Electric Highway West Coast Style!

[G. David Felt]

By G. David Felt

Be for or against EV autos one cannot help but acknowledge that they are here to stay. California has long been one to push the industry in one direction or another. With change often came some interesting observations such as Tesla who has been funded and helped by government grants and yet for being in a state that pushed auto companies to build EV autos they lack a solid growing infrastructure for the Electric Highway in comparison to other states.

Electric Highway Map Washington & Oregon

Electric Highway Map California

While Tesla has done wonders for pushing their own charging stations, what about support for non-Tesla EVs? This is where a quick study of the Electric Highway Map shows that Oregon and Washington State has surpassed California for making much of the state and the major highway usable for electric road trips. The map shows an easy to understand network of charge points for going on an EV road trip.

I-5 is essentially the backbone of the EV highway on the west coast with the map showing the various supported state and federal highways with charging locations and type. California, while focused on San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego loves to show off that they have an electric system, much of it is still in a planned stage leaving really only Tesla with a solution of getting around long distance.

The focus of the West Coast Green Highway project which is funded by Federal, state, city and business dollars is to give “Range Confidence” to those that choose to purchase an EV auto. This project is an extension of the Federal’s current and long-running EV Project which was funded in August 2009 and covers 9 states with chargers installed in Major cities and Metropolitan areas. The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF are partners in this long running project. Owners of these autos could apply and those that qualify could get a free residential charger at no cost. As of March 11 2013, the EV Project had met it currently funded goal for residential charging units and is no longer accepting applications. EV Drivers can still sign up and join in the monitoring project of the public charging units to help better understand the use, need, and type of chargers.

Click to Enlarge

Map via WestCoastGreenHighway.com

The layout of charging stations show that most are 20 to 30 miles apart with some being 50 to 60 miles apart which would require one to carefully and efficiently plan their driving. The one item that this map does not show is topography. The Pacific Northwest is a mountainous area that is also home to strong winds of which both can and do affect range of these autos.

Fortunately many will find that the West Coast Green Highway site covers all of North America with alternative Fueling station locators. The Electric Highway is a part of a broader effort by the Department of Transportation for Washington, Oregon, and California to expand the use of Natural Gas, Biodiesel, Ethanol, and Hydrogen options along the 1,350 miles of I-5 from the US border with Canada to the US border with Mexico.

In a drive for those that wish to help reduce greenhouse gas, clean up the air we breathe and give mother earth a break, the West Coast Green Highway project is a solid step in the right direction supporting many alternative transportation fueling options.

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[Drew Dowdell]

It's great that the network is being further built out.  I wonder though how visible it is to non-EV drivers.  When driving along a highway, I'll regularly see signs for gas stations at the coming up exit, but never for EV station even when I happen to know a charging station is available. 

 

 

This reminds me of another article that I need to write.

[G. David Felt]

Next Time I take a road trip I will snap some Photo's. The Signage is big and clear about EV stations at all the rest stops here in Washington and Oregon as well as at retail places and normal gas stations that have installed charging stations. Same with Tesla who has their Super Charging stations at the malls here. You see big signs and know where to go.

 

While not sure about California, I do enough driving that it seems to me that Washington and Oregon used the same type of signs to bring attention to EV stations just as they do for Gas and restaurants which makes it pretty easy to find.

 

Example is the exit to my house two big signs. One that lists places to eat and one that lists gas stations and those that have Diesel and EV have it listed on their signage where the others are just normal petrol only.

[knightfan26917]

Even Route 66 is getting involved, it seems:

http://www.remyc.com/thebox66/electrichighway.html

 

 

Cort www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

1979 & 1989 Caprice Classics | pigValve, paceMaker, cowValve

"The rhythm of the asphalt goes on and on and on" __ The Road Crew __ 'That Ol' 66'

[Drew Dowdell]

Next Time I take a road trip I will snap some Photo's. The Signage is big and clear about EV stations at all the rest stops here in Washington and Oregon as well as at retail places and normal gas stations that have installed charging stations. Same with Tesla who has their Super Charging stations at the malls here. You see big signs and know where to go.

 

While not sure about California, I do enough driving that it seems to me that Washington and Oregon used the same type of signs to bring attention to EV stations just as they do for Gas and restaurants which makes it pretty easy to find.

 

Example is the exit to my house two big signs. One that lists places to eat and one that lists gas stations and those that have Diesel and EV have it listed on their signage where the others are just normal petrol only.

I'll have to look again the next time I'm near a charging station that I know about.

[Robert Hall]

I've really only noticed charging stations in some parking lots and parking garages around the Phoenix metro area.  Haven't noticed any street or freeway signs.  I'll have to keep an eye out for charging station signs/etc when I'm in LA next week.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[G. David Felt]

I've really only noticed charging stations in some parking lots and parking garages around the Phoenix metro area.  Haven't noticed any street or freeway signs.  I'll have to keep an eye out for charging station signs/etc when I'm in LA next week.

 

Look for signs like these next time your out and about.

 

[Robert Hall]

I saw signs like that when I was in San Jose and Monterey last month...

[G. David Felt]

I wonder how much the West Coast Electric highway played in GM's plans for the BOLT? We know Tesla has affected GM, Ford and FCA are scrambling to come up with their own solution to the BOLT.

 

Wonder if the East Coast will see a build out of EV charging along their freeway system.

[G. David Felt]

Here are the latest updated maps for the west coast EV highway 2017.

West Coast Green Highway web site:

http://westcoastgreenhighway.com/electrichighway.htm 

Washington & Oregon

ElectricHwyMapREV_4-15.pdf

California

ev_charging_stations_ca2017.pdf