How far are you from a DCFC? (Within 200 miles in the Contiguous US)

[SpaceEVDriver]

I was curious about a statement @Ford Motor Company made in one of their threads that claimed a Ford driver on most highways is within 30 miles of a DCFC.

I pulled data from the Dept. of Energy Alternative Fuels database. Those data are somewhat out of date (2022), but still a good enough set of data.

The heat maps below show every DoE-known DCFC within the contiguous US with a 50-, 100-, and 200-mile radius circle plotted around it.

A point of interest in the US is within straight-line range of a DCFC if it's in the maroon coloring. The darker the maroon, the more DCFC chargers within that range.

Caveats:
Not every charger is compatible with every vehicle. For example, this includes V2 brand-T chargers. Not every charger is operational all the time.

Regardless of the caveats, this is why I feel perfectly comfortable picking up and going on a road trip whenever the mood strikes. Other than the northern reaches of some midwest states, everywhere in the US is within 200 miles of several DCFC stations.

50 miles:

100 miles:

200 miles:

 

[CD4TNF]

Fun data mapping. Thank you for doing the map.


And the infrastructure is only getting better.

 

[farmtruck]

I live in that hole on he North end of the 200 mile map. I can go West, South, or East with the Lightning but North is a nogo.

 

[Firn]

Neat! r/dataisfun

You should invert the density plots, highlight the areas that are 50, 100, and 200 miles from any DCFC.

 

[PJnc284]

Lets see how long it takes that 50 mile map to look like the 200. 200 miles isn't feasible at anything other than 100% SOC and that's assuming ideal weather and not having a lead foot. If you're not testing your BMS, I suspect the average person is at most going from 80%-10% which ideally would get you 125-150 miles on an ER. Some say slow down, but that can just be a hazard to you and others on the road.

 

[Vulnox]

I think the talk about distance from a DCFC alone is a little rough since I have watched a lot of videos with people that road trip EVs and while they can get to a DCFC for all of their trips, sometimes they are going 5-10 miles off the expressway to get to it.

That's better than dead battery on the side of the freeway, but it's an element that needs to be improved as well. This is more typical more in those central and west areas than the super dense east and coastal west of course.

 

[RickLightning]

Lets see how long it takes that 50 mile map to look like the 200. 200 miles isn't feasible at anything other than 100% SOC and that's assuming ideal weather and not having a lead foot. If you're not testing your BMS, I suspect the average person is at most going from 80%-10% which ideally would get you 125-150 miles on an ER. Some say slow down, but that can just be a hazard to you and others on the road.

I would say closer to 150 - 165 in nice weather for 70% of battery. As to speed, we were out west in an 80mph area and had no problem doing 65... Doing 60 in a 70mph zone would also be easy.

In addition to distance to a charger, it has to be a working charger. We have done trips (across North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana) where there is one fast charging location on the route. If it is down, you are hosed.

Last trip was to Bozeman, MT via North Dakota. EA across North Dakota is only option. 150 miles between Billings and Bozeman. Strong headwind. I drove 63 much of it.

From Big Sky south to Driggs, ID to ski Grand Targhee and then Jackson Hole, there were 2 independent chargers to hit. They used to be on the now defunct Juicebox network. At the first stop outside West Yellowstone, one of two chargers was broken. The other took 6 tries to work (as it did for others). In Driggs, same chargers, 2 side by side.

Then we had to head home and cut through pretty desolate area. Again, only one charger to hit, a different organization, 2 times before we got to interstate. One had been down the week prior, but I emailed them and they confirmed it was up.

 

[Firn]

Lets see how long it takes that 50 mile map to look like the 200. 200 miles isn't feasible at anything other than 100% SOC and that's assuming ideal weather and not having a lead foot. If you're not testing your BMS, I suspect the average person is at most going from 80%-10% which ideally would get you 125-150 miles on an ER. Some say slow down, but that can just be a hazard to you and others on the road.

200 miles is completely FEASABLE. If you are taking a trip and there is a gap of 200 miles you can do it. Yes, you may have to slow down. Yes, you may have to charge to 90%+, but you can. And that is the point.

If you want convenience you need chargers every 20 miles, not 50.

The point again is if you CAN, not if it's perfect.

 

[RickLightning]

200 miles is completely FEASABLE. If you are taking a trip and there is a gap of 200 miles you can do it. Yes, you may have to slow down. Yes, you may have to charge to 90%+, but you can. And that is the point.

If you want convenience you need chargers every 20 miles, not 50.

The point again is if you CAN, not if it's perfect.

Not in the dead of winter.

 

[Peddyr]

12 miles to the closest one from my house and I was 15 miles from one at work until some soft minded pantload torched the Tesla stations near me.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I've got a couple of DCFC units about 3 blocks from my house, but they are adjacent to a Volvo dealership which is going through major site renovation & expansion, they are in the dealership parking lot which is fenced off until construction is complete, not a great loss as they are under 100KW units.

The nearest EA & Tesla stations are about 15 miles away.

 

[Firn]

Not in the dead of winter.

Sure, you wont make it in the middle of winter, with a 30mph headwind, with a wife who is pregnant and likes it to be 74, and uphill both ways.

To go 200 miles on 90% of and ER battery requires a minimum efficiency of 1.7. I get 1.5 at 70mph at 20F and an interior temp of 70-72. I wouldn't say its impossible even in the colder temps the majority of the US faces. Canada, ok, I'll give you that.

 

[RickLightning]

Sure, you wont make it in the middle of winter, with a 30mph headwind, with a wife who is pregnant and likes it to be 74, and uphill both ways.

To go 200 miles on 90% of and ER battery requires a minimum efficiency of 1.7. I get 1.5 at 70mph at 20F and an interior temp of 70-72. That's not a fun drive, but I wouldn't say its impossible even in the colder temps the majority of the US faces. Canada, ok, I'll give you that.

We drove 65mph at 23 degrees, no heat, and got 1.5. For our 1,655 miles to Bozeman, we averaged 1.4. We got 1.3 from Glendive, MT to Miles City, MT. Our trip out and back averaged 1.6.

Note also that when the battery is cold, it has less energy. I documented this in my Trip report for that trip.

 

[Grumpy2]

Thanks for the map! Reminds me that we are making progress despite our current leaders ...

2 miles for me to a 62 kW
26 miles to a Tesla

 

[Firn]

We drove 65mph at 23 degrees, no heat, and got 1.5. For our 1,655 miles to Bozeman, we averaged 1.4. We got 1.3 from Glendive, MT to Miles City, MT. Our trip out and back averaged 1.6.

Note also that when the battery is cold, it has less energy. I documented this in my Trip report for that trip.

I did a series of controlled tests to evaluate the effects of tire pressure on efficiency. I did six, 65 mile drives, maintaining exactly 70mph, driving the exact same round trip and ending at the starting point (exit ramp on the opposite side of the highway), HVAC on Auto at 70 degrees, no seat heaters, and more or less in the exact same 20F weather. The only difference was various tire pressures, going as low as 32PSI and as high as 51PSI. I also monitored a wide variety of sensors and calculated values through the OBD port.

My lowest efficiency over the six tests was just under 1.5.

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