Blue Oval Charging Network is Non-existent

[ddbrooke]

Now that I've used up my free charging I realize I have no reason to use the Blue Oval Charging Network app because Ford brings nothing to the table. Any further charging I'll do through the native charge point operators apps because they'll be cheaper if I'm on their plans.

Where is Ford in expanding the DC fast charging network? Is there even a plan other than forcing dealerships to spend a bunch of money installing a single CCS charger in inconvenient locations (and that may not happen for a couple years)? At my local dealership they have a single level 2 charger in the front parking lot that is either ICE'd or charging a dealer Mach-e. If they do manage to build 150,000 trucks this year, along with all of the Chevy, Hyundai/Kia, VW's that will be sold in 2023, road tripping is going to be miserable and unpractical without a rapid build out of DC fast chargers. It doesn't appear that any of the operators have plans to make that happen in 2023.

So here is my point. We all know the DC fast charging infrastructure isn't adequate today and the #2 EV manufacturer has done nothing to help alleviate the problem. Somehow, pressure needs to be applied on Ford to convince them to focus on the charging infrastructure. The 'Blue Oval Charging Network' is nothing more than a bad copy of Plug Share.

Sponsored

 

[metroshot]

I agree - once the Ford free charging is done, never use it.

The charging infrastructure for CCS is currently not as robust as Tesla SC.
Even in heavy EV states like CA.

Ford partnering up with Electrify America may be a good start, but with the lack of enough chargers or available working chargers at any one time makes this partnership a failure out of the gate.
EA app does not truly show what chargers are actually available until you reach the chargers which is the biggest weakness and waste of time for me.

I do use apps for each DCFC separately for their "lower rates".

My favorite but most expensive in my area is EVGo.

I prefer EVGo because I don't have to pull out my phone, open the app, select the charger and slide to activate.

New EVGo stations are increasing as well as up to date station availability.

Enrolling in EVGo AutoCharge+ makes it super duper easy - just plug and charge.

It's true plug and charge - just pull up, plug it in and wait for the blue lights on your truck and walk away.

The app will message you when you reach 80% and then tell you when it finishes (mine is set for 90%).

 

[ddbrooke]

I agree - once the Ford free charging is done, never use it.

The charging infrastructure for CCS is currently not as robust as Tesla SC.
Even in heavy EV states like CA.

Ford partnering up with Electrify America may be a good start, but with the lack of enough chargers or available working chargers at any one time makes this partnership a failure out of the gate.
EA app does not truly show what chargers are actually available until you reach the chargers which is the biggest weakness and waste of time for me.

I do use apps for each DCFC separately for their "lower rates".

My favorite but most expensive in my area is EVGo.

I prefer EVGo because I don't have to pull out my phone, open the app, select the charger and slide to activate.

New EVGo stations are increasing as well as up to date station availability.

Enrolling in EVGo AutoCharge+ makes it super duper easy - just plug and charge.

It's true plug and charge - just pull up, plug it in and wait for the blue lights on your truck and walk away.

The app will message you when you reach 80% and then tell you when it finishes (mine is set for 90%).

I’m curious about what you are paying with EVGo. Here in western PA, peak charging rates are $0.59/ kWh between 4-9pm and $0.49 between 8am -4pm. At those prices a gas engine is cheaper to operate.

 

[metroshot]

I’m curious about what you are paying with EVGo. Here in western PA, peak charging rates are $0.59/ kWh between 4-9pm and $0.49 between 8am -4pm. At those prices a gas engine is cheaper to operate.

Same here in CA.

Ranges from $0.39 to $0.59 per kWh.

Electrify America (if I can find a working / available charger) costs $0.43 per kWh anytime.

OTOH, in CA our gas prices are the highest in the country at $5/gal so EV are still cheaper.

 

[RickLightning]

Same here in CA.

Ranges from $0.39 to $0.59 per kWh.

