Why Range (still) matters.

[invertedspear]

At least until we have an actually robust, well-maintained charging network.

My MME ER was able to get me from Phoenix to Tucson and back on a single full charge, arriving back home with between 15 and 20% SOC left. My F150L ER turns out, not so much. I got to the same destination I normally do in Tucson and I'm already down to 45%, so it's not looking good for the return trip. No biggie, there are both EVGo and EA chargers on the north end of Tucson.

I stop at the EVGo first since I signed up for Bluedot (search for the full thread on that, $0.30 fixed rate at EVGo and a few other chargers). Bluedot can't activate the chargers. So I try to use the card reader and the payment failed, then went into some sort of Technician mode, so I couldn't try again. Repeat at all 3 dispensers. Then I tried the EVGo app, and still couldn't get the damn things to work. OK, on to EA.

I was hoping to save my remaining Blue Oval credits for the summer road trip since that's my only option in Yuma, but better than being stuck. Well, I get to save them because plug & charge wouldn't work, and I couldn't get the charge to activate in Ford pass, then I couldn't get it to activate with the EA app either. Card reader looks like someone took a hammer to it. So I move over to another dispenser. Same dance except I manage to get it to activate with the app. Then just as it starts: "Charge station fault". So I unplug and reset everything and start over. This time I'm able to get it to charge.

Now, if I had my NACS adaptor I would have one more option, but few of us do yet.

I love driving EVs, long or short distances I think they're great. But I shouldn't have this level of anxiety on if I'm going to be able to get home or not. I've had less than stellar charging experiences in the past. Derated, or broken dispensers, but this was the first time I worried about if I was going to make it home or not. Charging needs more a more "gas station" type of expereince and less "you can rent these spots in the back of the mall, I guess" type of experience and soon. Hopefully Ford/Tesla get their shit together on the adapters, for us and all OEMs as the SC network is a big step, but I really hope EA, EVGo and all the others figure out how important reliability is soon too. More truck-stop and gas station installs where, when all else fails, I can go inside and "put $20 on charger 5" the same as I can with the gas pumps.

So I guess one question I'd ask of the forum, did anyone else have issues getting plug and charge to work, or activating chargers via fordpass yesterday (5/5 around 4:30-5:30 PDT)? Was there some widespread network outage? Is Tucson just a terrible place for EVs? Or was this all just back luck?

Sponsored

 

[RickLightning]

You might want to amend your post with date and time in the last paragraph.

 

[invertedspear]

You might want to amend your post with date and time in the last paragraph.

Good call.

 

[sotek2345]

Plug and charge has been pretty reliable for me, but I am currently unable to activate any EA chargers via the EA app anymore. I signed up for pass+ on my last (~1100mi) road trip and it failed at every charger. 45 mins on the phone with support and they couldn't fix anything. Plug and charge worked so no issues with stranding, but it would have been nice to get the discount I paid for!

 

[TaxmanHog]

EA app issued update this afternoon on the Android platform.

 

[Solar]

Wow - have a backup ICE vehicle for long trips it seems - may be best for a few years.

 

[Pioneer74]

At least until we have an actually robust, well-maintained charging network.

My MME ER was able to get me from Phoenix to Tucson and back on a single full charge, arriving back home with between 15 and 20% SOC left. My F150L ER turns out, not so much. I got to the same destination I normally do in Tucson and I'm already down to 45%, so it's not looking good for the return trip. No biggie, there are both EVGo and EA chargers on the north end of Tucson.

I stop at the EVGo first since I signed up for Bluedot (search for the full thread on that, $0.30 fixed rate at EVGo and a few other chargers). Bluedot can't activate the chargers. So I try to use the card reader and the payment failed, then went into some sort of Technician mode, so I couldn't try again. Repeat at all 3 dispensers. Then I tried the EVGo app, and still couldn't get the damn things to work. OK, on to EA.

I was hoping to save my remaining Blue Oval credits for the summer road trip since that's my only option in Yuma, but better than being stuck. Well, I get to save them because plug & charge wouldn't work, and I couldn't get the charge to activate in Ford pass, then I couldn't get it to activate with the EA app either. Card reader looks like someone took a hammer to it. So I move over to another dispenser. Same dance except I manage to get it to activate with the app. Then just as it starts: "Charge station fault". So I unplug and reset everything and start over. This time I'm able to get it to charge.

Now, if I had my NACS adaptor I would have one more option, but few of us do yet.

