Can you “reserve” a charger at a destination hotel?

[speedy123]

Wondering how this works and if there is an etiquette around it. For a road trip, I’d be hoping to stay at hotels that offered a level 2 charger and charge as high as 80-100% overnight for the next trip leg. I can search on booking sites and plug share for hotels with chargers, but I’d be annoyed if I booked a place and the charger(s) were all on use from other guests overnight. Probably more and more an issue with more EV’s on the road?
Is there a way to “guarantee” charger access when you book a room somehow? What has your experience been with this? Thanks

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[spencerje]

Not sure, but it seems unlikely. You could just call and ask. At a minimum, they might know whether the chargers are usually occupied.

 

[RickLightning]

Wondering how this works and if there is an etiquette around it. For a road trip, I’d be hoping to stay at hotels that offered a level 2 charger and charge as high as 80-100% overnight for the next trip leg. I can search on booking sites and plug share for hotels with chargers, but I’d be annoyed if I booked a place and the charger(s) were all on use from other guests overnight. Probably more and more an issue with more EV’s on the road?
Is there a way to “guarantee” charger access when you book a room somehow? What has your experience been with this? Thanks

Never seen this, no. First come, first served. Prepare to be annoyed, especially if the space is iced.

Also, check PlugShare. Many hotel chargers are older and slow. We like to arrive with 10% battery in our Mach-E (Lightning hasn't had a hotel stay). Many chargers are 3 to 5kW. Last hotel car got to 77% by morning. 131 x 90% = 118. 118 with 10% loss is 131. 131/12 hours = 10.9kW....

 

[Yellow Buddy]

Wondering how this works and if there is an etiquette around it. For a road trip, I’d be hoping to stay at hotels that offered a level 2 charger and charge as high as 80-100% overnight for the next trip leg. I can search on booking sites and plug share for hotels with chargers, but I’d be annoyed if I booked a place and the charger(s) were all on use from other guests overnight. Probably more and more an issue with more EV’s on the road?
Is there a way to “guarantee” charger access when you book a room somehow? What has your experience been with this? Thanks

You can try, but it’s not likely to work., I use hotel L2s a LOT. I’m on the road about 2-3x per month whether it’s for personal or business and each trip is 500-1000 miles. 2000 is my max in one trip.

When there wasn’t a lot of DCFC I used to call ahead and it was random luck. Even when they did, all they would do is put out a cone

I treat them as a plus if they’re available and always plan to charge at a DCFC nearby if they’re not. So far in my 8+ years of doing this I have only needed to top off at a nearby DCFC once, it was at a hotel with a single L2 and I arrived at 2am and left at 8am and just didn’t get enough time.

If you really want to narrow it down, EVGo has reservations. But those chargers have been few and far between for me. I just wing it based on PlugShare and try to aim for locations with at least 2 L2s but wouldn’t hesitate for a single.

 

[Bills R Electric]

Wondering how this works and if there is an etiquette around it. For a road trip, I’d be hoping to stay at hotels that offered a level 2 charger and charge as high as 80-100% overnight for the next trip leg. I can search on booking sites and plug share for hotels with chargers, but I’d be annoyed if I booked a place and the charger(s) were all on use from other guests overnight. Probably more and more an issue with more EV’s on the road?
Is there a way to “guarantee” charger access when you book a room somehow? What has your experience been with this? Thanks

This is definitely an issue. Many hotels have just One Level 2 charger, and maybe One Tesla destination charger. And I don't know of any "reservation" system.

You can't count on it. If the charger is not in use, just consider it good luck.

 

[jdmackes]

Wondering how this works and if there is an etiquette around it. For a road trip, I’d be hoping to stay at hotels that offered a level 2 charger and charge as high as 80-100% overnight for the next trip leg. I can search on booking sites and plug share for hotels with chargers, but I’d be annoyed if I booked a place and the charger(s) were all on use from other guests overnight. Probably more and more an issue with more EV’s on the road?
Is there a way to “guarantee” charger access when you book a room somehow? What has your experience been with this? Thanks

I'd check plugshare and make sure there are a few chargers at the hotel. I just stayed at the same one twice (once going down to Florida and once on the way back) and both times there was an open charger and it worked without issue. It was slow (32 amp/7.2 kw/hr, same as my home charger) but it worked and there were 4 of them avaliable. If there were only one or two, I'd be cautious.

 

[Barridale]

I hope that any request to reserve a charger would be rejected anyway there would be a logistic problem should a receptionist for the hotel stand in the spot or maybe put a chair I think not first come first serve.

