If you haven’t driven an EV before, use PlugShare app to to find chargers near you

[Mr. Flibble]

I recommend getting the PlugShare app on your cell phone, and exploring your local area on the map of chargers near you.

Sure, there is going to be the Ford pass App for the Lightning. FWIW, I wouldn’t use it.

Why?

As an EV driver for the last few years, the most useful app to have on hand is as I said above, PlugShare. When you fire it up, as long as you have adjusted your filters, it gives you a list of all the chargers around a given area. Tesla, Chargepoint, Blink, EVgo, EV Connect, even 240v wall plugs, etc. Think of it more like a gas-station locator tool. Though, TBH, I don’t recommend seeking out a wall plug unless you are desperate for a charge.

Now, to charge at a given charger, like say a Chargepoint Charger, you will still need a Chargepoint app on your phone or watch to enable charging (a lot take credit cards now) at the charger.

It is worth using an individual app to see if the charger is working, or is in use (PlugShare usually shows this, but not always). It sucks showing up to a charger only to find out it is full, or has been vandalized so it doesn’t work.

The Fordpass will be nice for getting reduced charging rates at some of the chargers you come across, but it is not a requirement by any means, and, it may not show some chargers that are not part of the app. It’s useful as a “discount” card in some cases, but to be honest, you can oftentimes get bigger discounts from other app subscriptions.

Sticking to the Fordpass app alone will limit how many chargers you see. Imagine only being able to see Exxon Gas stations while driving, and having Chevrons and Shell stations be totally invisible.

And finally, is driving an EV manageable? Absolutely. I have a Kia Soul EV+, and the battery has failed, but it is still under warranty. So my max range has dropped to 24 miles! I am currently awaiting the new battery from Kia to go back to a 90+ mile range. We still drive it every day because on most days we do 10-15 miles total, or we do multiple trips home and back, and plug it into the L2 in the garage. For longer drives we use the Jeep.

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[sotek2345]

Great post. I will also add that ABetterRoutePlanner is a great site / app for planning travel with an EV.

 

[shutterbug]

Sticking to the Fordpass app alone will limit how many chargers you see. Imagine only being able to see Exxon Gas stations while driving, and having Chevrons and Shell stations be totally invisible.

When you first get the Lightning, you will also get the first 250 kWh free on EA. So I assume, you first DCFC charging will be limited to what's visible in FP.

 

[Mr. Flibble]

When you first get the Lightning, you will also get the first 250 kWh free on EA. So I assume, you first DCFC charging will be limited to what's visible in FP.

I would say you would prefer to use Electrify America for DCFC, but not every DCFC is part of EA, so I would personally keep my options open, even if free charging is a huge bonus. So, I should clarify, you should use the Fordpass app, especially to get the free charging as you have pointed out, but don’t confine yourself to only those chargers.

Though, 99% of my charging is already at home, and usually only L2 charging occasionally when in certain locations with Chargepoint chargers, just because I get better parking. I have only used DCFC twice since owning the Kia. Once just to try it, and once after driving into the mountains and realising I didn’t have enough charge to get home, so I used a Blink ChadEMO charger as I didn’t feel like waiting on an L2.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

If you haven’t driving an EV before, I highly recommend going to a Tesla store and giving one a go. They won’t bother pushing you to buy one at all. They may have the body gaps of a Yugo, but they are a heckuva lot of fun to drive.

 

[rdr854]

If you haven’t driving an EV before, I highly recommend going to a Tesla store and giving one a go. They won’t bother pushing you to buy one at all. They may have the body gaps of a Yugo, but they are a heckuva lot of fun to drive.

Or go to a Polestar dealer. The Polestar 2 is a nice driving BEV as well with tight body gaps of a Volvo!

 

[shutterbug]

I would say you would prefer to use Electrify America for DCFC, but not every DCFC is part of EA, so I would personally keep my options open, even if free charging is a huge bonus. So, I should clarify, you should use the Fordpass app, especially to get the free charging as you have pointed out, but don’t confine yourself to only those chargers.

Though, 99% of my charging is already at home, and usually only L2 charging occasionally when in certain locations with Chargepoint chargers, just because I get better parking. I have only used DCFC twice since owning the Kia. Once just to try it, and once after driving into the mountains and realising I didn’t have enough charge to get home, so I used a Blink ChadEMO charger as I didn’t feel like waiting on an L2.

Blink chademo stations are pretty much the loneliest EVSE out there. And they are of no use to those of us rocking Ford EV cars and trucks. From where I am now I can see Greenlots, ChargePoint, EVgo, in addition to EA stations in FordPass. FordPass also tells me which ones are available.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

Blink chademo stations are pretty much the loneliest EVSE out there.

I would imagine those stations can be retrofitted with a different connector. Is there some part of those electronics that would make it more complex than just swapping the cable and connector for something useful?

 

[Mr. Flibble]

Blink chademo stations are pretty much the loneliest EVSE out there. And they are of no use to those of us rocking Ford EV cars and trucks. From where I am now I can see Greenlots, ChargePoint, EVgo, in addition to EA stations in FordPass. FordPass also tells me which ones are available.

The two times I used CHAdeMO (because that’s what my Kia supports) the same Blink chargers also had CCS on the same system, so you could choose which charging cable to use. Kind of like a gas pump that has one handle for gas, and the other for Diesel.

 

[shutterbug]

I would imagine those stations can be retrofitted with a different connector. Is there some part of those electronics that would make it more complex than just swapping the cable and connector for something useful?

Most Blinks are chademo and either 50 or 75 kWh. Those may be as expensive to retrofit, as built new. They have some 175 kWh, those will probably be worth retrofitting.

 

[shutterbug]

The two times I used CHAdeMO (because that’s what my Kia supports) the same Blink chargers also had CCS on the same system, so you could choose which charging cable to use. Kind of like a gas pump that has one handle for gas, and the other for Diesel.

Or more like the ones with both leaded and unleaded nozzles. With leaded chademo destined to disappear eventually.

 

[jefro]

I keep six apps on my phone cuz not one of them is 100% correct.

 

[vandy1981]

I recommend getting the PlugShare app on your cell phone, and exploring your local area on the map of chargers near you.

Would also recommend planning some simulated trips using "A Better Route Planner (ABRP)." They have the F150L in their database, but the efficiency and charging speeds are speculative (and probably pessimistic given the range/kwh figures we've been seeing.

 

[speedy123]

If you haven’t driving an EV before, I highly recommend going to a Tesla store and giving one a go. They won’t bother pushing you to buy one at all. They may have the body gaps of a Yugo, but they are a heckuva lot of fun to drive.

I rented a Tesla model 3 on Turo last weekend. Took a 700km road trip through southern Ontario. I’ve never driven an EV of any kind, it was absolutely fantastic. It showed me 3 things:
1) winter range was easily 30% or more less than optimal predicted warm weather range. I’m definitely getting the ER battery for my Lightning.
2) Tesla superchargers are fantastic. Plug in, reliable, everywhere along my route. This is a HUGE plus for Tesla, the patchy and sometimes unreliable network of other EV chargers would’ve made my trip more stressful but doable.
3) if Ford Copilot is as good as Tesla autopilot it will be my favourite feature ever. Loved it. Also love the 1 pedal driving.

If I didn’t need a truck then a Model 3 would be a total no brainer based on superchargers alone. But I am enthralled with the EV experience and hope my eventual Lightning is even better!

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