Charging at hotels

Hoppi

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one of the things I’m so looking forward to in getting my CT is off road trips all over the country. I’ve been watching lots lately c videos by current off roaders and they often mention being able to charge at hotels along a route.
Combine that with California’s announcement that they will be banning new ICE vehicle sales in the future and I see a problem coming.
When I go to a hotel (pre-COVID) there often are very few parking spots left when I check in. And I don’t see any electrical outlets on the side of my he hotel.
So how do people with Tesla’s charge overnight at the hotel now? I can just imagine a hilarious situation of multiple extension cords being used all across the parking lot to charge multiple vehicles from a single random outlet.
But going forward are hotels going to need to install a whole electrical grid of waterproof outlets throughout their parking lots?
If not charging at the hotel, I can imagine a morning rush at the charging stations as everyone on road trips wakes early to get a charge on over breakfast before getting out in the road.
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Sirfun

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one of the things I’m so looking forward to in getting my CT is off road trips all over the country. I’ve been watching lots lately c videos by current off roaders and they often mention being able to charge at hotels along a route.
Combine that with California’s announcement that they will be banning new ICE vehicle sales in the future and I see a problem coming.
When I go to a hotel (pre-COVID) there often are very few parking spots left when I check in. And I don’t see any electrical outlets on the side of my he hotel.
So how do people with Tesla’s charge overnight at the hotel now? I can just imagine a hilarious situation of multiple extension cords being used all across the parking lot to charge multiple vehicles from a single random outlet.
But going forward are hotels going to need to install a whole electrical grid of waterproof outlets throughout their parking lots?
If not charging at the hotel, I can imagine a morning rush at the charging stations as everyone on road trips wakes early to get a charge on over breakfast before getting out in the road.
Here's an idea of the current situation. Just remember as more EV's come into the equation Hotels will want their business and install more destination chargers. One business that I think should step up with destination charging is Golf Courses. Usually you park your car for 5 hours to play a round of golf. Lots of people drive 100 miles or more to play a destination Golf Course. The Courses will realize the importance of this eventually.
https://www.tesla.com/destination-charging
 
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ajdelange

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The way I solve the charging at hotels problem is by charging at a fast charger in the town and not relying on the hotel. Now that's because we usually try to arrive in the late afternoon or early evening so that finding a fast charger near a restaurant, even if it's only 50 kW, and sitting down to a leisurely dinner during charging is a comfortable way to arrive at the hotel with a full charge. The only place I really like Level 2 charging is at home.
 

Sirfun

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The way I solve the charging at hotels problem is by charging at a fast charger in the town and not relying on the hotel. Now that's because we usually try to arrive in the late afternoon or early evening so that finding a fast charger near a restaurant, even if it's only 50 kW, and sitting down to a leisurely dinner during charging is a comfortable way to arrive at the hotel with a full charge. The only place I really like Level 2 charging is at home.
That makes sense. Going to sleep with a full charge, knowing first thing in the morning you're gonna hit the road would be good!
 

Crissa

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That makes sense. Going to sleep with a full charge, knowing first thing in the morning you're gonna hit the road would be good!
Well, except the battery will be sipping that charge to keep itself warm or cool and such. So when you wake up, it has used up a percent or so.

And the longer your truck sits at full charge, the more battery degradation it takes. So you really want to charge it in the morning before you leave.

There just straight up needs to be more chargers at motels, restaurants. Not even DC chargers, just Level 2 EVSEs that can get you a few miles and maintain that 20-80, environmental systems active in the hours you're busy.

-Crissa
 
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ldjessee

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Yeah, 220 equivalent (here in the US) on a 30 to 50 amp circuit is all that is needed.

I even thought about what it would take to setup some kind of automated switch so that a hotel's circuit that it uses to run its commercial dryers gets switched over at say like 5 to 8 pm to run the destination style AC connection points.

The more I thought about it, the more of a hassle to get it wired up and setup. Probably just easier to bring in another 200 amp service and have a panel divide it up to several circuits...
 

ajdelange

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The ultimate reflection is, I think, that road trips and Level 2 charging just don't mix. It's too slow which means that unless a venue has enough chargers to acomodate every potential customer they will require some sort of management. If the chargers are numerous enough that every customer with a BEV can have all night access to one (meaning there has to be a way to keep ICE vehicles out of the area where the chargers are located) and thus plug in leave it, then that's suffici ent. Otherwise there will be conflicts such as a customer arriving at 2 AM on fumes when all the chargers are occupied by vehicles whose owners are in the arms of Morpheus. Or ICED charging spots. Or just not enough chargers. I've never seen anything remotely resembling what I described above.
 
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Hoppi

Hoppi

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The ultimate reflection is, I think, that road trips and Level 2 charging just don't mix. It's too slow which means that unless a venue has enough chargers to acomodate every potential customer they will require some sort of management. If the chargers are numerous enough that every customer with a BEV can have all night access to one (meaning there has to be a way to keep ICE vehicles out of the area where the chargers are located) and thus plug in leave it, then that's suffici ent. Otherwise there will be conflicts such as a customer arriving at 2 AM on fumes when all the chargers are occupied by vehicles whose owners are in the arms of Morpheus. Or ICED charging spots. Or just not enough chargers. I've never seen anything remotely resembling what I described above.
yeah, I haven’t either. But I’m hoping that the hotel industry is starting to think about what kind of solution to use for customers with electric vehicles. Right at the moment it might not be a big problem to solve. And with corona virus in the wind I doubt hotels are actively thinking about charging at the moment. But between now and say 2030, there will almost certainlyneed to be a solution that is being implemented.

And maybe hotels turn it into another revenue stream. Add charging stations toa bunch of stalls that are the least convenient stalls for the guests. Then have a surcharge for anyone that is not a guest to use them. If lots of hotels did this, there would suddenly be tons of extra charging spots available, hotels could get a small bit of extra revenue, and guests would have an extra reason to use that hotel chain.

As electric vehicles became more prevalent, the hotels could expand the number of chargers till the get to full capacity charging. or at least some balanced level of chargers that support the regular number of guests.
 

ldjessee

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I used a shopping (non-Tesla) destination charger. It had a max time use and it stopped when the store closed for the day. I found that more than fair for a FREE charger at a store. I bought a shirt and hoodie, then went and had food with friends, then went back and unplugged when their store hours stopped for the evening (it texted me to warn me it was 10 minutes from stopping due to the store closing).

I do not remember who's charger it was, but it was very well implemented (north side of Indianapolis, off of 421, at the Kohl's, about 1 to 2 years ago).
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