Charging prices and why

[jcmiii3]

As has been said....most all of your charging will be at home. How often do you drive more than 250-300 miles in a day? Is this is a weekly occurrence, this probably isn't the vehicle for you at this time. Myself, I might take a long road trip one to two times a year, if that, I usually end up flying if I go anywhere on vacation.

I completely agree! Having owned a Tesla Model S for several years I can tell you that, for the most part, electric vehicles make road trips more complicated and take longer. It's not a criticism. I loved my Model S and drove it to the Carolinas from Indiana multiple times. It's just where EV technology is today. I'm not buying my Lightning to be my "road trip" vehicle, I'm buying it to be my truck. Each night I will plug it in at home and in the morning it will be full of energy. Until you experience THAT part of EV ownership, you don't realize how great it is not to have to think about getting fuel on the way to work, or the next job site, or home. And when you charge at home you don't search for cheap fuel prices. The cost of putting energy back in you vehicle is the same every day. There's something to be said for that, too. I very excited about the Lightning and can barely stand the wait!

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[sotek2345]

I completely agree! Having owned a Tesla Model S for several years I can tell you that, for the most part, electric vehicles make road trips more complicated and take longer. It's not a criticism. I loved my Model S and drove it to the Carolinas from Indiana multiple times. It's just where EV technology is today. I'm not buying my Lightning to be my "road trip" vehicle, I'm buying it to be my truck. Each night I will plug it in at home and in the morning it will be full of energy. Until you experience THAT part of EV ownership, you don't realize how great it is not to have to think about getting fuel on the way to work, or the next job site, or home. And when you charge at home you don't search for cheap fuel prices. The cost of putting energy back in you vehicle is the same every day. There's something to be said for that, too. I very excited about the Lightning and can barely stand the wait!

For my part, I AM buying the Lightning as our road trip vehicle (once or twice a year). We have gotten spoiled using a truck for family vacations (so much comfort and space). I know the shortcomings are there, but they are outweighed by all the benefits.

 

[wingfiry]

For my part, I AM buying the Lightning as our road trip vehicle (once or twice a year). We have gotten spoiled using a truck for family vacations (so much comfort and space). I know the shortcomings are there, but they are outweighed by all the benefits.

I am getting the lightning for both personal and business use. Personally, I may take 2 trips/year.. but for my work I occasionally need to travel throughout the southeast. There is no place that I need to go that does not have fast chargers on the way to or near the destination. I'm looking forward to it!

 

[astricklin]

For my part, I AM buying the Lightning as our road trip vehicle (once or twice a year). We have gotten spoiled using a truck for family vacations (so much comfort and space). I know the shortcomings are there, but they are outweighed by all the benefits.

The extra time, effort, and cost during 1 to 2 trips will not outweigh the benefits for most people. It just seems that a lot of people are very concerned about dc fast charging time and cost and availability when in reality it is somewhat rarely used. If you currently daily drive a truck, just the amount of money you will be saving in fuel will certainly cover a couple of car rentals for those long trips.

 

[EVSport7]

The extra time, effort, and cost during 1 to 2 trips will not outweigh the benefits for most people. It just seems that a lot of people are very concerned about dc fast charging time and cost and availability when in reality it is somewhat rarely used. If you currently daily drive a truck, just the amount of money you will be saving in fuel will certainly cover a couple of car rentals for those long trips.

That's what I keep telling myself. If I take my truck to the beach a few times a year, I'm just gonna have to deal with the inconvenience of having to fast charge the thing, probably when the kiddos are sleeping and have it be a longer day. I can deal with that for something that is going to be that much fun to drive!

 

[astricklin]

That's what I keep telling myself. If I take my truck to the beach a few times a year, I'm just gonna have to deal with the inconvenience of having to fast charge the thing, probably when the kiddos are sleeping and have it be a longer day. I can deal with that for something that is going to be that much fun to drive!

