Charging Shootout! Ranking the DC Fast Charging Networks

[Illinibird]

Sorry, forgot yours is a Standard Range. That adds almost an hour of charging but still a very practical route.
https://abetterrouteplanner.com/?plan_uuid=c7d5d81e-2f89-4b2e-ac19-ef3b0175fc22

Amusing note: one of the charging stops is the Corvette Museum!

I became a Premium Member (14 day free trial) and entered the correct MME information and added Level 2 chargers as well as DC chargers and the stops are much more frequent and charging time a lot longer. Makes my case for Acura all the more stronger and I still say battery technology and infrastructure isn’t there yet and I hope it will be in my lifetime.

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[ChasingCoral]

One thing I haven't figured out for road trips ... is to be able to tag cities where I'd stop for the night at a hotel. And in those cases... I'd like to prioritize finding accommodations that have an overnight L2 charger rather than a DCFC. But L2 chargers can be a bit tricky ... because many of them have rather low amperage (e.g. 16 amp). I think the 10 hr estimate to completely recharge the car is based on a 48 amp L2 charger.

The best way I can think of is to run a route with ABRP and decide where you want to stop for the night. Then you use Google maps to find hotels with L2 chargers and use that as a waypoint. The other option is to break up the drive into separate ABRP routes.

Hopefully there will be even better options in FordPass but that would be asking a lot.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I became a Premium Member (14 day free trial) and entered the correct MME information and added Level 2 chargers as well as DC chargers and the stops are much more frequent and charging time a lot longer. Makes my case for Acura all the more stronger and I still say battery technology and infrastructure isn’t there yet and I hope it will be in my lifetime.

Perfect. Even so, 5-1/2 hours of charging isn't so bad on that length trip once you account for overnights and meal stops you'd take anyway.

 

[Illinibird]

True, I avoid Exxon/Mobil, Chevron, Marathon, and Valero as much as I can due to their horrible environmental and climate policies -- and that's by oil company standards!

I’m the average Joe when it comes to picking gas stations and brands. I want a well known brand and good restrooms/conveniences. Since I certainly didn’t buy the car for environmental reasons only choice of gas stations isn’t affected by those issues. Don’t get me wrong, I realize the world has to wean itself off of fossil fuels and I wanted to try a car that did that while I’m still around.

 

[Illinibird]

Yes, per the detailed capture below almost every one was a 150kw EA charger at a shopping center (mostly Walmarts). One was an EVGO 40kw DCFC at a Hampton Inn. However, if you have a SR AWD it is a very different case. This is not only due to peak charging 30% lower than the ER battery, but also from a smaller battery with 10% less efficiency. Because of that, the time driving was longer to be able to make chargers at the shorter spacing AND the charge time went up to 7.5 hours. So NO, the SR AWD is not practical for a trip as long as this, IMHO. I DO believe the ER RWD is "just good enough".

Well said. I got what I paid for and that is sufficient for our needs and that's AN EXTENDED RANGE BATTERY! My Acura completes our “stable” and that horse takes us on our long hauls.

 

[Illinibird]

Many of the reviews state that a "con" in their rating of a ChargePoint is the failure of a charge happening on the first attempt. I am asking why? Is it because most of us will be new to EV charging and if so, what will we be doing wrong to cause this failure on the first attempt? Is there a mechanical or procedural reason for this failure on the first attempt?

I agree that we're lucky Ford aligned with EA and it makes me feel that perhaps I would take my MME on a long trip. I still can't get over the length of time it takes to charge, even using a "fast" DC charger. When you fill up with gas it is a relatively quick process and the availability of restrooms and conveniences is usually good. Charging at a DC charger will take a lot longer than a gas fill up and you can't be sure the charging facility will be well lit, out of the weather, in working condition, have clean restrooms, easy to use for a "newbie" and the price is usually not advertised at the charger (I know, many of the smartphone apps have this info but not all). These concerns are a lot less in California and the NE coast but for us midwesterners it is still an issue. These "cons" for me still tilt the scales of taking my ICE Acura on long trips (even though it burns premium) and using the MME solely as my daily drive around home. I just don't think battery technology today is ready for prime time for longer trips (for me anyway).

Nobody has answered the first part of my question and this part is important to me as a “newbie” to all of this! WHY is there so much frustration with charging especially the first times? Aside from the fact that the person is a “newbie” are there other reasons involved like programming the MME to take the charge, etc. I’m worriedI’ll screw this up and even have concerns with using my Level 2 home charger.

 

[timbop]

I became a Premium Member (14 day free trial) and entered the correct MME information and added Level 2 chargers as well as DC chargers and the stops are much more frequent and charging time a lot longer.

