After the 4th of July, I wrote an article asking for folks’s insights about their street journeys utilizing an EV and charging. Your responses had been half hilarity, half sudden, however for probably the most half, kinda boring — it appears taking a street journey in an EV simply isn’t that difficult anymore.
We acquired 83 responses to our extremely unscientific survey. The typical drive was 2,284 miles (median = 1250), and the typical variety of occasions folks stopped to cost was 13 (median = 7).
Clearly, there have been some outliers and other people didn’t simply write in about their 4th of July weekend street journey. Somebody did a 27,000 mile journey, and one other did 14,000 miles. Eradicating these two outliers, the typical street journey, although, was nonetheless 1,822 miles! Yowza folks wish to street journey! Good factor we’re electrifying our transport and solarizing our grid!
Right here is the breakdown of the EVs pushed:
Clearly, Tesla readers dominate our viewers, and I don’t assume that’s any shock, given how a lot free press we’ve given Tesla over time in addition to the truth that Tesla has dominated US electrical automobile gross sales for years. Humorous apart: probably the most frequent criticism CleanTechnica acquired for some time was that folks thought we’re owned by Tesla, or someway had been too cozy with Elon Musk (earlier than he blew just a few gaskets, in fact). We’ve got achieved enterprise with Ford and Volkswagen, however not Tesla.
Challenges charging on an EV street journey
Out of the 83 responses, 63 reported “no downside.”
Take into consideration that — an astounding 76% of pure EV street journeys, averaging 2284 miles, reported no downside charging.
Of those that did report hassle, here’s a smattering of their commentary:
“at just a few stops older chargers had some difficulity connecting to our new Q8 etron. We needed to transfer to a different charger or replug just a few occasions to get the charging session going.”
“1) The EA terminals in Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky, the place present is paid by the minute appeared throttled. I acquired a most of 140kW, versus 240kW in Florida,the place present is paid by the kilowatt-hour. 2) the ultimate leg, from Williamsburg, KY, to Cincinnati would have been much less nerve-racking if Georgetown, KY didn’t have 3 of 4 terminals de-rated to 59kW and the fourth one unavailable.”
“Electrify America labored very nicely; significantly better than our earlier expertise. EVCS was problematic. Needed to name Chargepoint for assist.”
“ZEF is often good however has spotty high quality historical past. My most popular charger in Motley, MN was not on-line. No clarification or restore scheduled is communicated. Had to make use of Leve 2 and limp in to my vacation spot. The ZEF station at my vacation spot cost my Bolt simply nice, however it took three tries for the initiation to work correctly.”
“Numerous experiences that weren’t anticipated. I used a few apps to search out chargers and had some weird experiences. From a charger in the course of the garden in entrance of a financial institution in Mississippi (it didn’t work. Apparently there was a change in a field close by) chargers that didn’t work, chargers on the downtown streets of Albuquerque New Mexico that charged at degree 1, to a city in Oklahoma that had three completely different places (separate corporations) and all didn’t work that prompted a 23 mile journey again down the freeway with simply 29 miles of vary left. My greatest expertise was with a non-public citizen, John, in Huntsville Alabama who let me cost in a single day on his residence charger. (Thanks once more John.) I used to be pleased with my Bolt, it shined via all of it. The worst half was that Common Motors designed the charging system to cost so slowly. It meant twice as a lot time charging as different fashions of EV’s. I knew it was going to be an journey so I wasn’t disenchanted.”
“Electrify America was okay however I bumped into like 5 stations that wouldn’t even cost at 50kw a lot much less quick cost higher automobiles. One station wouldn’t give greater than 12kw to anybody irrespective of how few automobiles had been linked. That’s to not point out the pretty widespread useless chargers. The working joke between EV house owners alongside the best way was that the worst half about these chargers is that they’re one of the best you can get for non Tesla. As one of the best you will get, my route consisted of EA charger to EA charger the entire method.”
“Waited 70 minutes for a charger.”
