#4 DESK ITEMMEETING DATE: 05/06/13
ITEM NO: 4
DESK ITEM
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: MAY 6, 2013
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS - PARKING RESTRICTIONS
AUTHORIZE RESTRICTED PARKING IN PARKING STALLS ADJACENT
TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS
REMARKS:
Since the distribution of the May 6th Town Council agenda, staff received requests for
information from Council members, as responded to below.
1. How long is a charging session?
Electric Vehicle (EV) charging sessions can vary quite a bit depending on the electric
current, the capacity and status of the car batteries, and the car manufacturer. Typically,
charging sessions can range from about two hours to six or more, if the battery is nearly
depleted. Since the installation of the Town -owned charging stations, the average length
of a charging session is approximately 3.5 hours.
2. If drivers are using credit cards, can we tell how many different vehicles are using the
charging stations? I see the same car frequently at one station and wonder if that is true
at others also.
The ChargePoint America system provides limited data with regard to "Unique Drivers."
The data shows that there are very few, if any repeat vehicles charging the same day.
However, the system does not provide sufficient data to track repeat customers over the
long-term. From field observations, it appears that there are some vehicles that tend to be
"regular customers" of the charging stations, but staff does not have sufficient data to
determine how often these vehicles are charging at the Town -owned stations.
PREPARED BY: TODD CAPURSO LWV) cR..30
Director of Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by: \) S Assistant
ant Town Manager Town Attorney Finance
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MAY 6, 2013
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS — PARKING RESTRICTIONS
REMARKS (cont'd.):
3. I believe I read somewhere that the fees charged at LG are quite a bit cheaper than at
other public charging stations. Is that true?
There are two primary methods to charge for the use of EV charging stations — flat rate
and by the hour. The Town uses a flat rate structure of $2.50 per charging session. This
is slightly lower than what other public agencies are charging for flat rate pricing. It is
not uncommon to find government agencies that charge $3 to $4 per session. Other
municipalities opt to charge by the hour. The City of San Jose, for example, charges $1
per hour at the 43 EV charging stations located in Downtown San Jose.
4. Does staff want open ended time limit changes, or could we have a more specific range to
consider for future? For example, instead of 90 minute limit, could it expand up to 2 or 3
hours. Or does staff think they might want to change to a long period of time like 3 or 4
hours?
Staff is not proposing any specific time limits at this time, but is requesting authorization
from the Council to modify or create time limitations as determined by the usage patterns
at the charging stations. The options may not only include a time limit — probably more
along the lines of three to ,four hours than 90 minutes (to be consistent with charging
session times), but may also include a provision that the parking spaces may only be used
for charging purposes. For example some local private companies have installed signage
that reads, "No Parking except Electric Vehicles during Charging Session."
Additionally, after the May 6 Town Council agenda was prepared and distributed, staff received
public comment (Attachment 1) regarding Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.
Attachment 1 received with this Desk Item
1. Public Comment received through 3:00 p.m. Monday, May 6, 2013
From: Cameron Tulee <cameron@tulee.com>
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2013 9:41 PM
To: Council
Subject: 30 April Council item: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - Parking Restrictions
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
Los Gatos Town Council:
Regarding the council item about Electric Vehicle Charging stations and parking, I have a suggestion to further
make the charging stations more usable for Electric Vehicles (EV's). As an owner of an Electric Vehicle (a
Chevy Volt) I typically use home charging and charging stations provided by my Employer, SSL of Palo
Alto. SSL charging stations parking signs say "No Parking Except Electric Vehicles During Charging
Session."
In considering this proposal, I recommend Los Gatos follow SSL's example of also limiting parking to "During
Charging Session" because it frees up the charging station for EV's actually charging, thus increasing charging
station utilization and availability to out-of-town shoppers Parking enforcement can monitor the light on EV's
dash indicating charging (solid) or not -charging (blinking) and can allow some reasonable amount of non -
charging time to pass (maybe 15 min?) before ticketing or issuing a warning. Please note that EV's give the
owner an estimated time of charge completion so they have a very good idea when to return to move the
vehicle.
Thanks for the consideration.
Cameron Tulee
120 College Ter Unit L
Los Gatos
ATTACHMENT