somehow i don’t think that’s the case.
I’m all set in Chargepoint. Just wanted a clear view into my EA stats like others have shared. I did find pretty detailed views in Mercedes ME charge (or whatever it’s called) that lets you download it to a csv so I’ll play around with that for now.
I’ll pm you on my EQS deal.
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Going to a movie which happens to be near my usual ea charger. 1 charger broken, 2 got bolted, 1 mach e just charging at 67%, 1 car in line. Yeah, not going to wait for it.
edit: Finish the movie at 9.30pm, there are 2 cars in line. Yep, going home it is. 
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That’s what I was worried about… 
. Good lord it’s crazy what some folks are comfortable airing out. I’d like to think there’s no place for that crap around here.
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They meant bolt, leaf, and bz4x drivers. 
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Still haven’t had any bad experiences at EA charging, thus far. Maybe because I don’t go in mainstream hours etc. This was the best so far 236 Kw on my Ioniq 5 
there were a couple of EQ’s there but that’s about it at 10pm at Camarillo Outlets
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I am one year into an Ioniq5 courtesy of @aronchi Great car, great deal, I’ll be back for a P* 3 a year from now!
The EA free charging has been kind of a gimmick for me. I live in the Pittsburgh area….there is one EA charger 45 min SE of me and another about an hour NW. Never find myself anywhere near either, so I just charge at home and pay, no big deal. I’m damn sure not going to go out of my way for a “free” charge.
Road trips are infrequent. The EA stops along the PA Turnpike have been OK. Bedford always works. Carlisle sucks because it is inconvenient / not as close to the exit.
Was in the Princeton NJ area about six months ago and man was that bad. Lawrenceville station, long lines, cars parked there, chargers not working properly, people acting the fool. Terrible.
Going west into Ohio EA is really poor. 15 minutes off the interstate in some Wal Mart circus parking lot….no thanks. My experience has been much better just paying up for EVGo, at several truck stops right along the interstate, they always work, much more convenient and a better experience.
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No kidding, I went to lawrenceville last week. All 4 are 350kw charger, while my eqb pulled a decent 70-90, the 3 other ioniqs were pulling 45-55.
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Cambridge’s EA is off 70/77 a little but I wouldn’t say it’s 15 minutes (maybe in peak traffic both ways) but yes those Walmart parking lots are almost always a zoo. I’m actually kind of thankful when they banish the EA to the edge of the parking lot over some center or near center placement.
But yes Carlisle EA is def a pain to get to if you’re going N/E on 81.
This is one of the worst sites in NJ. There is a Tesla magicdock supercharger in Hamilton, which is only 10 minutes away. I know it’s not free, but if you need a charge in the area it’s a much better choice.
I’ve ranted about this EA site before, I’ve caught local VW and Audi dealerships charging inventory at this site.
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Good write up about your experience! @mrhills in one post sums up BEV owning or leasing in most places in the US and shows why having an BEV makes zero practical sense unless you have level 2, at-home charging.
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I think his experience shows why chasing EA free charging doesn’t always make sense.
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Thanks. I leased my Ioniq5 for only 24 mos to see if it fits my use. It definitely does, and I’m staying electric when this lease is up. The missus will be due for a new ride soon, and we will likely go electric for her as well. Not certain yet, but likely.
The drive experience is worth the occasional inconvenience, and for my particular use case, the inconvenience is like once or twice a year. No big deal.
I’d never own one without being able to charge at home. That is part of the appeal. If you own a home there is not much reason you can’t install a level 2 charger. Apartments, condos, townhomes I’d be absolutely CERTAIN you have access to a level 2 at home before proceeding.
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The EA at the Walmart by me is always a disaster. Theres no easy way to queue up and someone will inevitability just pull in with no regard for anyone waiting. Things always seem on the verge of a fistfight. People will charge their Bolts and Niros up to 100 percent pulling 8kw. Last time I was there a Niro had been on a charger for 4 hours crawling along. I can rarely get over 110 kw. I find it better to just to at midnight or charge at home.
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Not necessarily, I’ve been EV since 2020 and don’t have access at home but still manage with public charging and ALL FREE for that matter. But it all depends on individual circumstances per se, my situation works for me perfectly even if I didn’t have the FREE charging access. Tesla can be charged at SC network quick and easy, Hyundai has FREE EA charging and times that I go are always no wait, and Mirai too has the Hydrogen card from Toyota… so NO NEED FOR HOME access charging.
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I think his EA experience can be applied across almost all variations of public chargers. Come out to California and take a look at what’s going on here. The land of the EV and the public charging network is a complete waste of time, fully dysfunctional and filled with long lines. That is not to mention all at a cost per kWh that will make you want to go buy a 12 mpg V8.
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I drive hundreds of miles throughout the Northeast every week, using almost exclusively public charging and I rarely have to wait for a plug. I don’t doubt your experience, or others experience, is different but that doesn’t mean it’s the same everywhere.
Case in point, using the Lawrenceville EA over the Hamilton Tesla SC. You may not pay for one, but at only 4 miles apart, the resulting experience will be completely different.
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That experience does not sound like the norm but I am glad it works for you.
If I had no home charger, had to wait and also pay over $0.50 per kWh it would be a dealbreaker. I also don’t count the Tesla SC network as “public” as of right now.
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All anecdotes here and that’s cool — usage is so different, that’s why I wanted to test with a low-cost, low-commit lease before jumping in with the missus’ car and a much nicer car for me.
In a year of ownership I’m sure I’ve DC fast charged less than 25 times, so the point was with my usage, tolerances, where I live, etc., NFW would I own without the ease of home charging. I didn’t know until I had it how convenient it would be to just plug up at night. Putting up with exclusively public charging would never work for me, not now.
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