Free Charging Sucks! Article: Here's Why Free Electric Car Charging Should be Banned

[4sallypat]

Why can't the free DC charging stop when the vehicle reaches 80%? Seems like that would solve a lot of issues.

Because people like me go to 90% at DCFC.

100% when I am on a road trip.

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[Logal727]

I think 250kwh is a good number just to get you to know how to use Plug and Charge and how to DCFC for first timers

 

[kltye]

Another part of this conversation has to do with BEVs paying their fair share of the highway taxes. This issue has been discussed before. There should be no free rides, and no group should benefit while another pays. I charge at home almost exclusively, and it isn't right that I pay little into the maintenance of the highways I use. Here in NY where cars are inspected yearly, it would be simple to do a milage calculation for tax assessment. If more ICE drivers, especially those in big vehicles understood BEVs don't pay the same taxes as they do there would be more ressentiment generated.

Here in IL they actually charge us way more than our fair share of taxes for our registration. I guess they think it's fine to fleece EV owners because we're all rich or something .

And yes, nothing rich people like better than free stuff . It's almost a rounding error to charge at home in most places, unless you're driving the full range of your car most days. Even so, I'm not staying past 80%, lol.

 

[GuliblGuy]

One thing BMW got right was their incentive included unlimited free 30min sessions for 2 years. This prevents people from sitting at a charger for 1.5hrs to get to 100% while they trickle charge the last 10%

You can just unplug after 30 min and plug right back in, it doesn't solve anything.

 

[Chicago-E]

You can just unplug after 30 min and plug right back in, it doesn't solve anything.

Apparanetly that does work sometimes but not every time. The terms of use say it's supposed to be at least 1hr between sessions.

 

[Pioneer74]

Because people like me go to 90% at DCFC.

100% when I am on a road trip.

Ok. So you'd have to pay for the last 10%. But the people using the free charging, while living local and not charging at home, would unplug and leave.

 

[dmastro]

Is there fact in the form of a study to back up what the article claims is happening, or is it just the author's assumption?

 

[4sallypat]

Ok. So you'd have to pay for the last 10%. But the people using the free charging, while living local and not charging at home, would unplug and leave.

Yup, I figured if I am paying to charge and the chargers are not conveniently located where I live, then yes 90% is what charge to.

The last 10% is slower but since I am paying by the kWh dispensed at $0.59 per kWh -at EVGo.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I find generally agree with Mr Moloughney on many things. This is no exception. Seems like my kinda guy.

 

[RedStallion]

The only fast chargers I'm interested in are those located along the interstate. It's not a problem with those, nobody drives for an hour to the middle of nowhere just to make use of their free charging.

 

[SWO]

One thing BMW got right was their incentive included unlimited free 30min sessions for 2 years. This prevents people from sitting at a charger for 1.5hrs to get to 100% while they trickle charge the last 10%

People just unplug at 29m. The 30min session thing isn't stopping anyone.

 

[SWO]

Apparanetly that does work sometimes but not every time. The terms of use say it's supposed to be at least 1hr between sessions.

EA has no way to enforce it.

 

[Burnsy8787]

I can see his point here. IMHO this is not a free charging issue as it is more of an entitlement issue with some people who ruin a good thing for all. I like the free Kwhs that Ford offers because for a new EV owner it has given me a low hassle way of learning how to take road trips. I charge at home exclusively unless I am traveling then I try to be aware of others and not hog the charger or leave my car parked there overnight etc.

I do like the GM model where you have an option to take advantage of another option like credit towards a home installation.

Yup. It's really just a shitty person problem. Shitty people will always take advantage of things like this and it's really hard to avoid.

This problem exists even more so at places that have free charging for all, whether it be a supermarket or a mall. You have people that drop their car off and leave it there for the entire day/night to charge up.

There is an Amazon fresh I will occasionally charge at because it has a fast charger that is free for 30 minutes. Every single time I go there, the same tesla is parked at one of the charging stations. I looked at plugshare and someone even posted about these people. They drop their tesla off every day at 4:30 and pick it up later at night.

Stuff like this really is just embarrassing for EV drivers and it is going to start discouraging places from putting these stations in.

 

[Chicago-E]

EA has no way to enforce it.

maybe now that BMW have to use the BMW app to charge that will change? the put a $20 on you cc every time you charge, so maybe if its within that hour people will start to get billed. TBD

 

[buzznwood]

The only fast chargers I'm interested in are those located along the interstate. It's not a problem with those, nobody drives for an hour to the middle of nowhere just to make use of their free charging.

Agree with this, but the problem is that on a lot of routes there is a lack of these chargers as they get located at Walmart's which are local to people.

If someone offers you 3 years of free charging and if the choice is camp at charger and take up some time in your day vs overnight at home to save some coin I don't blame them hogging the chargers as in reality it is not really free charging as the cost has be pushed into the MSRP.

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