Electric Vehicles facing Safety Concerns

[DennisD]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business...ge-electric-vehicles-how-to-make-that-happen/

After reading the above article, does anyone out there have concerns on the locations of charging stations?

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[RickMachE]

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...concerned-for-their-safety.12291/#post-300406

 

[Electric Goat]

Yes, this is why government needs to get involved to come up with public charging guidelines. Otherwise, we'll only continue getting more of what we have.

 

[Sureshot125]

I think it’s a really legitimate complaint.

Realistically, gas stations don’t just represent a place to get liquid fuel, they also represent a very carefully and exhaustively-designed, controlled environment where surveillance+equipment+layout are all very specifically controlled.

With the advent of charging stations, all those guidelines and control mechanisms go out the window, not the least of which is having a safe well-lit and monitored environment.

Frankly, a lot of what these petroleum companies offer is not just access to the fuel, but a very carefully-designed formula for having a mechanized environment in which to dispense fuel safely and reliably.

If we can’t get those same sorts of standards understood in an open-source way, then we are quickly going to see the control of that distribution network fall back under the private entity that best-knows how to offer the reliability and peace of mind, thereby giving all of the power and control back to the exact entities that led to these problems in the first place.

 

[SnBGC]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business...ge-electric-vehicles-how-to-make-that-happen/

After reading the above article, does anyone out there have concerns on the locations of charging stations?

This is a valid concern. My wife went to see her family yesterday and needed to DCFC on the return trip. That facility is in back of an outlets mall that was closed for the holiday. They even blocked the entrance.

She had to charge though, so she moved the cones and drove back to the machines. There were workers in front of the mall repainting the parking stripes on the asphalt but no work around back.

She said she didn't feel safe but luckily my kids were with her. And another EV driver showed up and said they were glad she arrived. They were coming from the other direction and were parked near the entrance in a panic trying to find the next DCFC station on the map. Then they saw my wife move the cones and go back in there so they followed.

A situation like that really shouldn't ever happen. Drivers need reliable, accessible and safe charging stations if EVs are going to completely replace ICE vehicles.

My wife says that if she ever has to make that trip again during the evening then she is taking her PHEV instead. She loved driving the Mach-E though.....but daytime trips only for her. I can't say I blame her actually....

On the bright side. The screen said 114kW charge rate! Last time I was at that very same facility, best I could get was 13 kW.

 

[ARK]

I think there is no perfect/easy solution to this for the time being. I think as EVs get much faster at charging over the next several years, it will become less of a concern.

I will say though even with gas stations, I know some of the older adults in my extended family will avoid getting gas at night if they can avoid it simply because it feels less safe, so it’s not that it’s a non-issue with ICEs, just less of an issue compared to EVs.

 

[Caramel]

When my husband and I drove from phoenix to Denver last week, there was one charging location in particular that didn't feel especially safe to me. More lighting would have been a huge improvement. I was glad I wasn't alone (I'm a woman.) While there have definitely been gas stations where I've felt nervous filling up on my own, at least there's an attendant somewhere near by.

 

[AZBill]

This is a valid concern. My wife went to see her family yesterday and needed to DCFC on the return trip. That facility is in back of an outlets mall that was closed for the holiday. They even blocked the entrance.

She had to charge though, so she moved the cones and drove back to the machines. There were workers in front of the mall repainting the parking stripes on the asphalt but no work around back.

She said she didn't feel safe but luckily my kids were with her. And another EV driver showed up and said they were glad she arrived. They were coming from the other direction and were parked near the entrance in a panic trying to find the next DCFC station on the map. Then they saw my wife move the cones and go back in there so they followed.

A situation like that really shouldn't ever happen. Drivers need reliable, accessible and safe charging stations if EVs are going to completely replace ICE vehicles.

My wife says that if she ever has to make that trip again during the evening then she is taking her PHEV instead. She loved driving the Mach-E though.....but daytime trips only for her. I can't say I blame her actually....

On the bright side. The screen said 114kW charge rate! Last time I was at that very same facility, best I could get was 13 kW.

Used those chargers last time I went to Tucson in my Bolt. I remember that trip well, had a 30mph headwind and was driving at 75mph.

 

[HuntingPudel]

All I can say is that it's a good thing there's almost always a dog in my car. ??

 

[Jimct]

The best answer is for states to install/lease charging stations at every highway service area. They're well lit, open 24/7 and offer restaurants and coffee shops. Who doesn't use interstate highways for long trips? Hopefully it happens soon.

 

[dtbaker61]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business...ge-electric-vehicles-how-to-make-that-happen/

After reading the above article, does anyone out there have concerns on the locations of charging stations?

I don't see how this is a 'major' concern.....
a. highway-side fast chargers tend to be in well-lit rest areas from what I've seen
b. how many people actually want to use a 'slow' charger behind a retail shop in the middle of the night?
c. I'd suggest that NEW fast charge stations may well be installed at existing fuels stops, gas stations, etc once they have the volume to support... especially stops with nearby 24-hr food.

 

[TruWrecks]

This is more anti-EV BS.

There is plenty of room and facilities at many of the retail fuel stations that I have seen all over the USA. There is no reason not to install 4 to 8 DCFC charger stalls at everyone of those retail locations. They have ample lighting at most and food and toilet facilities at most.

The only thing stopping most of them is greed and oil subsidies.

This is much like when the horse and buggy were first introduced. People did not trust them because they could panic and run over people without notice. Same push-back when electric and gas buggies were new. Nobody would adopt the newer technology because it did have 100 years of proof and safety testing.

Bring on more anti-EV excuses!

I would rather not breath in toxic fumes when I drive, from my car or anyone else's. Our lungs are not designed to filter out that crap and it will kill you with enough exposure.

If all EV's were powered by a coal plant it is still locally cleaner than millions of rolling carbon-monoxide generators we have currently in every major city!

 

[kennethjk]

I don’t think this article is BS. I have seen quite a few EV areas that look run down, poorly lit and some units that are run down themselves.

I might be willing to give some of them a go but my wife will not nor would I want her to feel unsafe.

yes there are some gas stations that look dicey but there are tons of them around, a lot of choices and you can almost always find a cleaner or more well lit option. people do have to be aware of their surroundings and just don’t have as many choices When having an EV.

just a fact. Hopefully time will improve all of this

 

[dml105]

So to be clear…

we are talking about sketchy public charging stations, not “Electric vehicle safety concerns,” right?

 

[ManInBlack]

I just want them covered, at the very least. I had to try charging at an EV go station in NJ the first weekend I had the car. It was pouring and there was a bug with the MME and EVGO. I essentially was standing in the pouring rain trying to get enough charge to get home trying all the chargers on a cold May evening. It was horrible. On the bright side it was at a mall, well lit next to a hopping super charging station..

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