Is Electrify America an oil industry psy op?

[alexose]

I think it may have been created to deliberately slow down the adoption of EVs. Hear me out:

• It tends to fail in subtly irritating ways, like degraded service for one or two stations, and always during busy weekends or weather events
• The stations themselves are located in busy parking lots, ensuring that non-EV bystanders have to see people struggling with the machines as they walk into Wal-Mart
• Failures are rarely fixed in a reasonable time frame, leading to even more irritation on the return journey
• The stations are expensive enough to dissuade 3rd-party operators from wanting to get involved
• It's just good enough to string people along, ensuring that the small vocal minority of EV drivers will have complaints over the long term
• But it's also not bad enough for people to demand an alternative

It also helps bring down NEVI with it, by being compliant to the letter of the law while failing to actually deliver a reliable nationwide infrastructure.

I'm aware of Hanlon's Razor. But the oil industry does a lot of shady things, and I'm not sure someone could have designed a better scheme to sandbag the EV revolution.

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[Shmoe]

I think it may have been created to deliberately slow down the adoption of EVs. Hear me out:

• It tends to fail in subtly irritating ways, like degraded service for one or two stations, and always during busy weekends or weather events
• The stations themselves are located in busy parking lots, ensuring that non-EV bystanders have to see people struggling with the machines as they walk into Wal-Mart
• Failures are rarely fixed in a reasonable time frame, leading to even more irritation on the return journey
• The stations are expensive enough to dissuade 3rd-party operators from wanting to get involved
• It's just good enough to string people along, ensuring that the small vocal minority of EV drivers will have complaints over the long term
• But it's also not bad enough for people to demand an alternative

It also helps bring down NEVI with it, by being compliant to the letter of the law while failing to actually deliver a reliable nationwide infrastructure.

I'm aware of Hanlon's Razor. But the oil industry does a lot of shady things, and I'm not sure someone could have designed a better scheme to sandbag the EV revolution.

You do understand EA was created by VW as part of their penalty for Dieselgate, right?

THis behavior was mostly expected, and once their obligation to maintain it is up it will be sold -- maybe to someone better, probably to someone worse.

 

[RickLightning]

LMFAO

 

[21st Century Truck]

I think it may have been created to deliberately slow down the adoption of EVs. Hear me out:

• It tends to fail in subtly irritating ways, like degraded service for one or two stations, and always during busy weekends or weather events
• The stations themselves are located in busy parking lots, ensuring that non-EV bystanders have to see people struggling with the machines as they walk into Wal-Mart
• Failures are rarely fixed in a reasonable time frame, leading to even more irritation on the return journey
• The stations are expensive enough to dissuade 3rd-party operators from wanting to get involved
• It's just good enough to string people along, ensuring that the small vocal minority of EV drivers will have complaints over the long term
• But it's also not bad enough for people to demand an alternative

It also helps bring down NEVI with it, by being compliant to the letter of the law while failing to actually deliver a reliable nationwide infrastructure.

I'm aware of Hanlon's Razor. But the oil industry does a lot of shady things, and I'm not sure someone could have designed a better scheme to sandbag the EV revolution.

Electrify America was indeed pretty bad back in 2022 - 23. I find its network much improved, even pretty good these days.

 

[B177y]

Electrify America was indeed pretty bad back in 2022 - 23. I find its network much improved, even pretty good these days.

My experience from 2023 to now lines up more with the OP.

 

[Dahveed]

I'm aware of Hanlon's Razor. But the oil industry does a lot of shady things, and I'm not sure someone could have designed a better scheme to sandbag the EV revolution.

It's hilarious that you mentioned this because it's exactly what I was thinking as I began to read your post.

"Are they evil, or are they just dumb?"

 

[alexose]

It's hilarious that you mentioned this because it's exactly what I was thinking as I began to read your post.

"Are they evil, or are they just dumb?"

