Charging On the Road

[R/L]

New to EV and Mach-E owner 4 weeks yesterday. Drinking from a fire hose!!

My wife is going on a solo trip in two days. We've only charged at home and at our local Ford dealer.

She can make it no problem to our daughter's house (120 miles), but will need to charge to head home. I'm the tech half, she's not.

Please confirm or correct my current understanding of using Tesla Superchargers. Tesla is part of the BlueCharge network, so plug and charge should work? Correct?

If plug and charge does not work, she would need the Tesla app on her phone set up? You don't need to own a Tesla to use the app?

I'm of the understanding that there are also fast charging options in the Lansing, Michigan area. Will she need an app for that or can she just swipe a credit card to charge?

Thanks,

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[cyeung]

Yes, Tesla chargers are part of the BlueOval charge network. If plug and charge does not work, she can start a charge session using the Ford app. You can also use the Tesla app, no Tesla vehicle required.

Since you are the tech half, I would highly suggest you and your wife hit up a nearby Tesla charging station for a dry run before she embarks on the trip. Do it as soon as you read this reply!

 

[rhougey]

New to EV and Mach-E owner 4 weeks yesterday. Drinking from a fire hose!!

My wife is going on a solo trip in two days. We've only charged at home and at our local Ford dealer.

She can make it no problem to our daughter's house (120 miles), but will need to charge to head home. I'm the tech half, she's not.

Please confirm or correct my current understanding of using Tesla Superchargers. Tesla is part of the BlueCharge network, so plug and charge should work? Correct?

If plug and charge does not work, she would need the Tesla app on her phone set up? You don't need to own a Tesla to use the app?

I'm of the understanding that there are also fast charging options in the Lansing, Michigan area. Will she need an app for that or can she just swipe a credit card to charge?

Thanks,

Depending on how long she will be at your daughters house, she could potentially just charge at the house while she’s there if you have the mobile EVSE. If she’s charges at 120 volts, it will be slow, but entirely doable if she’s there long enough. She could reimburse your daughter for the electricity used, and it would be less stressful for her and cheaper than DC Fast Charging. 120 miles charge would take somewhere in the neighborhood of 33-38 hours, and she may not need to leave with the battery at 100%.

 

[tbrumleve]

Yes, compatible Tesla Superchargers will use plug and charge. If you don’t want to use that, you’ll need the Tesla app. Anyone can sign up on the app.

As far as the other fast chargers, if they’re not Electrify America, you’ll need an app. Most fast chargers don’t have a swipe to pay option, though it’s becoming more standard on newer systems. Best to use the PlugShare app to see what the charging and payment options, and number of stalls available.

 

[AliRafiee]

You should take her and try things out before she leaves.

 

[silverelan]

You should take her and try things out before she leaves.

^ what this guy says!

 

[RickMachE]

Open PlugShare.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

With an extended range and 120 mile one-way distance, I wouldn’t even worry about DCFC. I’d simply plug in the Level 1 or Level 2 charger when I got to my destination. Even if I couldn’t charge, I’d feel comfortable driving the Mustang around 50 or more miles while visiting and still be able to get home just fine.

If that’s not comfortable, then yeah, make sure you set up a credit card on your Ford account for the car to charge at BlueOval network chargers and set up the relevant apps as backup.

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

Bob,
I guess it comes down to how much you like your wife!!! If she's a pain in a** then just flip her the key fob and tell her "good luck" and then enjoy watching sports or Star Wars reruns all weekend while she's gone. You might want to temporarily block her on the cell phone so you don't have to deal with the annoying call about, "how does this charger thing work again" or " how long do I have to sit here while it charges". Make sure your local Pizza Joint delivers to the house; so, you don't even have to get out of the barka lounger all weekend. ENJOY!!!

Now, if she's not a pain in the a**; then please consider a few things.
1. Make sure Plug and Charge is "Enabled" on the FP App
2. Take her on a dry run to your local Tesla or EA DCFC and let her see how it works 1st.
3. Find the charger you want her to go to either near her destination or on the way back using PlugShare App or website before she leaves. (If she really has to charge to make it home)
4. Help her set up Apple Maps or equivalent if you're one of those "weird" Android users, as you can put in the DCFC as stops on her trip. I figured that out on my last trip and it was pretty darn nice instead of having to input a new destination at every stop.

Either way enjoy.......

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

240 miles on an extended range should be doable on a 100% charge, unless the entire trip is highway at speeds over 75 mph. Even then, it is probably doable, but range anxiety will likely kick in. If the way there is uphill, she might use more than 50% of the battery, but it will even out on the way home. My in-laws live 120 miles away, with a mix of 65 mph and 70 mph speed limits, and I can get there and back with > 20% charge (as long as temps are above 50F or so).

I suggest plugging the trip into A Better Route Planner. Enter the information about make and model, and tell it to start with a 100% charge. You can start with a one-way trip to see arrival charge level, and then add the return trip. ABRP will even show you recommended compatible charging stops with estimated charging costs.

A 110V outlet will add about 3 miles of range per hour. If she's going to be there for several hours, she could always plug in there. She probably won't *need* to, but adding a few miles of bonus range can ease the range the anxiety, which is a real thing, especially for new drivers. The very last thing you want is for her to get stuck on her first long trip with an EV.

 

[Charge_Rob]

I'd really recommend checking out https://go.ford/evroadtrip - we've put together a single link for all the road tripping tips and tools you'll need.

With your BlueOval Charge Network account you've got Plug & Charge access to 6* networks (Electrify America, Tesla, IONNA, Ford Charge, EVolve NY, and 400kW chargers on bp pulse) and you can always use the Ford app to charge at 22 networks - over 90% of all fast chargers you encounter in the US and Canada you can just use the Ford app to pay.

 

[R/L]

Depending on how long she will be at your daughters house, she could potentially just charge at the house while she’s there if you have the mobile EVSE. If she’s charges at 120 volts, it will be slow, but entirely doable if she’s there long enough. She could reimburse your daughter for the electricity used, and it would be less stressful for her and cheaper than DC Fast Charging. 120 miles charge would take somewhere in the neighborhood of 33-38 hours, and she may not need to leave with the battery at 100%.

I did think about that and it is easy to throw that in. She probably won't drive any while there.

I hope this is a learning experience also. But, she also gets overwhelmed easily. I'll be just a phone call away and my daughter has friends with EV's that she could contact as well.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Yes, Tesla chargers are part of the BlueOval charge network. If plug and charge does not work, she can start a charge session using the Ford app. You can also use the Tesla app, no Tesla vehicle required.

Since you are the tech half, I would highly suggest you and your wife hit up a nearby Tesla charging station for a dry run before she embarks on the trip. Do it as soon as you read this reply!

I totally agree that you should do a test DCFC run before the trip. And if you want her to use a Tesla Supercharger, you must have a compatible adapter.

 

[Buddy]

I haven't seen Costco mentioned re: charging. Costco opened a new warehouse in our town last fall, and they have a huge gas island and also numerous EV fast chargers that have cables for both Tesla and non-Tesla's. It might be worth looking at their web site and see if the warehouse where she is going have E.V. chargers.
I've only used it once when I was familiarizing myself on using fast chargers and as I recall you scan your Costco card and credit card, plug in and your good to go.
One other thing I would mention is to make sure she knows how to disconnect from the charger using the app or the icon on the dash or by pushing the center button at the charging port.

 

[kentkt]

What JohnFoxeSheets said- ADAPTER for Tesla chargers!

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