EV Charging Networks

Let me start this post with a solid statement. As it stands today, the Tesla Supercharging network is the best charging network in the country. Full stop, period. It is what gives me pause about moving to another EV car brand. I have a reservation on a Cadillac Lyriq and my only pause about that car is that is won’t work with the supercharger network. So, with that being said… we need a much better network in this country!

Over the weekend my family made a drive from the Austin area to Dallas. This is a relatively short drive (~3 hours). On the way up, we charged once and had a great experience. However, on the way back we stopped at the same supercharger, which was advertised at 150kw, and only achieved 60kw. So, my 20-30 minute charge was going to be 1.5 hours. That is just untenable. So we got some lunch, and had enough charge to move to the next supercharger, which was advertised at 250kw. We got there and although we had a great stop, we only ever achieved 100kw. (Note: the supercharger in Waco is one of the best stops around. It is in the parking lot of a great, inexpensive, bakery. DO stop there!) So we topped off and made it home. Keep this story fresh in your mind…

New EV buyers are going to expect experiences that are closer to their gas powered cars. Many of us that have EV’s have been early adopters and understand the underlying technology, which therefore gives us a certain level of patience. New EV buyers will not have that same level of patience, nor should they. We are now entering the era where EVs are mainstream. The charging networks must catch up. 

Now, before I start… I realize the reasons why my recent charging experience didn’t achieve the full advertised speeds. (Busy superchargers, someone else charging on the same circuit, etc.) However, those limitations should no longer exist. I think it is fair for consumers to expect consistent charge speeds. Frankly, its the only way this thing works. When a consumer has a gas car, they know about how long it takes to fill a tank. Having an expectation of consistency is fair for EV owners as well. Having double or more the charge time, given factors outside of the consumers control, absolutely make EV ownership on out of town drives untenable. We need and deserve better. These chargers need to be re-engineered and we need many more of these stations for this to work. Also, as much as I love superchargers, we need more networks that support more than just Teslas. I am a staunch believer that EVs are the way to go, but as consumers we need to demand better. Tesla, you are the best at charging stations, but you need to do better! (Don’t get me started about unmarked out of service or degraded supercharging stations.)

What are your thoughts on this subject?