Dear, (Insert: Electrify America, EVgo, ChargePoint, etc., or anyone else installing EV charging stations):
Do better. I’m not an EV owner. But I’m not a hater either. I’m a journalist who’s trying to figure EV shit out and help others do the same. But the current charging infrastructure is making it really hard for me to be an EV advocate.
[Related content: Charging infrastructure, not range, is the problem with EVs]
You see, I’m in the firm camp that electric vehicles don’t have a range problem, 220 miles is plenty. But when you have more than 160 miles between two fast-charge stations on a major interstate, that’s a problem.
Especially when EVs are in their nascent phase and 320 miles is more like 160 miles in the current sub-zero temperatures most of the United States is experiencing right now. Then, when you add in the fact that a 350 kW charge station is only delivering 49 kW when an EV battery is at less than 50%, that’s a problem.
It’s a huge problem.
With a lot of government and private moneys being dumped into building a more robust infrastructure, I’d like to offer some thoughts for your consideration as you move forward installing EV charging stations.
Stop putting chargers in the back of big box lots. I know you probably think this is convenient because there’s a lot of space, and people can charge while shopping. But here’s the thing, all those people who are shopping in a big box store and own an EV probably have an at-home charger. They don’t need to charge when they are running in for a half hour to buy a bulk bin of pretzels. No, the people who need to charge are the ones who are driving 197 miles on their way home for Christmas or taking a road trip with the fam. The last thing they want to do is sit in a boring big box parking lot for an hour to add 40% charge.
Starbucks, Cracker Barrel and Panera are the way forward. So, where do you put charging stations for people who actually need them? Someplace they’ll spend time, and someplace with WiFi. I know Volvo has a deal with Starbucks to install chargers. It’s not happening fast enough. But that’s definitely a place people can spend at least 20 minutes, which, if stations are working properly, is enough time for ultra fast-charge vehicles to go from 10% to 80%. I just spent 20 minutes in a Starbucks drive thru just getting a beverage before going to sit in a Walmart parking lot for another 20 minutes. That’s just plain wasteful.
Bathrooms. Srsly. You’ll argue someone could go into the big box store and use the bathroom there, but not after its closed. Sure, Starbucks and Paneras and Cracker Barrels close, but they’re usually open longer than a big box store. Without bathrooms, EV owners somewhat ironically might find themselves at a gas station to pee, which means they’ll probably be guilted into spending money at the convenience store. So, if you aren’t going to put charge stations in places near a gas station or food stop, maybe think about putting them at Rest Areas. You know, another place people stop on a road trip.
Think of safety. In the charging stations I’ve been to recently, I’ve been concerned about the overall lack of safety they offer. Think about it. They’re often situated in an isolated location in the corner of a parking lot with nary a soul nearby. Asking someone to go sit in said isolated location, alone, in a $50k to $150k vehicle is like asking someone to walk down a deserted street at midnight wearing the Hope Diamond with a sign that says “rob me.” Most criminals look for opportunity, and an expensive vehicle in a deserted location with a lone occupant is a sitting duck. What? You say your charging stations have cameras? Yeah, they do, but a fat lot of good that will do when the crime is in process. And if the robber is wearing a mask or the camera isn’t HD, recording the incident won’t help. I was carjacked in front of a low-res camera (not at an EV charging station), so I know this from experience.
Include windshield cleaners. The windshield washing wands are something I didn’t know I’d miss until I missed them. On my recent drive from Chicago to Indianapolis, it was blowing snow in sub-zero temperatures and my windshield was caked with ice and salt. Since I was in an EV, there’s no engine to keep my hood clear of snow or, apparently, keep the windshield washer fluid from freezing. So, when I pulled up to the charging station in Lafayette, Ind., my windshield and radar sensors used for adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and emergency braking were a salty mess. So, I looked for the wands you see by gas pumps, hoping to clear some of the gook. And, well, they weren’t there. It’s a stupid, silly thing that would actually be really helpful to have.
The bottom line on EV charging stations
I get it. I know we’re “just at the beginning” of the EV era. I’ve heard the analogy over and over that it’s like the early days of the gas-powered vehicle when there weren’t gas stations on every corner. I really do get it.
