You can't road-trip in an EV...hold my beer

[ryan78]

While reading this thread... it suddenly occurred to me as an idea if there will be a legislation from our federal government to require gas station owners both (present and future) to invest on putting up at least a few EV chargers in their gas stations in order to continue doing business for the public. They can eventually recuperate their investment (and eventually profit) on it by the accumulated payments that the EV drivers will make to charge their vehicles. This will greatly enhance the EV charging infrastructure in our whole country and contribute to less stressful situation for the EV owners that do long road trips. Hopefully, there will also be an advancement with the amount of time that EVs can recharge their batteries beyond the quickest that we currently have now.

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[Mach1E]

While reading this thread... it suddenly occurred to me as an idea if there will be a legislation from our federal government to require gas station owners both (present and future) to invest on putting up at least a few EV chargers in their gas stations in order to continue doing business for the public. They can eventually recuperate their investment (and eventually profit) on it by the accumulated payments that the EV drivers will make to charge their vehicles. This will greatly enhance the EV charging infrastructure in our whole country and contribute to less stressful situation for the EV owners that do long road trips. Hopefully, there will also be an advancement with the amount of time that EVs can recharge their batteries beyond the quickest that we currently have now.

I hope this doesn’t come across as too harsh because I do like when people try to think about how to potentially solve the infrastructure issues.

But unfortunately there are tons of issues with your idea-

1. Gas stations don’t typically have room for a few extra parking spaces plus the electrical infrastructure required for chargers.

2. I hate the idea of the government forcing private businesses to spend tens of thousands of dollars.

3. Outside of gas stations near highways, they typically aren’t where we need more chargers. You need gas stations near where you live and chargers far away from where you live.

Summary- they won’t fit, cost too much $$ and would be in the wrong locations.

 

[mkhuffman]

While reading this thread... it suddenly occurred to me as an idea if there will be a legislation from our federal government to require gas station owners both (present and future) to invest on putting up at least a few EV chargers in their gas stations in order to continue doing business for the public.

I really, really hope not. We have way too many mandates already.

 

[ChehRob]

Part of the purchase price, even as an addon, should go to charging station buildout. Tesla knows how much of their price per car ends up doing this, but they aren't telling. It would be useful if they did. Even our slowish charging MMEs will go from 20% to 80 is a fairly reasonable amount of time - if enough chargers were available. And in isolated areas at the end of the road where the grid may not support DC chargers, level 2 needs to be available BY reservation. This would make most of us comfortable driving most anywhere.

 

[mkhuffman]

And in isolated areas at the end of the road where the grid may not support DC chargers, level 2 needs to be available BY reservation.

Reservations would only work if it required payment to make the reservation. Otherwise people will reserve the L2 and then get delayed or cancel their trip and never bother to change the reservation. So the L2 would be sitting there, emtpy, and laughing at you because you really need to charge but can't because it is reserved.

The L2 solution is L2 payment required and big idle fees.

 

[Jeremy stones 121]

I hate it when they reserve and don't benefit from it

192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1​

 

[jkovacs]

When out on a road trip I more often charge when I stop rather than stop to charge.

I like that! That’s exactly what we found we were doing when we did road trips with our Mach E (standard range no less!) last summer. Yes, it took longer than in an ICE car, but when we got to our destination, we weren’t absolutely wrecked from doing six hour or longer pulls between fill-ups.

 

[jkovacs]

When the HVBJB fails, you are stranded. It is worse than any ICEV failure I have ever experienced in the billions of years I have been driving..

My last ICE car (a 2012 Sonata) had a fun recall that could result in the engine suddenly seizing up. On the highway. While driving. In the middle of nowhere. Ask me how I know. ?

 

[Billyk24]

I like that! That’s exactly what we found we were doing when we did road trips with our Mach E (standard range no less!) last summer. Yes, it took longer than in an ICE car, but when we got to our destination, we weren’t absolutely wrecked from doing six hour or longer pulls between fill-ups.

Six hour pulls behind the wheel? Like over 400 miles non-stop? How big is that bladder?

