Volta Charging is a San Francisco-based energy and media that offers free charging for electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid plug-in electric vehicles (HPEV) drivers. These chargers have blue lights on their tops and are connected to 55-inch video screens that display live videos 24 hours a day. The entire structure is more than 7 feet tall, so they’re pretty distinct-looking in the world of EV chargers.
Volta chiefly profits by charging advertisers to display ads on the screens, while providing car charging as a free public service. Drivers pay no cost for electricity at all. No membership costs or credit cards are necessary. Just park and plug in.
Conveniently, Volta chargers are located near places where people already spend time, like the parking lots of grocery stores, restaurants, fitness centers, and other shopping hotspots.
If you’re searching for a free charging station in your area, the Volta app will help you locate one of its plug-in ports. Within the app, users may also start or stop a charging session. Charging sessions are updated in real-time so that drivers know which ports are available and which are occupied. The app will ask for your vehicle type so that it can display the appropriate charger types.
Volta 2 Hour Limit
At most, drivers are allowed 2 hours of free parking time while using Volta charging stations. Some stations limit charging time to as little as 30 minutes.
Does Volta Stop Charging After 2 Hours
Chargers will not stop after charging once the time limit is reached. Volta will continue charging for as long as your vehicle is plugged in. However, most stations will not charge after midnight and will begin charging again at 6:00AM.
Volta EV Charging Speed
Charging time depends on how large your car’s battery is, which type of EV charger you use, how much power the charger can deliver per minute, and how much power your vehicle can accept. On average, the DC fast chargers have a charging speed of 50-60 kWh, or up to 210 miles of range per hour depending on your EV, according to the official Volta Website. Level 2 charging is estimated to dispense 7-10 kWh or up to 35 miles of range per hour.
Volta’s charging stations are equipped with J1772 connectors for Level 1 and Level 2 charging, which are compatible with all EV and HPEV car types, except Tesla vehicles. Teslas require a J1772 Adapter to charge with Volta Connectors.
Free EV Charging
Volta Inc. was founded in Hawaii in 2010 by Scott Mercer and Chris Wendel. By 2021, the company had over 2,000 chargers available in 23 states. Since then, their charger network has expanded, with a growing number of installations in states like Texas, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Florida, Washington, and Utah.
You can also try the PlugShare application for iOS and Android, or on the web. PlugShare has mapped and cataloged more than 200,000 chargers across the United States. While in the app, you can upload pictures, share reviews, and leave equipment updates for known charging stations. ChargePoint, Tesla, eVgo, AmpUp, and Volta are some of the most widely used charging networks that can be found with PlugShare.
Charging Stations in Chicago
There are a few clutch Volta stations that offer free parking and free charging for electric and hybrid vehicles in Chicago. Each charging station listed below is within 6 miles of the Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”) in Millennium Park (201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602). At a minimum, drivers are allowed 30 minutes of free parking time while charging, at most, drivers are allowed 2 hours of parking time while charging.
The following charging stations all belong to Volta. The Volta Charging network has dozens of free level 2 charging stations available 7 days a week. They are usually attached to highly visible, animated, plasma screens with blue lights atop their frames. If you know of an EV charging station fit for this list, please leave a comment.
The first charger is located in Jewels Osco’s parking lot, 1224 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60605. This charger is on the northwest corner of the lot. Drivers are allowed a two-hour charging time limit. The associated Jewels Osco closes before midnight. There are two J1772 connector types near the animated, plasma screens.
Here’s a single Volta charger in a Walgreens parking lot in Chinatown, 316 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL, 60616. 6 miles from the Bean. This station has a 45-minute parking limit while charging.
This Volta charger can be found at 111 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60607. It’s within 4.2 miles of the Bean. The J1772 chargers are on the south side of the block closest to Walgreen’s main entrance. Parking is allowed for 45 minutes of charging time.
501 W Roosevelt Rd Chicago, IL 60607, approximately 4 miles from the Bean, chargers are near the Walgreens entrance by Canal Street. There are two J1772 chargers for use with parallel parking spaces between the animated, plasma screens. The Walgreens is open 24 hours a day.
The final Volta charger is located in Lakeview East, 3531 N Broadway, Chicago, IL, 60657. There are two J1772 chargers, one in the outdoor parking lot on the same level as the associated Jewels Osco, and the other on the inside of the parking garage. The entrance is on the south end of the Jewels Osco; the north ramp is for exiting. Both chargers are free with a two-hour parking time limit while charging.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF PLUGSHARE
