Which charging networks are worth paid plan?

[jgillmer]

I have owned my MME GT since Halloween 2021. I am close to using the last of the EA credits (500 to start - down to 49). I travel largely in the mid-atlantic states of PA, DE, MD, DC, and VA, and it seems EA and EVGo are the most frequent DCFG networks, and Chargepoint, Volta, Sema-connect, and Blink are the most common public L2 chargers (mix of free and charging).

For those in the same area, do you find value in picking up the plans for EA and EVGo that have monthly fees with 10-25% lower rates than pay-as-you go, or is it better just to have base plans with no fees?

I have traditionally used DCFC about once a month, but recently a bank of free L2 chargers very close to home shut down when the business that provided them was sold. The new owners promptly cut the power to the stations. This means I may more frequently find I'll need to tap DCFC for work travel during the week.

I have a Juicebox 40 at home, but the better half prefers I fill up elsewhere whenever I can - We have installed solar and high efficiency HVAC/Waterheater/Appliances over the last 5 years that combine to finally get us just to 100% net coverage of our annual electric use, but if I tap the house for the car, we go tumbling back down the proverbial hill.

Recommendations? And should I be aware of plans that would need to be tied back to the FordPass and Blue Oval Network?

Thanks!

P.S. FWIW- My experience with EA chargers has been fairly good - connects easily and rarely throws a fault. Plus, most are 150 kW or 350 kW stations, which functionally means 128 kW rate for the first few.minutes and then in the 90s to 80%. The EVGos have been a bit more challenging at times to connect; many of their DCFC are set to 50 kW; and too often charge by the minute. But, the EVGos are plentiful in Northern Virginia.

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[Maquis]

EA plan is definitely worth it, plus you can start/stop monthly membership without penalty.

Charging at home is virtually always the most economical. Don’t pay $50 per month DCFCing in order to avoid your electric bill increasing by $25 per month.

 

[DevSecOps]

I mean ... just do the math. If you DCFC 0-1 times a month then it may not be worth it. Let's use EA as an example, in my area it's $0.43 for a kW without the plan and $0.31 a kW with the plan.

EA Plan = $4.00 a month
34kW x 0.43 = 14.62
34kW x 0.31 = 10.54

So, in the above example, if you use DCFC for more than 34kW a month then it's worth it.

 

[Tampamike]

I think you might be letting the tail wag the dog. I gotta believe that whatever kw’s you would use charging at home are going to be less than $0.34/kw they would cost at EA. Just because you would start getting a bill for some amount of electricity usage at home, it would surely be less than what you would be getting charged for on your EA account. You apparently went from a situation where you apparently had free charging to now having to decide whether to charge at home and let the wife see it or charge at EA and just don’t let her know how much more you’re paying for that. Do what ya gotta do - happy wife, happy life and all, but maybe you could explain it to her.

 

[jgillmer]

EA plan is definitely worth it, plus you can start/stop monthly membership without penalty.

Charging at home is virtually always the most economical. Don’t pay $50 per month DCFCing in order to avoid your electric bill increasing by $25 per month.

Thanks. You're right that the best price, once credits are used, will nearly always be home (0.11/kWh in Northern VA - no off peak rates because I have solar panels). My alternate to charging at home is top offs and fill ups at free L2 stations near me. With one of the most convenient (10 minute walk home and can leave it most of the day) shut, I'm not as likely to be at 80-90% on a given day for work, which is why thinking through plan values for DCFC when I need to tap them 2-4 times a month...and whether EVGo or EA or both are the ones to gave a plan beyond the basic/free.

Referring to EVGos - tips for a better charging experience? They are prevalent here, but often throw faults on my MME or the RFID card or app doesn't work, etc...perhaps a setting I'm missing on the MME?

 

[jgillmer]

I think you might be letting the tail wag the dog. I gotta believe that whatever kw’s you would use charging at home are going to be less than $0.34/kw they would cost at EA. Just because you would start getting a bill for some amount of electricity usage at home, it would surely be less than what you would be getting charged for on your EA account. You apparently went from a situation where you apparently had free charging to now having to decide whether to charge at home and let the wife see it or charge at EA and just don’t let her know how much more you’re paying for that. Do what ya gotta do - happy wife, happy life and all, but maybe you could explain it to her.

I know that, mathematically and logically, it doesn't make sense and she and I both agree that electric is electric. Her take is that we didn't drop 40k in upgrades at the house so I could use it as an EV fuel station, and especially when we have free L2 chargers all around us. I've been fine with that until the ones really close to me shut down last month. Now the next closest ones are 2 miles away - not a problem for a day like today where I have the time to plug in and walk home and go back this evening - but the 2-3 hour top offs on a weeknight have become less frequent...that has led to me having a fee times where swinging into a DCFC during the workday more frequent than 1-2x month from November - July this year.

So, in that new reality for me, that's why I'm looking at what DCFC stations/plans may be worth it. I know the EA rates go from .43 to .31 around here for each kW on the $4 plan. The EvGo $4.99 plan gives a slight discount and you get credits for that month up to the 4.99, but their stations can be a challenge, ND the per minute stations running at 50 kW annoy me, frankly.

 

[kennethjk]

I know that, mathematically and logically, it doesn't make sense and she and I both agree that electric is electric. Her take is that we didn't drop 40k in upgrades at the house so I could use it as an EV fuel station, and especially when we have free L2 chargers all around us. I've been fine with that until the ones really close to me shut down last month. Now the next closest ones are 2 miles away - not a problem for a day like today where I have the time to plug in and walk home and go back this evening - but the 2-3 hour top offs on a weeknight have become less frequent...that has led to me having a fee times where swinging into a DCFC during the workday more frequent than 1-2x month from November - July this year.

