Chicago-Phoenix Road Trip #3 (this time without EA chargers!)

[jedwin]

looking for Level 2 for overnight is not only NOT a priority but not even on the radar.

PlugShare now has a “Lodging” filter….and yes, while some of these are at lots near hotels, simple clicking around on the PlugShare map easily ID’s the hotels with chargers in their lots (the hotel name is the site location, rather than the charger network being named)

FWIW, a quick gander around New England on this summertime Friday night showed over half the locations highlighted are at hotel lots, and nearly all hotel chargers available…

 

[BobHutto]

This thread has posted the most recent activity so I’ll post my question here.

My partner and I launched on our yearly road trip from San Diego CA to Denver CO yesterday, our first road trip WITHOUT the benefit of EA’s free supercharging.

I used mostly Tesla supercharging stations, finding them not only cheaper, but readily more available and reliable than the one or two stops I made at Electrify America.

Here’s the thing. Regardless of where I charged, Tesla, EA, or Circle K, “Lucid Charging Service” charged me a fee of $25 for each time I charged, a fee that went on top of the cost of the actual charge.

When I checked my credit card transactions this $25 fee went from “Pending” to “Posted”. So far I have racked up about $100 in Lucid EV Charging fees.

Is this normal? I’ve since emailed Lucid Customer Care, disputing this charge but I haven’t heard back.

Get a Tesla membership and start the charge in the Tesla app before plugging in. Saves a lot of money

 

[chris]

PlugShare now has a “Lodging” filter….and yes, while some of these are at lots near hotels, simple clicking around on the PlugShare map easily ID’s the hotels with chargers in their lots (the hotel name is the site location, rather than the charger network being named)

FWIW, a quick gander around New England on this summertime Friday night showed over half the locations highlighted are at hotel lots, and nearly all hotel chargers available…

Okay?

I thought I mentioned it but it was Plugshare I used in the 1st place to plan this trip. I'm not at all new to Plugshare or the L2 at certain hotels. I'm partial to the Hilton brand (Hampton often) but I'm also a bit more on the 'frugal' side and like someone else here said, see no value ore benefit in paying $50 or more just to spend a night at a hotel hosting some L2 options. It sounds wonderful that you have a lot more options out east but our drive to Phoenix from Chicago with a 1st night in Oklahoma just isn't as 'vast' or ready to go especially since I have a distinct plan on how many miles per day, etc. (and we've done this trip many times since 2005 long before EVs were in the picture)

 

[chris]

This thread has posted the most recent activity so I’ll post my question here.

My partner and I launched on our yearly road trip from San Diego CA to Denver CO yesterday, our first road trip WITHOUT the benefit of EA’s free supercharging.

I used mostly Tesla supercharging stations, finding them not only cheaper, but readily more available and reliable than the one or two stops I made at Electrify America.

Here’s the thing. Regardless of where I charged, Tesla, EA, or Circle K, “Lucid Charging Service” charged me a fee of $25 for each time I charged, a fee that went on top of the cost of the actual charge.

When I checked my credit card transactions this $25 fee went from “Pending” to “Posted”. So far I have racked up about $100 in Lucid EV Charging fees.

Is this normal? I’ve since emailed Lucid Customer Care, disputing this charge but I haven’t heard back.

Even while I had my 'free charging' plan, I always saw a $25 HOLD on my credit card on file for every single charge that 'fell off'. I have honestly never seen a $25 'surcharge' but I also have not yet charged with having to pay 100% out of pocket. I did plan on 'testing' my Lucid Tesla adapter before our trip and paying once locally but haven't gotten to that point yet.

 

[Aka-none]

PlugShare now has a “Lodging” filter….and yes, while some of these are at lots near hotels, simple clicking around on the PlugShare map easily ID’s the hotels with chargers in their lots (the hotel name is the site location, rather than the charger network being named)

FWIW, a quick gander around New England on this summertime Friday night showed over half the locations highlighted are at hotel lots, and nearly all hotel chargers available…

We schedule hotels and b&b that have chargers and point out that’s why we picked them

 

[Bus Driver]

Get a Tesla membership and start the charge in the Tesla app before plugging in. Saves a lot of money

Oh, you’re absolutely right. Before I started this road trip, I signed up for Tesla’s monthly membership plan. With the exception of Circle K, theirs are the cheapest charging rates. EA’s were the most expensive, most crotchety and least likely to be available. I’m also gathering that they are also the ones triggering the Lucid EV Charging service charge of $25.00.

 

[Saksak]

[…] EA’s were the most expensive, most crotchety and least likely to be available. I’m also gathering that they are also the ones triggering the Lucid EV Charging service charge of $25.00.

Is it really a service charge on top of the normal charge bill? That would be highway robbery.

Are you sure the $25 is an extra charge without an eventual offsetting credit? The other possibility is that the total bill was split into two transactions: $25 plus the remaining balance for the charging session.

If it really is a $25 extra charge, I would dispute it. I’ve never heard of a service charge at any EV charging station, and it’s most likely a mistake.

 

[Ashir]

I just found your post Chris. I hate to say that AZ without EA (or derivatives) is a charging dessert outside Pheonix Metro area for Air. You'll find RAN here and there but nothing else. Ionna just opened 3 new stations in AZ, so we are going in good direction. Now, just need more closer to reservations - Holbrook, Flagstaff, Payson, etc and on way to Vegas / LA. Have to rely on throttled Tesla SCs or overcrowded old-gen EAs still

Regarding your December trip, you can skip Winslow and plan to drive via Payson. There is a circle-k there and EA derivative (for backup). Although, I think you might not need to top off much at Payson since most of the route from i40 is downhill until Mesa. Maybe charge to 50% at RAN in Holbrook after charging at Gallup.

I am curious how you are able to skip EA on the OK / TX dessert. Will take a deep dive on your list later on.

 

[Ashir]

I will have to investigate what the OKC and Tucumcari IONNA charge stops are near now so we know. Thanks for the tip on IONNA in that regard-- thankfully I really only need to investigate 2 of the IONNA stops now.

I can speak for Tumcari and Gallup Ionna facilities:
1. Tumcari - great restaurant right next to parking, they allow to use restroom for non-customers but also a great place for food.

2. Gallup - Mall or nearby fast food restaurants. I preferred walking to mall as Air is ready to go by the time I finish my business and I get a good stretch.

Warning - Gallup is the only unreliable CCS Ionna I have come across. Avoid the middle station as it's always throttled for some reason. Unfortunately handicapped one is the best but can't use the other side on Air (unless you park weirdly). For my other EV, I always end up using NACS.