what's happening with fast charging in WV

7/16/2021

There is no doubt in the minds of many, including yours truly, that electric vehicles are the future. The piece that we’re missing, especially here in West Virginia is fast charging for EV travelers. Tesla has the West Virginia interstates covered pretty well and is adding more chargers, but CCS fast charging is virtually non-existent. And when I say fast charging, I’m thinking at least 50kW, which really isn’t all that fast in this day and age. However, it’s vastly better than a level 2 plug when you just want to grab some charge while hitting the restroom, grabbing something to drink, and getting back on the road.

Recently though, we’ve started to see some movement. At the state level, the West Virginia Department of Transportation has committed to spending some of the Volkswagen “diesel gate” settlement funds on two DC fast chargers to be installed at the Capitol Complex in Charleston and Tamarack in Beckley. I have heard that they may be operational by the end of the year and am crossing my fingers.

On the municipal front, the cities of South Charleston and Nitro have also expressed interest in adding DC fast charging to attract travelers to their locations near interstate 64.

On the commercial fast charging front, Electrify America (EA) has announced an expansion to several new states including West Virginia by 2025. No specific timeframe was announced, but it is good to see West Virginia being added to the list of states served by EA!

Last, but certainly not least, Tesla is adding additional capacity to serve travelers in West Virginia. New V3 Superchargers (250kW of power per stall now going to 300kW in the future) are being installed in Morgantown and Wheeling, near existing 150kW V2 Superchargers. I have also heard that Ripley may be getting a new Supercharger, so more options and faster charging in store for Tesla owners. I travel from Martinsburg to Charleston periodically, so a 250kW+ charger in Morgantown is a nice addition!

It’s starting to feel like West Virginia is taking some positive steps toward our wild, wonderful, and electric future!

22 Comments

Justin F

7/17/2021 11:52:22 am

I love your blog! I’m moving from TX to Bluefield and I plan to buy a VW ID4 soon. This association and your updates have made me more comfortable with my desire to go electric in one on the least ev friendly states. Thanks!

Robert Fernatt

7/17/2021 03:08:38 pm

Thank you for the kind words, Justin! Let us know on the Contact page if you'd like to have your email address added to our distribution list to hear about events and other news. We conduct many of our meetings virtually, so you can attend regardless of your location and we welcome any EV enthusiast!

The fast charging network looks to be improving, but for the time being, it would be challenging to travel long distance in any CCS equipped vehicle within West Virginia. Hopefully that will not be the case for much longer, but it is the reality for now. If your plans are to use the ID4 more locally/regionally and charge mostly at home or work on L2, you should be fine until these faster charging options arrive. Thanks again!

Tony M

8/1/2021 10:36:54 am

“It’s starting to feel like West Virginia is taking some positive steps toward our wild, wonderful, and electric future!”

Having just moved here, and finding no EV or Solar incentives, and now finding that we have to pay the DMV $200 because we are environmentally conscious, in a state that promotes its outdoor parks and recreation just seems prehistoric.

Robert Fernatt

8/2/2021 04:43:26 pm

Hello Tony, thanks for commenting. You are correct that there certainly areas to be improved, but my previous comment was more about CCS DC fast charging starting to see some progress in WV vs the none we have now. Please do contact the Governor's office, your state representatives, WVDOT, and the state development office and give them your thoughts on EV/solar incentives and the DMV fee and why changing the current policies would be beneficial to the state. Hearing the perspective of a new resident could be useful.

Brandon

1/3/2023 08:58:27 am

A flat fee for the EV registration is not unique though. Vehicle registrations have always been flat fees, regardless of miles driven. So that argument isn't that relevant since it's not like the state is specifically targeting EVs with a flat fee.

And if someone really is only driving a few miles a year then an EV is an entirely wrong vehicle to be using considering it's cost premium over ICE vehicles. I highly doubt that retired folks driving a few miles a year buying EVs represent a demographic with a large qty of drivers.

Brandon

1/3/2023 03:25:32 pm

"IMO, the bottom line is that we need a mileage based usage tax by vehicle class regardless of propulsion."