I love driving EVs, long or short distances I think they're great. But I shouldn't have this level of anxiety on if I'm going to be able to get home or not. I've had less than stellar charging experiences in the past. Derated, or broken dispensers, but this was the first time I worried about if I was going to make it home or not. Charging needs more a more "gas station" type of expereince and less "you can rent these spots in the back of the mall, I guess" type of experience and soon. Hopefully Ford/Tesla get their shit together on the adapters, for us and all OEMs as the SC network is a big step, but I really hope EA, EVGo and all the others figure out how important reliability is soon too. More truck-stop and gas station installs where, when all else fails, I can go inside and "put $20 on charger 5" the same as I can with the gas pumps.

So I guess one question I'd ask of the forum, did anyone else have issues getting plug and charge to work, or activating chargers via fordpass yesterday (5/5 around 4:30-5:30 PDT)? Was there some widespread network outage? Is Tucson just a terrible place for EVs? Or was this all just back luck?

You haven't enrolled in Autocharge+ with EvGo?

 

[Zprime29]

Plug and charge has been pretty reliable for me, but I am currently unable to activate any EA chargers via the EA app anymore. I signed up for pass+ on my last (~1100mi) road trip and it failed at every charger. 45 mins on the phone with support and they couldn't fix anything. Plug and charge worked so no issues with stranding, but it would have been nice to get the discount I paid for!

I had the same problem at the beginning of April. I filed a complaint with the BBB when customer support said they couldn't refund me the difference between full rate and the pass+ rate. I'm very annoyed at EA right now.

 

[Zprime29]

At least until we have an actually robust, well-maintained charging network.

My MME ER was able to get me from Phoenix to Tucson and back on a single full charge, arriving back home with between 15 and 20% SOC left. My F150L ER turns out, not so much. I got to the same destination I normally do in Tucson and I'm already down to 45%, so it's not looking good for the return trip. No biggie, there are both EVGo and EA chargers on the north end of Tucson.

...

I've only used the EA chargers in Tucson, and that was while I had credits. Didn't have any issues. There are also some chargers, both EA and EVgo in Casa Grande. I'm able to make it from north Tucson to Sky Harbor and back with about 20% remaining.

 

[hturnerfamily]

as for the term 'Range', which gets people all riled up, for some reason, like the question that came up today on CNBC's interview with VW's CEO: "when ya'll gonna finally get an EV that gets at least 400 miles?"... "or 500?"...

As a long-time pure EV owner and driver, and now one for every family member, RANGE is truly NOT the 'end all' that some tend to lean toward...
believe me, when you 'learn' on a 70 mile LEAF, and yet ROAD TRIP anytime you wish, you WILL APPRECIATE 250 MILES OF RANGE on a 'standard' EV ... like my PRO, and like my wife's EV9, and like both of my youngest sons BOLTS.

Because, NOW, we are finally seeing the CHARGING LOCATION INFRASTRUCTURE finally starting to come to fruition ... THREE NEW SETS OF DUAL CHARGING STATIONS have just come on board within 25-50 miles around my immediate area, in three different cities, and in three different travel paths...

CHARGING LOCATIONS is the missing piece of the puzzle, NOT simply 'range'.

The general public only sees 'range' as the missing piece, but they will see that 'where' they can charge is the most important asset to an EV owner.

 

[Solar]

as for the term 'Range', which gets people all riled up, for some reason, like the question that came up today on CNBC's interview with VW's CEO: "when ya'll gonna finally get an EV that gets at least 400 miles?"... "or 500?"...

As a long-time pure EV owner and driver, and now one for every family member, RANGE is truly NOT the 'end all' that some tend to lean toward...
believe me, when you 'learn' on a 70 mile LEAF, and yet ROAD TRIP anytime you wish, you WILL APPRECIATE 250 MILES OF RANGE on a 'standard' EV ... like my PRO, and like my wife's EV9, and like both of my youngest sons BOLTS.

Because, NOW, we are finally seeing the CHARGING LOCATION INFRASTRUCTURE finally starting to come to fruition ... THREE NEW SETS OF DUAL CHARGING STATIONS have just come on board within 25-50 miles around my immediate area, in three different cities, and in three different travel paths...

CHARGING LOCATIONS is the missing piece of the puzzle, NOT simply 'range'.

The general public only sees 'range' as the missing piece, but they will see that 'where' they can charge is the most important asset to an EV owner.

Yes and no - more like the reliability of the charging stations - so they work when you get there - and you're not waiting in line for the few that function.