 

[jgcom]

My last ICE car (a 2012 Sonata) had a fun recall that could result in the engine suddenly seizing up. On the highway. While driving. In the middle of nowhere. Ask me how I know. ?

Similarly, my '11 MKZ had a rack defect, which eventually was recalled for free repair. Well before the recall, it would sometimes fault in a way that cut all power to the steering, in traffic. As the driver coped with that, muscling around turns and curves, the car beeped, and said to stop, flashing red messages.

Electric cars didn't invent this kind of thing.

 

[mkhuffman]

My last ICE car (a 2012 Sonata) had a fun recall that could result in the engine suddenly seizing up. On the highway. While driving. In the middle of nowhere. Ask me how I know. ?

Similarly, my '11 MKZ had a rack defect, which eventually was recalled for free repair. Well before the recall, it would sometimes fault in a way that cut all power to the steering, in traffic. As the driver coped with that, muscling around turns and curves, the car beeped, and said to stop, flashing red messages.

Electric cars didn't invent this kind of thing.

You guys are missing my point. My point is a BEV does not necessarily have less maintenance or is more reliable than an ICEV. I am also not saying a BEV is less reliable.

My opinion is the electric power train is mechanically simpler, but it has a more complex electrical system that is proving to be less than 100% reliable. As demonstrated by the MME HVBJB failure.

So people who keep saying BEVs are more reliable have rose colored glasses on. It is not true. ICEVs have proven over the years to be very reliable. BEVs are proving to be just as reliable, and in some cases, less reliable. I think in time, reliability will improve. And maybe, the vision of some that BEVs are more reliable will be proven true.

 

[MachEasy]

750 road-trip in my 2022 MME 4X

I really enjoyed this. I haven't done a super long trip in mine yet and I like how you just walked through how it all worked for you.

What struck me the most is the crappy 3rd party chargers (non Tesla..which has now changed for us!) and the variable cost to charge in different places. Why is EA so bad? Do they care at all about their brand and are they in this for the long haul. Amongst all the public charging options for us as Mach E owners....whats the best charging option if you have your choice? What's the lowest rate we will see out there or does it depend on our region? This just reinforces that charging needs to be simply and intuitive to encourage more adoption. Obviously adding the Tesla network is just a massive, game changing event and this will help. Yet I still can't see my mother or mother in law be wiling to sort through this. Thx for sharing..this was helpful for me.

 

[superdave80]

When the HVBJB fails, you are stranded. It is worse than any ICEV failure I have ever experienced in the billions of years I have been driving.

I've been stranded in the middle of nowhere on I-5 in Northern California in an ICEV. Twice. Once was in a still under warranty vehicle that failed because of that high-tech piece of equipment... the alternator. I called a tow truck, they towed my car. I lived through it, both times.

Guess what I'm going to do if my HVBJB fails int he middle of nowhere?

 

[Mach1E]

You guys are missing my point. My point is a BEV does not necessarily have less maintenance or is more reliable than an ICEV. I am also not saying a BEV is less reliable.

My opinion is the electric power train is mechanically simpler, but it has a more complex electrical system that is proving to be less than 100% reliable. As demonstrated by the MME HVBJB failure.

So people who keep saying BEVs are more reliable have rose colored glasses on. It is not true. ICEVs have proven over the years to be very reliable. BEVs are proving to be just as reliable, and in some cases, less reliable. I think in time, reliability will improve. And maybe, the vision of some that BEVs are more reliable will be proven true.

I think the issue is that “in theory” BEVs should be more reliable because they’re mechanically simpler.

In reality, they break down more.

In theory LED lightbulbs last 30 years. In reality, they burn out just as fast as the old tech they replaced (sometimes faster).

Maybe eventually BEV will be more reliable. I look forward to that day.

 

[Mach1E]

I've been stranded in the middle of nowhere on I-5 in Northern California in an ICEV. Twice. Once was in a still under warranty vehicle that failed because of that high-tech piece of equipment... the alternator. I called a tow truck, they towed my car. I lived through it, both times.

Guess what I'm going to do if my HVBJB fails int he middle of nowhere?

Every car can break.

The question is how often and how bad?

Was your ICEV forum full of stories of people with failing alternators? I’m guessing no.

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