The Seven Best Defenses To Prevent a Tesla Break In

Photo courtesy of Christopher Jensen of his Model 3 being parked for just a few minutes outside of a Peet’s Coffee in Santa Clara on December 30,2019.

An unfortunate reality of owning a Tesla in the bay area is the rash of break ins that have been occuring. In summary, these are the seven recommended steps to avoid having your vehicle broken into:

Keep the rear seats folded down when not in use
Leave no valuables or electronics in the vehicle
Use a white or light colored towel on the trunk floor making it very easy to see that there are no valuables in plain sight
Have notifications turned on for your Tesla App
Have Sentry mode armed whenever leaving the vehicle on the street, in a parking lot or driveway.
Make sure your dashcam is configured, enabled and maintained
If you must leave electronics in the vehicle, be sure they are stored in the frunk or under the false floor in the rear trunk and completely powered down. Also be sure to place the items in these locations BEFORE you get to your destination.

Why is this happening?

In short, it’s a combination of causes. California has reduced the penalties for property crimes so the risk to reward for criminals is very low. The bay area has become a cluster area for these crimes. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the San Francisco area led the state in property crime with nearly twice the rate of the Los Angeles area, yet ranked 50th of 58 counties for arrests.

A mere fraction of Tesla break ins from the map site bit.ly/3breakins

Tesla’s do not come with standard equipment for a passive glass break sensor in it’s alarm system and the rear seats can be folded down from the passenger cabin. Tesla’s passive alarm is only triggered when a door or trunk/front trunk is opened while the car is locked. Tesla owners are also known to be affluent, chances are they have left some sort of valuable in the vehicle. In short, Teslas are an easy target to break into, and to find valuables quickly and silently.

How is it done?

Criminals typically look for vehicles in public spaces, mainly parking lots but also search for vehicles left on the street and in driveways. They pull up in a getaway vehicle posing as a car looking for a parking space, the perpetrator usually gets out of the getaway vehicle crouched down from the rear, then look in the vehicle for valuables. If the rear seats are in their standard position, they smash the small triangular rear corner window on the vehicle with their elbow, gloved fist or a hard object, reach in, release the rear seat to fold the rear seat down and continue to look for valuables in the trunk area. If they see something of value in the trunk, they then smash the larger passenger window, reach in or climb in to avoid sounding the entry alarm and snatch the valuables. All of this can happen in less time than a NASCAR pitstop with no more noise than dropping a pile of pebbles on the asphalt when the safety glass shatters. A good compilation of break ins from Tesla Sentry Mode videos can be found here as posted on YouTube by “Teslacam Justice”.

How can break ins be prevented?

While preventing break ins will never be completely foolproof, there are seven measures owners can take to help prevent break ins. We have listed the most effective methods in a bulleted summary above along with detail for each of those methods below in order of effectiveness.
1. Keep the rear seats folded down when not in use

Typically the first action a criminal takes after identifying the vehicle is to look inside for valuables. To make your vehicle as little of a target as possible, make it very easy to look inside the vehicle. This means keeping your rear seats folded down when not in use. This simple step is probably the most practical solution in preventing theft provided you can keep the trunk area free of valuables and do not have child seats in the car. If you have a single child’s car seat, position in the center or behind the driver so that the smaller rear seat on the passenger side can be kept folded down.

2. Leave no valuables or electronics in the vehicle

Do not leave packages, backpacks, or other items in your vehicle. It’s also critical to not leave your phone in the vehicle as it can literally be used as a car key if the Tesla app is installed. Take your valuables with you whenever you leave the vehicle in public and plan your errands appropriately so that if you need to leave items in the vehicle, they are of the least value and for an absolute minimum amount of time. When outside the vehicle, be aware of how far your phone key is kept away from the vehicle. Try to store your phone at least 40 feet away from the vehicle to avoid accidentally leaving the vehicle unlocked. If you do store your phone, within 40 feet, be sure to use your phone to lock the vehicle.

3. Leave a white or light colored towel on the trunk floor making it very easy to see that there are no valuables in plain sight

Seats down with a light colored towel make it readily apparent that the back of the vehicle is empty

Since the trunk carpet is a dark upholstery, someone looking quickly into the back of the vehicle may mistake an article of clothing or other low value item as something of importance. By using a light contrasting item on the floor, such as a towel or sheet, it becomes very easy to see that there is nothing of value in the rear of the vehicle.

4. Notifications turned on for your Tesla App

Be sure your Tesla app on your phone is set to alert you if your alarm is sounded. This can be found under the gear icon in the upper-left corner of the app and clicking on Notifications. In the notifications under the security section, be sure the checkmark next to Car Alarm is checked. If something should activate the car alarm, an alert will then be sent to your phone. Always use caution when responding to an alarm.

5. Activate Sentry mode whenever leaving the vehicle on the street, in a parking lot or driveway

Make it a habit of turning on Sentry Mode whenever you park in public. Note that Sentry Mode will use about 1 mile equivalent of energy per hour while it is activated and will not operate if the car is at a state of charge below 20%. With Sentry Mode activated, the car will flash the lights if someone approaches and display a warning on the center display letting people know they are being recorded. Most importantly, the alarm will activate if a window is broken and will play music at full volume to create a situation to draw attention to the vehicle. There are several methods to activate Sentry Mode.

From the app: Go to the Controls section and click the switch next to Sentry Mode to activate. The switch icon will turn blue when activated.

From the vehicle: Click the Sentry icon in the top right corner of the center screen. The icon turns red in the center when activated or black when deactivated.

Sentry mode activated from center display

There are also other Sentry mode settings available from the vehicle. Please refer to the manual for detailed information.

With Sentry mode you do not necessarily need to have USB storage for recording, but it is very helpful in case an incident has occurred. The alarm will still activate if there is activity and warnings will be presented on the main screen, but the system will not save any data to the vehicle without the dashcam being configured.

