Dealing with Workplace Charging Obstacles

We've had this discussion before, but I couldn't find it and thought it might merit its own topic.

A seriously-prospective iMiEV buyer asked me about range. He lives at an altitude of 2200' (670m) altitude and has a 25-mile (40km) one-way commute to work. I allowed as the first 10miles of his commute is all downhill with no benefit of regen, and so his round-trip commute is really 40 miles, but with the last ten miles being a nasty climb home. I allowed as it would be absolutely no problem if he simply plugged into any old 120vac outlet at work, as restraining his speed in the coveted HOV lane would be difficult as traffic in those HOV lanes can move very fast. I even offered to go up to his place with my iMiEV so we could make a trial commute run.

Regardless, here's the issue: he works for the federal government and an edict came out at his facility prohibiting electric cars from plugging in (security personnel were instructed to unplug anyone caught doing this).

Anyone have any examples of precedent-setting in this arena?

Is there a neighborhood nearby his workplace? One of my fallbacks if I can't plug in at the office anymore, is to canvas the houses behind my parking garage and see if anyone wants to make a $100 dollars a month to let me park in their driveway during the day and plug in.

My garage is operated by Standard Parking, so far they haven't told me to stop charging. Crossing my fingers this holds up for awhile.

JoeS said:

he works for the federal government and an edict came out at his facility prohibiting electric cars from plugging in (security personnel were instructed to unplug anyone caught doing this).

Click to expand...

That's pretty amazing, given the supposed push from the same government for greater vehicle electrification. It's worth remembering that many federal workers are in leased facilities owned/managed by private companies. In that case, the government is only a tenant, and the problem your acquaintance is encountering might be with the property managers.

Either way, it does seem to me that Level 1 charging should not be a problem for any facility, especially given the small number of EVs being driven to most offices. I don't expect Exxon to encourage its employees to drive electric, but many companies without such focused anti-EV agendas claim to be doing one green thing or another, and this is a piddling small investment in helping out the environment. As to grumbling about favoritism, employees qualify for all kinds of special programs, from weight loss to smoking cessation to exercise, some of which provide actual monetary awards or other compensation of value, so I don't see why an EV promotion program can't include free Level 1 charging. For companies not so inclined, I see no reason why EV-only spaces can't be made available for a modest monthly charge that would more than cover the cost of charging facilities; Level 2 might even be practical in this scenario (perhaps for a higher fee, which I think would only be of interest to employees with longer commutes and/or lower-powered Level 1 chargers).

The bottom line is that any facility that does NOT offer this minimal level of support for EV-driving workers is really taking an anti-EV stand, and companies that do that while marketing goods and services to the public should be called out so that green consumers can respond accordingly. When the costs of doing the right thing are so minimal, companies shouldn't be allowed to hide behind lame HR and/or policy excuses.

Hmmm, when members of Congress may plug in their EVs? Here's a list of federal facilities with employee charging. http://evadc.org/charging/federal-workplace-charging/
Kind of makes compliance with Executive Order 13514 difficult if there's no onsite charging for the federal fleet...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/sustainability

Probly don't help, but the State of Washington mandated that state agencies allow employees to plug in their commuting EVs years ago.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Availability
Recognizing that it is in the state's interest and to the benefit of the public to encourage the use of EVs to reduce emissions and improve air quality, publicly and privately owned EVs may be charged at state office locations where the vehicles are used for state business, conducting business with the state, or as commuter vehicles. Additionally, contingent upon funding, the state must install electrical outlets suitable for charging EVs in each of the state's
28 fleet parking and maintenance facilities as well as every state-operated highway rest stop by December 31, 2015. (Reference Revised Code of Washington 43.01.250, 43.19.648, and 47.38.075)
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.01.250
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.19.648
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=47.38.075

Thank you all for your responses. His federal work location is somewhat remote, with no closeby either residential or commercial units. I'll pass this link on to the individual and see what he can manage.

These may be of some help:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Faprs.org%2FEnergy%2FCharging%2FGAO-decision-not.doc&ei=sZDVUt6kEY202AW9t4GIDw&usg=AFQjCNFLZ5zBzCNMtPNjalVqCjLLV3RLvg&sig2=t6yCX0ZhCfBQa6TpL_ENjg&bvm=bv.59378465,d.b2I
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/uploads/publication/pev_workplace_charging_hosts.pdf

For all of the government hoopla about going green, being a federal employee is a different ballgame. It's been mandated that telecommuting should be instated in all federal offices as much as possible but nothing has come of that in my agency. I've filled out forms and re-filled out forms for nothing. They hang it out there like its coming soon but it never does. The last I heard that they were considering 1 day a month! That was before Hurricane Sandy, since then telework has not been brought up again. Basically, each agency and office is run as its own fiefdom and the rules are arbitrary between each office even within the same agency.