Electrify America (if I can find a working / available charger) costs $0.43 per kWh anytime.

OTOH, in CA our gas prices are the highest in the country at $5/gal so EV are still cheaper.

EA costs $.31 with Pass+.

 

[RickLightning]

Now that I've used up my free charging I realize I have no reason to use the Blue Oval Charging Network app because Ford brings nothing to the table. Any further charging I'll do through the native charge point operators apps because they'll be cheaper if I'm on their plans.

Where is Ford in expanding the DC fast charging network? Is there even a plan other than forcing dealerships to spend a bunch of money installing a single CCS charger in inconvenient locations (and that may not happen for a couple years)? At my local dealership they have a single level 2 charger in the front parking lot that is either ICE'd or charging a dealer Mach-e. If they do manage to build 150,000 trucks this year, along with all of the Chevy, Hyundai/Kia, VW's that will be sold in 2023, road tripping is going to be miserable and unpractical without a rapid build out of DC fast chargers. It doesn't appear that any of the operators have plans to make that happen in 2023.

So here is my point. We all know the DC fast charging infrastructure isn't adequate today and the #2 EV manufacturer has done nothing to help alleviate the problem. Somehow, pressure needs to be applied on Ford to convince them to focus on the charging infrastructure. The 'Blue Oval Charging Network' is nothing more than a bad copy of Plug Share.

Yes, it's cheaper (currently) to use other apps. Ford may roll out a program with discounts in the future. An advantage of that program would be Plug and Charge. Many people want to simply plug in and walk away.

Your info on CCS chargers at dealers is only partly correct. Those going "all in" have to put more than 1 charger in, and they cannot be in inaccessible areas. They have had 2,000 dealers opt in. As I recall, it was 3 chargers, so that's 6,000 more chargers. Don't know the timing, but it's not "years", more like "by 2024".

Ford has also sent out teams to check chargers, and continues to work with EA and other companies to pressure them to improve charger reliability.

So your main assertion that Ford has done nothing is incorrect.

 

[Tony Burgh]

Ford should stick to selling vehicles. Charging companies should stick to charging EV’s. I have a GM car but I don’t need them to sell gasoline. Tesla needed the charge network to sell cars. Ford and GM don’t need charging networks. It will just dilute their efforts and they will be punished by Wall Street if it doesn’t improve profitability.

 

[sotek2345]

I’m curious about what you are paying with EVGo. Here in western PA, peak charging rates are $0.59/ kWh between 4-9pm and $0.49 between 8am -4pm. At those prices a gas engine is cheaper to operate.

Agreed, especially in PA the EVGo costs are massively higher than EA (which can be as low as $0.12 to $0.15 per kWh on the EA per minute stations).

I also find EVGo to be much slower and less reliable than EA. I avoid them whenever I can, but I typically have to hit one in Pittsburgh because the charging options are so limited.

 

[Blainestang]

Tesla needed the charge network to sell cars. Ford and GM don’t need charging networks.

Ford/GM need a good charging network just as much as Tesla does.

Tesla realized no one else was going to do it right in the timeframe they needed it to happen, so they built their own.

Ford/GM are just hoping that someone else will do it for them fast enough and reliably enough that it doesn't negatively effect their sales regarding the usefulness of their vehicles.

That's absolutely a risk and many people are NOT confident that EA/EVGo/etc. will even be able to maintain their current (less-than-great) level of usability/reliability, let alone grow fast enough to improve it as EV adoption explodes.

So, I don't agree that Ford/GM can afford to just sit back and hope that someone else makes a good enough charging network for them. Would that be nice? Sure. Is it as simple as "There aren't any Ford gas stations, so they don't need to build their own charging stations"? No.

 

[ddbrooke]

Yes, it's cheaper (currently) to use other apps. Ford may roll out a program with discounts in the future.