However, as we enter into this phase of encouraging (not forcing) people to buy electric, we need to do better. A critical part of this will be relying on EV software development services to build smarter systems that optimize the charging experience, reduce downtime, and improve station reliability.
I’d like to think we know more than we did back in 1885 when the first gas station was built – more about people’s habits and desires. More about running water and the need to pee in a private space with a locked door. We know more. We have more resources. We can do more.
So, I’m going to say it again: Do better.
60 comments
Earl Chee
I’m not an EV owner but I could be a user. My question is how does one go about having an EV charger installed in their garage? What would I be looking into? Building codes, technician certs, costs, etc.
I’m in Arizona.
Sonja
Just FYI – Since 1960, federal law has limited commercial activity at Interstate rest stops, which is why you don’t find EV chargers at those locations. It’s illegal.
Typical Boomer
I love the EV defenders. Some very upset people in here because someone is voicing legitimate concerns about the EV “process” that need fix to attract more than the die hard EV owners. For a product to be successful mainstream, it must appeal to a large majority of buyers. Right now, EV’s don’t. People have to sacrifice too much in order to go the EV route.
We have grown accustom to the level of freedom and utility granted to us by our cars. Cars are an expensive. More people realize this are are fine paying extra, even for more expensive gas. With the current state of most EVs (Tesla may be a bit ahead, but they’re still incredibly expensive and currently don’t offer a truck option…lets not get into the towing debate) we have to sacrifice far too much to use them. Especially those of us in the above the frost line in rural America. Until EVs can do everything my current ICE vehicle can, without making huge sacrifices, it’s a no-go for me. There are plenty of people who feel the same as I do than feel the opposite. My nearest major city is roughly 70 miles away. This creates a huge issue if I wish to tow/haul or even travel that distance plus run extra errands in the middle of winter.
I’m all for making life cheaper, easier, faster, and better. I’m not die hard, struck on gas engines being the best and only way. If EVs eventually accomplish this, sweet. Sign me up. Currently, we’re not there.
Eric
These are great points. I would add that the current apps available for locating chargers are unreliable and inconsistent in the information provided. This is not only frustrating, but can also be a safety issue as it divides the attention between safe driving and locating the charger.
Jeremy
Thomas & George are correct. EVGO lives to install chargers right up front in grocery store parking lots and the vast majority of them get ICE’d. I agree they shouldn’t be located behind a store, as many are, but they shouldn’t be near the front of any store. People are way too inconsiderate.
Corey Bailey
What a read. I Think you meant 220, not 320. I’m not even going to get into the English of it. However, you’re paid to write and speak English as a first language… I only got a third of the way through because it became evident you’re just venting and didn’t educate yourself on how anything works. (I. E. The agreement box stores enter into to put charging stations). Then there’s the fact that you refuse to intermittently charge throughout the day then complain about how long it takes to fully charge. I’m not an electric car person. I drive a 72′ C20 but the people complaining about electric cars (or much of anything these days) just continue to prove that they don’t know how to operate as an adult. Whining about how everyone and everything doesn’t cater to your lack of planning and responsibility. Im 37 and just loathing the sad state so much of my generation has become. Windshield “wands” are like 5 bucks at Walmart. If you’re in a locale where theyre heavily needed, waddle your behind down there (get twenty mins of a charge top off) and get one to keep in your trunk. Quit complaining and solve your own problems.at the very least, if you’re having difficulty with something, take a moment to assess the structure of a situation and consider, ‘maybe I’m coming at this wrong’ ‘maybe this is a case of user error’.
Jill Ciminillo
You clearly aren’t an electric-car person (notice the compound modifier that this person who’s paid to write and speak English as a first language corrected for you). I think you missed the point of the article. I couldn’t intermittently charge because the distance between the two chargers was 160 miles. So. Maybe you should have read the entire article before commenting. And, no, I meant 320 — that’s the distance you should get with the extended range battery. But, hey, thank you for commenting, and have a nice day.
Scott
We have seen an issue with solitary chargers being occupied long after charging is complete. Once charging is done, car owners should have 10 minutes to move or begin paying for parking. Time to move on and let someone else have access!
Alex
Tesla Superchargers have implemented Idle Fee for many years.