Thanks for appreciating-- I wasn't sure if it would come across as mildly tongue-in-cheek or actual full blown conspiracy theorist

 

[garsh]

I'm aware of Hanlon's Razor.

And I think that's the most likely reason.

EA's charging stations are SO DAMN COMPLICATED! They have full-blown computers with touchscreen inputs, displays, and card readers. And the computers I've seen are running Windows, which isn't traditionally known for stellar uptimes. Compare that to a Tesla Supercharger, which has none of that additional error-prone hardware - just a ruggedized embedded computer.

And the power delivery on the backend is a big source of failure too. They have to support both 400v and 800v vehicles, with liquid-cooling, up to 350kW. The cooling systems often fail, leading to really slow charging rates. The station's design means that they only support a max of about 175kW for our 400v vehicles. The long cables are nice for reaching charging ports in various locations, but that also makes the plugs susceptible to damage from being dropped on concrete. And given CCS1's design to have the latch on the plug, it becomes very easy to break that off.

 

[WXman]

Observations noted, and experienced by myself. So can't deny them. However, I'm more of the belief that the astronomical cost to install, power, and maintain these sites (which I have first hand knowledge of) is the sole reason for slow deployment of more EV charge sites.

 

[21st Century Truck]

My experience from 2023 to now lines up more with the OP.

Sorry about that.

Since their new svelte charging stations came in, they seem to work pretty reliably, almost all the time.

Maybe this is somehow regional? No company that spans the continent is a true monolith...?

 

[JRDM2]

I've only used EA twice but my experiences were pretty good. The first time there was a stall out of order but that was visible in person and on the app so it didn't waste my time. They need to do shrubbery work in the stall I used the second time at a different location. I wish the parking spaces were wider. But I think I got 170kW charging rates both times. The Apple Wallet NFC card didn't work for me, I don't know what that's supposed to do.

 

[JRDM2]

You do understand EA was created by VW as part of their penalty for Dieselgate, right?

THis behavior was mostly expected, and once their obligation to maintain it is up it will be sold -- maybe to someone better, probably to someone worse.

That doesn't seem like a good basis for a business.

 

[B177y]

Sorry about that.

Since their new svelte charging stations came in, they seem to work pretty reliably, almost all the time.

Maybe this is somehow regional? No company that spans the continent is a true monolith...?

No need to be sorry, it is what it is.... Now that there is some real competition (Tesla) I was hoping that EA would get better. Not happening where I have tried so far - WA, ID, MT, ND, OR, UT.... I live in WA and it's no contest here, EA are almost always full, derated, or damaged. Drive to Tesla and there are available spots that almost always work. Tweakers cutting cords for scrap copper doesn't help things. The EA cords seem to be longer and thicker which seems to make them more frequent targets

Yesterday I actually had my first out of order Tesla that I can remember, plugged in and waited for plug and change....and waited...and waited. Opened the Ford app to try and activate it and the stand I chose was listed "Out of order". The only one out of 12. Moved to the next one and success. Added 12% to make it home.

 

[truthlesshunter]

Just to add a possibly useless data point...Electrify Canada is pretty good in my experience. They've (knock on wood) always worked, and when it wasn't -10 or lower outside, I could consistently get 150kw on the lightning (and have hit 275 with my Lucid Air and previously with the Taycan). They are just somewhat expensive compared to others...but I always see Americans complain about EA but EC has been pretty good. Maybe it's just my experience though...

 

[21st Century Truck]

Just to add a possibly useless data point...Electrify Canada is pretty good in my experience. They've (knock on wood) always worked, and when it wasn't -10 or lower outside, I could consistently get 150kw on the lightning (and have hit 275 with my Lucid Air and previously with the Taycan). They are just somewhat expensive compared to others...but I always see Americans complain about EA but EC has been pretty good. Maybe it's just my experience though...

I'll agree. The once or thrice we used EC in the Atlantic Maritime provinces this past December & January on our Newfoundland trip, EC always reliably worked.

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