I hate charging apps.

[DblOSmith]

I hate them. Yet another app to download, password to remember, another place to have to input CC info to be lost in some data breach, and a waste of time to start up for a location you might only use once coming through. I refuse. Why does this have to be so complicated? I would go out of my way to charge at a DCFC that was a converted gas station: canopy, card readers, convenience store (especially one with food), and bathrooms... even if they aren't Tesla chargers. Amenities and convenience is much more important than the cost of charging, IMO.

Anyone else sick and tired of them?

 

[E90alex]

Most have a card reader and you don’t need the app

 

[Grant Gerke]

I know charge point used to have cards.

 

[beatle]

Many vehicles support plug and charge. No need for an app or cards - works like a supercharger. I never used an app for EA when I had my Lightning. Does Tesla not support plug and charge with 3rd party DCFCs?

 

[Cheburashka]

Most have a card reader and you don’t need the app

Doesn't always work. For example, on one of my vehicles the charging would time out and fail if I use the card so I have to use the app every time and start the charger before I plug in. Annoying.

Many vehicles support plug and charge. No need for an app or cards - works like a supercharger. I never used an app for EA when I had my Lightning. Does Tesla not support plug and charge with 3rd party DCFCs?

Many? Prob a handful of very new cars that support it and it doesn't work with all networks.

 

[Earl]

Most have a card reader and you don’t need the app

They rarely work in my experience.

 

[beatle]

Doesn't always work. For example, on one of my vehicles the charging would time out and fail if I use the card so I have to use the app every time and start the charger before I plug in. Annoying.



Many? Prob a handful of very new cars that support it and it doesn't work with all networks.

Lucid, Mercedes, Ford, Rivian, Porsche, Audi...

I guess Tesla does support it as well. Sounds like it's just flaky. I went on many a bashing session of 3rd party charging networks' reliability when I had my Lightning, though I never personally had a problem using plug and charge myself. When plug and charge works, it's nearly as quick to authenticate and start charging as a supercharger and is a very good, boring experience. It should really be the standard, not the exception.

 

[cwerdna]

Most have a card reader and you don’t need the app

Don't use them. If I got $1 for every check-in on Plugshare saying the card reader didn't work, I could make a nice side income.

Electrify America Talks Charging Network Problems, Has Solutions admits to probs w/them (search for about those credit card readers). Search Interview: Electrify America expects you to raise hell if chargers don’t work for financial. It's not an EA only prob as I see those on EVgo + other DC FCs networks/chargers.

On my most recent road trip (I have no Tesla), my usage a combo of free New Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers Now Available Along State Highways in Central California | Caltrans, EV Connect twice (once at a super cheap location for DC FC and once for a bit of free L2), Electrify America (paid and complimentary sessions), ChargePoint (only L2, paid + free at my company's offices), PowerFlex (free at my company's offices), and free non-networked L2. I had all these apps installed from before, for at least a year and some for years.

For ChargePoint, I used their RFID cards (I have 3 of theirs). I had EVgo's app ready, if needed.

 

[srs5694]

Does Tesla not support plug and charge with 3rd party DCFCs?

I've read that plug-and-charge works with EVgo and Teslas using the new Tesla CCS1 adapter (or similar third-party products). Of course, it has to be set up first, and some people have said that can be a bit confusing. All of this requires that the Tesla have CCS protocol support, which was introduced in late 2020. A retrofit for older vehicles is promised soon, and there's a third-party hack to add it to older cars (if you can get the relevant part from Tesla).

I haven't heard anything about this feature working with Electrify America, ChargePoint, or others. AFAIK, with them you're stuck using an app, an RFID card, or a credit card. That said, this could change in the future. The industry as a whole seems to be moving toward plug-and-charge, so my guess is it'll eventually work with more networks, but not yet.

 

[Earl]

It's not an EA only prob as I see those on EVgo + other DC FCs networks/chargers.

For ChargePoint, I used their RFID cards (I have 3 of theirs). I had EVgo's app ready, if needed.

