Fast Charging On Road Trips

[Makiato]

I’ve got a question on charging cost versus the amount of time you’re plugged in? I’m sure this has been answered, but I wasn’t able to find. Period.
So for example, you plug in at electrify America they’re charging whatever $.36 a kilowatt. Takes you 45 minutes to get to whatever percentage you’re trying to get to. Then let’s say the next time you wanna charge the exact same percentage and you go to let’s say a Tesla supercharge station that brings that same percentage up in 15 minutes let’s say at the same cost per kilowatt. Buy it charging faster. Are you saving a lot more money in the long run or is there a trade-off for the quicker charge? Does it come out the same? Whatever $15 or 20 bucks. I’m not sure if I’m asking that correctly but in a nutshell, if you’re able to charge it faster to me you’re paying for 15 minutes at $.36 a minute or you’re paying $.36 a minute for 45 minutes but getting the same amount of kilowatts. Go ahead call me whatever you want lol it’s a stupid question but I wanted to ask it.

no stupid questions, sir.

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[Jerrytball]

no stupid questions, sir.

I know when I had my free kilowatts with electrify America I would do like 80% charge and it would take me like 40 minutes. Then I read some of these other blogs out there where they’re talking about. They pull up with their Tesla to the Tesla superstation and they go to 80% in like 15 minutes and I was just wondering that the car is that the charger that’s why I was asking these questions either way you’re getting charged for whatever 40 kW or whatever not the time I realize.

 

[ChrisO]

One other minor consideration: the chargers are rated at UP TO 250 or 350kW. if there are 8 spots, all are full and charging, that can affect at what rate you charge. No affect on the price. As previously stated you are Buying kW's not minutes. Just like gallons at a gas station.

This is really hard to judge sometimes because some are setup to share power between different dispensers and other aren’t.

The EA charger I have been don’t share power as far as I can tell based on the time it takes to charge, but given that the Mach-E charges at such a much lower rate than there maximum that might just me getting fooled.

I have only charged at Superchargers a few times but again they seemed charge in the same amount of time.

 

[ChrisO]

I know when I had my free kilowatts with electrify America I would do like 80% charge and it would take me like 40 minutes. Then I read some of these other blogs out there where they’re talking about. They pull up with their Tesla to the Tesla superstation and they go to 80% in like 15 minutes and I was just wondering that the car is that the charger that’s why I was asking these questions either way you’re getting charged for whatever 40 kW or whatever not the time I realize.

My typical charges are from either about 10% or 20% to 80% and at EA chargers that takes about 25 minutes. Now if you exceed 80% the time goes up drastically. Getting to 90% can easily double the time. That is the battery charge curve, not the charger.

I will admit that I have not charged enough on Superchargers or paid much attention to the times to give a fair comparison though.

 

[RickMachE]

Whereas I think there are still some 150 kW SuperChargers around here.

Which is irrelevant since we cannot use them.

This is really hard to judge sometimes because some are setup to share power between different dispensers and other aren’t.

The EA charger I have been don’t share power as far as I can tell based on the time it takes to charge, but given that the Mach-E charges at such a much lower rate than there maximum that might just me getting fooled.

EA also has some shared power locations.

Balanced Charging

At Electrify America stations, you may notice the word “Balanced” on a charger’s labels or screen. Balanced chargers are typically located side-by-side and share a power cabinet. When a charger is Balanced, it can supply Ultra-Fast speeds up to 150 kW for vehicles capable of accepting this much power and can provide Hyper-Fast speeds up to 350 kW to capable vehicles when the adjacent charger is unused.

https://www.electrifyamerica.com/what-to-expect/

 

[Jerrytball]

Which is irrelevant since we cannot use them.



EA also has some shared power locations.

Balanced Charging

At Electrify America stations, you may notice the word “Balanced” on a charger’s labels or screen. Balanced chargers are typically located side-by-side and share a power cabinet. When a charger is Balanced, it can supply Ultra-Fast speeds up to 150 kW for vehicles capable of accepting this much power and can provide Hyper-Fast speeds up to 350 kW to capable vehicles when the adjacent charger is unused.

https://www.electrifyamerica.com/what-to-expect/

So are there two types of Tesla chargers, cause I thought the whole reason for buying the adapter was you could plug-in at any Tesla?

 

[RickMachE]

So are there two types of Tesla chargers, cause I thought the whole reason for buying the adapter was you could plug-in at any Tesla?

There are 4 types, plus destination chargers.

Dozens of threads explain that there are thousands of locations you cannot charge at. I would go through that explanation, but you no longer have an EV at all, do you?

Old, and Tesla-exclusive locations are not open.

 

[RickMachE]

Never mind, I’m looking at it going back to an EV I don’t think I’m gonna comment out here anymore. If you want to you’re probably an admin you can delete my account. I really don’t give a damn I guess since I don’t have an EV anymore. It doesn’t have a friendly vibe anymore when I talk out here so disregard anything I’ve asked. I guess it’s a way the world’s going once again hard to pick who you talk to.

Though you prior said you were never going back. My mistake.

I summed it up, old and exclusive locations are not available. If you buy any non-Tesla, regardless of brand, you cannot charge at hose locations. Use the Tesla app, enter car and adapter ownership, you see only compatible locations. Use PlugShare, select Hide Tesla Only filter. Use ABRP and put in vehicle. Use FordPass, shows only compatible locations.

