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0 pointsnicoburns2y ago0 comments

> there are virtually no chargers in cities with street parking

I suspect this will be relatively easy to build out. They installed them in my neighbourhood over a few weeks. There is already electricity supply to residential streets, so all that's required is installing chargers. Which can be quite simple if they're not fast chargers.

I've also seen people simply running extension cables out of their houses. Which isn't ideal, but it works.

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9 comments · 3 top-level

fennecs2y ago· 4 in thread

I don’t want cities to build stupid EV charging crap everywhere. They could invest that in public transport instead. EVs have all the same social problems as cars.

toast02y ago

Stupid charging crap is easy to do piecemeal. A bus line that only covers two blocks doesn't make sense. A bus line that only covers the major street doesn't help a lot of people. A public transit system that can get most people where they want to go is hugely expensive in time, money, and space, and can't replace the public roads + private car transit system until it's nearly complete.

whimsicalism2y ago

As long as cars remain legal in cities, it seems worthwhile to put electric vehicle chargers in cities.

fennecs2y ago

Switching to EV is an infrastructure problem just like public transport. Guess it’s doomed because it’s not driven by profit.

clouddrover2y ago

They can put in wireless charging. You won't know the difference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE1gaNO9nj0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IoPA0rq0yw

asdff2y ago· 2 in thread

This depends strongly on the quality of the infrastructure that's already in place on your block.

redserk2y ago

I'd be concerned if a neighborhood block's electrical infrastructure is fragile enough where even 12kW shared across multiple chargers poses a hazard.

I don't like how these concerns only get raised about EVs and are seldom raised over appliances that utilize far greater power over longer periods of time like individual air conditioning units

mschuster912y ago

> I'd be concerned if a neighborhood block's electrical infrastructure is fragile enough where even 12kW shared across multiple chargers poses a hazard.

The US power grid is run down to the point it's a regular contributor in wildfires. People make memes about how bad the situation is. There are numerous YouTube videos detailing just how old a lot of the equipment and lines are. Besides, the problem is the continuous load. An air conditioner doesn't run the pump continuously for hours, while a charging post constantly consumes peak load.

> I don't like how these concerns only get raised about EVs and are seldom raised over appliances that utilize far greater power over longer periods of time like individual air conditioning units

FWIW yes people are talking about air conditioning, and it's already a massive hassle for grid operators to balance loads when it's extremely hot as a result.

No matter what, electrical grids - and not just in the US - need a serious overhaul over the next few decades. Other than being generally old and poorly maintained, electric vehicles are just one issue... decentralized power generation, distributed battery storage, more demand for heat pumps (particularly in winter) and AC (in summer), the existing grid can't handle all that.

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Angostura2y ago

In my place in East London, quite a few lamposts are now (slow) charging points

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