EA Charging Problems

[HC_79]

here is a lesson for you and others who dependent on public chargers, get the plugshare app, then look at it to research the charger that you are planning on using, if the reviews are not good try and find a different place to charge.
if you do arrive at a charger that is either inoperative or overcrowded open the EA app to locate other nearby charging options.

I get what you’re saying but do you think that’s acceptable to tell a 70 year old couple wanting to go on a road trip in their EV? I know for a fact my parents who aren’t tech savvy wouldn’t want to be downloading multiple Apps and then dig into the chargers they want to use, read the reviews and see the score etc.

Many non tech savvy people will rely on the cars navigation and where it tells them to charge. Therefore the EV route planner needs to be rock solid and on top of that the damn chargers just need to WORK. Playing a game of charger cat and mouse is completely unacceptable.

I feel we fall into the trap of “just do this” & “just do that” but not everyone wants to do that. They just want a solid reliable experience. If you put all these caveats on what you need to do when buying an EV the stigma they have will never disappear.

My 2 cents.

 

[borski]

If you put all these caveats on what you need to do when buying an EV the stigma they have will never disappear.

I actually agree with you, with the exception of this statement. Over time, as chargers and infrastructure does become more reliable, and as EVs become even more prevalent and begin fully replacing ICE vehicles (with the possible exception of Semis, which as much as Tesla would love to own simply are going to continue to be ICE for quite a long time), the stigma will go away.

For now? Sure, I agree that I wouldn't tell my 74-year-old dad in NYC to get an EV. It simply wouldn't serve his needs, since he lives in an apartment building with no EV charging and would simply be befuddled by both the technology in the car and how to manage a road trip. I agree it's harder than it should be.

But that won't be the case a decade from now, imho.

 

[Tâm]

I get what you’re saying but do you think that’s acceptable...

Charging experience has not been as reliable as a gasoline station as experienced by Ford CEO and Electrify America CEO:

'Charging has been pretty challenging': Ford CEO got a 'reality check' when he took an electric F-150 Lightning on a road trip — here are 3 big long-distance issues EV drivers face

“Shifting from fueling stations to charging stations requires new behaviors.”

finance.yahoo.com

Electrify America's CEO-elect tested its EV chargers on a cross-country road trip – here's how it went

Electrify America's CEO-elect took a cross-country road trip in an EV to test the company's charging network, and this is how it went.

electrek.co

Hopefully, a NEVI Fast DC Charging station every 50 miles will help.

 

[segbrk]

I hear you on the 200 mile "seat" limit. If you've got a 50+ year old prostate, You'll be stopping every 3 hours anyway

I don’t know how people do it, my <30 year old body has to stop and stretch every couple hours or I won’t be able to stand up straight at the end of the day. Even the Touring outlasts me.

 

[Sandvinsd]

On my trip earlier this month from San Diego to Austin TX, I had authentication issues at 6 of the 9 EA stations I tried to charge at. Based on that experience, my trip from San Diego to Philadelphia next month will be in the GAS Toyota Sienna.

 

[Daniel2022AT]

here is a lesson for you and others who dependent on public chargers, get the plugshare app, then look at it to research the charger that you are planning on using, if the reviews are not good try and find a different place to charge.
if you do arrive at a charger that is either inoperative or overcrowded open the EA app to locate other nearby charging options.
since I do not have free EA charging I don't feel obliged to use the EA units, in fact here in Florida recent price increases for EA charging make EA a very costly place to charge.
there are many alternatives here to charge up on trips.
the moral to the story goes back to planning, planning is crucial.
whenever you are going to be driving beyond the range of your car you need to plan where and when you will charge to complete your journey.

planning your charging is the difference between an enjoyable trip or a trip loaded with inconveniences and frustration.

I am only dependent on chargers for road trips.

I use the PlugShare app. The score is useless because historical data may be irrelevant at any current moment in time. In my example this location has always been reliable in the past and has a PlugShare score of 10.0. Hence I stopped researching charge stops ahead of time. I got unlucky.

 

[borski]

I am only dependent on chargers for road trips.

I use the PlugShare app. The score is useless because historical data may be irrelevant at any current moment in time. In my example this location has always been reliable in the past and has a PlugShare score of 10.0. Hence I stopped researching charge stops ahead of time. I got unlucky.

