Cincinnati L3 Charging Desert - WTF?

[Gen(R3)Xer]

Yeah but you might gain 1% from plugging in while grocery shopping. Not worth it IMO. Restaurants, on the other hand, might be worth it if the truck sits for two hours. Anything less than an hour is really just a hassle.

I just went to a happy hour and was there for a little over three hours. That was worth the L2 charge. My grocery store runs are always less than an hour.

I was talking about DC fast charging. L2 is a good idea at workplaces, schools, and hotels. Places people spend 7-8 hours.

Sponsored

 

[mkhuffman]

I was talking about DC fast charging. L2 is a good idea at workplaces, schools, and hotels. Places people spend 7-8 hours.

Sorry, missed that. I agree. Even a 50 kW charger for 30 minutes would be worth it. It doesn't have to be 350 kW.

Destination charging is the answer. Charging overnight while sleeping is the best. But I hate having to move my truck when it finishes charging. I do, because someone else might need to charge, but it sucks. We need more L2 destination charging so there is enough for everyone to charge and I don't have to move my truck until it is time to leave.

 

[KBabione]

Destination charging is the answer. Charging overnight while sleeping is the best. But I hate having to move my truck when it finishes charging. I do, because someone else might need to charge, but it sucks. We need more L2 destination charging so there is enough for everyone to charge and I don't have to move my truck until it is time to leave.

Yeah - I'm with you on that. In February while at a hotel I went out in a snowstorm at 11pm, brushed off the Rivian, and moved it because there were only two L2 chargers and I was finished charging. In the morning it was still empty, but I slept well knowing I did the right thing.

 

[Roads76]

We live in MD and travel to Mason frequently, I'm from there. There is awful charging infrastructure along 70 and really really poor options along 71 running to Cincinnati. It's a big dead zone. Luckily I can charge at my family's home there.

 

[2kwik4u]

We live in MD and travel to Mason frequently, I'm from there. There is awful charging infrastructure along 70 and really really poor options along 71 running to Cincinnati. It's a big dead zone. Luckily I can charge at my family's home there.

I run both ends of 71 a few times a year. From Cleveland to Louisville. It's generally not bad IMO. Grab charges in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cinci with various options around each major city. Then there are a couple "bail out" locations that most any Rivian should be able to make between the major cities. Heck, I'm playing golf in Carrolton, KY for 3 days in a couple weeks and there's a fast charger on 71 on my way home.

I wouldn't call it really really really poor. It's certainly better than 64 and 79 through West Virginia!

 

[KBabione]

We live in MD and travel to Mason frequently, I'm from there. There is awful charging infrastructure along 70 and really really poor options along 71 running to Cincinnati. It's a big dead zone. Luckily I can charge at my family's home there.

We're in Lancaster PA and have a daughter in her first year at Ohio State (her twin sister is at Penn State - fun times) so we've done the drive on the PA Turnpike to I70 to Columbus a bunch. There are GM Energy chargers (4 of them) at the Flying J in Smithton PA that is perfectly positioned so that we get to Columbus with one 20-25 minute stop. We then get to Columbus with 15-20% SOC and can easily charge there. I'll definitely have to plan the stretch from Columbus through Cincinnati to Augusta to make sure we get to August with enough juice to get back to another L3 charger. It will be an adventure!

 

[Roads76]

It's really really poor along that stretch as compared to the other segments of 70 further east as well as all of the highways on the east coast. If your comparing it to another area with comparitivly weak charging infrastructure, then maybe you don't see it as poor, but from my perspective it is.

 

[2kwik4u]

We're in Lancaster PA and have a daughter in her first year at Ohio State (her twin sister is at Penn State - fun times) so we've done the drive on the PA Turnpike to I70 to Columbus a bunch. There are GM Energy chargers (4 of them) at the Flying J in Smithton PA that is perfectly positioned so that we get to Columbus with one 20-25 minute stop. We then get to Columbus with 15-20% SOC and can easily charge there. I'll definitely have to plan the stretch from Columbus through Cincinnati to Augusta to make sure we get to August with enough juice to get back to another L3 charger. It will be an adventure!

