sotek2345
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Tom
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2021
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 921
- Reaction score
- 1,322
- Location
- Upstate NY
- Vehicles
- 2021 Mach-e GT, 2017 Raptor, Lightning (9/5 Build)
- Occupation
- Engineering Manager
Thanks, I appreciate the tips. That is a good solution.Personally, I research any road trip route extensively at home first to know where all the charges are that I plan to use, and any alternates for backup. I don't just get in the car and go without knowing I can get a route to work. There's still many routes that just aren't covered well yet. When it isn't, I'll take our Escape instead if I need to. I won't take a BEV on a road trip unless I'm fairly confident in the charging route.
I don't use the Ford nav. I'm a Google Maps guy. I use it heavily at home and on my phone. So I use it in the car too (Android Auto). I bookmark my planned chargers ahead of time. But I usually remember them all anyway after researching first. I just have AA navigate from leg to leg ("Hey Google, navigate to Green River Utah Electrify America").
I've done 3 road trips through CO/UT/NV/CA. Done 40+ DCFC charges. EA is far and away the preferred charging choice for it's consistency and dependability. Hasn't been perfect, but I've never left a station without getting a charge. 2 were slowed (41 kW), and maybe a quarter had glitches getting the session started (various issues with phone connectivity, the EA app, specific chargers at the station, etc). Annoyances to plow through. But 75% of my EA sessions were problem-free. And none of them ever failed once I got the session going past the first minute.
I've used a few ChargePoint DCFCs too with success, but they were newer chargers (the old Efacec machines are reportedly incompatibale, so I always check Plugshare first to make sure it's not those).
I know the goal for the industry is to be able to "just get in the car and go" like an ICE car can. We're not there yet, but it gets closer every year. That will take lots of DCFC station redundancy like we have with gas stations. That rarely exists yet.
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