– Supercharger Pilot Program to be Placed at Pennsylvania Garage on Tesla’s Dime –
In order to reduce “range anxiety” for Tesla users by enabling travel, the company has developed electric vehicle (EV) SuperChargers that charge their vehicles in minutes — as compared to the hours it takes to juice up a Tesla using a traditional AC Level 2 station.
The City of Miami Beach has initiated discussions with Tesla and proposed a turnkey SuperCharger station pilot program at multiple parking facilities, including its Pennsylvania Avenue garage located at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue, where Tesla would be responsible for all the equipment, permitting, installation, operation, maintenance and other costs related to the installation of the station. In turn, the city will provide the minimum required 10 parking spaces on the top, or second from the top, floor for one station with several connectors. These parking spaces are not reserved solely for Tesla vehicles, and will be available to the entire public.
“One of the inherent challenges for electric vehicles to gain mainstream acceptance is analogous to the “chicken or the egg” conundrum, said Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy L. Morales. “If EV charging stations are not readily available, the driving public is hesitant to invest in electric vehicles. The expansion of EV charging stations is necessary in order to establish a network of stations that will allow this technology to flourish.”
On January 13, 2016, the City Commission adopted an ordinance standardizing the design of EV parking spaces and requiring new commercial and multi-family residential developments to have a minimum amount of parking spaces dedicated to electric vehicles. The number of dedicated EV parking spaces required is a minimum of 2 percent of the required off-street parking spaces, with a minimum of one parking space. While these spaces are not required to have EV stations, they must be constructed with the electrical infrastructure needed for future EV station installation.
“The availability of strategically placed charging stations throughout Miami Beach promotes electric vehicles by making their use more convenient,” added Morales. “Benefits to the city from increased EV station use include improved air quality, quieter and more livable streets, and a decreased dependency on fossil fuels.”
In addition to requiring EV parking stations for private properties, the city also has two EV stations available at the 13 Street parking garage, as well as a non-exclusive
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agreement with Blink Network, LLC to expand the EV stations network across the city’s parking facilities.
As part of this agreement, Blink is responsible for supplying, installing, operating, maintaining and managing self-service AC Level 2 and potentially DC Fast Charge (DCFC) EV charging stations, including any additional ancillary property and improvements necessary for the installation and safe operation of the EV stations. For the initial five-year term of the agreement, the city will be reimbursed for electricity used to power these stations and will receive 15 percent of net revenues minus credit card fees and Federal, State, or City sales tax. Blink EV charging fees in Florida vary from $0.39/kWh to $0.49/kWh, depending on whether the user is a Blink member or a guest user.
Depending on the EV’s charge rate and the state of its battery, an AC Level 2 charger can deliver between 10 to 25 miles for each hour of charging. DCFC stations offer faster charging times. However, DCFC are not typically compatible with all electric cars, while AC Level 2 can charge any electrical vehicle model.
