New owner rant - why couldn't we take our new car on a road trip last weekend?!?

[Zcd1]

We've had our GV60 for a couple of weeks.

We've enjoyed most things about it, and would have appreciated its comfort and quiet for a road trip from the Palm Springs, CA area to Phoenix for New Year's weekend.

However, looking at the EA network, there appears to be only a single, 4-stall EA location in Quartzite, AZ, about halfway between the origin and destination, and at last report, 2 of the 4 chargers were broken. There was NO WAY we were going to take the chance of having to wait hours (or even 30 minutes) to charge, so we took our Tesla instead. Charged in the same town, at a 36 (!!!!!) -stall Supercharger location. Charging complete within 20 minutes and with no waiting on both outbound and return legs.

We really like the GV60, but it's gonna be a while until we chance a road trip with it.

 

[EdP]

We've had our GV60 for a couple of weeks.

We've enjoyed most things about it, and would have appreciated its comfort and quiet for a road trip from the Palm Springs, CA area to Phoenix for New Year's weekend.

However, looking at the EA network, there appears to be only a single, 4-stall EA location in Quartzite, AZ, about halfway between the origin and destination, and at last report, 2 of the 4 chargers were broken. There was NO WAY we were going to take the chance of having to wait hours (or even 30 minutes) to charge, so we took our Tesla instead. Charged in the same town, at a 36 (!!!!!) -stall Supercharger location. Charging complete within 20 minutes and with no waiting on both outbound and return legs.

We really like the GV60, but it's gonna be a while until we chance a road trip with it.

OK, I'm new at this and learning for when I do get an EV. Seems like you can use it but not at the same rate? You'd have been much longer than the 20 minutes?

Can you use a Tesla charger on other vehicles?
The simple answer is, yes. A non Tesla electric vehicle can use low-powered Tesla chargers using a J1772 adapter. A Tesla-to-J1772 adapter lets other electric cars charge up using both Tesla Wall Connector and Tesla Mobile Connector.

I'm interesting in buying an EV for my next car but I don't really like Tesla for a few reasons. Is this because the GV60 cannot handle it or because Tesla wont allow it?

 

[Looney100]

Aside from Tesla, which has built a fantastic (proprietary) charging network, charging infrastructure is pretty bad. Options are limited - particularly off major highways - and the reliability of what is in place is unacceptably low.
My gut says it will be five years before most people could take trips along most major routes in NA without having to worry about where to charge.

Can you use a Tesla charger on other vehicles?
The simple answer is, yes. A non Tesla electric vehicle can use low-powered Tesla chargers using a J1772 adapter. A Tesla-to-J1772 adapter lets other electric cars charge up using both Tesla Wall Connector and Tesla Mobile Connector.

I'm interesting in buying an EV for my next car but I don't really like Tesla for a few reasons. Is this because the GV60 cannot handle it or because Tesla wont allow it?

The Tesla to 1772 adapters don’t work on the Supercharger network as the superchargers need to communicate with the car (and non-Teslas can’t respond), and the adapters available can’t handle the power that would be transmitted. The adapters are only good for Tesla Destination chargers at hotels, etc.

 

[EdP]

Aside from Tesla, which has built a fantastic (proprietary) charging network, charging infrastructure is pretty bad. Options are limited - particularly off major highways - and the reliability of what is in place is unacceptably low.
My gut says it will be five years before most people could take trips along most major routes in NA without having to worry about where to charge.


The Tesla to 1772 adapters don’t work on the Supercharger network as the superchargers need to communicate with the car (and non-Teslas can’t respond), and the adapters available can’t handle the power that would be transmitted. The adapters are only good for Tesla Destination chargers at hotels, etc.

OK that makes sense. I know Tesla has done a lot to get EVs going but I'm just not personally ready for a Muskmobile. Maybe if you took a shower and used a good deodorant you can use his chargers?

 

[Zcd1]

OK that makes sense. I know Tesla has done a lot to get EVs going but I'm just not personally ready for a Muskmobile.

No need to buy a Tesla if you don't care much about doing road trips in your EV (in the US, at least).

It's also worth mentioning that other parts of the US may have better non-Tesla charging option, so YMMV regarding my experience.

Here's a photo of the EA location in Quartzite I mentioned:

Here's another photo of that same location from 11/26/2022/ Those are all non-Tesla EVs waiting to charge:

Here's a photo of the Quartzite Tesla Supercharger location:

 

[upa]

My gut says it will be five years before most people could take trips along most major routes in NA without having to worry about where to charge.

I don't think it will be quite as long as that. I remember the first Petrocanada Trans Canada DC chargers coming to my province only 3 years ago and having to rely on painfully slow level 2 chargers for any meaningful distance travel. I have seen significant changes in this last year with many more charge providers coming on line. Its still pretty dodgy in Canada but I think the charging environment will exponentially continue to improve. I honestly think there will be huge improvements within the next 2-3 years. Going from being landlocked as little as 3 years ago to taking a very pleasant 4400 km trip to Texas in the EV this past summer, its been an incredible ride.

 

[Crito]

ChargePoint has a fewchargers near there too.

 

[EdP]

No need to buy a Tesla if you don't care much about doing road trips in your EV (in the US, at least).

It's also worth mentioning that other parts of the US may have better non-Tesla charging option, so YMMV regarding my experience.

Here's a photo of the EA location in Quartzite I mentioned:

Here's another photo of that same location from 11/26/2022/ Those are all non-Tesla EVs waiting to charge:

Here's a photo of the Quartzite Tesla Supercharger location:

Wow. never saw that many chargers in one place. I have to wonder how good a business decision it was to have a bunch of empty stations that could be generating income from others,.

