Shown Wednesday evening, excavations are well under way for Tesla’s charging station in the Albany Winco parking lot.
On Wednesday evening the bike took me to 3080 Pacific Blvd. SE, which is in the parking lot on the west side of the Winco supermarket.
That’s where the Tesla company is building an electric vehicle charging station.
In February I reported that a Tesla branch in Bothell, Wash., had notified the city that it planned to build a charging station with 16 ports at that address. A reader told me this week that the construction had started. That’s what I wanted to see.
According to a website called ChargeHub, the station at 3080 Pacific Blvd. SE is a supercharger, whatever that means.
The website also says of this station: “NACS Adapter Required to Charge at this Supercharger. This Supercharger is Open to Tesla and NACS Enabled Vehicles with CCS Compatibility.”
I don’t know what NACS and CCS compatibility mean. But I presume owners of Tesla automobiles and other electric vehicles do.
At first glance the listing on ChargeHub implies that this Tesla station is open and available. Until, that is, you notice the line on the right, under EV Charging Station Ports: “16 Coming Soon.”
ChargeHUB lists six other EV charging stations in Albany and vicinity: at Hyundai of Albany, Walmart, the Linn County Courthouse, the YMCA, Linn-Benton Community College, and the park-and-ride lot at I-5 and Highway 34.
Not mentioned is the station the city had installed in the former Penney’s parking lot downtown. For a time that charger didn’t work. I’ll check if it does the next chance I get. (hh)
That’s the west side of the Winco supermarket in the background.
Saw a NY Times headline today that said, basically, which is it? It said it can’t be both that Elon Musk’s companies are your best bet for investing and/or he can’t pay all of his huge bills!! So, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if this new Albany “Tesla” charging station only works for Tesla vehicles. My take-away from NYT headline is that Musk is the world’s first trillionaire only on old-fashioned “paper.” Not with the actual “greenbacks.” It tickles me that the charging station is in a Winco parking lot. Winco attracts the “not-wealthy,” as its prices are supposed to be better than those at Walmart.
Nearly all new Tesla supercharger locations will charge non-tesla vehicles now. Tesla wants your charging money even if you don’t drive a Tesla.
That is what “Open to Tesla and NACS Enabled Vehicles with CCS Compatibility” means.
Newer vehicles in the last year or 2 from all manufacturers selling in north america are “NACS Enabled” with “CCS Compatibility” which means they have the proper physical connector (NACS) and software stack (CCS) to charge here.
Tesla Charging stations work for some other compatible vehicles, Rivian for example. but even then, the Rivians that I have seen charging have their port in a different spot so they took up two spaces in order to charge. Do you really expect that Tesla would build something at their own expense that worked for Toyota? I do not know which other cars might also be able to charge there but if this is done by Tesla, at Tesla expense, the least I would expect is that anyone who got to use it would help pay the expenses of the installation.
You’d have to think that’s not for the WinCo customers but for the people traveling on I-5.
Location, location, location.
Winco attracts the “not-wealthy.” I guess I should stop shopping at Winco.I also shop at all other markets mostly for meat/seafood and deli items.
Was looking at buying a used EV.
But I’ll wait
1-I do not drive much in town and have been semi-retired since my 30’s, and once in a while work on the houses I own. Blue-collar worker. :)
2- China is leading the way in Ev’s. For one, much faster charging times.
3- If these are the new “Tesla” 600 KWH charging station which have much better charging times. The catch is they will not work on the older(present) EVs.
If I did not take a lot of long vacations, I would be more interested in a used EV.
JJ; Are you bragging or complaining? It must be hell not having much meaningful to do with your life since such an early age and for most of your current time. Life is short. Is early retirement and much leisure time personally rewarding or meaningful in other ways?
Not bragging, but probably complaining some.
I was forced into early retirement due to a workplace injury.
Can do light work around the house and some exercise.
I wanted to go back to work after I started to recover some, but the doctors said no way. Maybe should have asked about a government job. ;)
I made a mistake about the 600 KWH charging station
It is ChargePoint and not Tesla. And from the article I read, it looks like the chargers are advancing faster than the EVs.
North American Charging System (NACS)
Basically a faster charging system with a standard port.
CCS Combined charging system.
I will check it out when it is up and running to see if my Chevy Bolt can use it or I may need an adapter. Most likely yes.
Thanks for the update. Great location for long distance travelers to charge.
I purchased a 2011 Nissan Leaf 100% electric car when there were little or no chargers. But most people just plug in a home anyway. It is the future.
The Tesla car owners can drive on water street on the yellow brick road…$ 22 million plus $ 100,000 grand for the Tesla…..Then go to Winco & save 49 cents on milk..oh my
Love your comment!!!
A supercharger puts out 250000 watts, so you can charge quickly, my car, 30 minutes for 280 additional miles.
At MotorandWheels.com , there are many rules and guidelines on using charging stations. I don’t have an EV so don’t understand the process. The rules say it is best not to unplug someone else’s EV when it is done charging, unless they have given you permission. This happens, for instance, when the owner of car on charger has left the area to go to a restaurant, etc. I can’t fathom leaving an expensive EV attached to a charger while you do errands or go out to eat.
Any gas station I pull up to the nozzle fits just fine. LOL!
Agree 100% with DPK…love It!
Great to see these chargers coming! Going to bring some new people stopping in to charge and hopefully spend some money here.
They have charging stations at Walmart. Thought I seen someone hooked up to 1 but he was doing something else to his car that was parked in the charging spot! You think the city is going to rake the in the bucks from the droves of people that will pull off I-5 to charge their cars then shop at Winco or Walmart and eat at subway or burger king. Use the money to fix the roads, stop wasting our time and energy. Ask us for all that other BS after you make our city safe and our quality of life better.