Blog Post: How Tesla Will Fix Public Charging

[Electrified Outdoors]

This started out as a video, however my daughter was sick for most of the road trip so the video was not meant to be. Instead, we have a blog post. This article is mostly about Tesla charging but something I don't mention is just how easy this road trip was because of Tesla charging.

On the way up to Boston we drove from Mount Airy, MD to Boston, MA through PA and went through NY via the garden state parkway. On the way back, we took the shortest route which was the GW bridge and NJ turnpike. On the way up we used Tesla exclusively and on the way back we stopped at the V4 supercharger in Yonkers and then a RAN charger in Belcamp, MD.

Anyway, I really enjoyed writing this article and I am super excited about what opening up the supercharger network means for EV adoption and the overall EV ownership experience.

https://eoutdoors.blogspot.com/2024/06/how-tesla-will-fix-public-charging.html

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[LivingInKaos]

" Second, it will force the other charging operators to improve their offerings. "

Will it though? I am not so sure about that. What would be more likely to happen is they see that Tesla already has a foot in a particular market, so why bother going there. Let's go somewhere that there is little to no competition. While yes, this helps with filling in gaps, it won't do anything as far a competitive changes like pricing.

One thing that was apparent - as soon as there was talks about Tesla opening up, what came right after? The announcement from several manufacturers that they were going to shelve their plans to create their own networks. This was a huge step back in my opinion.

 

[mkhuffman]

This started out as a video, however my daughter was sick for most of the road trip so the video was not meant to be. Instead, we have a blog post. This article is mostly about Tesla charging but something I don't mention is just how easy this road trip was because of Tesla charging.

On the way up to Boston we drove from Mount Airy, MD to Boston, MA through PA and went through NY via the garden state parkway. On the way back, we took the shortest route which was the GW bridge and NJ turnpike. On the way up we used Tesla exclusively and on the way back we stopped at the V4 supercharger in Yonkers and then a RAN charger in Belcamp, MD.

Anyway, I really enjoyed writing this article and I am super excited about what opening up the supercharger network means for EV adoption and the overall EV ownership experience.

https://eoutdoors.blogspot.com/2024/06/how-tesla-will-fix-public-charging.html

Thanks for writing the blog post. I prefer that over videos.

What charging speed did you get on the V4? Was it similar to what you get on an EA 350?

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Thanks for writing the blog post. I prefer that over videos.

What charging speed did you get on the V4? Was it similar to what you get on an EA 350?

Very welcome. I saw up to 209kw. I can get up to 215-220 on EA but I have been avoiding them lately.

 

[emoore]

" Second, it will force the other charging operators to improve their offerings. "

Will it though? I am not so sure about that. What would be more likely to happen is they see that Tesla already has a foot in a particular market, so why bother going there. Let's go somewhere that there is little to no competition. While yes, this helps with filling in gaps, it won't do anything as far a competitive changes like pricing.

One thing that was apparent - as soon as there was talks about Tesla opening up, what came right after? The announcement from several manufacturers that they were going to shelve their plans to create their own networks. This was a huge step back in my opinion.

This is my worry too. Seems like the charging companies and vehicle OEMs have pulled back significantly since the Tesla deals were announced which is unfortunate. Hopefully others start to step up with the NEVI awards coming out and Elon neutering the supercharging department.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

" Second, it will force the other charging operators to improve their offerings. "

Will it though? I am not so sure about that. What would be more likely to happen is they see that Tesla already has a foot in a particular market, so why bother going there. Let's go somewhere that there is little to no competition. While yes, this helps with filling in gaps, it won't do anything as far a competitive changes like pricing.

One thing that was apparent - as soon as there was talks about Tesla opening up, what came right after? The announcement from several manufacturers that they were going to shelve their plans to create their own networks. This was a huge step back in my opinion.

Nothing is guaranteed. I will tell you that after Tesla announced that they were opening up their Network, I visited an EA site and Elizabeth New Jersey. They had their product and customer experience people on site talking to customers.

The pullbacks may be more a response to macroeconomic factors. EV adoption while it's still growing is slowing and that's likely a result of higher interest rates and higher inflation driving up costs in many other areas, which of course reduces the amount of discretionary funds that folks have for other things. Consumers are delaying large purchases right now.

Then again, it's certainly possible that they are playing a wait and see how the Tesla deal works out. But I think they knew when they announced this that Tesla was going to eventually open up their Network. Manufacturers want to have their own charging Network because they can control the experience versus relying on a third party.

 

[jeeden]

Tell me more about the supercharger in Yonkers. I'm literally returning home from NH to Northn VA tomorrow morning and we skipped this charger going up because reports are it is crammed with Uber drivers and there is often a line. I'm tempted to do it on our return tomorrow, I heard there is a good Manhattan style pizza place right next door.

We stopped at the east Brunswick nj SC at a Wawa (after the DE RAN) and it was ok, but really busy/noisy, not great for the dog to get out.

The Vernon CT SC is awesome as well as the ones on New Hampshire.

I wish they would upgrade the SC at the NJ turnpike service areas. Applegree is supposed to move in there too, they have some beautiful ones on the Merritt tp in CT.