So what you are actually wanting are toll roads everywhere? That's what it comes down to, right? That's the only way to track consumption for everyone equally. Unfortunately any non-EV vehicle will get hit twice though because their owners will still need to pay for propulsion unless the state eliminates the state tax on fuel.

I think the 1st or even the 2nd hand EV market doesn't make sense for anyone who drives only a few miles a year and if they are concerned about cost. The flat $200 fee is chump change compared to the purchase premium that still exists for EVs over ICE vehicles, new or used.

It's quite annoying that this site doesn't allow nested replies.

Brandon

1/2/2023 06:05:50 pm

The higher fee for the vehicle registration is because WV funds road maintenance strictly from the gasoline tax. EVs don't use gas so there is less revenue for road maintenance so they want EV owners to contribute in some way, even if the vehicle registration won't itself be used to fund road maintenance.

Robert Fernatt

1/3/2023 08:07:13 am

Yes, the intention of the registration fee is understood and most EV drivers support that intention. However, because it is a flat fee and not based on actual usage, it will overcharge low mileage drivers such retired folks that drive few miles per year. It also undercharges high mileage drivers such as an Uber driver in an EV for example. See my previous blog post on the registration fee here: http://www.wveaa.org/ev-blog/position-on-registration-feesfuel-taxes

Robert Fernatt

1/3/2023 09:18:38 am

Replying to your second comment, if a flat fee is intended to cover usage and that flat registration fee is over and above the regular administrative registration fee that all vehicles pay, it is different. It should be a variable fee like it is for gas vehicles - more miles driven equals more tax paid for more road usage. I'll have to agree to disagree on that point.

On the second point, think used EVs and lower cost EVs. If someone is picking up a second hand LEAF for $8,000 as a grocery getter, a flat $200 fee to drive few miles per year is excessive. I sold my old LEAF to someone like this. Even a new Bolt for $26K (less with incentives) purchased as a local runabout may not be putting many miles on. This issue isn't huge right now, but as the second hand EV market grows, it will be a larger issue for lower income families, retired folks, or anyone that drives fewer miles per year.

IMO, the bottom line is that we need a mileage based usage tax by vehicle class regardless of propulsion. A very efficient ICE (40-50 mpg) is also underpaying fuel tax compared to most anything else and not paying extra "registration fees" like a hybrid that is getting similar mileage. There is too much disparity in vehicle efficiency to think that an antiquated per gallon fuel tax can continue to capture adequate revenue. As vehicles get even more efficient and/or move to PHEV, EV, FCEV, or whatever new technology comes next, per gallon tax collections will decrease and a flat tax is not the way to deal with taxation needed for variable road usage.

Robert Fernatt

1/3/2023 10:21:36 pm

No toll roads. The blog post I mentioned talks about using an odometer reading from the mandatory state inspection and storing that for computing miles driven per year and a credit to ICE drivers for state fuel taxes already paid. It seems we may have a difference of opinion and that's okay. This rudimentary commenting system certainly isn't the best place to debate potential solutions. We will still advocate for mileage based usage fees by class of vehicle which will eventually be required as technology progresses. In any event, wishing you a happy New Year.

Robert Fernatt

1/16/2023 05:37:46 pm

First, China is a distant third lithium producer in the world behind #1 Australia and #2 Chile.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/chart-countries-produce-lithium-world

Regardless, this is also all the more reason for the US to develop its own resources and with recent investments, that will be changing on both the raw materials and with battery production. There are now tens of billions of dollars slated for new battery production facilities in the US creating US jobs as well as increases for developing domestic raw material sources including lithium. For example, Tesla signed a contract with a lithium supplier in North Carolina. Tesla was an early leader and makes most of its batteries in cooperation with Panasonic in Nevada and is gearing up for battery production in Austin as well. Panasonic is opening a new $4 billion facility in Kansas to help supply Tesla and others. The auto industry worldwide is investing $1.2 trillion private dollars in EVs/batteries, so I'm pretty convinced along with those automaker which way this is all headed. We certainly do not want to outsource the future of transportation to other countries as we did semiconductors.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-automakers-double-spending-evs-batteries-12-trillion-by-2030-2022-10-21/

Since there are multiple lithium ion chemistries that require different materials, it's also important to note that in the case of Tesla, half of their vehicles sold last year didn't use any cobalt or nickel since they used the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry (just lithium and iron). Tesla is also using LFP for their stationary storage batteries. They still use nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemmistries for some vehicles, but Tesla and others have been reducing cobalt content in batteries for years.

