jelloslug
Active Member
I have had zero trouble free charging attempts at EA stations.
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Electrify America Fast Chargers - Huh?
- Thread starter minderbinder
- Start date
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
No, EA has 'issues.' They come and go though, so each stop is a crap shoot.
I know not directed at me but I’ve tried many in California both urban, suburban, and even out in the boonies. To name a few: Chula Vista, Gardena, Van Nuys, Turlock, Bridgeport, Bakersfield, and Selma. They have all had issues and while some eventually charged after several attempts others flat out failed and left me sweating my few options left.
Electrify America Waives Monthly Membership Fees During COVID-19 Crisis is coming to an end on Sept 8th. I received an email on Aug 6th which in part said this:
Anyhow, I was charged my $4 initially and haven't paid the monthly fee again due to the waiver.
Also, you should use their app, not their credit card readers (and by extension, not NFC). They've openly admitted probs w/their CC readers.
As for adapter, I'm guessing you're talking about Tesla's CHAdeMO adapter. Unfortunately, I've seen numerous reports on Bolt FB groups that CHAdeMO at various EA sites is often down. I've seen it myself at least once if not twice. Hope you reported your experiences (esp. the negative ones) on Plugshare.
One guy Rolfe has been posting quite a bit at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1521572851487669/ about his experiences charging at EA. It seems like at almost every EA stop, he's able to charge his Bolt but at least one station is down and often, the station w/CHAdeMO is down.
I started my Pass+ sub with them on the day my county went into lockdown, in mid-March. IIRC, I was forced to choose either Pass (no fee but there's a session fee on charging and more expensive rates) or Pass+ ($4/mo, cheaper rates, no session fee) for the 1st month and IIRC, I wouldn't be allowed to change it midway thru a month.
Anyhow, I was charged my $4 initially and haven't paid the monthly fee again due to the waiver.
As for Bolt, except for stations that are clearly down (per the display), I've usually not had trouble getting CCS session to start and stay running. You need to hold up the handle/support it until the handle's locked to the car. It's a side effect of the stupid heavy cables and handle. If it can't communicate properly, the session will fail. (CHAdeMO's had more time to evolve and I've never heard of such an issue on CHAdeMO.)
Also, you should use their app, not their credit card readers (and by extension, not NFC). They've openly admitted probs w/their CC readers.
As for adapter, I'm guessing you're talking about Tesla's CHAdeMO adapter. Unfortunately, I've seen numerous reports on Bolt FB groups that CHAdeMO at various EA sites is often down. I've seen it myself at least once if not twice. Hope you reported your experiences (esp. the negative ones) on Plugshare.
One guy Rolfe has been posting quite a bit at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1521572851487669/ about his experiences charging at EA. It seems like at almost every EA stop, he's able to charge his Bolt but at least one station is down and often, the station w/CHAdeMO is down.
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I believe most of A Chevrolet Bolt EV Set a Cannonball Run Record and No One Noticed | Torque News was done on EA. I don't have the video memorized. It was done in late 2019.
His short video at
"Total time: 78 hours 59 minutes. Charged almost exclusively on Electrify America's network. 220v charging was done while sleeping."
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Long overdue... Electrify America updates pricing with fairer kWh-based model resulting in lower prices - Electrek
Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer of Electrify America, commented on today’s announcement:
Electrify America has listened to feedback from electric vehicle owners, potential customers, and longtime industry advocates. As a result we have developed a new pricing structure that is fair, consistent, and recognizes the increasing customer demand for kilowatt-hour pricing. With the new pricing, we deliver a simplified charging experience that shows new and existing customers how easy it is to own an EV. The new kWh-based pricing is available in 23 states, where it is possible based on the local regulations:
In those states, which are home to over 70% of Electrify America’s customers, EV owners charging on Electrify America’s network will be charged $0.43 per kWh. For those who decide to pay a $4 per month Electrify America subscription, the price per kWh goes down to $0.31.Also of note, with this update, Electrify America has removed its $1 charge per charging session. In the other markets, Electrify America is obligated to keep a per-minute pricing model due to local regulations controlling the sale of electricity.
Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer of Electrify America, commented on today’s announcement:
Electrify America has listened to feedback from electric vehicle owners, potential customers, and longtime industry advocates. As a result we have developed a new pricing structure that is fair, consistent, and recognizes the increasing customer demand for kilowatt-hour pricing. With the new pricing, we deliver a simplified charging experience that shows new and existing customers how easy it is to own an EV. The new kWh-based pricing is available in 23 states, where it is possible based on the local regulations:
In those states, which are home to over 70% of Electrify America’s customers, EV owners charging on Electrify America’s network will be charged $0.43 per kWh. For those who decide to pay a $4 per month Electrify America subscription, the price per kWh goes down to $0.31.Also of note, with this update, Electrify America has removed its $1 charge per charging session. In the other markets, Electrify America is obligated to keep a per-minute pricing model due to local regulations controlling the sale of electricity.
Although I like the concept, it completely hoses some users like Bolt drivers trying to optimize their costs. A bunch of us complained like at EA Adopts Per kWh Pricing
Previously, with Pass+ ($4/mo fee), it was 18 cents/minute in CA for 1 to 75 kW rate (max reported by the car). So, if I charged from 0 to ~55% and the battery wasn't too cold, it hit about 54 to 55 kW charging rate. If I terminate when as the taper starts (to 37 kW), it ends up being about 18 cents/kWh. Now, Pass+ is California is 31 cents, kWh, a 72% increase. Ouch!