If you have kids, certainly you are making restroom stops and then stopping for meals. Most likely charging during those stops will be sufficient. It is much faster to make more stops charging from 15-20% and up to 50-60% than it will be trying to charge up to 80 or 100%. Charging from 80-100 is very slow in any battery because of how things work.
I don't know what the charging station situation is where you are, but it looks like currently, I would be able to make it from Dallas to Lubbock (which is not really through highly populated areas). The charging stops for breaks and lunch should maybe add 30 minutes max to my trip, maybe not even that much.

 

[EVSport7]

If you have kids, certainly you are making restroom stops and then stopping for meals. Most likely charging during those stops will be sufficient. It is much faster to make more stops charging from 15-20% and up to 50-60% than it will be trying to charge up to 80 or 100%. Charging from 80-100 is very slow in any battery because of how things work.
I don't know what the charging station situation is where you are, but it looks like currently, I would be able to make it from Dallas to Lubbock (which is not really through highly populated areas). The charging stops for breaks and lunch should maybe add 30 minutes max to my trip, maybe not even that much.

Unfortunately the beaches that we enjoy don't have CCS options so we would have to drive 20 minutes in the opposite direction and then hope it's not being used.

We just got my wife one of the new Sorento Hybrids so we only stop for bathroom breaks now, which is fine for me to road trip in that until more infrastructure is built out

 

[Rich1982]

As has been said....most all of your charging will be at home. How often do you drive more than 250-300 miles in a day? Is this is a weekly occurrence, this probably isn't the vehicle for you at this time. Myself, I might take a long road trip one to two times a year, if that, I usually end up flying if I go anywhere on vacation.

yes - I do like the idea of the electric truck, but in my case (semi retired/work a bit from home office) most of the miles I put on my truck are long road trips (leaving next week for a 3500 mile trip - truck currently has 3100 miles in the 3.5 months I have owned it, 1st 400 was to bring truck home and we have taken two weekend trips of roughly 600 miles each - I live in KS and nothing worth doing is close by)

 

[astricklin]

That's what I keep telling myself. If I take my truck to the beach a few times a year, I'm just gonna have to deal with the inconvenience of having to fast charge the thing, probably when the kiddos are sleeping and have it be a longer day. I can deal with that for something that is going to be that much fun to drive!

If you have kids, certainly you are making restroom stops and then stopping for meals. Most likely charging during those stops will be sufficient. It is much faster to make more stops charging from 15-20% and up to 50-60% than it will be trying to charge up to 80 or 100%. Charging from 80-100 is very slow in any battery because of how thin
I don't know what the charging station situation is where you are, but it looks like currently, I would be able to make it from Dallas to Lubbock (which is not really through highly populated areas). The charging stops for breaks and lunch should maybe add 30 minutes max to my trip, maybe not even that much.

 

[EaglesPDX]

yes - I do like the idea of the electric truck, but in my case (semi retired/work a bit from home office) most of the miles I put on my truck are long road trips (leaving next week for a 3500 mile trip - truck currently has 3100 miles in the 3.5 months I have owned it, 1st 400 was to bring truck home and we have taken two weekend trips of roughly 600 miles each

Sounds like a fairly conventional 15,000 a year based on your monthly miles. Unless you have some strict time constraints with working full time, just two weeks for winter and summer vacation where time is more critical, the extra time to charge is not that big a deal.

I'm the flip side, with super commuter miles of 100 a day round trip for work which worked for the first two years when I used public charging only and now when I have home charging. The frequent every weekend 200 mile trips to the shore are just one charging stop so that's no problem and I can make that stop the supermarket stop as well. The yearly trips to Whistler and Park City add some time. 12 hours to PC becomes 14 and Whistler 6 hours to 7 hours don't have much impact. With both PC and Whistler losing snow over climate change, feel guilty not making the effort to save them.

it's more the tolerance for the small amount of extra time to charge and the anxiety over where the chargers are, will they be working, will they be available. Right now the chargers are there and unused. The infrastructure bill included building out 500,000 more so the charging infrastructure for most of US is ahead of the demand.

 

[Rich1982]

Sounds like a fairly conventional 15,000 a year based on your monthly miles. Unless you have some strict time constraints with working full time, just two weeks for winter and summer vacation where time is more critical, the extra time to charge is not that big a deal.