Regarding uneconomic plants, the coal plants in WV are largely uneconomic because they are old and nearing the end of their useful lives. And, yes, I do like to breathe clean air and have no problem with emissions controls on power plants. Having experienced a temperature inversion in Charleston, WV and breathing all the crap that a local coal plant was producing upwind even with emission controls, I'm glad that we are limiting emissions. Also, ask the folks in in North Carolina about the economic energy produced by Duke decades ago. It was cheap to dump all that coal ash along the rivers until flooding and subsidence dumped all that toxic ash into the rivers. Now, ratepayers are on the hook for billions to clean up after all that 'economic' energy from yesteryear. Pay me now, or pay me later, but somebody's paying and it likely won't be CEOs or shareholders. It will be ratepayers, stripped communities with poor groundwater, and downwind populations. At least natural gas is a cleaner option while we work on expanding others.

This really isn't the forum for debating such issues, so thanks for the response, but we'll have to agree to disagree.

Kyle B

12/1/2021 11:34:29 am

Any update from locals in the Charleston and Beckley area as to the construction progress in the State House and Tamarack sites? I know the legislation was signed in August and noted that the "development underway" indicated that sites had already been chosen and that possibly ground was already broken. I live in SW Ohio and travel through WV every year for vacation and soon will be without any ICE cars.

Robert Fernatt

12/1/2021 06:27:36 pm

The latest update we have received is that the CCS DCFCs in Charleston and Beckley will be operational by Q2 2022. If you look at PlugShare you'll see entries for them and a linked document showing that they were approved along with other planned sites. So, fingers crossed, they will be operational to help non-Tesla EVs to/through the state.

Markus Erbeldinger

2/22/2022 07:03:15 pm

What is the reason that WV doesn’t has 150kw non Tesla chargers? Always a big hole in any app. Had to take a rental car from Pittsburgh to Beckley since I could not make it back with my Non Tesla EV. The Morgantown to I81 corridor needs HPC really badly.

Robert Fernatt

2/25/2022 07:02:00 pm

Hello Markus, lack of non Tesla charging in West Virginia is an issue that we're hoping will be addressed in the near future. Electrify America has announced that West Virginia will be in their next phase, but that could still be a while. The WVDOT is also working to install DCFC in Charleston and Beckley, but that has been pushed back to later in 2022 at this point. There are some CCS options between Morgantown and I81 on I68 in Maryland at Friendsville, Frostburg, Hancock and at Deep Creek Lake if those are helpful. I would also suggest contacting the following state offices to voice your concern. Hearing from out of state visitors may get more attention. You can also tag them on social media.
WVDOT - dot.info@wv.gov
Tourism Office, Visitor Services - Hillary.Balding@wv.gov
WV Governor's Office -https://appengine.egov.com/apps/wv/governor/contactus

Gale Christy

4/10/2022 02:47:15 pm

As the owner of 2 Wrangler 4xe’s and a Polestar 2 I am thrilled to see WV adding a few charging stations. The ideal locations would be Summersville and Morgantown for the rapid (non Tesla) locations. We are behind most states but that’s what I expected and understand why unfortunately. Hopefully in the near future we have a nice network so travel outside and thru WV becomes easier.