No thank you! I suspect there are some other EV drivers who a similarly hosed now.
That said, some places like Texas have it dirt cheap for 1 to 90 kW rate: 16 cents/minute for guests/Pass members and 12 cents/minute for Pass+.
I wish I had the choice to stick with 18 cents/minute for Pass+ if I rejoined on that plan.
Pluto
is a Planet
This news is a week old, but there was a milestone update for Electrify America here: Electrify America's electric car fast-charging reaches milestone of 500 stations - Electrek
In it, Electrify America shows some stats for their network. They've been opening stations at almost four a week, which actually matches Tesla's US station open rate for 2020 so far of 3.8/week. Electrify America also reestablishes that their stations currently have and plan at the end of 2021 to have an average size of 4.4 charge points each. Meanwhile for the US in 2020, Tesla has an average of 10.4 stalls per station, which is over double EA's average station capacity. In the end, this means that Tesla is outpacing Electrify America in growth by well over twice its speed, contrary to another Electrek article from earlier this year: Electrify America completes 400 EV charging stations — about twice as fast as Tesla Supercharger rollout - Electrek
Source (code):
In it, Electrify America shows some stats for their network. They've been opening stations at almost four a week, which actually matches Tesla's US station open rate for 2020 so far of 3.8/week. Electrify America also reestablishes that their stations currently have and plan at the end of 2021 to have an average size of 4.4 charge points each. Meanwhile for the US in 2020, Tesla has an average of 10.4 stalls per station, which is over double EA's average station capacity. In the end, this means that Tesla is outpacing Electrify America in growth by well over twice its speed, contrary to another Electrek article from earlier this year: Electrify America completes 400 EV charging stations — about twice as fast as Tesla Supercharger rollout - Electrek
Source (code):
Code:
// Visit the following page in firefox and run this code in a browser console: https://supercharge.info/service/supercharge/allSites
function days_passed(dt) {
var current = new Date(dt.getTime());
var previous = new Date(dt.getFullYear(), 0, 1);
return Math.ceil((current - previous + 1) / 86400000);
}
var usYear = JSON.parse(JSONView.json.data).filter(e=>e.dateOpened&&e.dateOpened.startsWith(new Date().getFullYear())&&e.status=='OPEN'&&e.address.country=='USA');
// Station weekly open rate this year:
console.log(usYear.length/days_passed(new Date())*7);
// Stall count average this year:
console.log(usYear.reduce((a,e)=>a+e.stallCount,0)/usYear.length);SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
rxlawdude
Active Member
Define "station." When I see a Tesla Supercharger, there are a few (e.g., 4) or a lot (e.g., 50+) of STALLS.
How many STALLS that can be used concurrently are in each of those EA "stations?" And can all be used simultaneously? And can all of those deliver more than 50kW?
Pluto
is a Planet
Ikr, but EA is US-only so I'm comparing apples to apples. It just makes Tesla's supercharger network that much more impressive considering they're growing much more than I describe by competing with DC charge networks all around the world which focused on their specific geographical markets.
That's why I used "charge point" because EA typically offers 2 plugs per charge point. It's what EA uses to describe their network too, charge points. So they may have an average of something like 8 plugs per station, but the apples-to-apples comparison is 4.4 charge points per station.
I live near EA's headquarters in reston VA and they have had a proto type of the 4 fast charger set ups there for some time. the way ( a lest that setup is) there the cars pull in side by side the station ( not perpendicular) and then a car can sit on either side and one can use it then another ( sort of the same way some EVgo stations are). There is a DUAL CCS/CHADEMO ( one at a time) , a DUAL CCS only ( one at time- that one I don't get unless the one being used times out and the guy didn't leave, like what happens at evgo stations) ) , and a DUAL CCS 150 and 350 ( for taycans). I used to use that location with my chademo adapter and it was reasonably quick compared to a 1772 or even and evgo CHADEMO when the tesla Super chargers were only on I-95 to far away to make it worth the drive . now that there is a super charger in reston, Vienna , Ashburn and Southriding (all nice 8 stall stations) for northern VA, I just go to those. yes the pricing is quite steep on EAs. and the monthly pricing even if you don't use it was a show stopper for me.
I don't like describing charging infrastructure with "stations" because it is ambiguous whether you're talking about Sites or Stalls.
Almost all EA Sites have 4 or more Stalls which consist of 150kW and 350kW chargers. Each Stall consists of one charger that has two cables but can only charge one car at a time. As the Stall count goes up at a site, there are usually more 150kW chargers but only one pair of 350kW chargers. The exception to this is designated "urban" charging sites which are almost exclusively in California and consist of only 50kW stations.
rxlawdude
Active Member
So using EA's own stats:
Stations: 503
Stalls ("chargers"): 1701 CCS and 499 CCS-CHAdeMO for a total of 2,200 total chargers.
But many of these are shared and cannot be used concurrently, and as noted above, frequently out of order.
I sure as hell would never consider a road trip with an EV with a CCS or CHAdMO port. (Anyone for a Bolt trip from LA to Phoenix?)
EA is a lawsuit mandated cluster. And did I mention the prices? (If the station actually works.)
Pluto
is a Planet
To clarify, it is 1 stall = 1 charger = 2 cables (not sharable). As I understand it, they have 4400 total cables, but 2200 usable charge points resulting in 4.4 usable stalls/location on average.
And EA tends to be expensive. Great with a CHAdeMO adapter and you are desperate, otherwise, not in my list of options.
I saw a Porsche charge there for over $40!!!
I saw a Porsche charge there for over $40!!!
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