Kjoe
Want to reduce harmful emissions from fossil fuel vehicles?
Ban the Drive Thru! How many hundreds of thousands of vehicles are sitting at a drive thru right now worldwide?
Sorry, part your gas guzzler and walk inside! It will do a world of good.
Danno
Check out ChargeNet Stations as they are installing EV Chargers at Taco Bells and other QSR and fast food outlets
Dave
Excellent suggestions + make the stations pull through.
George
A collaboration between Tesla and one or more of the CCS fast charging companies seems a good idea. Twice the stalls would not be twice the investment or running costs. I’m a little surprised that Tesla isn’t doing double standard charging themselves already, it would subsidise their supercharger network. Perhaps when they have a bigger network, they’ll start to offer CCS too.
George
I mostly agree with the article. Fast chargers at 24hr places like Waffle House would be ideal. Rest stop type gas stations like truck stops should also be prime candidates. I am seeing many fast chargers with multiple stalls. Better would be more locations with only a few stalls. Spread the love!
The hidden away aspect is needed to stop chargers being ICEd. Too many people just don’t care for it to work otherwise. Without an effective deterrent (automatic $500 fine?), making people walk is the only way to keep them out of places that they should not be. Chargers put near buildings are very, very frequently ICEd. I played with fire once and parked an inch behind one of these dicks and stretched the cable tight to reach.
Leave the big box lot chargers, but add more elsewhere.
There is a Tesla supercharger at a Sheetz near me, just off an interstate. Perfect for travelling, except that I don’t drive a Tesla…
Mary
Kilows.com is addressing the guaranteed fast charge with the focus on Interstate placement…. and everything else on the list except the wiper issue, but that’s an easy add-in.
Wade
If you drive a $40k+ EV you won’t feel guilty spending $10 on convenience store food. I agree we need more stations directly off freeway exits, I’ve had to drive about 10 min off the freeway to get charged. The other really bad thing about my EV, it adds 1-2 hours to all my road trips. More time than I want to spend charging. The pro: no gas. I do like the ability to watch movies. The future will be higher capacity batteries with only the need to juice at destination. Or faster 5 min chargers.
Upstate NY
Excellent article,
The infrastructure for EV’s is very poor at this time. Takes too long to charge and as the writer has mentioned, placed is inconvenient locations.
The issue of cold weather charging is not acceptable.
It will some time before I will jump on the EV wagon, due to the observation noted in the article and my personal observations.
Donald R Bowler
Wait. I’m confused. You had these issues at a Tesla super charger? Except for the dumb wind shield cleaner, sounds like Tesla ticks all the boxes.
Jill Ciminillo
Tesla does tick the boxes. And that dumb windshield cleaner was really missed. My experiences thus far have been with non-Tesla EVs.
Mort
Can’t read micro-typr. I’ve been driving electric sine 2013. Tesla then Bolt
Start with pllug-in hybrid.
Anonymous
GM & Ford have recently announced plans to install chargers at their dealerships because “most people live near dealerships” … which as your article mentions … people don’t need chargers near their homes (because charging at home is the norm) … they need public chargers when they travel far from home
George
Public car dealer chargers are an absolute godsend. I would not be able to travel in my short range Mini Cooper SE without them. At least when the service department hasn’t ICEd them… Parking customer cars a few spots over is too much like hard work.
Anonymous
Your a bitch, you’ll never get it. Thanks for the click bait you fascist leftist neo nazi
BlueJade
Your comments are unimportant and not worth reading. Next time why don’t you actually state facts and details or even which ideas you are rebutting and why. Otherwise your post is as useless as tits on a boar..
Anonymous
Why so angry, dumbass? Try to channel some of that energy to improving your grammer. Funny how being an angry right-wing nut job goes hand in hand with stupidity.
John Rosato
Why wouldn’t rest stops with gas stations be the obvious place to target on the interstates ? Most of them are government controlled and one would think that would be the first place to ensure there were adequate fast charging capabilities?
Rvrchck
I’m always saying the same thing. We have 0 charging station from Barstow to Needles, CA. Due to slightly degraded battery and tons of hills, I am crossing my fingers every road trip that there is no wind, otherwise I won’t make it there.