Robert Fernatt

4/10/2022 04:25:22 pm

Hello Gale and thanks for chiming in and congrats on the Polestar! I haven't seen one of those in the wild yet. We were hopeful that Tamarack and the Capitol Complex would have CCS chargers soon, but at the recent WV Expo in March we heard that WVDOT is delaying installation in favor of waiting on the new federal NEVI funds. So, a longer wait but better stations (4x150kW plugs) when they are finally installed. Tesla just opened its 12th Supercharger station (8x250kW plugs in Fairmont) and has two more planned for Sutton and Ripley this year. We keep advocating for CCS from the state or EA to have some public, brand neutral fast charging to help fill in that "West Virginia shaped hole" in the non-Tesla charging map, but it looks like it will take a big longer than hoped. Feel free to contact the following state offices to voice your concern about the lack of fast CCS charging in the state. Hearing from more EV owners may get some attention. You can also tag them on social media posts.
WVDOT - dot.info@wv.gov
Tourism Office, Visitor Services - Hillary.Balding@wv.gov
WV Governor's Office -https://appengine.egov.com/apps/wv/governor/contactus

Iliana Ramos

9/14/2022 12:05:15 am

Hey, any update on when the tamarack will be getting a charging station?

Robert Fernatt

9/14/2022 02:14:45 pm

Hello, Iliana, and thanks for reaching out. The WVDOT had initially discussed having CCS (non-Tesla) charging available at Tamarack this year, but that has been pushed back due to the arrival of the federal NEVI funds. You can see the latest WVDOT NEVI plan at the following link. Tesla has the WV interstates covered and is adding more, but realistically at this point in time, I wouldn't expect anything usable on the CCS side until 2024. It is possible that Tesla may open their existing Superchargers to other brands sooner.

https://transportation.wv.gov/highways/programplanning/NEVI/Documents/WV_NEVI_PLAN_2022.pdf

It is disappointing that WVDOT did not move quickly with the available VW settlement funds that have been available for some time. I would suggest contacting the following state offices to voice any concerns and to encourage that WVDOT moves quickly. You can also tag them on social media.
WVDOT - dot.info@wv.gov
Tourism Office, Visitor Services - Hillary.Balding@wv.gov
WV Governor's Office -https://appengine.egov.com/apps/wv/governor/contactus

Robert Pryor

1/15/2023 10:11:27 am

Base on the publication of the Electric Power Annual 2021 from the US Energy Information Administration, West Virginia generates 91% of it electricity from the burning of coal. When will that change? EPA was Published Nov 2022.

Robert Fernatt

1/15/2023 04:54:54 pm

Hello, Robert. Honestly, with the current political leadership, it will be likely be a while before WV transitions completely away from coal. There is some wind generation in the eastern mountains and larger solar installations are popping up, but they're still pretty small in the scheme of things. However, these are steps in a cleaner direction. Personally, I generate more power from solar than my home and EV use every year, but that was a personal choice and investment. Regardless, EVs use American made energy (you can't ship a boatload from another country!) from a variety of sources and the electricity consumed will naturally get cleaner as older, uneconomic power plants are retired.

Brandon

1/16/2023 04:40:46 pm

> Regardless, EVs use American made energy (you can't ship a boatload from another country!) from a variety of sources

Lithium used in the batteries is often sourced from China. This is one of the new stipulations of the federal tax credit, namely that the battery components must be sourced domestically, which is quite difficult for most batteries given their chemical makeup. I'd assume the lithium arrives in some form on boats.

Separate from that, it's impossible to say from our consumer level just how much foreign natural gas is used to make electricity at the various power plants around the country. Much of WV's power does comes from coal mined domestically though.

> and the electricity consumed will naturally get cleaner as older, uneconomic power plants are retired.

It should be noted that the older, uneconomical power plants are only uneconomical by virtue of the federal gov't imposing costs through stricter regulations due to controlling emissions, otherwise the only factors at play would be normal market conditions that can cause prices of natural gas and coal to fluctuate. But the feds like to punish the power plants that use coal which causes them to spend millions of dollars on carbon capture equipment, retrofit to run cleaner fuel, or shutdown. The first two options are quite costly, with costs passed down to consumers of course (the feds will blame the plant owners though). The last option will of course reduce the capabilities of the overall grid while the gov't is trying to push us all to use more electricity to power our vehicles. They are quite insane.

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what's happening with fast charging in WV

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