6. Make sure your dashcam is configured, enabled and maintained

Having your dashcam configured is very important. It may provide key evidence and help police track down suspects should your car ever get broken into. Essentially you want at least a 128 gigabyte hi-speed dashcam rated storage. Essentially you want Class 10 U3 SD card and a USB-A adapter. This type of card is suited to the frequent writing, vibration and temperature variations in a vehicle. The storage card should be formatted to FAT-32 and a folder called TeslaCam should be added to the root directory. You can Google instructions on how to configure the storage or companies such as puretesla.com have plug and play solutions that are already formatted and ready to use.

Preconfigured dashcam storage from puretesla.com

Once properly configured, you can see the dashcam icon on your center display

With the dashcam enabled, you then need to make sure you can easily retrieve data from the dashcam storage, preferably from your mobile device as you may need to show the video to law enforcement at the scene. Be sure you have an adapter that works with your phone and practice regularly how to retrieve data. Typically these are Micro-USB or USB-C Andriod phones and Lightning adapters for iPhones. I recommend reviewing Step 5 from this LivingTesla.com post on how to retrieve videos.

7. If you must leave electronics in your vehicle, hide them in the frunk or under the trunk false floor

If you must leave electronics in the vehicle, be sure they are stored in the frunk or under the false floor in the rear trunk and completely powered down. Thieves are not only using a flashlight to look for valuables, some have become more sophisticated and are pinging for Bluetooth and WiFi signals to figure out if a phone or laptop is left in a parked car. Be sure to put your device in Airplane mode and power it down completely to reduce the risk of being pinged. Also be sure to place the items in the frunk or under the false floor BEFORE you get to your destination. Thieves case parking lots and will watch for valuables being placed in hidden locations. These locations are not foolproof, but the probability is lower that thieves would want to take the time to get to these locations and opening the frunk will set off the alarm.

Lastly, look at your insurance situation. If you frequent areas with high break ins, you may want to lower your comprehensive deductible or inquire your insurance agent to see if glass break insurance is offered with a lowered deductible.

The cost to replace the small triangular window is anywhere from $300 to $500+, the larger passenger window runs about $400. Without a lower deductible or glass break insurance, you may want to pay the cost out of pocket. Tesla service centers can replace the glass at the lowest price, but there will probably be a backlog of several weeks to get an appointment. Private authorized firms can probably respond faster with a mobile repair appointment, but the cost will be higher.

Devices marketed to prevent break ins

Nearly all devices on the market are not truly effective in preventing window breakage. They may prevent valuables from getting stolen, but owners will still experience some sort of damage to their vehicle from a break in attempt. Remember that the primary goal of a thief is to get into your car and to grab something of value as quickly as possible, they are not going to read a sticker or know the latest device. They are more familiar with the 90% situation and will be working under the assumption that there is no device is in place.

I am listing some of the more common accessories people buy and what the benefits and drawbacks are for each. I do not recommend any of these products, but wanted to give information on each so you can make an informed decision in case you are considering security accessories.

Trunk Shield

Website: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tesla-Model-3-Trunk-Shield-White-/143109245393

Cost: $150

TrunkShield is a sheet of powder coated aluminum that is to be used as a physical barrier between the trunk and passenger compartment. Simply bolt in with wing nuts attaching from the trunk space. Trunk Shield comes in either black or white.

Advantages: Creates a true barrier between the passenger compartment and trunk space.

Drawbacks: Still requires the seats to be folded down to show the barrier, finger holes could still be used to see through the barrier to find valuables. Also need to be removed to use the full cargo space if transporting large items.

Drop Lock

Website: https://getdroplock.com/

Cost: $24.99

DropLock is a plastic device that is placed in the seat lowering latch to prevent folding down or the seat to gain entry into the trunk. Includes “SEATS LOCKED” stickers

Advantage: Easy to install low-cost device the prevents lowering the rear seats from the passenger compartment.

Drawbacks: Low surface quality 3D-printed plastic device that could probably be destroyed with a quality screwdriver. Relies on the thief reading the window sticker and believing the seats are locked. There are quite a few images of broken windows with the “SEATS LOCKED” sticker.

Rear window security film

Website: https://www.rpmtesla.com/collections/model-3-exterior-parts/products/model-3-rear-corner-window-protector-kit-39-with-20-off

Cost: $48.75 (Installation Free to self install to $200+ professionally installed)

By installing a .0045 inch film, it should make it much more difficult to shatter the rear corner window to lower the back seat. RPMTesla does a nice job of providing a video of attempting to break the window with multiple devices where the clearfilm appears to hold up.

Advantage: Probably the least intrusive security accessory. Once installed, the product is practically invisible. Product is also made of Clearplex which is designed to be used in exterior applications (Other providers are providing a film that is not designed for exterior applications and will probably suffer from ultraviolet exposure over time)

Drawbacks: At a cost of about $50 a square foot for material (Plus installation), this is one of the most costly options available and only protects the smaller rear corner window. The thief’s goal is to get into the vehicle and if the smaller window won’t break, they will simply break the larger window to get into the car. If you then coat the larger window, and you start risking safety in a side impact crash. The glass can still be damaged with Clearplex if hit hard enough, so it is still not a good solution.

Glass break sensors

Website: https://www.amazon.com/Window-Alarm-Packs-Vibration-Compatible/dp/B07H2VDM5G/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=glass+break+sensor+2+pack&qid=1578255215&s=electronics&sr=1-11

Cost: $12.99

Glass sensor pucks can be stuck to the corner windows to activate a 120db siren if the window is struck or broken.

Advantage: Low cost, easy to install, readily apparent there is a security device on the window.

Drawback: Can probably set off a false alarm on a rough road while driving. Would be difficult for anyone to hear when the alarm is going off inside the vehicle. Doesn’t really look very good. May not activate if the larger window is broken.

Lighting

Website: https://www.rpmtesla.com/collections/model-3-lighting-upgrades/products/trunk-led-light-strip-for-model-3-s-x-59-with-20

Cost: $73.75

By providing additional lighting inside the vehicle, a lighting strip along with keeping the seats down can make it readily apparent that nothing of value is within the trunk. Use of the lighting strip as a security device requires you to leave the interior lights on while parked. There are also other solutions for leaving lights on such as a solar charged camping lanterns that will not draw power from the vehicle.