I use an RFID card for both Chargepoint, EVgo, Blink, and EVConnect. These are a much better experience in my experience but they (and Tesla) still do require a subscription which I totally hate.
I probably have 11 charging company accounts, some for companies that don't even exist anymore. Each has an app, a cash balance and credit card # that they can automatically top off the balance, and another stupid password to keep track of. I totally don't like any of this and see it as a huge long term downside to EVs.

 

[srs5694]

I probably have 11 charging company accounts, some for companies that don't even exist anymore. Each has an app, a cash balance and credit card # that they can automatically top off the balance, and another stupid password to keep track of. I totally don't like any of this and see it as a huge long term downside to EVs.

There are roaming agreements between some of these companies. EVgo and ChargePoint, for instance, should accept each others' cards. (I've never tried this, though.) I've never seen a complete list of what's compatible with what. With such a list, you could put together a smaller set of cards that would work (almost) everywhere.

It's my understanding that one of the provisions of the DC fast charger funding for the IRA is that the stations installed with those subsidies must accept credit cards. If this is correct, then this practice could also cut down on the number of apps/cards EV drivers need to carry. That said, some of the ones that currently accept credit cards charge more for them than they do when you set up an account, so this would be more useful for networks you seldom use than for your regular charging providers.

 

[Earl]

There are roaming agreements between some of these companies. EVgo and ChargePoint, for instance, should accept each others' cards. (I've never tried this, though.) I've never seen a complete list of what's compatible with what. With such a list, you could put together a smaller set of cards that would work (almost) everywhere.

These agreements have and probably will change all the time. Not something one can count on.

It's my understanding that one of the provisions of the DC fast charger funding for the IRA is that the stations installed with those subsidies must accept credit cards.

I'm sure few of these credit card readers will work any better than the chargers that have been installed as part of government grants or punishment for crimes.

While I'll grouse about things like apps, accounts, or maintaining balances, personally, I'm not particularly concerned about DCFC prices. I'll be happy to find ones other than Tesla, that work where and when I need them. I save plenty of money with my daily EV charging from my home solar. On the road its mostly about speed and convenience.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I know charge point used to have cards.

When I got Chargepoint and EVGo in November 2020 one of them automatically sent a card and the other you could request one (and only one) for free.
Last year I went in my Kona EV to Prince Edward Island and I bought RFID cards for Flo and eCharge Network (New Brunswick Power) in case of cell problems.
I like RFID, but you can end up with a lot of them

Flo and Chargepoint have an agreement where you can use the app (not RFID) to charge at the other's chargers. (And Flo can also be used at eCharge Network) I have used the Flo app once at a Chargepoint destination charger when the Chargepoint App wasn't working. Flo requires pre-loaded credit, I think.

I will say that having recently bought a cellphone with NFC (Samsung A13) I have been using it with a Chargepoint destination charger when charging my Volt (RFID is in the Kona). You have to be logged into the app (or it'll ask you to log in), but it's much, much quicker than using the app to start the charging.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I hate them. Yet another app to download, password to remember, another place to have to input CC info to be lost in some data breach, and a waste of time to start up for a location you might only use once coming through. I refuse. Why does this have to be so complicated? I would go out of my way to charge at a DCFC that was a converted gas station: canopy, card readers, convenience store (especially one with food), and bathrooms... even if they aren't Tesla chargers. Amenities and convenience is much more important than the cost of charging, IMO.

Anyone else sick and tired of them?

Well, I have had 6 apps on my phone for it, so yes.

But I think there's been a shift, at least for DCFC, where newer chargers have credit card payment.
I think that now that the USA has largely adopted NFC (at least on new systems), you'll have a single contactless pad that can handle a dedicated RFID card (if supported), or NFC credit card.

 

[threeputts]

Flo and Chargepoint have an agreement where you can use the app (not RFID) to charge at the other's chargers.

I successfully used my chargepoint rfid card at 3 different FLO chargers in Nova Scotia last summer.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I successfully used my chargepoint rfid card at 3 different FLO chargers in Nova Scotia last summer.

I guess I should have contacted customer support before our trip to PEI.
They only ever mention app support agreements.