More Electrify America EV chargers are coming, this time at TA rest stops

[Logal727]

Let's keep 'em coming!

https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/...erica-travelcenters-petro-ev-dc-fast-chargers

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[AhardFSU]

When I read that article, I was like this is good…..I guess, but depending on EA as your maintenance team, which Travel America is doing, is something.

I could be wrong and I have no insight into EA’s thinking, but my opinion is it feels like EA cares just a tiny little bit about maintaining quality dispensers.

I just want EA, EvGo and the other chargepoint operators not named Telsa to focus on creating a really good charging experience instead of just putting in as many dispensers as they can. Right now, the CCS charging experience needs work.

 

[Logal727]

When I read that article, I was like this is good…..I guess, but depending on EA as your maintenance team, which Travel America is doing, is something.

I could be wrong and I have no insight into EA’s thinking, but my opinion is it feels like EA cares just a tiny little bit about maintaining quality dispensers.

I didn't know they had a commercial B2B unit, so I'm guessing those may get more attention or they will be ramping that up since they will be making money on it

 

[AhardFSU]

I didn't know they had a commercial B2B unit, so I'm guessing those may get more attention or they will be ramping that up since they will be making money on it

You maybe right. We’ll have to see how this works out, but I’m skeptical until EA shows us differently.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

When I read that article, I was like this is good…..I guess, but depending on EA as your maintenance team, which Travel America is doing, is something.

I could be wrong and I have no insight into EA’s thinking, but my opinion is it feels like EA cares just a tiny little bit about maintaining quality dispensers.

I just want EA, EvGo and the other chargepoint operators not named Telsa to focus on creating a really good charging experience instead of just putting in as many dispensers as they can. Right now, the CCS charging experience needs work.

At least Evgo has made some media noise about being all over the quality of its chargers. The intentions are great but I worry about finding enough skilled workers to cover the plan.

 

[AllenXS]

Good they have food there, although not sure if fast food is quite the benefit

 

[The Black Horse]

As of right now, in my opinion, EA is the best and most reliable network out there (not named Tesla) so this is a win.

At this point, if out of town, I don't rely on any other chargers.

 

[buzznwood]

I will file this under wait and see as It would also be nice if they would actually finished what they started in a reasonable time frame before thinking abut adding even more to the coming soon list.

Take the EA station at Primm on the i15 it is in a very useful location. The charger stations are in place and have been for coming up on a year yet still no activation date in sight. By the time they get around to getting a transformer hooked up to them the units will be out of date and need replacing.

I am all for expansion but if it takes them years to bring a station online we will have 800 mile range EVs before they finish at this rate so will have little use for them.

 

[Blue highway]

+ more chargers is better
+ someone nearby to complaint to if it's broken
- the plan is over 5 years...

 

[Cowboy Ron]

EA cannot maintain the charging stations they have now. I made a Detroit to Laramie run in the fall and I will never do that again. 40-60% of the EA chargers were out of order over the entire route. Central to western Nebraska on I-80 was a real nail bitter if a, the units worked, b, if they would charge anywhere near 100kw, and c, how long was the line to use the working charger(s). It must be a labor and/or parts problem as no company can be that poorly run.

 

[AhardFSU]

+ more chargers is better
+ someone nearby to complaint to if it's broken
- the plan is over 5 years...

Yes the upside is that you’ll be able to complain to someone on site. The downside could be that EA’s response time is similar to their current response time. Again, I think we are past the point of giving them the benefit of the doubt. It’s show and tell time and they need they need to show.

 

[AhardFSU]

EA cannot maintain the charging stations they have now. I made a Detroit to Laramie run in the fall and I will never do that again. 40-60% of the EA chargers were out of order over the entire route. Central to western Nebraska on I-80 was a real nail bitter if a, the units worked, b, if they would charge anywhere near 100kw, and c, how long was the line to use the working charger(s). It must be a labor and/or parts problem as no company can be that poorly run.

That’s the thing….we’re seeing longer lines at the EA stations. I experienced it for the 1st in Dec at the EA station here in Tampa. Reading Plugshare, that same EA station had lines last week.

I believe that they depend on contractors to handle maintenance. But we don’t know EA’s maintenance standards. EvGo in a blog post from a couple of months ago lays out their maintenance response time standards for their Renewal program.

 

[Logal727]

That’s the thing….we’re seeing longer lines at the EA stations. I experienced it for the 1st in Dec at the EA station here in Tampa. Reading Plugshare, that same EA station had lines last week.

I believe that they depend on contractors to handle maintenance. But we don’t know EA’s maintenance standards. EvGo in a blog post from a couple of months ago lays out their maintenance response time standards for their Renewal program.

I ran into my first EVGo issue a month or so ago at the chargers at Volusia Mall, it was crowded and only a couple chargers were working correctly. Also a Bolt EUV decided to hog the 350kw charger to charge to 100%. ugh.

 

[AhardFSU]

I ran into my first EVGo issue a month or so ago at the chargers at Volusia Mall, it was crowded and only a couple chargers were working correctly. Also a Bolt EUV decided to hog the 350kw charger to charge to 100%. ugh.

I also run into the Bolts quite often when I’m charging, but I’ve never seen them go to 100%. I was waiting in line for a charger in Dec at the Jacksonville EA, and BMW i3 pulls up. The lady in the i3 said that she typically charges to 100%. I also saw a ID4 and Lucid Air owner charging to 100% at the EA station here in Tampa in Dec. Kind of crazy to do that.

Regarding EvGo, what’s crazy is that the brand new station they opened in Brandon a couple of weeks ago, is already having dispenser issues. I was going to go there to tryout the dispensers, and I may still do that, but the comments of Plugshare are something.

 

[Logal727]

I also run into the Bolts quite often when I’m charging, but I’ve never seen them go to 100%. I was waiting in line for a charger in Dec at the Jacksonville EA, and BMW i3 pulls up. The lady in the i3 said that she typically charges to 100%. I also saw a ID4 and Lucid Air owner charging to 100% at the EA station here in Tampa in Dec. Kind of crazy to do that.

Regarding EvGo, what’s crazy is that the brand new station they opened in Brandon a couple of weeks ago, is already having dispenser issues. I was going to go there to tryout the dispensers, and I may still do that, but the comments of Plugshare are something.

Oh interesting, I'm gonna go check that one out on Plugshare now. Also I just wanna say that Brandon Town Center is a crazy mall. I can't believe how many stores that have gone out of business elsewhere are still thriving at that mall. It was like a Time Machine, haha

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