Advantages: Easy to install. Simply replace the existing bulb and use the provided adhesive tape to fasten the LED light strip to the top of trunk. Provides better visibility for finding items in your trunk at night.

Drawbacks: Can drain the 12 volt battery. Essentially does the same job as placing a $7 towel in the backseat. Can draw attention to the vehicle by having a light on.

Reporting break ins and being vigilant

It is important to report any break in to your vehicle, regardless of the enthusiasm of law enforcement to take a report. Reporting the crime helps provide crime statistics and may cover you in the event that your personal information and identity gets compromised. By being vigilant and taking the seven steps above, you will greatly reduce your risk of being the victim of a break in. If you capture video of a break in and can share it with law enforcement, you greatly increase your chance of law enforcement investigating your case. Share this post with other Tesla owners and let us know if you have any other suggestions that we can include in an update to this post.

2020 Orange California Clean Air Decals and the New Low Income Used Vehicle Decal Program

2 Replies

Jack Brown

December 31, 2019

On December 23, 2019, the California Department of Motor Vehicles announced new laws that were going into effect in 2020. As part of this announcement, they included a note that the new Clean Air s for 2020 would be orange.

The Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) Decal Program is administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in partnership with the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The program authorizes a vehicle that meets specified emissions standards to be issued a CAV decal to allow single occupancy use of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) or carpool lanes.

The program was set to expire on January 1, 2019, but in October of 2018, then Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB-544 that extended the clean air vehicle program, but with rolling expirations. Essentially, clean air vehicles now get 3 full years of access plus the remainder of the year they applied for the decals. All vehicles registered with CAV decals prior to Jan 1, 2017 would have their white or green decals expire on January 1, 2019. Those that registered after January 1, 2017 and prior to the issuance of the new red decal would get a replacement red decal that would expire on January 1, 2022. Those that registered after January 1, 2019 would receive a lavender decal that would be valid through January 1, 2023. Now with the orange decals, vehicles would be valid to drive in the HOV lane through January 1, 2024. Currently, vehicles with yellow, white or green decals cannot drive solo in the HOV lane.

Vehicles do not need to be new to apply for a decal. A clean air vehicle whose prior owners never applied for a clean air decal in California can apply for the new decal. This may be a good reason to buy a used clean air vehicle from out of state. Although quite rare, there are some “barn finds” out there in California where people had bought a clean air vehicle, but did not live in an area with HOV lanes nor a need to use them and pay the now $22 fee. The DMV maintains list of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) in a PDF document that can be downloaded and searched for ineligible VINs that can be a good indicator to see if a used car is eligible for a new decal. If a vehicle you are interested in does not show up in this list, chances are good that it is eligible for a new HOV lane decal.

New Program for Low Income Clean Air Vehicle Buyers

With the new laws for 2020 also comes a program for low income buyers to get a clean air vehicle decal currently valid until January 1, 2024. The 2018 California Senate Bill (SB-947 Lara) now allows for previously clean air vehicles with expired decals to apply for the 2020 decal program provided they meet two guidelines:

The owner of the vehicle’s income must be at or below 80% of the state’s median income based on income limits published by the California Department of Housing and Community Development of $65,777.
The applicant cannot be the prior decal holder regardless of income.

Incredible deals can be found on older plug-in vehicles. People who qualify can get a great benefit by purchasing a used clean air vehicle under this program. This program should help remove the stigma that electric vehicles are only for high income earners.

Along with the standard application for Clean Air Vehicle Decals REG 1000, low income applicants are also required to complete the Income-Based Clean Air Vehicle Decal application, REG 1000 IB. When filling the form out, take extra care to be sure the infomration entered matches the information filled out on the standard application.

Tips and Tricks for Applying for the Clean Air Vehicle Program

The REG 1000 and REG 1000 IB forms can not be submitted to your local DMV office. Your application must be mailed along with a check for $22 to the Department of Motor Vehicles in Sacramento.

DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES

SPECIAL PROCESSING UNIT – MS D238

P. O. BOX 932345

SACRAMENTO, CA 94232-3450

It’s highly recommended that you use a trackable method for sending your application, such as Priority Mail, to ensure your application is not lost and you will also have a record of when the application arrived. With a tracking number, you can ensure that your application made it to the DMV’s PO Box.

Be sure your registration and any title issues are finished before sending your application. If there is an open transaction (such as missing lien holder) or other issue with the title of the vehicle, the DMV will reject the application once it comes up for processing.

Double (or Triple) check your application to make sure all information is accurate and correct. Use the free Adobe AcrobatReader fill and sign feature to type in your information to the form to avoid any issues with handwriting your information.

DO NOT FORGET YOUR PAYMENT! Be sure you make out a check for $22 payable to DMV. Include your VIN in the memo section. Note the check number.

There will be anywhere from a 3 to 8 week processing period of your application. Applications are processed on a first come, first served basis. Application volume tends to increase around the weeks after the first of the year and at the end of sales quarters (January 1, March 30th, June 30th, September 30th). If you used a trackable method to send your application, you will know what day your application arrived. You can then call the DMV and ask their customer service what day they are currently processing at 1-800-777-0133. I also recommend calling when customer service first opens (8 AM Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 9 AM on Wednesdays) to minimize wait times when calling. Let’s say you sent your application and it was received on January 15th, 2020. You call on February 15th and they tell you they are currently processing applications from December 30th. That means they are currently about 6 weeks behind and your application will probably be processed around March 1.

Note that even though you are driving a clean air vehicle and you have applied for the decals, you cannot drive solo in the HOV lane until you receive the decals and apply them to your car.

Once your application is processed and approved, your check will be cashed. Check your online banking or bank statement for when the check was cashed and expect your decals to arrive in the mail within about 3 to 5 days or however long it takes to receive mail from Sacramento to your neighborhood.