I'm the flip side, with super commuter miles of 100 a day round trip for work which worked for the first two years when I used public charging only and now when I have home charging. The frequent every weekend 200 mile trips to the shore are just one charging stop so that's no problem and I can make that stop the supermarket stop as well. The yearly trips to Whistler and Park City add some time. 12 hours to PC becomes 14 and Whistler 6 hours to 7 hours don't have much impact. With both PC and Whistler losing snow over climate change, feel guilty not making the effort to save them.

it's more the tolerance for the small amount of extra time to charge and the anxiety over where the chargers are, will they be working, will they be available. Right now the chargers are there and unused. The infrastructure bill included building out 500,000 more so the charging infrastructure for most of US is ahead of the demand.

I agree that with most people the primary charging will be at home but my initial point was related to charging cost while out on the road - I almost delayed getting my 2021 to wait for the all electric version - I thought there might be a cost benefit with the all electric, but not sure in reality - I bought the truck primarily for our traveling (although do use it locally) over time many more of the miles will be road trip vs local miles (in my case) - started looking for charging opportunities on my recent trips and while I assume the infrastructure will increase I did not find much opportunities to charge a vehicle

 

[EaglesPDX]

I thought there might be a cost benefit with the all electric, but not sure in reality

The initial higher price eats up whatever cost benefit the EV might have on fuel and maintenance. Kona provides the best example of identical car with ICE vs. EV and the differential is $17k.

When I was charging just with fast DC public chargers at $0.31. The cost differential for 25,000 miles a year vs. my 32 mph Subaru was a $500 a year savings. The car cost Subaru sedan vs. Tesla sedan was $17k. I'll never make that up.

Assuming people are charging at home, that will show a $1k a year savings.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

If you constantly go on long road trips, and would feel inconvenienced by 45 minute charges every 4-6 hours, this may not be the truck for you. Sorry. Doesn't mean you need to be critical of a Revolutionary (not evolutionary) Electric Truck that suits the needs of 95%+ drivers in North America.

For me, I go on long road trips (as opposed to flying) twice a year. 45 minute stops, with my 3 and 6 year old, seem necessary even if I wasn't charging. Heck, I need a break after 4 to 6 hours of straight driving.

 

[Traconesu]

New to the EV world and have a Lightning reserved and we are considering a Mach E in the mean time.

Doing some research I noticed that some states charge by the minute instead of per kWh at public charge stations. Why and who does it benefit to charge differently?

Also, found that in TN there is an additional $100 charge on vehicle registration for an EV. I assume it's to offset the gas/road taxes that you wouldn't be paying. Cost of doing business, I guess. Are other states following this plan?

From what I've heard, if your vehicles SOC is in a range where the vehicle will accept maximum charge rate, then the charge by minute is supposed to be much cheaper. I'll be charging my lightning at home . Most fast chargers costs $.43 /kWh that's ridiculous price to pay for electricity. And many states are charging around $100 extra every year for registration of all electric vehicles to help pay road repairs that gas tax is supposed to be doing. Illinois charge that extra fee. Kinda like they are discouraging people from purchasing an EV. You'd think they'd at least wait until more are on the road to do that.

 

[Pjlightning]

From what I've heard, if your vehicles SOC is in a range where the vehicle will accept maximum charge rate, then the charge by minute is supposed to be much cheaper. I'll be charging my lightning at home . Most fast chargers costs $.43 /kWh that's ridiculous price to pay for electricity. And many states are charging around $100 extra every year for registration of all electric vehicles to help pay road repairs that gas tax is supposed to be doing. Illinois charge that extra fee. Kinda like they are discouraging people from purchasing an EV. You'd think they'd at least wait until more are on the road to do that.

for me, it’s MUCH cheaper to charge away from home, at EA in Mass, where they charge by the minute,
I can “fill up” for less than $5.
(Not 0-100, but from about 30 to 70).

I pay far more at home in CT where it’s an 0.24 electric rate, one of the highest in the country.

I only charge at home to “top off” from 80-90%,
(where the EA per minute would start to be costly since the truck slows way down on charging pace.)

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