The truth about Electrify America's progress and Traveling with the Mach E

[dbsb3233]

It's almost like the difference between driving and flying. Driving (ICE) is more of a "just get in the car and go" thing. You didn't have to pre-plan the route and the refuels, worry about detours, etc. Gas stations are virtually everywhere and take just a couple of minutes to refuel, so refueling is a virtual non-issue.

But in a BEV it's almost the equivalent of "filing a flight plan" (if it's a lengthy trip). Need to pre-plan the route to make sure there's sufficient chargers of sufficient power (with backup options), and adjust for weight and temperature and speed. And unplanned detours require new route planning to make sure it can actually be done, and done safely. And the refueling is almost like an airplane "layover" due to the significantly longer time it takes.

Still usually possible, but it just takes longer and requires far more careful planning.

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[Paulalex01]

It's almost like the difference between driving and flying. Driving (ICE) is more of a "just get in the car and go" thing. You didn't have to pre-plan the route and the refuels, worry about detours, etc. Gas stations are virtually everywhere and take just a couple of minutes to refuel, so refueling is a virtual non-issue.

But in a BEV it's almost the equivalent of "filing a flight plan" (if it's a lengthy trip). Need to pre-plan the route to make sure there's sufficient chargers of sufficient power (with backup options). And unplanned detours require new route planning to make sure it can actually be done, and done safely. And the refueling is almost like an airplane "layover" due to the significantly longer time it takes.

Still usually possible, but it just takes longer and requires far more careful planning.

Welcome to the future. Some day you'll be able to charge while driving with induction charging from circuits in the highway and/or 600 mile batteries.

 

[dbsb3233]

Welcome to the future. Some day you'll be able to charge while driving with induction charging from circuits in the highway and/or 600 mile batteries.

600 miles batteries may happen in my lifetime (maybe even this decade). A quantum leap in battery engineering could happen any year now (then take a few years to make it to mass production). Energy density (more kWh stored in less size and weight) is king.

I wouldn't hold out for that induction charging on highways though. While it may technically be possible, that one one looks highly implausible on that scale.

The biggest help will likely come simply from better highway coverage of fast chargers (150+ kW). By mid-decade, hopefully we'll see 3x the highway coverage of charging stations, by multiple (competing) companies.

 

[ajmartineau]

For me the 70kW filter on PlugShare shows I can going anywhere except Wyoming and the Dakotas.
We all have our own tolerance for waiting around. Over the past year of zero gas, I’ve figured mine out.

 

[ClaudeMach-E]

600 miles batteries may happen in my lifetime (maybe even this decade). A quantum leap in battery engineering could happen any year now (then take a few years to make it to mass production). Energy density (more kWh stored in less size and weight) is king.

I wouldn't hold out for that induction charging on highways though. While it may technically be possible, that one one looks highly implausible on that scale.

The biggest help will likely come simply from better highway coverage of fast chargers (150+ kW). By mid-decade, hopefully we'll see 3x the highway coverage of charging stations, by multiple (competing) companies.

And some government financing/incentives to help them on the development of the infrastructure.

 

[Paulalex01]

600 miles batteries may happen in my lifetime (maybe even this decade). A quantum leap in battery engineering could happen any year now (then take a few years to make it to mass production). Energy density (more kWh stored in less size and weight) is king.

I wouldn't hold out for that induction charging on highways though. While it may technically be possible, that one one looks highly implausible on that scale.

The biggest help will likely come simply from better highway coverage of fast chargers (150+ kW). By mid-decade, hopefully we'll see 3x the highway coverage of charging stations, by multiple (competing) companies.

600 mile batteries will put a severe dent in ICE sales.

 

[ChasingCoral]

For me the 70kW filter on PlugShare shows I can going anywhere except Wyoming and the Dakotas.
We all have our own tolerance for waiting around. Over the past year of zero gas, I’ve figured mine out.