Once you receive your decals, be sure the serial number on the decals match the certificate that came with the decals and that that the VIN on the certificate matches the VIN of the vehicle.

Also be sure to apply all 4 decals to your vehicle properly. The rules may change from year to year, so please read the instructions carefully that came with your decals.

Note the current detailed instructions on the DMV website shows both smaller decals placed on the front of the car, but the text description does not describe their placement as of publishing of this post.

Do not store your decals in your glove box, do not place the decals in windows or apply only a single decal. CHP can and will issue $500 HOV lane violation tickets if not applied properly.

Lastly, if you are reading this blog post after June 30th, 2020. Consider waiting until next year to maximize your use of the HOV lane decals. 2021 is currently slated to be the last year to get full term usage of the decal program. The full term is 3 years plus the remainder of the year you received your decal. The program is set to expire September 25, 2025. So those who apply for decals in 2021 will have their decals until January 1, 2025. In 2022 and beyond, the decals will expire on September 25, 2025 unless the program at the federal level is extended. See our previous blog post that explains why waiting can be better.

Thinking About Getting HOV Stickers for Your Vehicle? Here is Why You Should Wait!

8 Replies

Jack Brown
July 9, 2019

You finally did it! You got that plug in vehicle so you can use the carpool lane and get around some of that California traffic, but you should probably wait before you send in that application to maximize the use of the carpool lane.

A History Driving Solo in the Carpool Lane

One of the great incentives with purchasing a qualifying plug in vehicle or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is the ability to drive solo in the carpool lane provided you add carpool lane stickers to your vehicle. The California Clean Air Vehicle program started back in 2000 with a white sticker for electric and hydrogen vehicles. There were not many production freeway-speed capable vehicles at that time. GM had just killed the EV1 and a few Toyota RAV4 and Ford Ranger EV pickups were on the road. In 2004, the program was expanded with a yellow sticker for hybrids that made the Toyota Prius famous and use of the program became more apparent. In 2008, the Tesla Roadster pioneered modern production electric vehicles and the white sticker program began to take off. Starting in 2010 through 2013, the Nissan Leaf, BMW ActiveE, Ford Focus Electric and eventually the Tesla Model S began filling the HOV lane. In 2014, California introduced the green Clean Air Vehicle sticker for Enhanced Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emissions (Enhanced AT PZEV) or Transitional Zero-Emission (TZEV) such as the Chevrolet Volt and Ford Fusion Energi.

Things Start Backing Up

WIth all these vehicles entering the market and gaining popularity, the HOV lane started filling up. At points, the HOV lane was becoming slower than the other lanes on the highway which violated federal standards. The Clean Air Vehicle program was set to expire on January 1, 2019, but in October of 2018, then Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB-544 that extended the clean air vehicle program, but with rolling expirations. Essentially, clean air vehicles now get 3 full years of access plus the remainder of the year they applied for the stickers. All vehicles registered with CAV stickers prior to Jan 1, 2017 would have their white or green stickers expire on January 1, 2019. Those that registered after January 1, 2017 and prior to the issuance of the new red sticker would get a replacement red sticker that would expire on January 1, 2022. Those that registered after January 1, 2019 would receive a lavender sticker that would be valid through January 1, 2023.

Now Here is Why You Want to Wait!

Let’s say you just bought your qualifying electric vehicle on June 30th and filled out the REG-1000 form to get your sticker and sent it to Sacramento along with your check for $22. There is currently an eight week backlog of applications awaiting approval from the DMV. With that eight week backlog, it means you will not get your lavender stickers until about September 1st giving you only 4 months of use in 2019 and the full 3 years of use in 2020, 2021 and 2022, or about 40 total months of use. Note you cannot reapply at the expiration for the same vehicle. Once you have your current set, that is all you get for that car.

More Time in the Fast Lane

Now let’s say you wait until January 1, 2020 to send in your application. If the current backlog remains constant, you should receive your Clean Air Vehicle sticker (in a color to be announced) around March 1, 2020. This will allow for 10 months of use in 2020, along with 3 full years in 2021, 2022 and 2023! That’s at least 46 full months of use! Using this method will only work next year, 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the program is set to expire on September 30, 2025. People that apply for the stickers after January 1, 2022 will lose 3 months of use since the program ends on September 30, 2025 instead of the end of the year as with the current red and lavender stickers as well as the next two colors will receive. More detail can be found on the California Air Resources Board website.

Patience is a Virtue

In all, a little extra waiting to get your stickers can buy you more time in the HOV lane. This is a unique time to use this trick. Current federal law allowing clean air vehicles to use HOV lanes with a single occupant expires on September 30, 2025 so future incentives are uncertain, Hopefully by that time, full self-driving vehicles will be available and we may not need to worry about what lane we are being driven in.

Jack Brown is the founder of Take Charge and Go. A blog dedicate to the issues of public EV charging infrastructure etiquette and new plug-in vehicle ownership considerations. His EV Charging Etiquette Survival Kit can be found on Etsy at bit.ly/ev-etiquette

Tires: The Achilles Heel of the Electric Vehicle

Introducing the Take Charge and Go EV Charging Indicator Hanger

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Electric vehicles are becoming more popular and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find an available public EV charging space. Good etiquette by the user community is vital as the infrastructure catches up with demand.

Take Charge and Go EV Charging Hangers are an excellent way to indicate to other Electric Vehicle drivers know how long you will be charging and to share proper etiquette. Simply plug your car in with the hanger on the charging port or dashboard of your car and let others know when you can share the spot.

HangerGraphicsStore

The charging hanger is made from durable 120# recycled Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified recycled paper card stock

The hangers are printed on both sides to indicate whether you are necessity charging (RED – DO NOT UNPLUG) or opportunity charging (GREEN – OK TO UNPLUG)
The color coding makes it easy for fellow EV drivers to tell if they can share the plug

A keyhole cutout provides a sufficient fit for most J-1772 charging handles. A slip-on cutline is provided for easier installation and removal while charging

The red DO NOT UNPLUG side has space to write what time you should be done charging with a dry erase marker or a post it note

Both sides have a space to leave contact information and provides tips for good etiquette
- Never park in a charging space if you are not charging
- When charging in public, limit your charge, don’t charge to your limit. Move on so others have the opportunity to to charge
- Never unplug another car without permission

A QR code and website link are provided for additional information about public EV charging and different car brands charging indicators

Hangers are UV coated provide protection from the elements and work well with permanent and dry erase markers and post-it notes to leave information

Designed and Made in the U.S.A.