So, in that new reality for me, that's why I'm looking at what DCFC stations/plans may be worth it. I know the EA rates go from .43 to .31 around here for each kW on the $4 plan. The EvGo $4.99 plan gives a slight discount and you get credits for that month up to the 4.99, but their stations can be a challenge, ND the per minute stations running at 50 kW annoy me, frankly.

just so I understand, you take up free chargers all day or overnight when you can charge at home? Some people may depend on those chargers to help them get somewhere or use them while shopping.

I think some others on another thread wouldn’t take to kindly to that.

please charge at home and it’s cheaper other than free.

 

[RickMachE]

I can't imagine walking 2 miles each way to save a few dollars, not to mention tying up a charger that others can use. Most level 2 chargers not at a hotel are designed for an hour or two hit while shopping, not charging for a day.

 

[RickMachE]

There are no "settings" for DC charging. File complaints when they don't work.

The Blue Oval Network will have the EA discount at some point for $50 a year. Being tested now. Plug and Charge works fine with it.

 

[Maquis]

Thanks. You're right that the best price, once credits are used, will nearly always be home (0.11/kWh in Northern VA - no off peak rates because I have solar panels). My alternate to charging at home is top offs and fill ups at free L2 stations near me. With one of the most convenient (10 minute walk home and can leave it most of the day) shut, I'm not as likely to be at 80-90% on a given day for work, which is why thinking through plan values for DCFC when I need to tap them 2-4 times a month...and whether EVGo or EA or both are the ones to gave a plan beyond the basic/free.

Referring to EVGos - tips for a better charging experience? They are prevalent here, but often throw faults on my MME or the RFID card or app doesn't work, etc...perhaps a setting I'm missing on the MME?

I’ve never used EVGo, but I recall some posts about their first generation equipment was problematic when connected to the Mach-E. Their newer equipment is fine. I’m sure someone with 1st hand experience will chime in.

 

[Neil4Real]

I know that, mathematically and logically, it doesn't make sense and she and I both agree that electric is electric. Her take is that we didn't drop 40k in upgrades at the house so I could use it as an EV fuel station

I’m not sure what this means at all. Using a charger, that you got free with the car and is super small plus mountable, makes your house an EV fuel station? I guess you aren’t at the “time is money” part of your life yet. That’s an insane waste of time to save $100 a month lol.

 

[Tampamike]

just so I understand, you take up free chargers all day or overnight when you can charge at home? Some people may depend on those chargers to help them get somewhere or use them while shopping.

I think some others on another thread wouldn’t take to kindly to that.

please charge at home and it’s cheaper other than free.

I’m still struggling with HER logic. I know women can be mysterious and unexplainable, but maybe you could mention that there are some people who absolutely figure in the electric car charging in the $40k solar upgrade because, … free electrons or photons or waves or quanta, minus the overhead of course. If you didn’t calculate the extra car electrons in the plan, it’s still cheaper from the electric company than EA or gas stations.

Did it go something like “You can buy your whiz bang electric Mustang but you’re not charging it up off of my new solar panels!”?

Sometimes, ya just gotta pick your battles, right?

In any case, I determined a while ago that two EA charges in a month puts you ahead for the $4 fee for the Pass+ membership. I’ve used some of the EVGo’s up there and they are a little hit and miss - but seem to be improving. The new ones are good and fast, the really old ones didn’t work for us at all and the middle range was a maybe.

Good luck. Hope you won’t have to keep walking .

 

[jgillmer]

I can't imagine walking 2 miles each way to save a few dollars, not to mention tying up a charger that others can use. Most level 2 chargers not at a hotel are designed for an hour or two hit while shopping, not charging for a day.

For the time and distance - I target walking about 14k steps per day, so, on a day like today, it's part of my exercise/activity. And it's not like I do this every day. I do longer (5 hour limit at the mall) on a day like today, and am mindful of where chargers are at when I'm working from a coffee shop or lunch, etc. So, no, I'm not a hog about it. The charging I referenced before that is now shut had 8 chargepoint stations, and, at no point in the last 4 years I have used those stations between my Clarity PHEV and the MME has there ever - ever - been more than 3 cars using at the same time.

 

[jgillmer]

I’m still struggling with HER logic. I know women can be mysterious and unexplainable, but maybe you could mention that there are some people who absolutely figure in the electric car charging in the $40k solar upgrade because, … free electrons or photons or waves or quanta, minus the overhead of course. If you didn’t calculate the extra car electrons in the plan, it’s still cheaper from the electric company than EA or gas stations.

Did it go something like “You can buy your whiz bang electric Mustang but you’re not charging it up off of my new solar panels!”?

Sometimes, ya just gotta pick your battles, right?

In any case, I determined a while ago that two EA charges in a month puts you ahead for the $4 fee for the Pass+ membership. I’ve used some of the EVGo’s up there and they are a little hit and miss - but seem to be improving. The new ones are good and fast, the really old ones didn’t work for us at all and the middle range was a maybe.

Good luck. Hope you won’t have to keep walking .

Yup, that the same experience I have with the EVGos...newer ones seem to be ok, older ones are nearly worthless (like the bank of 4 at the Wegmans Hillyop Plaza), and others I hold my breath. I really want them to improve because they seem to proliferating the fastest.

 

[jgillmer]

I’m not sure what this means at all. Using a charger, that you got free with the car and is super small plus mountable, makes your house an EV fuel station? I guess you aren’t at the “time is money” part of your life yet. That’s an insane waste of time to save $100 a month lol.

Not a waste of time if I'm needing to walk that much anyway for exercise. I've come to really enjoy audiobooks and walking during the pandemic.

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