Introduction
This is a site review from my trip to cover the lake shore route from the middle of the mitten northward.
Business/Location Name | Marathon |
Address | 906 W Washington Ave, Alpena, MI 49707 |
Network | ChargePoint |
Station Details | 2 linked 62.5kW Stations or 125kW linked |
Cost | $0.45/kWh |
The third planned stop of this trip was in Alpena, MI. This site is owned by GPM Investments, which is important because this company has been awarded several NEVI sites in Michigan and other states. I planned my stop at this location as it was the next available fast charger on the lake coastal route.
(This station opened in July 2023).
Accessibility
This station is in the parking lot for the gas station along the M-32 route, this is just west of US-23 that follows the coast. The two ChargePoint chargers are placed close to the road helping to make them visible. The dedicated spots are very unlikely to be used by other vehicles. Parking is “nose in”, there is no pull-through parking for anyone pulling a trailer.
Amenities
There’s not much to speak of regarding amenities at this stop. I wouldn’t recommend stopping here unless you absolutely need the charge.
Dining options include: None
Shopping options include: None
Car-related services (windshield cleaning, air): Marathon
Concentration
This is a baseline 2 charger site for ChargePoint. This station is the pull/back into configuration, easy charging with Elektra’s front port location or when backing in with Voltron to charge. This site is limited to these units and given the lack of amenities; I wouldn’t recommend adding more.
Location
Having additional charging options along the coast route is good for the support of drivers taking a trip around the state. A gas station off the main route will work but is not the best option. From here it is about 100 miles north to Mackinaw City, 70 miles west to Gaylord and 140 miles south to Bay City.
50 Mile Radius:
150 to 200 Mile Range Estimate:
Speed
These ChargePoint shared power chargers represent a decent destination charging solution. Elektra will not pull more than the 62.5 kW a single station will output unless the battery is low and the battery is at full temperature, Voltron does a better job of taking the rated power. The 125A and 200A current limits based on the operating mode will have most EVs charging slower than drivers might expect.
Summary
I arrived at this stop with 67% battery and 188 miles remaining on the GOM (guess o’ meter). I had averaged 3.6 miles/kWh on this leg of the drive. With temperatures in the mid 60’s I didn’t need the heat on, so 98% of the energy was used for driving and only 2% for accessories. This is the first time I learned the lesson on where not to place EV chargers at a gas station. Note to site owners don’t place the chargers where they will be blocked by the tanker truck filling the storage tanks. I talked to the friendly truck driver who informed me that he was going to be at least another hour filling the tanks and that he had warned the station owner not to place the chargers where they would be blocked.
What I paid for this stop:
Total Cost: $ -
Total kWh: - kWh
Time: - Minutes
Average Charge Speed: - kW (Calculated)
Cost per kWh: -
Did not charge because units were blocked.
Questions or Comments:
dantheevman@gmail.com
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