This is a new product so we are testing the market with an introductory Ebay offer. Retail value is usually $4.99 each, but we are selling in this introductory offer at half price.

We have single hanger pricing available on Etsy at $2.49 as well as Multi-Pack discount options on Etsy in quantities of 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 that drop the price as low as $1.25 each!

Take advantage of this great offer and order extra for your friends, other EV enthusiasts or to just have extras!

We can also print special versions of the hanger for your dealership, manufacturer or enthusiast organization with your own messaging, logos and website information. Minimum order is 1,000 hangers with price breaks up to 10,000 units. Contact us at info@takechargeandgo.com

The Seven Attributes of a Highly Effective EV Charging Station

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The good and the bad in Electric Vehicle Charging Station siting

OK, I am nerding out. I have helped set the new employee charging policy and kicked off my blog about EV ownership and charging. One of the nagging thoughts I keep having is about what would be the utopia of public charging stations? After driving electric vehicles over 80,000 miles over the last 3 years, I have learned a few things about what really makes and breaks a charging location. I’ve seen the good and the bad when it comes to EVSE setup and here are seven of the attributes of what makes a good charging station.

The perfect charging station

is not close to the entrance
is easy to find and clearly identifiable
can easily accommodate all shapes and sizes
has amenities nearby
is thoroughly crowd sourced
isn’t free
enforced by a consistent set of rules

The Perfect Charging Station is in a Place Far Far Away

electric-car-charging-stations-at-target-in-fremont-ca-photo-by-jack-brown_100419233_l

Charging location at the Target Fremont location

The most important aspect of a charging location is where it is actually located. A prime ‘charging’ spot should not be in a prime ‘parking’ spot. It shouldn’t be by the front door, in a space that is necessarily close to the entrance of a business or close to or shared with a disabled persons parking spot. The charging spot should be further back, less convenient to walk to the front door of the business and closer to the driveway or main entrance of the parking lot for an easier approach to the station. Take for example these chargers at a Target store in Fremont, CA. The setup of these chargers is nearly perfect and contain just about every attribute I look for in a perfect charging location.One of the best attributes is that they are away from the front door of the store and they are easily locatable as soon as you pull into the parking lot. These chargers are located about halfway back from the rear of the parking area. People in non-electric vehicles do not feel as though these spaces are elitist gas cars can park closer to the entrance. The charging signs are also placed fairly high on their posts making them easy to locate as soon as an EV driver pulls into the lot. Many public chargers are not clearly marked. This is particularly an issue when they are provided in a large parking structure. Several years ago, I drove my BMW Active E that had 80 miles of range over 360 miles in one day driving from Santa Cruz to Los Angeles before the days of Superchargers (Actually 1 day before Superchargers, they debuted the week after my trip). The scariest part of my trip was trying to find a charger that was supposed to be in a mall and I couldn’t find it. In the end it turned out it was on the backside of the mall. If chargers are not readily apparent, station owners should have additional signage pointing users to the location of the charger. EV signs with arrows, signs with descriptions (e.g. “EV Chargers are on 2nd Floor”) or assistance by parking attendants are all extremely helpful to first time users. On a surprise trip I planned for my family last year, we went to Disneyland where they had arrows on the parking entrance. Special identification for the vehicle coming in the lot and the attendants were well versed getting me to my space. All the stations were well maintained and in an inconspicuous space so that they would not be easily ICED.

The challenge for business is the installation expense to place the stations in such an optimal space. The stations will require a robust electrical connection and possible trenching to position the charging station correctly. Jim Burness of National Car Charging recommended the following attributes. Spaces should be a limited distance from the power source, the load should be anticipated on the circuit (About 7 kW per level 2 station), considerations for wall or pedestal mounting and to avoid areas prone to flooding. Although charging stations are well protected against shorting out, nobody wants to connect their car while standing in a puddle. Facility planners will have to trade off the location of the charging station with the cost to get it to that position. The long term positive outcome is there will be a lot less frustration policing the stations and greater satisfaction from their EV customers that use the spaces.

The charging station should have a robust connection with the network. When dealing with a networked charger, it will most likely be networked via a 3G or 4G data connection. The station should have a clear signal and not be located on a ground floor or basement or additional expense will be incurred to provide a data connection.

The station location should be expandable. If your location is successful and driving in additional business and satisfaction, the location should be in a space that could convert additional existing parking spaces into charging spaces. Don’t think of these charging spaces as removing parking, they are simply making spaces more functional and will encourage more EV drivers to do business in this location.

The Perfect Charging Location is Easy to Find

As I had noted about the charging stations at the Fremont Target, the charging stations should be easily identifiable upon entering the property. An EV driver pulling into the Fremont Target lot and can see the green EV Charging signs that are positioned high on their posts, green being a color that is associated with electric vehicles. If the charging station can’t be located in an area that is visible from the parking entrance. Signs pointing to the location are very helpful. If signs are not feasible to direct people, make sure the location noted in the network description giving information on where on the property it is located. Turn by turn descriptions, location on the property, visible attributes. For example “The charging station is located on the southeast corner of the building next to the bank ATM”. Or “It’s on the third floor of the parking structure by the south side stairs”. Branding of the area, of the charger should also be used and the charging stations should be clearly marked. Striping and stenciling should mark the charging spots. Again, green and white colors signify the space has a significant function. Blue should be avoided as it may be confused with a disabled space.

