On this week's Plugged-In Podcast, we talk curbside charging, the Tesla Roadster 2.0, the Mercedes GLC, and Ford Fathom.
People often ask me if I drive an EV myself. I have to sheepishly say that no, I don’t, and that yes, I’m aware it’s very off brand.
Price is part of it, of course. But charging is the bigger issue.
As much as I’d like to give up gas, I don’t have a garage or driveway to charge in. Strangely enough, even in a super EV-friendly place like the Bay Area, Level 2 charging infrastructure for street parkers is sorely lacking. A few curbside posts in my neighborhood would make all the difference. Especially since the most budget-friendly used EVs—like the old Chevy Bolt or Nissan Leaf—suck at DC fast charging anyway.
This week on the Plugged-In Podcast, Mack and I spoke with Tiya Gordon, the cofounder and COO of It’s Electric, a Brooklyn-based charging company tackling this very issue by bringing Level 2 plugs to city streets.
[We also discuss the upcoming Tesla Roadster unveiling, Mack's drive in the Mercedes GLC EV, Volvo's new XC90 and XC60 PHEVs, the Ford Fathom, and more of the week's biggest EV and tech news.]
DC fast charging gets far more attention than slower infrastructure. But the biggest advantage of EVs is that they can be charged anytime they’re parked. However, that lifestyle has long been reserved for Americans with home charging. In a dense city like New York, Boston, or San Francisco, not everyone has that luxury.
“When you park your car on the street, you don't have that option,” she said. “So we're looking to bring that home charging opportunity to street parkers.”
When it comes to curbside charging, the U.S. is far behind countries like the U.K., Germany, and Norway. One reason, Gordon says, is that in most cities the accessory power runs at less than 220 volts. It means Level 2 chargers need to get power directly from the utility, running up installation costs. So It’s Electric designed its chargers to get power from buildings instead.
It's Electric's chargers are designed for the curb and don't have built-in charging cables.
Another quirk of It’s Electric’s hardware: You need to bring your own cable, which the company will provide. Gordon says that eliminates the “biggest fail point” for chargers, whose cables are prone to getting stolen, dropped, or otherwise damaged. It’s also a popular way of doing things in Europe.
“We are not reinventing the wheel here,” she said. “We like to say: It's not weird, it's just European.”
Slowly, American cities are getting hip to the need for more curbside charging. This week, New York City selected It’s Electric to install 700 of its chargers throughout the five boroughs. It’ll be the eighth city the startup deploys in. Gordon hopes that seeing convenient charging options right in their neighborhoods will get more New Yorkers to consider going electric.
“No one’s going to buy an EV because of energy, because of climate. They’re going to buy it because it’s cheaper, it’s easier, and it’s more convenient,” she said. “So if you just make the right thing to do the easy thing to do, then everybody can win.”
This was a fascinating conversation, and you can check it out on audio platforms or on YouTube.
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