 

[JRT]

That looks like 225miles, what was your m/kwh? Sure seems doable with my 2.1 m/kwh average.

I do agree, reliable infrastructure is what we need, and in my area hasn't improved significantly since 2021. Getting the adapter will help with options, but still doesn't fill in huge holes.

 

[Newton]

I have seen the "Charge station fault" message come up *after* problems with a previous charging attempt - but when I look at my car scanner or the Ford app the truck is actually charging. It is like the truck has to think about it for a little bit before giving you the message.

I'm finding that on our long trips in a Standard Range, we are still stopping more for breaks than we do to charge. On trips I stay at places where I can charge, even on a 110v outlet I can get 16% or 35 miles which doesn't sound like a lot but might get you enough range to skip a charger. I plug in at mom's house, friend's houses, VBRo's, whatever - I'm an electron moocher and will take what I can get.

 

[Ventorum94]

At least until we have an actually robust, well-maintained charging network.

My MME ER was able to get me from Phoenix to Tucson and back on a single full charge, arriving back home with between 15 and 20% SOC left. My F150L ER turns out, not so much. I got to the same destination I normally do in Tucson and I'm already down to 45%, so it's not looking good for the return trip. No biggie, there are both EVGo and EA chargers on the north end of Tucson.

I stop at the EVGo first since I signed up for Bluedot (search for the full thread on that, $0.30 fixed rate at EVGo and a few other chargers). Bluedot can't activate the chargers. So I try to use the card reader and the payment failed, then went into some sort of Technician mode, so I couldn't try again. Repeat at all 3 dispensers. Then I tried the EVGo app, and still couldn't get the damn things to work. OK, on to EA.

I was hoping to save my remaining Blue Oval credits for the summer road trip since that's my only option in Yuma, but better than being stuck. Well, I get to save them because plug & charge wouldn't work, and I couldn't get the charge to activate in Ford pass, then I couldn't get it to activate with the EA app either. Card reader looks like someone took a hammer to it. So I move over to another dispenser. Same dance except I manage to get it to activate with the app. Then just as it starts: "Charge station fault". So I unplug and reset everything and start over. This time I'm able to get it to charge.

Now, if I had my NACS adaptor I would have one more option, but few of us do yet.

I love driving EVs, long or short distances I think they're great. But I shouldn't have this level of anxiety on if I'm going to be able to get home or not. I've had less than stellar charging experiences in the past. Derated, or broken dispensers, but this was the first time I worried about if I was going to make it home or not. Charging needs more a more "gas station" type of expereince and less "you can rent these spots in the back of the mall, I guess" type of experience and soon. Hopefully Ford/Tesla get their shit together on the adapters, for us and all OEMs as the SC network is a big step, but I really hope EA, EVGo and all the others figure out how important reliability is soon too. More truck-stop and gas station installs where, when all else fails, I can go inside and "put $20 on charger 5" the same as I can with the gas pumps.

So I guess one question I'd ask of the forum, did anyone else have issues getting plug and charge to work, or activating chargers via fordpass yesterday (5/5 around 4:30-5:30 PDT)? Was there some widespread network outage? Is Tucson just a terrible place for EVs? Or was this all just back luck?

Don’t be afraid of the A2Z adapter. I’ve used it on two road trips for flawless Tesla Supercharging. Great thermal management, gets barely warm even with 160kW going through it. Based upon initial accounts, I have the impression that the A2Z adapter is superior to the free Tesla/Ford adapter anyway. I really like the cord-to-adapter locking switch, which must be properly engaged before charging can be established. Great safety feature, and absent from the Tesla/Ford (which, let’s face it, was probably built at the lowest possible cost- nothing is free!), and the Lectron. And btw, I have an SR, so I need three DCFC stops for a day’s highway driving, instead of two.

 

[Adventureboy]

My MME ER was able to get me from Phoenix to Tucson and back on a single full charge, arriving back home with between 15 and 20% SOC left. My F150L ER turns out, not so much. I got to the same destination I normally do in Tucson and I'm already down to 45%, so it's not looking good for the return trip.

Without a doubt at highway speeds the MME wins a range race. The MME has a lower stated range, but does better on the highway and takes less time to top up. It charges at nearly the same rate as the Lightning with a smaller battery - 91Kw I think. It all comes down to aerodynamics. MME is a better road tripper if you don't need to carry a truckload of gear ;-)

Sponsored