Signage at the charging station is extremely important. The signs need to be concise about the usage of these functional spaces and the consequences violating the rules. The signage needs to alert drivers of internal combustion vehicles that the space is for charging of electric vehicles only. One thing a charging sign should not say is just “EV PARKING ONLY”. The sign needs to alert EV drivers that the charging space is not a preferential parking space. Too many EV drivers do not plug in when they use a charging space or they stay longer than required to charge their car. It’s important that EV drivers move their vehicle as soon as possible and provide contact information if they won’t be able to move it immediately. Signs should indicate a time limit, hours of operation if necessary, civic or vehicle codes if there is a law in the area pertaining to EV charging blocking of spaces. There should be signage stating the minimum fine amount for being parked and not charging and a contact number in case there is a problem with the charging (circuit breaker tripped, unsafe condition, faulty equipment). Signage indicating the location of the space should be mounted high to aid in locating the spot, warnings and special instruction signs should be at eye level.

Example of charging station sign produced by Brian Marquez

The Perfect Charging Station Can Accommodate All Shapes and Sizes

Now that the location and approach is figured out, how the charging station is positioned is very important. If possible, the station should be approachable perpendicularly. Preferably not in a diagonal space. It may be easy for a Nissan Leaf to pull in nose first and have the charge port within a foot of the charging station. However if a Tesla Model S pulls in, the charge port is on the rear left corner of the vehicle. If they pull in nose first and the charging space is diagonal and in the right corner, the cord will need to be over 30 feet long to reach the charge port safely. Chances are the Tesla driver will have to back in against the flow of traffic to charge. Ideally the station should be set up so vehicles can approach from the front or the rear of the station. It can also be ideal to have 4 spots serviced by a dual connector charger in the common corner of the spaces. This can service the most vehicles, but it may be difficult to set and police a charging policy. It’s usually best for charging station user to move their car as soon as possible once their charge is complete. The station should also be well protected from vehicles running into it. Consider installing bollards (short vertical posts) around pedestal mounted stations or wall mounting in a high enough location to avoid bumpers contacting the unit while also being conscious of someone wheel chair bound that may need to operate the station.

Bollards protecting a charging station (Source: Internet)

The station’s user interface should face the vehicle for easier use and also consider having enough length on the cable to avoid a tripping hazard. A retracting system on the charging station is nice, but tends to have maintenance issues or there should be enough length in the cable so it can drop to the ground, get to the worst-case scenario of the vehicles charge port on the opposite side of the charging space and not be a tripping hazard to get there. This will usually require an extra 5 to 6 feet of cable to do this.

The charger should be covered, especially in areas with inclement weather. Remember your customer will probably spend a minute outside their car activating the station, connecting their car or returning the connector to the station when complete. A little shelter goes a long ways and helps protect the equipment from the elements. Also, it is extremely helpful if more than one charging station is at the location. In the total cost of the project, a second charging station does not necessarily double the cost of the project. You will already be running an electrical line for the 1^st station and setting up the identification and provisioning of the system, the variable cost will mostly be the cost of the charging unit. Having more than one unit allows for better usage of the facility and fault tolerance should one of the systems going down there will still be another available. Look at the how Tesla setup supercharging locations. There is a minimum of 6 charging stations at each site to allow for availability, fault tolerance and expansion. Meanwhile the other competing quick charging formats (IEC 62196-3 – DC Charging Combined Charging System (CCS) and CHAdeMO) have received multiple complaints for only having one charging station per location. If a station is blocked or broken, customers can’t charge.

The Perfect Charging Space Would Accommodate Me Staying a While

Now everything is all set and I can come in and charge. The perfect charging station would be well lit, preferably under a canopy to protect me from the elements and have access to amenities. There would be a restroom available nearby and hopefully a good WiFi signal. Businesses that rely on a captive audience are learning about this. Many casinos are adding chargers to their parking knowing their customer is not going anywhere for a while. Hotels are also learning to add them. Hotels along scenic highways like the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur or the Best Western Plus at Villa Del Lago along California’s Interstate 5 have created a charging oasis along busy travel routes. Customers of these chargers will probably stay the night or eat at the restaurant at the hotel. Mary Demarest-Paraan, a participant in many Facebook EV groups also recommended a place to buy snacks and useful shopping in the area is helpful. Movie theatres, furniture stores, the DMV and as EV endurance champion Terry Hershner noted with his over 5,000 charging events noted “Even more restaurants!”

Also it would be very helpful someone on shift at a business be trained in the general operation and problem solving of common issues with the charging station and that they know who to contact for more complicated issues. Many times I have run across charging stations where no one on staff knew where the circuit breaker was or who had the access code. Simple instructions could have alleviated this issue. This could be performed by a manger, supervisor, security or a facilities technician.

The Perfect Charging Station Would Be Thoroughly Crowd Sourced

Once the station is setup and running, it should be added to the network’s website and station apps if it is setup for public use. Disclosure of fees (session fees, time fees, per kilowatt hour fees, penalties for staying over time limit, etc). The station should be listed on crowd source sites, Plugshare, ChargeMap, CarStations, Open Charge Map, Google and manufacturer sites should all include the charging location with as much information as possible. If the site allows uploading of photos, there should be a photo of the station near a reference, and a picture of the stations from the entrance of the location to assist first time users to find the charging station. Also as EV drivers we should let business know that we appreciate the ability to charge and that is the primary reason why we do business with them. If a business added a charging station where that made me switch my business, I also contact the business I left to let them know why. Take for example Walgreen. When they first installed free charging stations at their pharmacies, I switched by prescriptions from the local Target that did not have a charging stations to the local Walgreens that did have a charging station. Now that the Walgreens charges an excessive amount to charge there, I have kept my business Walgreens, but I let them know that I use their drive thru rather than walk into the store where I may have bought other items to avoid the charging fee. Which brings me to my next point…

The Perfect Charging Station Would Charge Me To Use It

Wait? Why wouldn’t you want a free station? It’s simple, to promote turnover of vehicles using the station and to remove any elitist stigma. Public charging should be for someone really needing a charge (Necessity charging). If there isn’t a cost, then an EV driver will be taking advantage of the free electricity, otherwise known as Opportunity Charging. This leads to some drivers camping on a space. At one location near my house, there is a Nissan Leaf that you will find every day around 5 PM sitting on the free public charger and it will not move until the next morning.

