Introduction
This is a site review from part 3 of the ongoing series to follow the EVgo expansion in the metro Detroit area. This part visits new Pilot/Flying J locations and then follows up on some of the existing stations. Visits done on June 23, 2025
Business/Location Name | Pilot Travel Center |
Address | 6158 US-223, Ottawa Lake, MI 49267 |
Network | EVgo |
Station Details | 2 Stations (2 Dual Output – 350kW) |
Cost | $0.56/kWh |
I visited the Ottawa Lake Pilot Travel Center station as part of my travels to continue to review the ongoing expansion of EVgo sites in the metro Detroit area. This is not part of the Detroit area EVgo build out, but is part of the nationwide partnership between EVgo, GM and Pilot/Flying J. (This station opened in November 2023).
Accessibility
This site is on US-223 to the west of the intersection with US-23 (a major north/south route that I have reviewed charging sites along before. 0.4 miles from the highway at exit 5, this is a quick on and off stop. The units themselves are in the southeast corner of the parking lot, farthest from the building and easy to spot from the road. There is no pass thru or trailer friendly parking here.
Amenities
Dining options: McDonald’s, Burger King
Shopping options: None
Car-related services (windshield cleaning, air): Pilot Travel Center
Concentration
This is the new standard 2 station layout for EVgo at the Pilot/Flying J partner locations. With just 2 stations this site can still support up to 4 vehicles charging simultaneously. The 350kW dual charging units are pull up to, with no pull through parking. Depending on charge port location it can be difficult to get the charging cable to reach the vehicle. There is a benefit that just 2 units can provide high-power charging to 4 vehicles at once, but the risk is that one station going down could impact 2 stalls of charging.
Location
This site is now the southern most charger on US-23 within MI. This site supports travel on this key North/South corridor as well as supporting traffic heading west towards Jackson.
50 Mile Loop:
150 Mile Estimated Coverage:
Speed
EVgo is supporting maximum CCS charging speeds. The high-power Delta units are capable of both max 950V and can do 540A. These newer Pilot/Flying J sites are NEVI compliant supporting up to 350kW (and at least 150kW) on all 4 ports. The sites are well equipped to handle both road trip traffic. The made in October 2022 Delta charging units are from an early batch from Taiwan. These should be available to serve the electric car community for years to come and the infrastructure build out continues. However, it should be noted that this site is transformer power limited and only has 500kVA, so if multiple cars are charging at the same time, they might not only be limited by dispenser power splitting but also by the site power.
Summary
I arrived at this site with 72% battery, so I was never going to get peak speeds, but still managed a very reasonable charge rate. In checking the app, this site was showing all 4 stalls available, but when I arrived the dispenser closest to the road displayed the dreaded red bar across the top and the screen, on closer inspection showed both connectors not available. Not a good start to have a mismatch between the app and the actual site status. Backing up to the other dispenser, I tried to use my EVgo RFID card, but that did not work, so I defaulted to starting the charge from the app. After my timed 5-minute charge, as I was leaving, an Audi eTron pulled in to charge. Thus, this site is seeing some level of usage.
What I paid for this stop:
Total Cost: $6.00
Total kWh: 10.111kWh
Time: 5 minutes
Average Charge Speed: 121 kW (calculated)
Cost per kWh: $0.56/kWh
Alternatives:
Only dealership options within 10 miles
Questions or Comments:
dantheevman@gmail.com
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