A review from my road trip covering a wide loop around Grand Rapids, Michigan
Business/Location Name | Meijer – Grand Rapids |
Address | 5531 28th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 |
Network | ChargePoint |
Station Details | 2 Stations (62.5kW/125kW linked) |
Cost | $0.30 kWh |
The Meijer – Grand Rapids ChargePoint station was the 2nd stop on my trip covering a wide loop around Grand Rapids. This site has been open since November 2020. (Sharing the charging station with a Polestar 2, note how the cable feed rotates at the top to enable the shorter cable to reach all charging port locations)
Accessibility
This Grand Rapids Meijer site is 0.5 miles northeast of I-96 at exit 43B. The EVSEs are only visible once you are in the parking lot of Meijer. The Tesla Supercharger here is at the far side of the parking lot from the front. The ChargePoint units are towards the front on the left-hand side as you are facing the building. The side by side pull in parking does not allow for easy access with a trailer.
Amenities
Dining options include: Firehouse Subs, Qdoba, Biggby Coffee
Shopping options include: Meijer, Goodwill
Car-related services (windshield cleaning, air): Meijer gas station close to this location.
Concentration
This is the standard double station layout for ChargePoint. This station is a side-by-side layout. The side placed EVSE doesn’t always make for the best parking spacing for front port vehicles, however, spacing is quite generous at this location.
Location
On the I-96 corridor on the east side of Grand Rapids, this site is positioned as a road trip rest stop. Additionally, it can serve as a shopping trip charge-up location. Being co-located with a Tesla Supercharger shows this is a good area of demand for electric car charging. There are also level 2 EVSE units at this site, which are strangely managed by a different network, Shell Recharge. These units are free for the first hour of charging - perfect for a little “extra juice” during a quick shopping trip. It does not connect with any other major north/south routes, however I can see this site as very useful for those local to the location while shopping and a good jumping off point for those coming to and from the Grand Rapids area.
Speed
ChargePoint is offering a middle of the pack solution targeted for the early adoption phase. These units can output 125kW or 200A. When not paired, 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. (Normally, I would test both units, but in this case a Polestar 2 pulled in at the same time I did and started charging, so I know both can run at the same time.)
Summary
I was happy to see another ChargePoint site using the per kWh cost structure. This is an easy- to-find intermediate stop on the I-96 with plenty to keep you busy while your vehicle is charging. I was surprised to see another car charging as this tends to be a rare occurrence on my trips. This site proved both units were working and could work in tandem.
What I paid for this stop:
Total Cost: $2.61Total kWh: 8.71 kWh
Time: 10 minutes
Average Charge Speed: 52.26kW (calculated – expected speed in sharing mode)
Cost per kWh: $0.30
Total Score (Max 44) | Score | Accessibility | Amenities | Usability |
23 | C | 4 | 3 | 16 |
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