Introduction
A review from my road trip covering the US-23 corridor in Michigan
Business/Location Name | BP – Ann Arbor |
Address | 4975 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, MI |
Network | ChargePoint |
Station Details | 2 Stations (62.5kW/125kW linked) |
Cost | $0.30 per kWh |
The BP – Ann Arbor ChargePoint station was the 5th stop on my trip covering the US-23 corridor (North to South). This station is on the east side of Ann Arbor. (These have only been in place since about November 2021.)
Accessibility
The BP
gas station at this address is 1.2 miles east of US-23 exit 37. Take Washtenaw Ave east for 1 mile to the
intersection with Golfside Rd. The BP gas station is on the northwest
corner of the intersection and the ChargePoint
units are tucked away on the north side of the building. Since the parking is nose in, there is no pull
through parking for anyone pulling a trailer.
Dining options include: Emerald City,
Domino’s, Burger King, Tuptim Thai Cuisine, Los Amigos Fiesta, Arby’s and more
Shopping options include: Golfside Market, At
Home, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market
Car-related services (windshield cleaning, air): BP
gas station at this location
Concentration
This is the standard double station layout for
ChargePoint. This station is the pull/back into configuration, which
makes charging with Elektra’s front port location easy. Those with fender locations may need to
stretch the cables to make the connections.
Location
On the US-23 corridor this site is the closest
to Ann Arbor. This location competes
with the Electrify America location
in Ypsilanti (2 miles away) and the EVgo
location on the south side (5 miles away).
This is just one exit north of the interchange of US-23 and I-94, so
this site can also support that major east/west route. However, the 1 mile stretch of road to get
from the highway to EVSE is a very busy road with many traffic lights, so this
is not a very convenient stop. Adding
units in the Arborland Center shopping mall at this exit would have been
a better location in my opinion.
Speed
ChargePoint is
offering a middle of the pack solution targeted for the early adoption phase. These units can output 125kW or 200A. When unpaired, or when both are in use, the
current limit is 62.5kW or 150A. While
this does not match the most powerful units on the market, it will support
reasonably fast charging for one vehicle.
Since these are the most popular units being installed under the current
state charging site incentives, I hope they will be robust and continue to support
growing EV needs in the future. (The calculated average speed does not reflect max level, but the charging curve shows I was at max
charging speed throughout the whole session.)
Summary
For me, this was a strangely placed EVSE. I turned into the gas station off of Washtenaw and
had to drive all the way around the building to find the chargers. The location had a weird vibe that made me uncomfortable. Still, I am glad to see another station charging
by kWh, and at a reasonable rate. I
would choose this site over the nearby EA and Evgo locations for
both speed and cost. The site hosts
really need to consider the ambiance of placing the chargers right next to the
dumpsters.
What I paid for this stop:
Total Cost: $2.46
Total kWh: 8.19 kWh
Time: 7 minutes
Average Charge Speed: 70.2kW (calculated)
Cost per kWh: $0.30 per kWh
Total Score (Max 44) | Score | Accessibility | Amenities | Usability |
21 | C | 2 | 6 | 13 |
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