pubs.its.ucdavis.edu/publication_detail.php?id=1470; See Deloitte, Unplugged: Electric Vehicle Realities Versus Consumer Expectations (2011), http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom- UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/us_auto_DTTGlobalAutoSurvey_ElectricVehicle s_100411.pdf. 3 See IBM Institute for Business Value, The Shift to Electric Vehicles: Putting Consumers in the Driver’s Seat (2011), http://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03454usen/GBE03454USEN.PDF; See ZPryme Research and Consulting, The Electric Vehicle Study (2010), http://www.zpryme.com/SmartGridInsights/The_Electric_Vehicle_Study_Zpryme_Smart_Gri d_Insights_Airbiquity_Sponsor_December_2010.pdf. 4 E.g., the website for EV Charger News, http://www.evchargernews.com/. 5 National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Press Release: NREL, Industry Leaders Join Forces to Help Consumers Plug In - Partnership with Google and providers will improve access to information about electric vehicle charging stations (2011), http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2011/970.html. 6 Personal communication by John Shears (Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technology - CEERT) with Cynthia Yeung of Google, May 18, 2011. 7 The website for the AFDC’s Alternative Fueling Station Locator, http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/; Station maps also are available at http://maps.nrel.gov/transatlas. 8 The EVSE data submissions template is available at https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmRv5QkX8Mh1dERyTF8wNUExX2RMS0stT WdXaEoyTUE&authkey=CNCpxQ0&hl=en#gid=0. Information updates also can be submitted to NREL’s contractor for this project, ICF International, by emailing [email protected]. 9 See NREL’s general explanation of its data collection and verification methodologies, http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/data/methodology.html#maps. 10 The AFDC mobile web-based platform is available at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/m/stations/. 11 The EVSE database is available at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/data_download/. 12 The API is available at http://developer.nrel.gov/. 13 E.g., ECOtality’s Blink Network, SemaConnect’s SemaCharge Network. Coulomb Technologies includes other manufacturers’ equipment (e.g., Leviton, Eaton and Siemens) in its Chargepoint Network. While Coulomb provides real-time access to its equipment,
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 22 May 2012 14 An examination of user reviews for many of the smartphone applications at the app stores indicates that some users may not be aware that there are more stations available than are displayed when using some of these applications. 15 The website for the Open Charge Point Protocol, http://www.ocpp.nl/. 16 The website for Coulomb Technologies’ OpenCharge Network Protocol, http://www.coulombtech.com/opencharge/. 17 The website for Coulomb Technologies’ ChargePoint OnRamp Program, http://www.coulombtech.com/onramp/. 18 E.g., through the Technical Subcommittee for Communications Solutions at the Association of Electrical Equipment and Medical Imaging Manufacturers (NEMA). 19 It is important for network managers and serving utilities to be able to monitor and manage charging during periods of peak and critical peak demand. It also is important for network managers and serving utilities to be able to communicate with or notify station users about seasonal changes in pricing and services related to demand during peak periods. 20 Codified in California Vehicle Code sec. 22511 and 22511.5. 21 Personal communication by John Shears (CEERT) with Eileen Tutt (California Electric Transportation Coalition) and Robert Graham (Southern California Edison), October 27, 2011. Personal communication by John Shears with John Halliwell (Electric Power Research Institute - EPRI), October 19, 2011. See Plugin Recharge, “Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Vendors/Manufacturers,” last modified February 5, 2012, http://www.pluginrecharge.com/p/evse-vendors.html; See Plug In America, “Accessory Tracker,” http://www.pluginamerica.org/accessories. 22 While there are 16-17 NRTLs (http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/), it appears that, currently, only Underwriters Laboratories, ETL/Intertek, the Canadian Standards Association, and TÜV SÜD America (aka TÜVAm) are being used by EVSPs for certification. Cf. personal communication by John Shears with John Halliwell (EPRI), February 6, 2012, referencing October 19, 2011 EPRI, “EVSE Update” presentation. A listing of EVSE manufacturers with UL-certified products can be found at http://database.ul.com/cgi- bin/XYV/template/LISEXT/1FRAME/index.html and conducting a keyword search for “Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment.” A similar search can be conducted on Intertek’s website for ETL certification http://etlwhidirectory.etlsemko.com/WebClients/ITS/DLP/products.nsf/$$Search?OpenForm. A listing of NRTL-approved EVSE presently in the marketplace is located (and updated) at: http://www.goelectricdrive.com/Charging/FindAnEVCharger.aspx Plug In America also indicates whether an equipment item has received NRTL listing on their Accessory Tracker http://www.pluginamerica.org/accessories. 23 NREL, “Alternative Fueling Stations by State,” accessed February 23, 2012, http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/state. 24 NREL, “Alternative Fueling Station Total Counts by State and Fuel Type,” accessed February 23, 2012, http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/stations_counts.html. NREL reports each charging point as if it were a separate EVSE, so there are fewer EVSE locations than this count suggests. 25 Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and San Diego Gas and Electric Company, “Joint IOU Assessment Report For PEV Notification” (2011), http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/efile/REPORT/156710.pdf. 26 Advances in battery technology during this time period also could change the picture drastically for charging infrastructure. 27 The option to add a station on the AFDC station locator website requires that the user click through several pages in order to fill out a fueling station submission form. This option is not available for the mobile version of the mapping tool. 28 This assumes that industry partners currently reporting to the NREL/AFDC EVSE database will continue to do so voluntarily once the federal stimulus funds and federal tax incentives directed towards public charging infrastructure expire. 29 Companies providing mapping and navigation products are collecting and storing large amounts of user behavior data that could serve not only to inform the development of new products and services, but also to provide a solid, empirical/statistical basis upon which to plan the optimal deployment of future charging infrastructure. The challenge will be in determining whether any of these companies will be willing to explore sharing some of this data with planners. 30 The type of access should be indicated clearly (e.g., public, private, fleet access, workplace access) because PEV drivers are finding that some of the mapping applications do not clearly mark whether EVSEs are public or private.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 23 May 2012 31 This should include working with service providers to ensure that there are uniform payment methods using subscription cards, credit or smart credit cards, or smartphones. 32 While this data should be collected for use by applications developers, the intent is not for all of this data to necessarily be displayed to PEV drivers since it could overwhelm or confuse drivers. The intent is for these related data to be available to developers in order to provide them with the flexibility: 1) in the types of information that they might choose to display to the driver, and 2) to use different approaches for capturing nearby stations for display related to a driver’s search for stations at a specific location. 33 Currently only general driving directions are given. 34 Currently the database only indicates whether payment is required, and directs the user to call a location for details about payment. 35 This is not always indicated in the database. 36 E.g., I-GO’s 11 Chicago-area solar powered stations.
Maps & Apps Report www.PEVCollaborative.org 24 May 2012 www.PEVCollaborative.org