Or search for threads with Tesla and compatible.

You also direct messaged me last June about this, and I explained, in detail, the various methods AND provided screenshots to further explain it. You can pull that up if you'd like. https://www.macheforum.com/site/conversations/adapter.13704/#convMessage-149753

I apologize if you thought I was dismissing your inquiry.

 

[silverelan]

Just finished an 800 mile road trip through Eastern WA and OR in my 2021 Premium AWD EXT, my first with Tesla chargers in the mix. I used ABRP with subscription to do the planning and bottom line; first trip EVER where I had no issues whatsoever.

We”ve had soooo many bad experiences with EA that my wife put her foot down and said “no more road trips, we’re taking the Subaru!!!”. But after trying Tesla charging in town and seeing how easy it was I was able to convince her to give it another try.

I added Tesla into my ABRP mix, changed usage to be a bit more conservative. I wound up with a plan that had EA and Tesla within a short distance of each other, which made me so much more at ease. Especially since our route’s charging infrastructure was quite sparse.

For the first time in 4 years EA charging went well. No lines, no one running around trying to figure out which charger was going to work, no waiting five minutes for the charger to connect, and then not work. Tesla charging is amazing. Chargers available and working, connecting took seconds.

I also finally learned to trust the plan and not second guess it like I was doing with the Ford app. I had to stop more times than I would like, but that’s the way with this car and somewhat sparse infrastructure.

Finally!!!!

The EV charging infrastructure is night and day better than it was even just 24 months ago. If you’re in Eugene, then along I-5 you’ve not only got Tesla and EA but also Pilot-Flying J, ElectricEra, and soon-to-be IONNA. There’s a bunch of other networks out there like Red-E, BP Pulse, etc but those are the most reliable, imo.

 

[AZBill]

I know when I had my free kilowatts with electrify America I would do like 80% charge and it would take me like 40 minutes. Then I read some of these other blogs out there where they’re talking about. They pull up with their Tesla to the Tesla superstation and they go to 80% in like 15 minutes and I was just wondering that the car is that the charger that’s why I was asking these questions either way you’re getting charged for whatever 40 kW or whatever not the time I realize.

The Mach E will not charge from 10-80% in 15 minutes. The car controls the charge rate, not the charger.

I just did a road trip where I used EA once and Tesla once.

EA stop, charged 16% to 76% in 35 minutes. Average rate of 95kw.
Tesla stop, charged 16% to 66% in 29 minutes. Average rate of 93kw.

We ate lunch at both those stops and just shut off when we were done, both charges started at 150kw rate and ended up at under 80kw rate when I turned them off. 10-80% is 40-45 minutes at best in the Mach E.

 

[Mandretti]

Yeah, I think EA chargers have gotten better over the last couple years. The Tesla chargers have been very reliable for me but man I hate the short cords and parking like an idiot to use them

Yes - I had the same issues. Fortunately where we stopped, there were lots of Tesla chargers, which is typical, and there were a few other people charging.. so parking sideways didn’t impact anyone else.

 

[Mandretti]

The EV charging infrastructure is night and day better than it was even just 24 months ago. If you’re in Eugene, then along I-5 you’ve not only got Tesla and EA but also Pilot-Flying J, ElectricEra, and soon-to-be IONNA. There’s a bunch of other networks out there like Red-E, BP Pulse, etc but those are the most reliable, imo.

Very cool. What app do you use to find all of those others?

 

[emetz582]

EA chargers and Ford Dealership fast chargers have been the only reliable fast charging I can find in SE WI, and beyond. I bet Tesla chargers are wonderful, but the version required is never near where I am going. So I have yet to even test my Ford supplied adapter.

Possible saving grace is Kwik Trip and a few other large gas stations are installing a solid number of fast chargers at many convenient locations.

That said, the EV definition of "FAST" is still far too long and variable to take a real road trip with anyone but myself, and even when by myself. I find waiting for 80% terribly annoying, and calculations are generally not for 20-80% SOC but more so 10-100%. Running 20-80% requires more stops than planned.

As a daily driver, this EV is OK, but I could not tolerate it if I did not have ICE options in the garage.

 

[cheerioboy26]

Very cool. What app do you use to find all of those others?

PlugShare. Has great filters.

 

[ChrisO]

Yeah the short cables are the main reason I don’t like to charge at some SuperCharger places. Like the one at Lost Hills, CA has 20 chargers wrapped around a curve in a Dennys parking lot which is a popular spot and so taking up two spots is “uncomfortable”. The ironic part is that they created the largest one around just across I5 with tons of new ones with plans to expand to the most anywhere with most of it powered by solar panels, but it was only briefly open on a holiday weekend.

The only charge networks I have been to are EA, Rove, Evgo, and SuperChargers. I have had bad luck with Evgos either being broken with nothing indicating that other than failing to start the charge and also once charging at something like 40 kWh.

I really like the Rove one in Santa Ana has tons of both ABB and NACS/SuperChargers plus a market, restrooms, even if a car wash. I use the ABB chargers and they take credit cards. Note that EA and Evgo take credit cards too, but with EA you also get plug and charge through the Ford network.

EDIT now that I think of it I charged at a GM branded charger, I think it was a ABB charger, worked great. Paid with a credit card. I think about the only one you can’t use a credit card at is the SuperChargers for the obvious reason, zero user interface on the charger.

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