A shout out thanks to Josh, who pointed out a spelling mistake in the title of this article,
which has now been corrected.

Also . . . James at Recargo.com has added this new installation to their extensive
EVSE database . . .

http://www.recargo.com/sites/8195

I'll be there. It isn't until this Saturday afternoon. Word has it that a Tesla S will be attending, so this will be my first opportunity to see one of those. I'm charging batteries for my audio recorder and camera as I type this.

The EVSE is, I think, manufactured by Eaton Corporation. At least that's who was installing the earlier (Level 2) GoE3 unit at Biosphere 2 this past spring. I'll have lots of technical questions for these guys about their equipment, some of which might be too "inside" for the radio feature I'll be producing, but good info to share on this site.

Here's the best way I can describe it, guys. Physically, there is one large unit with two Level 3 plugs, currently configured with (one each) a CHAdeMO and SAE J1772 Combo connector. It's about a large as a conventional gasoline pump, with door that opens - accessible only to technician - that Sean Hegna of Eaton (he helped installed it) referred to as 5 "power drawers," which are 10kW each. He mentioned (it's in my audio recorded transcript, so I'll have to double check) on Saturday that it was set at 208V DC and that 2 power drawers (20kW) were operational. So, this is less than the complete 440V Level 3 specification, which I think is what Bill is implying by stating "not L3."

Bill's description is also accurate in that there is another, smaller EVSE to the left (as you are facing displays) - electrically connected to the larger one with the power drawers - that features two Level 2s on standard J1772 plugs. Sean seemed to indicate that upgrades (ie: additional power drawers) can be field installed very quickly as needed.

GoE3's CEO, Bruce Brimacombe noted in an email yesterday " The final configuration will be over the next few weeks to bring the unit up to its full capacity. During the rush to make the event simple, neutral was left out for the 110 and the 50 amp plugs so RH electrical will pull that on Monday. The 110 side is gratis always for cell phones tablets and 110 EVs as an emergency. The units will be covered by a solar powered awning for lights security cameras and music if requested. There will be a set of benches installed between them for our customers convenience and the most important the EV-Only Parking ("deICEr") signs should be installed. It is also our intent to bring in solar after completion of the routes to reduce the load on the grid. As the long term we see a completely zero gas emissions system."

If anyone has technical questions regarding this, I'll attempt to entertain them. I can pass them along to the GoE3 and/or Eaton folks and repost answers here.

There really is something special going on at this installation, ex-EV1. As the quote from Bruce indicates, there is additional work going on today out a Picacho Peak and the fully 50kW capability should be available within the next few weeks. Several Leafs were hooked up to the CHAdeMO plug on Saturday.

Also, since this was a grand opening ceremony and more EVs were anticipated to show up than would probably be present on any given day, two outfits offering emergency roadside charging were also present and providing "limited" Level 3 and Level 2 charging.

Yeah, Bill, if you're getting your paycheck from the Society of Automotive Engineers, I guess I can see why you're splitting hairs here. But there are hundreds - perhaps thousands - of online and print sources that refer to CHAdeMO as "Level 3." I'll also including the engineer I talked to from Eaton Corporation, who personally installed the Picacho Peak unit, as well as all the company officials I've talked to at GoE3 (most of whom are engineers) who own it.

Perhaps all this reminds me just a bit of an old French aeronautical term, decalage, which was originally used to denote the difference in the angle that wings are set on a biplane (the upper one is typically positioned at a slightly upward angle - or at a positive incidence - when compared to the lower one.) But today, decalage is more commonly used to refer to the angular difference between the wing (typically just one, as in a monoplane) and the stabilizing tail surface. The more correct terminology for this latter measurement is longitudinal dihedral, but almost everyone you talk to in the aeronautical world defaults to the word decalage . . . and all involved with the science of aeronautics today will know what is being conveyed.

Back to electric cars: yes, Nissan has announced new batteries (Hitachi sourced, I believe) for the 2013 US-built Leaf, which have been advertised to be more robust than the old ones. But it is known that Nissan also had plans to deploy the Leaf some years ago in Middle East countries and talked then about utilizing a liquid thermal management for the pack. If they don't do it and their new US-built pack is good for only a single - ah um - "Level 3" charge per day, Chevy's Spark EV (which has recently been reported to include it and can be recharged several times daily this way) is going to be a far more flexible EV with similar passenger accommodations and at about the same price point as the Leaf.

I don't think any of us are "behind the times," Anon. But you seem to be projecting yourself into a future that isn't quite here yet. The Tennessee factory only just started production and batteries being made there will not be showing up in US production Leafs until early 2013.

As someone who wants to see electric cars succeed - and harbors no particular ill will towards Nissan - I hope the new Leaf's battery is better than the old one. But we're just going to have to wait to see if it's really a significant improvement.

And, yes, it's well know that Nissan discourages exposing the battery to more than one Level 3 (you know . . . via the CHAdeMO plug? . . . call it "un-Level 3" if it make you feel better) per day.