 

[djwildstar]

I also carry a TeslaTap or similar Tesla-to-J1772 adapter on my truck. It's helped out on a couple of occasions:

• There was one instance where the hotel's one and only J1772 charger was in use, but one of the several Tesla chargers was open. The TeslaTap allowed me to use that Tesla charger for my truck.
• There have been several instances where I got more charging power from the Tesla chargers than from the J1772 charger. I think it is fairly common for the J1772 charger (or chargers) to be wired to a 20A circuit for each charger, but for the Tesla chargers to be set up in a power-sharing network.

While the TeslaTap Mini 80A is a bit pricey, it is pretty compact and will handle as much power as an ER truck can take.

 

[Skidrowe]

I've had valet at higher end hotels ask me if I wanted them to plug my truck in when I checked the vehicle. If you're okay with spending more money, you might consider that option as well. Calling ahead might even have a higher efficacy in a situation like that.

 

[RickLightning]

I've had valet at higher end hotels ask me if I wanted them to plug my truck in when I checked the vehicle. If you're okay with spending more money, you might consider that option as well. Calling ahead might even have a higher efficacy in a situation like that.

You mean you actually gave you vehicle to someone else to drive, charge, and then park for you?

I was a valet as a senior in high school, working for a service that had like a dozen places it parked for, plus special events.

No valets drive my cars. NEVER.

 

[speedy123]

Very helpful comments, thanks everybody.

I wonder if, in the future, hotels will make use of EV charging "reservable" or "payable". I'd gladly pay an extra $15/night or something to have guaranteed access to a charger. But lots of logistics for the hotel.

I will definitely look for places that have more than 1 charger, and with a DCFC closeby as backup, and use a Tesla adapter. I don't have a Lightning yet, all of these questions impact when and if I do.

 

[Skidrowe]

You mean you actually gave you vehicle to someone else to drive, charge, and then park for you?

I was a valet as a senior in high school, working for a service that had like a dozen places it parked for, plus special events.

No valets drive my cars. NEVER.

It's a filthy truck. The hotrod guys are probably looking for corvettes and Porsches. If they do drive it like they stole it, then they're treating it the same way I do. At the end of the day, it's just a vehicle to me that I love driving. I have many bigger problems in my life to stress about. Letting someone else drive my truck doesn't make the cut for things I need stress about.

 

[RickLightning]

Very helpful comments, thanks everybody.

I wonder if, in the future, hotels will make use of EV charging "reservable" or "payable". I'd gladly pay an extra $15/night or something to have guaranteed access to a charger. But lots of logistics for the hotel.

I will definitely look for places that have more than 1 charger, and with a DCFC closeby as backup, and use a Tesla adapter. I don't have a Lightning yet, all of these questions impact when and if I do.

Some hotels restrict charging by requiring a room key that has charging turned on (still free). At the front desk when you check in, you tell them you want to charge, and they set your key to that.

The charger requires you to swipe the key to activate the charger. This was at a Drury Inn. Great feature (free breakfast, dinner, and 3 drinks per person too!).

And again, remember to look up the location in PlugShare, because charging SPEED is going to matter with your Lightning.

 

[LightningLover]

I have "reserved" a charger successfully.

First, call the hotel and book with them directly or give them your existing booking information.
Second, ask if the chargers are working and if special steps are needed to use it (some have special codes, key cards, etc.)
Third, let them know you picked them because you will need to charge and ask if they can "reserve" one of the chargers.

Some hotels will reserve one. Others may have plenty and they are underutilized.

It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[cal]

You can try, but it’s not likely to work., I use hotel L2s a LOT. I’m on the road about 2-3x per month whether it’s for personal or business and each trip is 500-1000 miles. 2000 is my max in one trip.

When there wasn’t a lot of DCFC I used to call ahead and it was random luck. Even when they did, all they would do is put out a cone

I treat them as a plus if they’re available and always plan to charge at a DCFC nearby if they’re not. So far in my 8+ years of doing this I have only needed to top off at a nearby DCFC once, it was at a hotel with a single L2 and I arrived at 2am and left at 8am and just didn’t get enough time.

If you really want to narrow it down, EVGo has reservations. But those chargers have been few and far between for me. I just wing it based on PlugShare and try to aim for locations with at least 2 L2s but wouldn’t hesitate for a single.

Do they try to charge you? Back in 2013 they gladly let you charge for free just to get your business.

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