Meijer - Muskegon

Introduction

A review from my road trip covering a wide loop around Grand Rapids, Michigan

Business/Location Name	Meijer – Muskegon
Address	5300 Harvey St. Muskegon, MI 49444
Network	ChargePoint
Station Details	2 Stations (62.5kW)
Cost	$0.30 kWh

The Meijer – Muskegon ChargePoint station was the 5th stop on my trip covering a wide loop around Grand Rapids.  This this site has been open since November 2020.  (At arrival I was 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 Muskegon Meijer site is 0.6 miles east of US-31 at exit 109.  This is one exit south of the interchange with the terminus of I-96.  The connection from I-96 westbound to US-31 is quite confusing.  The EVSEs are only visible once you are in the parking lot of Meijer along the south side of the parking lot.  The Tesla Supercharger here is also on the south side, but closer to the Meijer.  The ChargePoint units are midway in the parking lot, almost directly behind the McDonalds.  The side by side pull in parking does not allow for easy access with a trailer.

Amenities

Dining options include: McDonalds, Big Boy, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Asian Buffet, Qdoba, Texas Roadhouse, IHOP
Shopping options include: Meijer, Aldi
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.  Note the side of car of the charging port for how to pull up for easiest connection.  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

Close to the western end of the I-96 corridor in Muskegon, this site is well 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 that this is a good area for electric car charging demand.  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, making it perfect for a little “extra juice” during a quick shopping trip. Being on the major north/south US-31 corridor this site supports trips not only coming from the west side, but also travel north and south on the west side of Michigan.

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.  Following the speeds listed in the ChargePoint application, it seems these units are not linked, thus limiting to the slower speeds.  (Normally, I would test both units, but in this case a Polestar 2 was charging when I arrived, so at the start of the session we were both charging at the same time.)

Summary

Most of the ChargePoint sites from this trip were using the per kWh cost structure.  This is a clean and quick stop on US-31.  There’s plenty around to keep you busy for a full charging visit.  I was surprised to see a second Polestar 2 charging, as it tends to be a rare occurrence to see other vehicles, nonetheless multiple copies of the same car.  This proved both units were working and could work in tandem.

What I paid for this stop:

Total Cost: $2.58
Total kWh: 8.61 kWh
Time: 9 minutes
Average Charge Speed: 57.4 kW (calculated)
Cost per kWh: $0.30 

Total Score (Max 44)	Score	Accessibility	Amenities	Usability
24	C	4	7	13