DCFC in America - it’s falling apart

[kennethjk]

This is definitely a popcorn worthy debate. Don't stop now guys!

Got to agree.

people ask what do you do with your time now that you’re retired.

I tell them, I joined a car forum and busier now than I ever used to be.

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[mkhuffman]

Got to agree.

people ask what do you do with your time now that you’re retired.

I tell them, I joined a car forum and busier now than I ever used to be.

I kicked Facebook to the curb so this is my replacement. And somehow, it has taken about as much time as Facebook did. But it is much less stressful for me to post about cars instead of politics, so it is all good.

 

[kennethjk]

I kicked Facebook to the curb so this is my replacement. And somehow, it has taken about as much time as Facebook did. But it is much less stressful for me to post about cars instead of politics, so it is all good.

I don’t have a Facebook account, never had and never will.

but boy this forum is great. Much better than the Macan forum I joined 7 years ago.

electrification has added a whole world of other things to talk about

 

[timbop]

Instead of paying more for electrons I would gladly pay a tow company to haul your car away from the charge station.

The only thing we are deserving of is respect and courtesy. For the 1% who can't figure out that limited resources should be prioritized for those who NEED it are deserving of a tow. Same applies to handicap spots. They aren't there for the privileged or lazy, they are there for those who need it.

Wow. So if my electric car is plugged in and charging, you have the right to have it towed based on your estimation of my need to charge relative to yours?

Once again, your analogy is off the mark regarding the handicapped spots. The people using the chargers are in fact USING the chargers. If they had parked an ICE there or a BEV not charging, then yes your analogy holds and absolutely towing them is appropriate. But it doesn't; the people you are bitching about using the chargers are in fact USING the chargers. Essentially you're asserting that you deserve the handicapped spot more than the handicapped person that parked there before you. Bad news: you don't deserve access to anything any more than anyone else.

As stated before: as a matter of courtesy those plugging in to top off shouldn't take the last spot. That doesn't mean the rest of the world needs to always reserve a spot just for you, especially when it means doing so DECREASES the charging company's revenues because you MIGHT be there at some time.

I'm done wasting my time with you.

 

[dbsb3233]

Suit yourself. It's for all networks. ChargePoint is much worse.

So far I've found the ChargePoint DCFC's I've used to be the most dependable. More dependable than EA units. CO and UT use the CP125's for most of their state-sponsored DCFC and they've been 100% first-time success for me in probably a dozen charges. But it takes more advance research to plan for them on a trip (Plugshare) because the pricing and power and # of units can be all over the map. That's what's great about EA - you know exactly what the price will be, that all will be 150kw+, and that all stations have at least 4 chargers.

All this just shows how wildly this varies from station to station, and region to region.

 

[RickMachE]

So far I've found the ChargePoint DCFC's I've used to be the most dependable. More dependable than EA units. CO and UT use the CP125's for most of their state-sponsored DCFC and they've been 100% first-time success for me in probably a dozen charges. But it takes more advance research to plan for them on a trip (Plugshare) because the pricing and power and # of units can be all over the map. That's what's great about EA - you know exactly what the price will be, that all will be 150kw+, and that all stations have at least 4 chargers.

All this just shows how wildly this varies from station to station, and region to region.

Wildly varies is spot on.

 

[RickMachE]

When we were at the Erie, PA location in Fall of 2021, a tech said that many of the EA chargers he serviced had 3G modems...

It is quite humorous to see people accept that some industries can have parts and people shortages while others that can't, and that it directly correlates to how much they are inconvenienced.

 

[Hoovertac]

We’re in a limbo zone. Not enough of a critical mass that would inspire companies to build modern charging stations like Germany has.

Until that happens we’re stuck with this 2nd world patchwork.

 

[DevSecOps]

when it means doing so DECREASES the charging company's revenues because you MIGHT be there at some time.

Hahahah. So now you are arguing for big, bad, polluting companies, like VW, to make more profit over people being polite and respectful. I gotta bookmark this. You must be flustered if you're going against your extremist beliefs.

I'm done wasting my time with you.

- but I was just getting started.

 

[Logal727]

Hahahah. So now you are arguing for big, bad, polluting companies, like VW, to make more profit over people being polite and respectful. I gotta bookmark this. You must be flustered if you're going against your extremist beliefs.



- but I was just getting started.

Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty!

 

[DevSecOps]

Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty!

But my nails are longer

 

[mkhuffman]

I'm done wasting my time with you.

Please don't stop wasting your time with Todd!

 

[SnBGC]

Suit yourself. It's for all networks. ChargePoint is much worse.

Agreed. All networks are pretty bad. EA is probably the best of the lot. Which is pretty darn sad.

 

[RickMachE]

Of course it's their right. It's just bad for the overall picture since DCFC is so expensive and limited.

It hasn't become too much of a problem for CCS yet, but it likely will with stations filling up soon as way more vehicles hit the roads in the coming months.

Tesla went thru this same issue. They had unlimited free DCFC on their early models, which they got away with when there were few cars on the road. But then more and more hit the roads, and stations started filling up with wait lines. The realized they need to end unlimited free DCFC, and gradually shrink all free allotments because it caused the counterproductive behavior.

So everyone agrees that those that get years of free charging with their vehicles can plug in anytime they want to. Except for Todd. He feels that because a person is on a trip, their need is greater and therefore the local should simply unplug and move on. And he apparently feels that this can be accomplished through correct behavior and decorum.

He also seems to think that despite having a handicap plate/sticker, if a person doesn't visually appear to be handicapped they shouldn't use it? I think we can all agree that if you don't have a permit or plate, you can't park there period. But we have no ability to judge Fred's non-visual handicap (weak heart?) over Mary's visual handicap (needs a wheelchair).

I am sure that we will all come across a full location at some point, and then be Googling furiously to see which car got free years of charging, and then trying to see what percentage they are at, and saying to them, "Excuse me, I'm on my way to Grandma's house, so since you're obviously local and just filling up because it's free, would you mind moving on so I can get my charging done"?

#BizaroWorld

 

[Logal727]

Agreed. All networks are pretty bad. EA is probably the best of the lot. Which is pretty darn sad.

I personally haven't had issues with EA, but I'm not blind and seeing it is very region dependent. They really need to get on top of it or we're all gonna be at Elon's chargers.

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