EA charging network rant

[ShiftyWolf]

*You have to know that I always have to read your nom de plume slowly; speed-reading it leads to a less-flattery association, and I end up having an argument in my head: "I love wolves, they're great. Why would he call them that?")

I've had to correct a few people on other boards... "it's shifty, my friend, shifty". My own mash up of a long standing nickname plus part of my son's old username. And it is memorable

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[Capt Mike]

PlugShare can help here too. I just looked it up and it tells me the chargers are on the 3rd floor of parking structure 2.

Good to know. thanks

 

[kort]

Happy 2024. I just feel the need to rant a bit after a recent charging experience, to a possibly sympathetic crowd. Since I still have a few months of free Electrify America DC charging, I figured I'd do a test run before trying to road trip for real. I went on the Porsche app over the weekend and found the nearest chargers in Orlando, not convenient to my home but any chance for a drive, right?

Well, I discovered two things. First, the two charging locations in Orlando are in large mall areas, so the entire non-Tesla world was trying to charge at each spot. Secondly, EA provides only two locations and 12 total DC chargers for the ENTIRE ORLANDO AREA!

Definitely my mistake in not considering mall traffic, but I tried and gave up on both locations after seeing all the chargers in use and 3-4 cars ahead of me at each location. I have no issue waiting a little bit, and I know the network is still growing, but two locations and 12 chargers for all of Orlando is just outrageous. I ended up driving home and AC charging from there like normal.

The one location was right next to a bunch of Superchargers it was ironically amusing to see all the Tesla owners staring at us in disbelief as they each pulled up to one of the several available SuC spots.

Ok, I feel a little better. Rant over

and therein lies the newest dirty little secret of EV ownership. the infrastructure is not keeping up with the numbers of EVs being sold.
orlando is a good example, a big metro area that has seen ZERO expansion by EA despite the huge increase of EVs sold in the region.
this coupled with driver/charging ignorance exhibited by the newbies is making road tripping very painful.
I am an OG ev owner, my first was a 2012 leaf, and I currently am a 2 EV household but the L3 charging situation is going to force me to return to at least on ICE vehicle for the few road trips that I make.
it is no wonder that EVs is having trouble catching on with the mainstream driver.

 

[porsche_coyote]

I did have two additional observations based on earlier remarks:

1. Getting 150 kW when plugging in at a SoC of 50% is actually pretty typical for a preconditioned Taycan, and way above average as an EV charging experience. At 50%, you’re well down the curve from peak charging. The changes that Porsche have made to improve charging at higher SoCs seem to me to hold up to around 35% or so. I’d say that to see the car’s peak rate of charge, you need to plug in at 25% SoC or lower.

2. In no case will you see if a EA charger can deliver 350 kW by plugging in a J1 Taycan. Porsche claims a peak charge rate of 270 kW, and that is the actual peak in my experience.

 

[FrozenBlueBalls]

Well, I discovered two things. First, the two charging locations in Orlando are in large mall areas, so the entire non-Tesla world was trying to charge at each spot. Secondly, EA provides only two locations and 12 total DC chargers for the ENTIRE ORLANDO AREA!

Definitely my mistake in not considering mall traffic, but I tried and gave up on both locations after seeing all the chargers in use and 3-4 cars ahead of me at each location. I have no issue waiting a little bit, and I know the network is still growing, but two locations and 12 chargers for all of Orlando is just outrageous. I ended up driving home and AC charging from there like normal.

The one location was right next to a bunch of Superchargers it was ironically amusing to see all the Tesla owners staring at us in disbelief as they each pulled up to one of the several available SuC spots.

I work in the ORLANDO area and have used the FL MALL terminals you’re referring to. There are 6 Electrify America terminals (two of which are 350kw/Hyper terminals). 2 of 6 are often out of service. It’s not unusual for there to be line of cars as early as 7:30am (like today). Others mentioned that if you travel outside of ORLANDO, the terminals are not frequented as often. CLERMONT (west of ORLANDO) has a fairly new 6 terminal station that I’ve been to three times so far, and never a line of cars. In fact, the mornings you can often find it completely empty. It’s 22-miles from the FL MALL terminals. Perhaps you may have a better experience there.

 

[ShiftyWolf]

Thanks. I'm actually a bit north of downtown Orlando so none of them are all that near to my regular routes. There is another EA station up near Daytona but that's an even longer hike just to try out the charger. Any reason to take a drive, though

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