Your info on CCS chargers at dealers is only partly correct. Those going "all in" have to put more than 1 charger in, and they cannot be in inaccessible areas. They have had 2,000 dealers opt in. As I recall, it was 3 chargers, so that's 6,000 more chargers. Don't know the timing, but it's not "years", more like "by 2024".

Ford has also sent out teams to check chargers, and continues to work with EA and other companies to pressure them to improve charger reliability.

So your main assertion that Ford has done nothing is incorrect.

So let's go with your assertion that Ford has done more than nothing.

Dealers, not Ford, will put in CCS chargers and the requirement for eCertified level is that they will have at least one public facing fast charger rated at 130kW. eCertified Elite dealers will be required to install 2 CCS chargers with one public facing and a third install in 2027 (source https://electrek.co/2022/09/14/ford-sets-new-dealers-requirements-in-order-to-sell-evs/)

Ford 'Charging Angels' was a story I've read about in the past. I've seen no reports on these forms or any of the YouTube channels that charge all over the country, of anyone seeing a Ford team visiting a EA site that is down. Until I do I'll treat that a PR.

 

[metroshot]

EA costs $.31 with Pass+.

Yes, the monthly membership with EA makes it lower, but where I live EA chargers are either unavailable (broken), offline, or clogged with VW iD4 drivers getting their free charges.

So it's not worth it for me - if I get 'lucky" and find a working EA charger, then it's by pure chance...

EA app does not show true charger availability which certainly misleads the customer.

Where I live, EVGo is a much more pleasant experience (up to the minute availability on the app) for me and willing to pay the extra premium.

 

[ddbrooke]

Yes, the monthly membership with EA makes it lower, but where I live EA chargers are either unavailable (broken), offline, or clogged with VW iD4 drivers getting their free charges.

So it's not worth it for me - if I get 'lucky" and find a working EA charger, then it's by pure chance...

EA app does not show true charger availability which certainly misleads the customer.

Where I live, EVGo is a much more pleasant experience (up to the minute availability on the app) for me and willing to pay the extra premium.

I just went on my first road trip since mid November. I went from Pittsburgh to just east of Harrisburg, 250 miles each way. There are 2 CCS charger near the PA Turnpike for that trip, Bedford and Carlisle. Luckily both are pretty reliable, Carlisle just got 3 new SK units installed, but they are under a ton of pressure. I talked to a guy that commutes through Bedford and uses that station a few times a week. He's waited 45 minutes in line to get charged.

 

[sotek2345]

I just went on my first road trip since mid November. I went from Pittsburgh to just east of Harrisburg, 250 miles each way. There are 2 CCS charger near the PA Turnpike for that trip, Bedford and Carlisle. Luckily both are pretty reliable, Carlisle just got 3 new SK units installed, but they are under a ton of pressure. I talked to a guy that commutes through Bedford and uses that station a few times a week. He's waited 45 minutes in line to get charged.

I will be making that drive in mid-March. Thanks for the heads up about the busy stations. I will plan in some extra time for that trip.

 

[ddbrooke]

I will be making that drive in mid-March. Thanks for the heads up about the busy stations. I will plan in some extra time for that trip.

Both are at Sheetz so you have food and bathrooms available. The big issue with that trip is that there are zero options anywhere near the turnpike if those stations are down. Especially Bedford. Plus you have to climb the mountains between those two points. While folks out west laugh at our 2600' mountains in the east, the clime kills your efficiency and there isn't much regen on that gentle decent. At 65 mph with temps between 10-30 deg, I got 1.7 mi/kw

 

[Bigisland Guy]

Here in CA Tesla keeps building large charging lots with dozens of fast chargers along major routes when they open these sites to non Tesla vehicles this will help in the long range trip category. Unfortunately most of us have issues with local areas and this is where the car companies have different strategies: Hyundai is looking into more home charging, Ford is looking into bi-directional charging with solar ect. The result will be let's kick the can down the road and see what sticks. After all its early in the EV game.

Sponsored