A well setup charging station will have some sort of nominal fee for charging. The business setting up the charger will have to establish what works for them based on their customers demographics. Charge per Kilowatt Hour (kWh) tends to benefit customers with small batteries or slower internal charging acceptance rates such as a Plugin Prius, Chevrolet vehicles, some conversion vehicles. Time based charging is more of a benefit to larger battery and vehicles with higher acceptance rates such as Tesla Model S, Roadster, Toyota Rav4 and Ford Focus. I prefer the time based rates as it encourages turnover of vehicles at sites. Let’s take the Plug In Prius as an example. Suppose the Prius pulls in with an empty 4.4 kWh battery. Let’s say the business considering a $2 an hour rate or a 35 cents per kWh rate and the Prius sits in the space for 5 hours even though it would take only an hour and a half to charge the Toyota. In a charge per kWh scenario, the Prius driver would only be charged $1.75, but at $2 an hour, they would be charged $10 if they stayed 5 hours, or $3 if they moved as soon as they were done. Some business set up features such as the first 2 hours free and $2 an hour after that. An even better policy I have seen is $2 an hour and $10 an hour after 4 hours. This is not to condone excessive charging just to get on the charger, just if the user is exercising poor etiquette when plugged in.

Free charging can work in employee charging situations provided the system is networked. This way the facilitator of employee charging can pull important metrics on who is not following general EV etiquette when plugged in. If they see an owner of a Leaf was plugged in every day for 9 hours, they know they have a problem. This can be done with RFID cards or even with provisioning company badges to the charging station. Having a networked and monitored system helps the company policy police itself. Abuse the system, lose your privilege.

The Perfect Charging Station Would Be Enforced With Consistent Laws Wherever I Went

Think of what you know about charging in a disabled person’s parking space without a placard? First and foremost you know that it is wrong the wrong thing to do, the parking space serves a function for someone that is disabled. You also know that it is expensive if you get caught, anywhere from $250 to $1000 and with that expense, you know that law enforcement likes to enforce these laws not only for the protection of disabled people’s rights, but also to collect sizeable revenue for their municipality. Now imagine if that same general knowledge and enforcement was applied to charging station spaces. There would be far fewer instances of ICEing and better access to the use of charging stations in public places. The laws may need to be carefully worded to allow for those waiting in queue for a charging station to safely park awaiting the opportunity to charge, but it is all learnable behavior. Just like respecting a disabled person’s space. Consistency in these laws also helps reinforce that notion that these are functional spaces that serve a purpose they are not just preferential spaces. How we get consistent laws will be difficult. Vehicle codes are set by states and enforced by municipalities. Politically active EV drivers need to contact their local and state representatives and ask them to write laws consistent with states like California, Florida, Maryland and Hawaii.

Just like pushing for consistent laws, pushing for these seven attributes should be part of every charging station design. When you visit a station, make sure you check in with the crowd sourcing sites noted in the article and leave a comment on your rating on how they fared in each of these characteristics. If you can work with station owners and let them know how they did and also pass this information along to organizations that advocate additional charging locations in your community. Over time we should see a lot more “perfect” charging stations available.

Did I miss an attribute that you would like to see? Leave them in the comments section below.

The 6 Steps of What To Do if Your Charging Spot is ICEd

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ICEing, it’s not just something that happens in winter anymore. ICEing is an electric vehicle term for when a an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle parks in a space that is designated for Electric Vehicle charging. Sometimes this can occur simply because the driver of the ICE vehicle simply did not notice the spot was intended for vehicle charging because of unclear or confusing signage, but many times it is a blatant disregard for the designation of the spot. “Why should this spot be reserved for some hippie tree hugger? They aren’t here, I just need to run in for an hour. If they needed the spot, they should have gotten here before I did!” Unfortunately many people do not realize how critical these locations are to EV drivers. These spaces serve a function for electric vehicle drivers to charge their vehicles. Imagine if gas pumps were blocked by electric vehicles while they shopped?

Unfortunately many municipalities and businesses have not had the experience yet of dealing with the social aspect of car charging. They have installed the chargers to show their environmental awareness or support for electric vehicles, but didn’t understand where the stations should be placed, designated and enforced so that the charging spaces can be used for their intended purpose. Hopefully, this will get rectified over time as more people use charging spaces, behaviors become mainstream, signage is standardized and governments pass tougher laws and impose stiffer fines for those that block charging stations.

But what about now? How should you as an electric vehicle driver deal with this situation? It is important that you try to deal with the situation calmly and do not attempt to take the law into your own hands. There are several escalation steps you should take to rectify the situation.

Attempt to alert the driver of the ICE vehicle

In some situations where I found the space blocked, the driver was in or near the vehicle and I was able to talk to them. If you are comfortable approaching the driver, you should alert them that the space is for electric vehicle charging and that you need to use the location for its intended purpose. Some offenders will be unaware of what they have done because the charging space is not very well marked or they may have mistaken it for a handicap spot. Others however may be holding a grudge against EV drivers. In that case I would not attempt to get into an argument with them, just go ahead and proceed to step 2. If the driver is not nearby, then it is recommended that you leave a firm but polite note asking them to please be observant that they are blocking your ability to charge so hopefully in the future they will not block a charging space again. Depending on your faith in humanity there are several versions already available for this. From the whimsical cards created by Ecotality to the “Notice of Inconsideration” that is designed to look more like a parking summons. Once the note is left, you should proceed to step 2.