“EA failed the primary time, which pressured me to make use of EV Vary on the identical mall in Soledad CA. Most different EA costs went nicely, besides the speed of cost was sometimes 130-150 kW after I ought to have seen 200+kW as a result of the second plug on the ‘Balanced Charger’ was unused. The ultimate cost on EA in Salinas CA went nice. It was not a ‘Balanced Charger’ and I achieved the anticipated 237kW. The 200+ cost price that the EV6 is able to is a prime purpose we purchased this automobile. The #1 purpose is the V2L functionality for powering at residence when the grid fails.”
“Solely considered one of 4 chargers operational on the mall (6 miles out of my method) waited in line for 20 minutes, charged as anticipated to only over 90%. I attempted to cost 2 days afterward method again to airport to get cost above 70% to keep away from the rental firm low battery cost, however was unable to provoke a cost.”
“Nearly each EA station had no less than on useless charger or derated chargers. Different points included having to attend for a charger, different technical points with chargers and numerous EV house owners who didn’t perceive find out how to use public charging. The FPL charging stations I used had been all the time out there, straightforward to make use of, by no means derated and cheaper than EA with my member price. Within the states which cost by the minute, it appeared to take longer to cost.”
“Complete Volta website was down, although app stated it was up and working. Chargepoint was 100% good.”
“ChargePoint chargers in Mount Forest, Ontario weren’t working after I tried them on my solution to Tobermory. Flo charger in Little present shut off at 70% cost and wouldn’t cost additional in three makes an attempt. This acquired me again to Owen Sound Subaru 187 kms the place I charged sufficient at my dealership in 2 hours on a Blink Degree 2 to get to Oakville 195 Kms. My preliminary leg was from Oakville at a full cost to Tobermory 320 kms on 75 % cost in rain which I used to be very happy with. My automobile charged to from 25% to 95% in 6.5 hours on the Princess Lodge in Tobermory value $15.00. There was 135 kms in two days of native driving on Manitoulin Island earlier than I charged on the Little Present publish workplace. Flo cost value was $1.40 an hour. Complete $2.11.”
“I-55 superchargers are comparatively sparse, requiring greater cost charges, lodges with chargers sparse. For the primary time I had a supercharger vacation spot happening whereas driving — automobile re-routed me to a earlier cease requiring an extended cost — I attempted resetting to the unique charger and automobile wouldn’t take it — I pulled off the freeway to determine what was occurring and will inform the supercharger I used to be heading for was offline — not apparent whereas driving — needed to cease for lunch and cost for 30 min to get to 90 pct ”
“I’ve had eleven electrical automobile over 13 years and Hawaii has the worst charging state of affairs of all. Spent hours on the solely working Supercharger on Oahu Island. I’ve driver all around the US and it’s apparent Hawaii is caught within the grip of the Oil Trade.”
“I by no means acquired greater than about 60 kW and sometimes a lot much less so it was type of gradual”
“Good besides, often just one or 2 FLO DC Quick out there (both CHAdeMO or CCS cut up) however nonetheless convient Actually sparse chargers in Japanese Quebec (Gaspe Penninsula)”
“ChargePoint is unreliable and costly. Dumb system. Extra for quick meals shops than for EV customers.”
“Couldn’t go off interstate to extra scenic components of the states wo a variety of anxiousness to cost. Notably in Michigan the place I needed to on the east or western facet of the lake shoreline”
“Electrify America labored nicely however there have been no purposeful non-Tesla stations alongside relaxation stops on the NJ Turnpike, which made our journey way more inconvenient.”
“Largely not nice. Many chargers had been down and at no level in the course of the journey did I see a charger attain it’s capability of 150 or 350. This result in some traces forming at just a few of the stations. The folks had been all nice, however pissed off. The worst was in Brunswick, GA. The very best I might get a charger to go was round 14 kWh. I attempted a number of stations. There was a pair subsequent to us in a Mercedes EQS charging at about 7 kwh and had been there for over 90 minutes. Not solely did it take ceaselessly, however that they had an enormous invoice for it. My worst experiences had been in Miami. The trailer I used to be towing had the license plate stolen and at one other station I used to be in an enormous downpour whereas attempting to cost. I ended up having to name whereas and be on the telephone within the rain whereas they reset the entire financial institution of stations. Every of those had been about 2 hour charging stops. Please get the velocity up and repair damaged chargers.”
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