Note what setup you have on your truck/house.

Planned below with 100% SoC at departure and 50% on arrival, using my truck ('24 dual/Large with AT's). This big red section doesn't have anything great for charging. ABRP has you stopping at a Ford dealership, or detouring 20-ish mile north or south to hit a Tesla SC.

 

[2kwik4u]

It's really really poor along that stretch as compared to the other segments of 70 further east as well as all of the highways on the east coast. If your comparing it to another area with comparitivly weak charging infrastructure, then maybe you don't see it as poor, but from my perspective it is.

I suppose that's fair.....I've made the trip down 71 a bunch or times and it feels completely serviceable to me. Also made the trip down to Charlotte, NC a few times, and likewise over towards Harrisburg, PA a few times. Those trips didn't feel any more or less "charge populated" to me.

With that said, I genuinely don't pay much attention to other chargers. I put in destination and follow directions. Rarely do I have to stop short or go long as compared to the in dash nav instructions.

 

[TTedP]

PA Turnpike to I70 to Columbus a bunch. There are GM Energy chargers (4 of them) at the Flying J in Smithton PA that is perfectly positioned

Same, I've made the run from Philly to Cincy a bunch of times. That stretch from Wheeling to Columbus, I always topped off at the last Tesla SC on the WV side. I tried the Flying J's/GM Energy along 70 twice. Not sure I'll rely on them again. The one near Morristown would never initialize. Thankfully the second one near Hebron worked, I was down to 10%. I think there's an Ionna going in somewhere 1/2 way now as well.

Good luck! and be sure to say hi to Jungle's!

 

[KBabione]

Thanks - we've got a '23 R1S running on 20" A/S (I somehow managed to get 48K on the original Pirelli AT's). We'll start our trip around 97% and charge:

• GM Energy Chargers in Smithton PA
• IONNA Rechargery on I270 outside Columbus
• Meijer just north of Cincinnati on I71 - enough to get to Augusta with around 50%

The big red circle on your map is why we're planning to head further west to Columbus before heading south to Cincy and then to Augusta. We may also be able to stop and see our daughter in Columbus, although it will be finals week and she may not have time for us. Two years ago I wouldn't have considered taking the Rivian for this, but my range anxiety is gone and it will be a much nicer drive in the Rivian than in a rental.

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

Sorry, missed that. I agree. Even a 50 kW charger for 30 minutes would be worth it. It doesn't have to be 350 kW.

Destination charging is the answer. Charging overnight while sleeping is the best. But I hate having to move my truck when it finishes charging. I do, because someone else might need to charge, but it sucks. We need more L2 destination charging so there is enough for everyone to charge and I don't have to move my truck until it is time to leave.

Good point. That is a pain in the ass. Make the charging slower, so it lasts all night. Blanket the parking lot in cheap, low speed chargers at hotels.

 

[KBabione]

Good point. That is a pain in the ass. Make the charging slower, so it lasts all night. Blanket the parking lot in cheap, low speed chargers at hotels.

I really like free L2 chargers at hotels, but I'm okay if I need to pay. We were at a hotel that had two L2 chargers installed and billed through "Stay-N-Charge". It worked well to charge us overnight. I'm a little torn - no idle fees at all. I'd be thrilled with no idle fees if there were a dozen chargers at the site, but with only two I feel they need to charge idle fees to keep people from unnecessarily tying up the charger for hours when they're done charging.

I actually make a point of telling the clerk at check in that I stayed in that hotel because they have an EV charger available (even if it's not true).

 

[mkhuffman]

... I feel they need to charge idle fees to keep people from unnecessarily tying up the charger for hours when they're done charging.
...

1000%.

Free charging should be banned, and idle fees should be mandated. Of course I will not support the government doing that, but it's how I feel.

When charging costs money and idle fees exist, it's like magic and suddenly there is plenty of L2 capacity. I watched it happen at my office building when they replaced the free chargers with pay chargers. Amazing how that works.

Sponsored