Alert the business/property owner

Next, you should try to find someone in authority at the location to alert them of your issue. However before that, collect information about the vehicle. Note the:

license plate
make and model
color of the vehicle
Description of the space blocked if there are multiple charging spaces.
Any identifying features of the vehicle that you can note (Roof rack, parking pass ID, stickers, etc)

If you can take a picture with your phone, that can also be very helpful with the future steps. Also, make sure you are in the right. Is the charging spot properly marked? Is it really a public space or is it a semi-public space (e.g. a car dealership). Is the spot intended only for employees? Are there only certain hours that are marked that the spot is open to the public? This may determine how firm you can be with the person you will be speaking to. Even if you are not necessarily in the right, you can still justify your discussion. For example if a business stood up a public charger but did not mark the space charging only, you could note that you are a customer of the business and would like to see the space better marked so the situation does not occur in the future. Or one of the worst offenses is when a company puts up a sign stating “EV PARKING ONLY” and someone parks their EV in the spot without charging it.

When you do go to the business, ask to speak to the manager. Make sure when you meet them that you are cordial and polite, but let them know the gravity of the situation. Make sure your problem becomes their problem. If you need to charge to get home and can’t. Let them know that. If you do business with the location mainly because they had a charger, let them know that too. Give them the information you collected on the offending vehicle and see if they know who it belongs to or if they can page the driver. Hopefully you will find someone that is concerned about your problem and will try to rectify it, but there are chances that you may not. If you are in that situation, take the persons name you spoke to and if you are comfortable ask for contact information of their manager and let them know that you will be contacting the charging provider, parking enforcement (provided they have jurisdiction), but more importantly you will be writing about your experience on social media and consumer rating sites.

What if this happens at your place of work? If the company is large enough to have a security or facilities group, let them know. Otherwise, talk to your manager or HR. If your company has an employee handbook or policy on parking, ask them to include a section on EV parking.

Alert the charging provider

Chances are at this point you will need to abandon all hope of being able to use this charger. You should not give up the effort though. Actions you take today may help a fellow EV driver tomorrow. If the charger that you are trying to use is part of a network, you should contact the network provider. Tesla, Chargepoint, EV 350, Car Charging Group (Blink) and all the other networks maintain customer service numbers that can assist with charging issues and the support representative may be able to direct you to another nearby location that may be available. They may also have a more direct communication with the facilities manager than the person you spoke to and can get your issue resolved with a more knowledgeable resource. They may also call the authorities on your behalf especially if there is an issue with operating hours not being honored. Again, use the information you have collected so far about the vehicle that is blocking the space and who you spoke to at the place of business. Also if there is an ID on the charger, get that information as well to make it easier for the network’s customer care representative to pinpoint the location. If you cannot find the station ID, try to provide the address.

Alert the authorities

For this next escalation, it is good to know the laws that govern EV charging in your area. Progressive areas such as California and Washington have statewide laws banning the blocking EV charging spaces. Laws in Florida make EV charger blocking penatlies as expensive as thosefor blocking an disabled person’s parking space. Other areas may have it in certain municipalities. Try to know the laws around your area and leave the vehicle code number in a convenient space in your vehicle for reference. In California, we have Vehicle Code 22511.1 that states “A local authority, by ordinance or resolution, and a person in lawful possession of an off-street parking facility may designate stalls or spaces in an off-street parking facility owned or operated by that local authority or person for the exclusive purpose of charging and parking a vehicle that is connected for electric charging purposes….” So if a spot is blocked, you can call the local parking enforcement and use a very firm tone that you are at a location where a vehicle is blocking a charging space in violation of vehicle code 22511.1 and is preventing you from charging your car and you need the vehicle removed immediately. Knowing the code number for the jurisdiction is helpful to show that you know the laws of the area and gives an impression of your own authority on how the situation should be handled. Again, it is up to you if you want to wait for the authorities, but chances are that you are better off finding another spot to charge if possible, but at least now the owner of the vehicle and the manager of the property know that there is a serious issue.

Alert social media/use crowd sourcing

Next, use social media, web pages and crowd sourcing sites to let others know about the problem. If this is a networked charger, go to the networks website and check-in to the charging location and give a negative rating if you were unable to charge. Networks and station owners review this information and may take steps in the future to better patrol the charging space to improve their rating. If you were able to eventually charge, note what worked to get the car moved. Also use Plugshare or other community charging sites to leave a rating on how your experience was dealt with by the driver, the manager or the authorities. Again, businesses respond to bad impressions by customers. If you had a particularly bad experience, escalated even higher to another level of a management or the interaction with the company’s web presence. Talk to the person’s manager that did not take an interest in your problem while you were on site, find a customer service contact and if the business has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Yelp or Google, leave a note and/or rating about your experience there too. In one instance, the person who had blocked a charger had a personal license plate that matched their Twitter handle and it was very easy to identify the ICEing offender and from there a public shaming ensued via these avenues. There is also the ability to leave stories and pictures in EV discussion groups, Facebook pages and picture/video sharing sites which may be shared by industry bloggers as well and members can give their feedback on the experience. I have also created a Facebook group dedicated to sharing stories, resources, pictures and experiences about being ICEd called ICEHoles.

Alert your elected officials

You last escalation if you still have the energy is to alert your elected officials. Especially if you live in an area where there are no laws or if there are laws that are not being enforced. I would recommend starting locally and expanding from there. Again make your problem their problem. If you have an Electric Auto Association or Plugin America group in your area, see if they are aware of any legislation or proposed ordinances that are being planned. Let your representative know that you support the proposed law or would like a law that is similar to one of the other ones that you may have researched such as California’s Vehicle Code 22511.1 or Florida’s statute 366.94. Again, be polite and courteous, but firm in what you want.

In all, there are quite a few steps that can be taken, some more quickly and effectively than others, but each of them will help in the long run. They don’t necessarily need to worked in this order, but they can be effective if followed.

Earlier in this story I noted how one EV driver, Corbin Dunn, who shamed an ICE driver while visiting the Aria hotel in Las Vegas found victory using many of these steps in no particular order. Corbin started when he wrote about the incident on his blog and emailed their customer relations site. The Aria resort was very responsive. They apologized for the problems, fixed a broken charger that Corbin noted and noted they would improve their signage and enforcement of the area. Several of Corbin’s friend’s also sent complaints to the Aria resort and they were all responded to.

Are there other steps that worked for you? Leave them in the comments section below.