 

[COdogman]

I agree 100% with your list of improvements the other charging networks could make to even the playing field. The main problem as I see it in my travels is not even the charger uptime - it’s the freeloaders with EVs that came with free charging. They are just clogging up all the EA stations and don’t seem to care about whether others are waiting.

 

[mkhuffman]

I agree 100% with your list of improvements the other charging networks could make to even the playing field. The main problem as I see it in my travels is not even the charger uptime - it’s the freeloaders with EVs that came with free charging. They are just clogging up all the EA stations and don’t seem to care about whether others are waiting.

The practice of offering free EA charging to new car owners has really got to stop. It's making a bad situation much, much worse. I'm with you. I hate it.

There are many who could charge at home but don't because EA is free. Those people also don't understand the wear on their batteries that they could avoid by charging at home, but that's also to be expected. And some people just don't care. Is it a wonder BEV's tend to depreciate more than ICEVs?

 

[COdogman]

The practice of offering free EA charging to new car owners has really got to stop. It's making a bad situation much, much worse. I'm with you. I hate it.

There are many who could charge at home but don't because EA is free. Those people also don't understand the wear on their batteries that they could avoid by charging at home, but that's also to be expected. And some people just don't care. Is it a wonder BEV's tend to depreciate more than ICEVs?

Yeah, it would make me think twice if I were buying a used Hyundai, Kia, etc. EV made in the past couple years. Luckily I believe most research shows our HV batteries are surprisingly durable, but constantly charging to 100% is obviously the worst thing you could do to it. ??‍

I really hope that trend is done and the charging networks can now just compete for customers with quality and price.

 

[Yossarian]

Thanks for the interesting and informative write-up. I agree with much of what you suggest, but I am not optimistic that many, perhaps any, of them will be implemented.

There is little doubt that the Tesla SC network is superior. In the normal course of economics, that would drive inferior charging networks to improve their offerings, either by enhancing their product or at least its presentation, or on price. As far as I can determine, there is scant evidence that any of the charging networks feel pressure from Tesla however.

 

[RivianRunner]

One thing that was apparent - as soon as there was talks about Tesla opening up, what came right after? The announcement from several manufacturers that they were going to shelve their plans to create their own networks. This was a huge step back in my opinion.

I must have missed those "several" announcements.

Do you have links to announcements from each of these manufacturers who decided not to build fast charging networks?

Or at least a list of them so I can Google for more info?

I recall the largest charging partnership of several automakers announced Tesla's announcement did not change their plans. GM was one of them, I think. But we still haven't seen them build a single fast charger, AFAIK.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Tell me more about the supercharger in Yonkers. I'm literally returning home from NH to Northn VA tomorrow morning and we skipped this charger going up because reports are it is crammed with Uber drivers and there is often a line. I'm tempted to do it on our return tomorrow, I heard there is a good Manhattan style pizza place right next door.

We stopped at the east Brunswick nj SC at a Wawa (after the DE RAN) and it was ok, but really busy/noisy, not great for the dog to get out.

The Vernon CT SC is awesome as well as the ones on New Hampshire.

I wish they would upgrade the SC at the NJ turnpike service areas. Applegree is supposed to move in there too, they have some beautiful ones on the Merritt tp in CT.

It was very busy, but never more than 2 cars waiting. We did go to Frank Pepe Pizza and got a coal fired oven pie. It was decent. There is also a Starbucks as well.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

The practice of offering free EA charging to new car owners has really got to stop. It's making a bad situation much, much worse. I'm with you. I hate it.

There are many who could charge at home but don't because EA is free. Those people also don't understand the wear on their batteries that they could avoid by charging at home, but that's also to be expected. And some people just don't care. Is it a wonder BEV's tend to depreciate more than ICEVs?

Agree. I think they don't offer free unlimited anymore, but rather so many kwh but that still isn't enough. Just offer a membership instead of free charging. I pulled up in Walterboro, SC towing a trailer. Only two operable chargers. One was getting 15kw and the one that was getting 35kw had a BMW there charging to 100%. They were nice people but it was still extremely frustrating.

 

[RivianRunner]

There is little doubt that the Tesla SC network is superior. In the normal course of economics, that would drive inferior charging networks to improve their offerings, either by enhancing their product or at least its presentation, or on price. As far as I can determine, there is scant evidence that any of the charging networks feel pressure from Tesla however.

That's because the Supercharger Network and third-party networks have different business plans.

Tesla designed and operates the Supercharger Network to accelerate electrification of transport. Third-party operators designed and operate their networks to make money, or in some cases to dissuade other potential fast charging networks from springing up.

The result is that Tesla wants fast charging to be as cheap and painless as possible while the rest want to have as high of a utilization rate as possible. They don't care if you have to wait, or if there is a "hole" in the network that is uneconomical to service due to it being too remote from their bases.

Fast charging networks are one example of a business where capitalism is not equipped to make for the best experience everywhere. It's for similar reasons why most utilities are regulated monopolies that are mandated to serve all locations within the service area they are granted a monopoly to. Because without be forced to serve everyone, even in sparsely populated areas, it's not worth it for a company to put fast chargers in optimum locations for all travel.

Tesla bit the bullet and did it to drive adoption of electric vehicles. It cost a lot of money but it was necessary to drive adoption of EVs. And even they are reluctant to dump large sums of money into routes in more rural areas that would have extremely low utilization.

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