The truth about Electrify America's progress and Traveling with the Mach E

[silverelan]

YouTuber discusses the reliability of Electrify America.

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[dbsb3233]

The CHAdeMO was only 50 kW, right? Yes, EA's pricing at only 50 kW is much cheaper. That's the lowest rate.

That won't be the case for the Mach-e though. It'll charge at the high 125+ kW rate, which is a whopping 4x higher than the slow <75 kW rate.

Fortunately in the states that EA is able to switch to per-kWh pricing in the next few years, that massive price gap will go away. Probably means the <75 kW rate will go much higher (and maybe the 125+ rate lower).

 

[timbop]

That won't be the case for the Mach-e though. It'll charge at the high 125+ kW rate, which is a whopping 4x higher than the slow <75 kW rate.

The SR battery has 115kw max charge rate, so it is the middle tier of EA.

Nonetheless, For some reason in Virginia, NC, and SC some of the EA stations are now reduced to 50kw charging. I don't know if it is from the hurricane, but ABRP was the first to report it this way and now plugshare. For example, using plugshare to see the Walmart on north Tryon street in Charlotte NC the description shows as 150kw chargers, but then the section below that shows the plug kinds lists 10 50kw ccs and a 50 kw chademo. The checkins show people complaining about the sudden drop in power, yet they were still being charged to >125kw pricing.:

 

[Billyk24]

The SR battery has 115kw max charge rate, so it is the middle tier of EA.

Nonetheless, For some reason in Virginia, NC, and SC some of the EA stations are now reduced to 50kw charging. I don't know if it is from the hurricane, but ABRP was the first to report it this way and now plugshare. For example, using plugshare to see the Walmart on north Tryon street in Charlotte NC the description shows as 150kw chargers, but then the section below that shows the plug kinds lists 10 50kw ccs and a 50 kw chademo. The checkins show people complaining about the sudden drop in power, yet they were still being charged to >125kw pricing.:

Nice reporting. It is another item that makes one want to wait a little longer before owning a BEV.,

 

[timbop]

Nice reporting. It is another item that makes one want to wait a little longer before owning a BEV.,

Yes, EA is definitely giving me pause with buying and then doing road trips in a Mach E. At first I thought it was a mistake at ABRP and reported it to them, but then I now see plugshare showing the same thing. I found because I wanted to do a road trip with the Mach E next year, and ABRP was suddenly giving me ridiculously long charging times at spots I knew had 150kw chargers.

If Tesla wasn't so sleazy about owning their mistakes I would probably just lease a LR model 3 and be done with it, but the way they are treating customers who obviously have defective cars is nauseating. I don't want to end up returning a car after three years and have them charge me for the paint and other crap that isn't right. It's a shame, because the supercharger network is an awesome asset.

At this point we'll probably just drive the wife's Durango instead of the Mach E because it is much more of a sure thing - which sucks because the only DA technology is plain old cruise control and it only gets 25MPH on the highway.

 

[dbsb3233]

I already resigned myself to the MME being the home vehicle, not the road vehicle (other that one 'challenge' trip). It's probably our last car purchase. If I don't get a BEV now, I'll probably never get one.

I look at it like buying a truck... I'd only use it for certain uses too. I wish it could do more better, but it just doesn't. But I'll still enjoy it for most of the miles we drive.

And EA will get better within a few years. Range will still be low at high speed, but more charger coverage will help some.

 

[JamieGeek]

Yes, EA is definitely giving me pause with buying and then doing road trips in a Mach E. At first I thought it was a mistake at ABRP and reported it to them, but then I now see plugshare showing the same thing. I found because I wanted to do a road trip with the Mach E next year, and ABRP was suddenly giving me ridiculously long charging times at spots I knew had 150kw chargers.

If Tesla wasn't so sleazy about owning their mistakes I would probably just lease a LR model 3 and be done with it, but the way they are treating customers who obviously have defective cars is nauseating. I don't want to end up returning a car after three years and have them charge me for the paint and other crap that isn't right. It's a shame, because the supercharger network is an awesome asset.

At this point we'll probably just drive the wife's Durango instead of the Mach E because it is much more of a sure thing - which sucks because the only DA technology is plain old cruise control and it only gets 25MPH on the highway.

Seems to me that you're making that decision a tad bit early. Its only August and you're talking about a road trip next year? (more than likely spring/summer next year?) Just a few more chargers may go in before that time, EA could get more reliable, tons of things could change between now and then that would affect your decision...

Just say'in.

I'm seeing that thought pattern a lot in here: People with no experience owning an EV and just saying "welp my estimate/calculation/etc. says this isn't doable so I'm just going the throw in the towel". Having had 2 BEV's now and 1 PHEV...wait until you actually have the car in hand and have driven it for a few weeks before you completely give up on the whole BEV thing...sheesh

Off soapbox...again...

 

[Billyk24]

Seems to me that you're making that decision a tad bit early. Its only August and you're talking about a road trip next year? (more than likely spring/summer next year?) Just a few more chargers may go in before that time, EA could get more reliable, tons of things could change between now and then that would affect your decision...

Just say'in.

I'm seeing that thought pattern a lot in here: People with no experience owning an EV and just saying "welp my estimate/calculation/etc. says this isn't doable so I'm just going the throw in the towel". Having had 2 BEV's now and 1 PHEV...wait until you actually have the car in hand and have driven it for a few weeks before you completely give up on the whole BEV thing...sheesh

Off soapbox...again...

a $50,000 purchase for just "local" driving? Wouldn't a cheaper BEV (Bolt?) make more sense or even going with a PHEV which I have had for several years? PHEV means no range anxiety or charger issues.

 

[EVer]

MFortunately in the states that EA is able to switch to per-kWh pricing in the next few years, that massive price gap will go away.

Maybe. They could still add times based charges with higher rates on higher power connections in order to not upset their business model.

 

[dbsb3233]

a $50,000 purchase for just "local" driving? Wouldn't a cheaper BEV (Bolt?) make more sense or even going with a PHEV which I have had for several years? PHEV means no range anxiety or charger issues.

If one is only going to own only one car in the household, then yes, a PHEV would be better if you need it for both home and lengthy road trip driving. But if there's going to be 2 cars in the garage anyway, then one BEV and one ICE is ideal (BEV for local and ICE for road). That's my situation.

80% of our time spent in the vehicle will be around home, not on the road. That's the most important one, not the rare road trips. I don't want a Bolt for 80% of our driving, I want something nicer (like the MME).

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Wouldn't a cheaper BEV (Bolt?) make more sense or even going with a PHEV which I have had for several years?

Sense has nothing to do with this purchase. Stop talking sensibly.

 

[dbsb3233]

Sense has nothing to do with this purchase. Stop talking sensibly.

And if it were just about getting a vehicle that gets them around at the cheapest price, it wouldn't be a $35k Bolt either. It would be a $18k Chevy Sonic or Toyota Yaris or something.

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