Speck :: 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (Garage entry)

[Eggman]

This Supercharger location is rated for 150kW


It took a while for the battery to warm up and accept a faster charge rate

[Top_Fuel]

...I haven't experienced any of these.

To be honest...I only experienced a few of those scenarios in my 18 months of EV ownership. But I could charge at home...which is what I did 99% of the time. And I only went on 1 trip over 200 miles...which is a crazy story for another thread.

The first time I tried a commercial EV charging station it was a disaster. Mainly due to my own lack of knowledge...because I assumed I could just pull up, swipe my credit card, and start charging. For those who don't know, that's not how EV charging stations work. You have to have an account and an app on your phone for every different brand of charging station. So imagine all the brands of gas stations you use. You would have to have an app on your phone for each one of them. I think they will eventually address this because that is one of the crazier things about owning a (non-Tesla) EV.

Being on a Bolt forum, I got to read about what it's like for the average non-Tesla EV owner who has to rely on public charging stations. Those scenarios weren't uncommon for people who couldn't charge at home.

[MetroMPG]

The first time I tried a commercial EV charging station it was a disaster. Mainly due to my own lack of knowledge...because I assumed I could just pull up, swipe my credit card, and start charging. For those who don't know, that's not how EV charging stations work.

This is why all the manufacturers have announced in the past few months that they're switching to Tesla's charging standard/network.

Tesla nailed the charging issue for road tripping.

From all I've read, the non-Tesla charging networks are a crapshoot of frustration and unreliability.

[Top_Fuel]

This is why all the manufacturers have announced in the past few months that they're switching to Tesla's charging standard/network.

I wasn't aware of that. That should make things a lot easier for everyone.

I stopped keeping up EV stuff when I sold mine. I thought I would jump back in to the EV world when I could buy another one at a discount. The market is so screwy now I have pretty much given up. If/when prices collapse again, I will start paying attention.

[Eggman]

I wasn't aware of that. That should make things a lot easier for everyone.

Everyone except Tesla owners.

The decision is controversial because Tesla invested in designing & developing their Supercharger network. Being forced to open it up to other brands of electric vehicles will reduce their availability to Tesla owners who rely on them whether they are used locally or for traveling. Tesla benefits as well as whoever hosts the Supercharger on their site and the electricity provider because they will only gain more profits due to increased use.

Superchargers are several times more expensive than charging at home. That helps cover the cost of delivering all that electricity in a short amount of time, the equipment & infrastructure, design, and of course don't forget the profit motive.

Charging at home works at a roughly 11kW charge rate. As an example, that's the current draw of approximately 8 1400W hair dryers. Superchargers started at 100kW, then 150kW, and now 250kW. Not many electric vehicles other than Teslas can take that charge rate. That means they'll be parked at the Superchargers longer.

I haven't had a problem waiting for a Supercharger (but I don't use them much.) The on-board navigation will display how many charging stations are at any given Supercharger location, and will report how many are available. If they are all in use you can choose to either wait or try your luck at the next one down the road. On a busy travel day, that can be a problem and expectedly worse with more use from non-Tesla vehicles.

Ah, the price of progress. Thankfully, it has not yet been a problem for me. It'll be interesting to see how this all goes.

[Top_Fuel]

This is a pretty fair video on EV charging challenges. Be sure to read the comments...especially from the Tesla owners.

[inuvik]

This is a very interesting article that I ran across a few weeks ago. If true, Toyota will be making a generational leap over all of it's competitors and leave them all in the dust. Since the widespread adoption of electric cars I always thought the company that perfected solid state batteries first and came to market would really be a game changer. I just never thought it would be Toyota.

https://www.just-auto.com/news/signa...tents/?cf-view

[7milesout]

I haven't had a problem waiting for a Supercharger (but I don't use them much.) The on-board navigation will display how many charging stations are at any given Supercharger location, and will report how many are available. If they are all in use you can choose to either wait or try your luck at the next one down the road. On a busy travel day, that can be a problem and expectedly worse with more use from non-Tesla vehicles.

Ah, the price of progress. Thankfully, it has not yet been a problem for me. It'll be interesting to see how this all goes.

Eggman - You're right, and I'm agreement. And the information from the on-board navigation regarding charge station availability is fabulous. However, that system doesn't let you know if the charging station is BLOCKED.

I'm sure this story can be googled, it wasn't but a few months back. But the Michigan Dem Whit-mer, did some southeast U.S. tour in I bleeve it was a Ford EV. Touting how great EVs are. And I'm not bashing EVs. They have merit, and variations (like the Volt) that are quite useful. I'm betting she flew in a private jet down to the southeast somewhere, and met up with her minions in the EV. However, when they were coming to GA, a subset of her minions, in an ICE chase vehicle (probably a Suburban) went on ahead and "reserved" space for her EV at a charging station, by parking their ICE vehicle in an EV charging slot. It was a higher capacity charging station, and seems there was only 2 spots for that higher power charger available. And there they sat, for quite a long time, holding it for Whitmer, so things would be more convenient for their precious.

However, some GA residents came along that needed the charger. Seems they had a baby on board and they limped their EV in there. Online it showed that 1 of 2 chargers were available. And when they pulled in, indeed there was 1 EV vehicle charging. However, the 2nd "available" charger was blocked off with Whitmer's minions in their ICE vehicle. A BIG RUCKUS ensued. The GA residents arguing with the minions to get out of the way (fully justified). And the holier-than-thou minions trying to hold the spot to keep it available for their precious.

So yes ... it seems making SuperChargers available for more or all EV makers are going to give Tesla owners fits. This wasn't a battle over a SuperCharger (as I recall because I think it was a Ford vehicle), but will likely be things Tesla owners begin to face (EV charger blockers) if / when other makes begin to use SuperChargers.


7milesout

[7milesout]

Oh, as a side note. My son and I had to make an emergency run down to his college in Brunswick, GA. Approximately 300 miles one-way from my house. We found out about the need on a Thursday, and had to drive down there on Friday. We had to load up all his dorm, and bring it back home. And it had to be done that Friday.

We headed out this past Friday morning, loaded up all his crap in my blue truck, and hauled all the way back, got home late Friday. No stops for fuel. It made the whole trip on one tank. Not one issue with the truck. Loaded it up like a mule. Ran 75 mph the whole way there and back. Ran like a sonofagun, not one hiccup. 199,000 miles on the truck. Probably averaged about 18.5 mpg (haven't refueled yet).

Do that in an F150 Lightning! We'd still be somewhere on I-16 charging (or trying to find a place to charge), on the way back!

I exaggerate ... for effect!

[Eggman]

Eggman - You're right, and I'm agreement. And the information from the on-board navigation regarding charge station availability is fabulous. However, that system doesn't let you know if the charging station is BLOCKED.

Sheesh, the things people do. I saw a picture (I think it was last year) of a pickup with a car-hauling trailer blocking a whole row of Superchargers.

Oh, as a side note. My son and I had to make an emergency run down to his college in Brunswick, GA. Approximately 300 miles one-way from my house. We found out about the need on a Thursday, and had to drive down there on Friday. We had to load up all his dorm, and bring it back home. And it had to be done that Friday.

Sounds serious. I hope everything's okay.