Florida will be adding thousands more and they seem to be around most places. This is a snippet from one region:
The city of Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach in Florida has 2,613 public charging stations, 431 of which are free EV charging stations. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a total of 527 DC Fast Chargers, 375 of which are Tesla Superchargers

 

[Zcd1]

Wow. never saw that many chargers in one place. I have to wonder how good a business decision it was to have a bunch of empty stations that could be generating income from others,.

So I'm honestly not sure whether you're "trolling" or being serious, but have you never seen a gas station with a bunch of empty pumps? Tesla offered to allow other EV makers to use its network and connector design, but nobody took them up on the offer.

The Supercharger network was built with an eye on making it possible to have an EV as an only vehicle.

The EA network appears to have been built to the minimum level required to satisfy the terms of its origin document.

That's a critical distinction, IMHO, and until someone starts building out the non-Tesla DC fast-charging network in the US in the same way and with the same aim as the Supercharger network, this will continue to hamper non-Tesla EV adoption.

 

[Zcd1]

ChargePoint has a fewchargers near there too.

Right, but those are L2 stations - not practical for road trips because recharging from 20-80% would take several hours.

ChargePoint

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[Alfer]

Hearing about all the charging headaches and hassles of EV's, I'm even more thankful for my gas drinking Genesis. Can be fueled up and on the road in under 10 minutes and gas stations are a dime a dozen every town has at least one.

 

[EdP]

So I'm honestly not sure whether you're "trolling" or being serious, but have you never seen a gas station with a bunch of empty pumps? Tesla offered to allow other EV makers to use its network and connector design, but nobody took them up on the offer.

The Supercharger network was built with an eye on making it possible to have an EV as an only vehicle.

The EA network appears to have been built to the minimum level required to satisfy the terms of its origin document.

That's a critical distinction, IMHO, and until someone starts building out the non-Tesla DC fast-charging network in the US in the same way and with the same aim as the Supercharger network, this will continue to hamper non-Tesla EV adoption.

I've seen gas stations with empty pump but not a line of a dozen cars on the other side waiting to get to a single pump. See the difference?
Sure Tesla may have allowed others to use their chargers but with what conditions? Looks like they are still being stingy with what you can do. Why? I bet money is involved.

Just my personal choice, my next car will probably be an EV but I do know it won't be a Tesla.

Which Tesla Chargers Can and Can't Be Used by All Electric Cars?

Here are the Tesla electric vehicle chargers that can be used by other EVs and those that can only be used by Tesla models.

www.motorbiscuit.com

 

[EdP]

Hearing about all the charging headaches and hassles of EV's, I'm even more thankful for my gas drinking Genesis. Can be fueled up and on the road in under 10 minutes and gas stations are a dime a dozen every town has at least one.

All of that will be resolved in time. There was a time long ago driving a gas powered car had the same problem. Charging time will be faster, range longer, more chargers.

Were there gas stations in 1910?
On its first Saturday, Gulf's new service station pumped 350 gallons of gasoline. On December 1st 1913 Gulf Refining Company opened the world's first drive-in gas station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Until then, drivers got their gas at general stores, hardware shops, even soon-to-be-obsolete blacksmiths.

 

[Crito]

Right, but those are L2 stations - not practical for road trips because recharging from 20-80% would take several hours.

ChargePoint

The other green one at that same location says DC fast charge at 62.5kW but anywho... point is EA isn't your only option. As for Tesla, no doubt their charging network is a big reason to buy one. Plus I like Elon and want to support him and what he's doing at Twitter. It's about time someone told us the truth about what really happened.

 

[Zcd1]

I've seen gas stations with empty pump but not a line of a dozen cars on the other side waiting to get to a single pump. See the difference?
Sure Tesla may have allowed others to use their chargers but with what conditions? Looks like they are still being stingy with what you can do. Why? I bet money is involved.

Okay, now I know you're trolling:

"Sure Tesla may have allowed others to use their chargers but with what conditions? Looks like they are still being stingy with what you can do. Why? I bet money is involved."

And of course there were conditions to Tesla's offer - they're a "for profit" business, after all!

 

[Zcd1]

The other green one at that same location says DC fast charge at 62.5kW but anywho... point is EA isn't your only option.

Fair enough, but hardly disproves my point when it adds 2 (1 working) station, making it either 5 or 6 total along the route vs. 48 Superchargers.

 

[Zcd1]

Sheetz has the right idea, and others (Shell included) are finally getting the message that adding EV chargers benefits all parties:

Sheetz + EV chargers

 

[MovingOn]

Hearing about all the charging headaches and hassles of EV's, I'm even more thankful for my gas drinking Genesis. Can be fueled up and on the road in under 10 minutes and gas stations are a dime a dozen every town has at least one.

We have both. One gas. One EV. Both have their place, but given that we rarely do road trips further than the cottage, the EV is a way better option for us 90% of the time.

 

[joegr]

I've seen gas stations with empty pump but not a line of a dozen cars on the other side waiting to get to a single pump. ...

You may be forgetting the gasoline shortages in the 1970s. I remember long waits in line.
Also, I guess you haven't been in Florida long enough to experience a hurricane and the gas lines for several days after (and you are only allowed a few gallons at a time)?

 

[EdP]

Okay, now I know you're trolling:

"Sure Tesla may have allowed others to use their chargers but with what conditions? Looks like they are still being stingy with what you can do. Why? I bet money is involved."

And of course there were conditions to Tesla's offer - they're a "for profit" business, after all!

So you showed a line of cars for gas but you did not show them all lined up for one pump and the others vacant like the Tesla charger. Big difference.

Yes, Tesla is for profit but again, what are the conditions? Unless you know the details it is meaningless. Greed? I don't know. He certainly did not do it just for the good of society.