Yes, it will. You shouldn't enable L2 unless it can't map a route with DCFC. You can add a specific L2 at a hotel manually as a waypoint. The best way to find those is with plugshare

 

[ChasingCoral]

Nobody has answered the first part of my question and this part is important to me as a “newbie” to all of this! WHY is there so much frustration with charging especially the first times? Aside from the fact that the person is a “newbie” are there other reasons involved like programming the MME to take the charge, etc. I’m worriedI’ll screw this up and even have concerns with using my Level 2 home charger.

Don't worry about your L2.
Option 1. You plug it in and your car charges. Done.
Option 2. you have set up time of day charging. You plug it in and your car charges when the scheduled time comes. Done.

Even DCFC isn't that hard but you have to follow the instructions on the charger. The problem is that some companies you use your credit card. Others you have to have an RFID card. Others use an app and may or may not require that you have an account set up already. Some chargers, usually L2s at company campuses, universities, apartment/condo complexes may be private and only allow you to charge if you are part of that local group.

The great thing is that ABRP normally won't compute non-public chargers into a route and I'll bet the same is true for FordPass. You can find them using in-car apps or PlugShare but they will usually be listed as private.

 

[Illinibird]

Don't worry about your L2.
Option 1. You plug it in and your car charges. Done.
Option 2. you have set up time of day charging. You plug it in and your car charges when the scheduled time comes. Done.

Even DCFC isn't that hard but you have to follow the instructions on the charger. The problem is that some companies you use your credit card. Others you have to have an RFID card. Others use an app and may or may not require that you have an account set up already. Some chargers, usually L2s at company campuses, universities, apartment/condo complexes may be private and only allow you to charge if you are part of that local group.

The great thing is that ABRP normally won't compute non-public chargers into a route and I'll bet the same is true for FordPass. You can find them using in-car apps or PlugShare but they will usually be listed as private.

THANK YOU!

 

[JamieGeek]

Well said; thank you. You pretty much nailed us right on the head! If I had my way, however, we’d fly down there and avoid all this entirely! My wife is deathly afraid of flying and with Covid car travel remains our mode to my daughter’s family.

Ok I'm going to go the complete opposite way here with this comment.....

Sounds like you guys could use an RV

Even a small class B. Then you don't even need a hotel (of course good luck finding one as RV's are as hot a commodity these days as the Mach-E is! LOL).

Ours is a tad bit bigger than a B. So far we've put 20k miles on it in the 6 years we've had it. From here in Southeastern Michigan its been all over the East coast and as far West as Kansas city with further Western excursions coming in 2021 (if all goes well of course).

Sadly, however, RV'ing and the Mach-E won't mix too well since the Mach-E isn't towable (at all!).

The Bolt, on the other hand, is dolly towable. Thus it can be dragged all over the place (and charged up at the campground).

 

[ChasingCoral]

Ok I'm going to go the complete opposite way here with this comment.....

Sounds like you guys could use an RV

Even a small class B. Then you don't even need a hotel (of course good luck finding one as RV's are as hot a commodity these days as the Mach-E is! LOL).

Ours is a tad bit bigger than a B. So far we've put 20k miles on it in the 6 years we've had it. From here in Southeastern Michigan its been all over the East coast and as far West as Kansas city with further Western excursions coming in 2021 (if all goes well of course).

Sadly, however, RV'ing and the Mach-E won't mix too well since the Mach-E isn't towable (at all!).

The Bolt, on the other hand, is dolly towable. Thus it can be dragged all over the place (and charged up at the campground).

To be fair, the Mach E is towable with a flatbed trailer but most RVs don't have that sort of tow capability and it makes for a huge rig.

I wouldn't choose the Mach E as a vehicle to tow behind an RV.

 

[JamieGeek]

To be fair, the Mach E is towable with a flatbed trailer but most RVs don't have that sort of tow capability and it makes for a huge rig.

I wouldn't choose the Mach E as a vehicle to tow behind an RV.

Nope but I was hoping...just a little LOL.

We have an Escape FWD for that.

Got spoiled with the Bolt (and C-Max before that) being able to charge at campgrounds...oh well

 

[ChasingCoral]

Nope but I was hoping...just a little LOL.

We have an Escape FWD for that.

Got spoiled with the Bolt (and C-Max before that) being able to charge at campgrounds...oh well

Replace the Escape with the Mach E and keep the Bolt for trailering?

 

[JamieGeek]

Replace the Escape with the Mach E and keep the Bolt for trailering?

Bolt is a lease and the Escape is my wifes...so...no LOL.

 

[generaltso]

also from a smaller battery with 10% less efficiency.

The smaller battery is less efficient?

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