Drop your requirement to 50 kW and you pick up Bismarck, ND

 

[dbsb3233]

600 mile batteries will put a severe dent in ICE sales.

IF they're cheap enough to put them on par with ICE vehicles. That's still a big problem with even a 250 mile battery now -- it raises the cost of the vehicle so much that it still keeps most consumers buying ICE.

But put a 600 mile battery in a Mach-e at a cost that lets the vehicle sell for $39,000 instead of $59,000, and yes, serious dent in ICE sales.

 

[JamieGeek]

You are more likely to see induction charging stalls than highways. Instead of plugging in, just park above the X and wait....

 

[jhalkias]

I am not as hell bent on cannon balling my trips as I used to be. All I want is the ability to drive to some of the destinations I normally go on vacation to (South and the Coast), knowing that I can stop for a reasonable break and top off without having to wait an hour for a stall to charge in.

That. to me is going to be the next challenge . . . how many stalls there are. I think the MME is going to put more of a strain on available stalls as EV adoption increases. Yes, I know the planner will tell you about open stalls, the next logical step would be to let us virtually "get in line" based on arrival time. I know there have to be some geniuses somewhere thinking about all of these logistics.

The MME is going to give me all I think I need right now in terms of range and charge except for those 2-3 times a year when I will have to plan. But that may be some of the fun of it too!

 

[silverelan]

I am not as hell bent on cannon balling my trips as I used to be. All I want is the ability to drive to some of the destinations I normally go on vacation to (South and the Coast), knowing that I can stop for a reasonable break and top off without having to wait an hour for a stall to charge in.

That. to me is going to be the next challenge . . . how many stalls there are. I think the MME is going to put more of a strain on available stalls as EV adoption increases. Yes, I know the planner will tell you about open stalls, the next logical step would be to let us virtually "get in line" based on arrival time. I know there have to be some geniuses somewhere thinking about all of these logistics.

The MME is going to give me all I think I need right now in terms of range and charge except for those 2-3 times a year when I will have to plan. But that may be some of the fun of it too!

I don't think charging stall availability is going to be a problem anytime soon.

A check of Plugshare on any random charging station in the middle of nowhere often times shows no check-ins for days. Kelly Blue Book did a cross-country drive in an e-tron and notably said they never saw another car charging the entire way from NYC to LA.

 

[dbsb3233]

I don't think charging stall availability is going to be a problem anytime soon.

A check of Plugshare on any random charging station in the middle of nowhere often times shows no check-ins for days. Kelly Blue Book did a cross-country drive in an e-tron and notably said they never saw another car charging the entire way from NYC to LA.

And that, I think, is part of the reason EA pricing is so high. Most of these stations are rarely in use, and thus generating very little in the way of revenues (in the US, anyway).

That should be evolving (at least some) over the next few years though. 2021/22 looks like the timeframe where BEVs start to take a significant leap in market share, especially for non-Teslas. Granted, that'll still only be a few more% of overall market share, but it should be enough to double and triple the non-Tesla BEVs on the road. Then those chargers should get more use.

But the retail charging business will always be a tiny fraction of what the gas station business now is, simply because the vast majority of BEV charging is done at home. Retail will always need to be priced at a significant premium due to limited usage.

 

[silverelan]

There's a huge "secret" Electrify America station in Arizona that's for private use only. 25 DC fast chargers from 50kW to 350kW plus L2 charging.

4:53 mark

 

[Billyk24]

Another bump for July 10th:
444 sites, 111 future sites, 1516 CCS fast chargers 443 CHAdeMo chargers 100 level 2 chargers

slow week of July 17th
445 sites, 110 future sites, 1522 CCS fast chargers, 444 CHAdeMo chargers, 100 level 2 chargers

 

[silverelan]

I'm waiting for them to drop a bunch of new future sites. There's a ton of places that need stations but aren't even on the map yet.

445 +110 = 555 active or planned out of 800 due by end of 2021.

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