The score and recent charges is useful - it has never led me astray. If you click on a charger, you can see recent charges and whether or not they were successful. If none in the past day or two, it likely has issues.

 

[Sandvinsd]

The score and recent charges is useful - it has never led me astray. If you click on a charger, you can see recent charges and whether or not they were successful. If none in the past day or two, it likely has issues.

I use PlugShare and will not go to one (unless necessary) below a 7-8 rating. My issues were all on EA chargers rated 9-10 on PlugShare. So the ratings are not completely reliable depending on the issues.

 

[borski]

I use PlugShare and will not go to one (unless necessary) below a 7-8 rating. My issues were all on EA chargers rated 9-10 on PlugShare. So the ratings are not completely reliable depending on the issues.

I agree - that's why I suggested also looking at the recent charges

 

[Pragmatic]

I've only had my car 3 months, but it is ski season. That means I'm driving 270 miles to central Vermont every other weekend (sometimes every weekend). In that time I've used EA 15-20 times (usually Albany, Kingston, or Newburgh). Only twice did I need to wait. After the Eclipse in Albany, and once in Newburgh, where rather than wait I nursed it to Kingston. Arriving with 20 miles of range but I got a charge.
Mostly I can start accepting at ~230kW (Pure AWD) and get to 80 percent in ~35 minutes.
Only once did the station not work, 4am with temperatures in the teens and snowing (Kingston). I had around 40 miles of range so I drove 8 miles to a Chargepoint (62 kW) where I got just enough to get to Albany EA.
Overall I have been pleased with EA. They have been all 350kW and only once started at less than 100kW at that time I moved to the next stall and started at almost 200kW.

 

[dcase99]

I actually agree with you, with the exception of this statement. Over time, as chargers and infrastructure does become more reliable, and as EVs become even more prevalent and begin fully replacing ICE vehicles (with the possible exception of Semis, which as much as Tesla would love to own simply are going to continue to be ICE for quite a long time), the stigma will go away.

For now? Sure, I agree that I wouldn't tell my 74-year-old dad in NYC to get an EV. It simply wouldn't serve his needs, since he lives in an apartment building with no EV charging and would simply be befuddled by both the technology in the car and how to manage a road trip. I agree it's harder than it should be.

But that won't be the case a decade from now, imho.

Gas stations had to "grow up" just like charging stations

A Short Picture History of Gas Stations

Gas stations have evolved a lot from their humble roots

www.smithsonianmag.com

 

[borski]

Dunno man, I just randomly pulled into an EA because I was at a 19% SOC and it was nearby and empty so I figured why not.

I’m not sure what there is to complain about lol.

And that’s on a balanced 350.

Gained 20% in 5 min. At 185kW or so now that it’s at around 40% SOC.

I know it sometimes breaks, but I really genuinely feel like if people simply breathed a few more extra deep breaths they would just be a lot calmer in general.

Maybe I’m aging. Is this what aging feels like? Just giving fewer fucks? Haha

 

[hanuser]

The prob

Dunno man, I just randomly pulled into an EA because I was at a 19% SOC and it was nearby and empty so I figured why not.

I’m not sure what there is to complain about lol.

View attachment 21531
And that’s on a balanced 350.

Gained 20% in 5 min. At 185kW or so now that it’s at around 40% SOC.

I know it sometimes breaks, but I really genuinely feel like if people simply breathed a few more extra deep breaths they would just be a lot calmer in general.

Maybe I’m aging. Is this what aging feels like? Just giving fewer fucks? Haha

The problem is not just that it sometimes breaks, it's that what you're experiencing is rare. Usually a 350kW charger starts off under 200kW, and quickly dives to a rate around or below 100kW, so people are staying for 2-3x longer than you. For me, the chargers start off around 150kW and dive down to 60kW.

 

[Lucken]

The prob

The problem is not just that it sometimes breaks, it's that what you're experiencing is rare. Usually a 350kW charger starts off under 200kW, and quickly dives to a rate around or below 100kW, so people are staying for 2-3x longer than you. For me, the chargers start off around 150kW and dive down to 60kW.

That’s been pretty much my experience.