Just got EV’d

[Landshark]

Went to Honda of Pasadena, Ca for the AO1 service today. All went well with the exception of a 10 minute delay because a Clarity EV owner felt special enough to block 2 other cars in the customer pick up area where they parked and plugged in. One happened to be mine. See photo below.

According to the service manager this occurs frequently with this particular vehicle owner. The best part is, there were 4 open charging stations open in the front of the dealers parking lot. See second photo.

I had plenty of time to take photos while they called and sent text messages in an effort to locate the ... individual.

 

[Dan Albrich]

Landshark- Yeah, some folks can be astoundingly unaware of anyone else's needs. I grew up in a 'not financially rich' family with 8 kids and we really had to share everything and be mindful of others as part of our daily life. It's not as simple as only-child, as many only-children are quite thoughtful, but I would say this person basically only self-aware (selfish).

 

[Robert_Alabama]

I first wrote that it looks like he was hogging a high amperage connection based on the cable size.... probably felt better wasting your time by blocking you in than his by waiting on a slower charge rate and using the Chargepoints at the front of the dealership... Then I looked at the photo again and saw DC fast charging available at the front as well just to the right of the Chargepoints... Ah well, can't explain some behavior... Maybe the DC fast charging in the front is not complimentary?

 

[coutinpe]

Endless selfishness, is what I see around anytime I go out driving. Most people I see act like there's no one else around. Hence so many crashes...

 

[David Towle]

I would at least pull his plug.

 

[Landshark]

I’m going back on Friday to have the driver side b-pillar door seal replaced, under warranty. The cheesy plastic tabs that attempt to hold it in place have let go of the seal. I’ve had to valet the car a few times and it is possible that a less graceful person has rubbed up against the seal and pulled it loose.

I’ll ask which stations, if any, are complimentary. The one used by the intruder is probably for the service department to use to top off the charge on the cars for paying customers.

California drivers can be spectacular idiots. I’ve spent most of the past 38 years here. Now, in semi-retirement, I am here less often. Just last weekend, while going to lunch with a high school friend, I allowed a driver to enter the road from a parking lot as traffic was a bit jammed up. Nice guy from Oregon, right? The driver behind this car immediately shot out into the opening and was clearly screaming words at the car in front of her which shall not be typed here. After turning a corner, we entered the parking lot for the restaurant and as I was about to turn left into a parking spot, a horn tooted and another impatient driver shot by on the left, in a small parking lot, and the exited to the adjacent street. They were cutting through the lot to avoid waiting in traffic to turn right.

My guardian angels were watching over me that day. I hope they continue to do so until I can get out of this hellhole for good.

 

[Landshark]

I would at least pull his plug.

The thought did cross my mind. Perhaps it would have sent an alert to his phone app.

 

[Mowcowbell]

He was probably still resentful from making the poor decision to lease that all-electric Clarity.

 

[Tek_Freek]

The dealership needs to buy a padlock and use it. I am consistently amazed at how the simplest solutions are never used.

 

[Landshark]

It gets better. The owner of the vehicle is the used car sales manager. When I arrived today, the car was parked in the same spot, blocking in one car with the other spot empty. My service advisor asked that I include remarks in the customer survey about the “inconvenience” in addition to bringing it to the service managers attention.

The work performed today was a replacement of the left rear sub seal, which is the outer door seal for the driver side back door. It was covered under warranty, otherwise parts and labor would have been just shy of $170. The A-pillar trim has also become slightly separated at the dash. At first they said it was a common issue and couldn’t be fixed. I expressed my displeasure with that answer and they fussed with it a bit, without success. If my schedule allows I will make another appointment and leave it with them for the day.

Two of the charging stations at the dealer are ChargePoint and are fee based. The DC fast charger appeared to be complimentary, however the plugs were 1 Chademo and 1 ComboPlug. Neither of which are comparable with the Clarity. There are 2 additional charging stations near the service center, which the service advisor said were available to customers. Provided the used car sales manager hasn’t clogged up the works.

 

[Kerbe]

The DC fast charger appeared to be complimentary, however the plugs were 1 Chademo and 1 ComboPlug. Neither of which are comparable with the Clarity.

The Clarity EV is the only Clarity that accepts DC charging and has a CCS port. Interesting that there should be a Chademo connector as Honda has never produced a vehicle that uses that charging standard. The "other" Honda EV - the Fit EV - didn't accept DC charging. The only vehicles currently being sold in the US that use Chademo are the Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The first gen Kia Soul EV used Chademo but the new model is CCS.

 

[css28]

The Clarity EV is the only Clarity that accepts DC charging and has a CCS port. Interesting that there should be a Chademo connector as Honda has never produced a vehicle that uses that charging standard. The "other" Honda EV - the Fit EV - didn't accept DC charging. The only vehicles currently being sold in the US that use Chademo are the Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The first gen Kia Soul EV used Chademo but the new model is CCS.

Electrify America and EVGo so far are including ChadeMo plugs on their quick chargers across the country. As a LEAF owner, I'm grateful for the ChadeMo.
Possibly it was cheaper for the dealership to get a combo charger instead of a CCS only one.

 

[Kerbe]

Possibly it was cheaper for the dealership to get a combo charger instead of a CCS only one.

That's very likely - or that the mfr. made that model, only. I've never seen a dealership that had a DC charger: If anything they tend to have a Level 2 EVSE either in the shop or around the back of the service center, somewhere, usually either non-functional or ICE'd - or both!

 

[Landshark]

Attached is a photo of the Combo/CCS charger cable.

It’s possible that the 4 stations in front of the dealership are off limits to employees.

 

[css28]

The beauty of the combo connector is that it takes up less space on the car, compared to the CHAdeMO, which is entirely separate from the SAE level 2 connector.