8 Common EV Charging Problems That Need to Be Solved

Electric conveyance take is expected to summation momentum complete nan adjacent decade arsenic nan world focuses much connected moving distant from fossil fuels. However, 1 of nan biggest challenges holding backmost electrical conveyance take is processing a reliable charging infrastructure.

Hopefully, we tin get to nan constituent wherever charging your EV will beryllium arsenic seamless arsenic refueling a gasoline vehicle. But for that to happen, respective problems pinch EV charging stations request to beryllium solved.

1. Charging Station Availability

If you’ve driven an electrical car agelong enough, location is simply a precocious chance you’ve encountered nationalist charging stations that are retired of bid aliases that conscionable won't work. In astir cases, nan chargers are retired of work owed to package issues, surgery parts, bad weather, vandalism, a deficiency of maintenance, aliases a operation of these factors.

How communal is nan problem? According to a study done by J.D. Power, 20.8% of US EV owners brushwood nationalist chargers that are retired of order.

However, nan Tesla Supercharger web is much reliable, pinch very fewer reported cases of chargers that are retired of service. This is 1 of nan reasons why automakers specified arsenic Ford, Rivian, Polestar, Volvo, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and General Motors person collaborated pinch Tesla to entree its Supercharger network.

2. Compatibility Issues

Image Credit: Tesla

There are 2 popular types of EV charging standards successful North America: CCS and Tesla’s NACS. This intends if you person a non-Tesla EV, you won’t beryllium capable to fast-charge it astatine astir Tesla Supercharger locations without an adapter. Similarly, if you ain a Tesla, you won’t person nan action to fast-charge it astatine astir locations extracurricular nan Tesla Supercharger web without an adapter.

This whitethorn return immoderate getting utilized to, but moreover if you don’t mind utilizing an adapter, sometimes it whitethorn return a fewer tries of plugging nan charger successful earlier it works.

The problem will beryllium solved if legislators walk a rule to instrumentality a cosmopolitan charging standard, for illustration it has been done successful Europe, wherever nan immense mostly of EVs usage the CCS charging standard. However, marketplace will apt determine successful North America, considering astir automakers will adopt Tesla's NACS modular by 2025.

3. Short Charging Cables

Image Credit: Tesla

If you don’t ain a Tesla, you whitethorn find that nan charging cables are excessively short astatine a Tesla Supercharger network. This is because Tesla’s NACS charging cables are specifically designed for Tesla vehicles, each of which person nan charging larboard connected nan near rear tail light; non-Tesla EVs person nan charging larboard successful different locations, and this tin origin problems.

Of course, you tin ever parkland your non-Tesla EV person to nan charging plug astatine a Tesla DC fast-charging position to lick that problem. However, if location are different Tesla EVs astatine nan charging station, you whitethorn beryllium blocking their charging spots unless your EV happens to person its charging larboard connected nan backmost near aliases backmost right.

4. Slow Charging Speed

In immoderate cases, nan charging velocity astatine nationalist stations could beryllium slower than usual. This is communal owed to faulty charging connectors, constricted powerfulness availability, aliases package issues.

Besides that, you could acquisition slower charging speeds if you’re utilizing an adapter. For instance, if you’re charging an EV pinch an 800-volt architecture astatine a Tesla’s NACS plug utilizing an adapter, it won’t max nan charging speed.

However, sometimes nan slow charging velocity of your EV has thing to do pinch nan charging connector. If you're charging your EV successful basking weather aliases freezing conditions, it could beryllium slower than expected to forestall harm and accelerated artillery degradation.

It's ever worthy noting that nary matter really accelerated a charger whitethorn be, nan maximum charging velocity of your EV is what limits nan complaint of charge. For example, if you ain a Chevy Bolt, it won't transcend its maximum DC charging velocity of 55 kW, moreover if you link it to a 350 kW DC accelerated charger.

5. Charging Station Queuing and Etiquette

Most nationalist EV charging stations are integrated into parking tons on awesome routes, pinch nary written norm connected who should complaint first. Most nationalist stations are not group up for queuing, and EV drivers person nary action but to hold astatine a random spot, hoping personification other won’t return their place. Because of that, location are often disputes connected which EV should complaint adjacent aft a charging spot is near vacant, and successful immoderate heated moments, they escalate into fights.

Believe it aliases not, nan champion solution that has travel truthful acold to lick nan queuing problem is designing EV charging stations that are almost akin to state stations pinch a drive-through lane that makes it easier to queue. Electrify America and Tesla person designed EV charging stations akin to state stations astatine a fewer locations to lick nan "who was present first" arguments. Alternatively, you could cheque successful to an EV charging position finder app to grounds that you’re adjacent successful line, but location could still beryllium disputes since not everybody uses apps to cheque in.

Beyond that, location are often conflicts owed to nan unwritten rules of charging position etiquette. For instance, group unplugging your EV to complaint theirs, blocking different charging spots, aliases staying astatine a Level 3 charger longer than basal while different group are waiting tin origin disputes astatine charging stations.

6. Complicated Charging Process

Most charging stations require drivers to usage circumstantial apps earlier charging their EVs. This intends that you request to motion up for a different app each clip you usage a different charging position provider—that’s if you don’t person an account. This whitethorn not beryllium a large woody if you’ve been driving EVs for a while, but it’s a analyzable process for those who are not versed successful charging their EVs astatine nationalist stations.

If that’s not enough, nan charging position package could beryllium clunky, unintuitive, and prone to crashing and showing errors. However, the Tesla Supercharger network makes it seamless to complaint your electrical car utilizing its plug-and-charge feature.

7. Location and Accessibility

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There are much nationalist chargers than ever owed to nan increasing number of electrical vehicles connected nan road. You tin easy plan a long-distance EV roadworthy trip crossed nan state while relying connected nationalist chargers on awesome highways. However, you whitethorn find it difficult to find reliable DC accelerated chargers if you’re driving disconnected nan interstate roads successful a fewer states, particularly successful agrarian areas.

According to a study done by J.D. Power, a important number of EV owners would besides for illustration if astir Level 2 chargers were located adjacent to restaurants, convenience stores, aliases intermezo joints. Unfortunately, if you’re driving to distant locations, astir hotels and unit stores don’t person Level 2 destination chargers.

Until nan EV charging infrastructure expands to lucifer up pinch state stations, your champion action is to use EV way readying apps if you’re connected a long-distance roadworthy trip.

8. Charging Cost and Payment

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You tin charge your EV for free astatine galore nationalist stations. But if you're utilizing a level 3 charger, nan prices whitethorn alteration depending connected nan work provider, time, and location.

The pricing is besides calculated based connected kilowatts per hour, aliases really galore minutes you’ve charged your EV. This intends if you don’t cognize what to expect, you whitethorn beryllium amazed if nan prices up and down importantly astatine different charging stations. For instance, you whitethorn find it cheaper to complaint your EV if you’re billed per infinitesimal compared to erstwhile nan costs is calculated per kWh.

Besides that, astir EV charging stations person different modes of costs connected their apps, pinch nary rate aliases in installments paper option. This intends that if you’re stranded without a smartphone but person cash, it will beryllium challenging to complaint your EV astatine astir nationalist stations.

Mass EV Adoption Depends connected Charging Problems Being Solved

There are plentifulness of electrical vehicles connected waste correct now that connection amended exertion and convenience than astir gasoline vehicles. However, nan communal charging problems request to beryllium solved for wide EV take to beryllium successful. On nan agleam side, nan business is apt to amended complete nan adjacent decade, but it will return a fewer tries and errors.