cars news 10: VW, BMW, ChargePoint Install 95 DC Fast Chargers Along Key U.S. Routes

Once drivers have the capability to drive an electric car long distances with easy access to fast, convenient charging stations, we should see EVs catch on more quickly. Today the U.S. is one step closer to an electrified future, as ChargePoint, in collaboration with BMW and Volkswagen, has completed its express charging networks serving major corridors on both the East and West Coasts.

The plan, announced last year, was to install nearly 100 DC Fast chargers along key routes in the U.S. The collaboration has achieved that goal, having completed installation of 95 new fast chargers. On the East Coast, the new public chargers line Interstate 95, a highway that spans from Boston to New York City to Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. On the West Coast, chargers can be found on Interstate 5, connecting Los Angeles and San Diego, and Highway 101, from L.A. to San Francisco to Portland, Ore. In addition, branches off those corridors allow fast charging en route to the most popular destinations in the area, including Napa, Sonoma, Lake Tahoe, the Hamptons, Cape Cod, and the Jersey Shore.

The chargers are spaced roughly 50 miles apart from each other and are located near restaurants, rest stops, or shopping centers. For travelers’ convenience, all of the chargers are positioned within a few miles from a major highway. The stations offer either 50-kW or 24-kW DC Fast charging capability via an SAE Combo plug, a connector that’s compatible with the Volkswagen e-Golf, BMW i3, upcoming Chevrolet Bolt, and more. Some stations also offer CHAdeMo quick-charging plugs for use in EVs that accept that standard. ChargePoint customers can pay with their ChargePoint card, through the ChargePoint app, or a ChargeNow card for BMW drivers.

The move represents a big step forward for America’s charging infrastructure, and follows Tesla and its Supercharger network, which covers nearly every major corridor in the U.S. and is comprised of more than 3,650 fast chargers at more than 600 stations. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced earlier this year that the company plans to double that number globally by 2017. Superchargers use a proprietary connector and charging spec, so they’re only available to Tesla owners, however.

Source: ChargePoint