Supercharger Access Absolutely Changes The Game For Ford Mach-E Roadtrips!
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Episode 444: Join Francie and Jordan as they chat with Patrick and Liv from @MachE_VLOG about their July road trip. They discuss road trip techniques and how access to the Supercharger network has transformed their travel experiences! They also explore the importance of accessibility at charging sites, along with the convenience and amenities available.
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#ford #mache #supercharger #roadtrip
Thanks for having us on! Always fun to connect with the Out of Spec crew!
It's great to to see people who don't have to go fast. EA has been a problem for my Leaf. They have only one chademo station that may not work, or has cars waiting to charge.
When it comes to fast charging I like to charge early. I usually charge at 20 or 30 percent, and then try to charge up to 90, or 95 percent. It takes less time. At home I plug in whenever it's below 80 percent. Since the battery has degraded 25 percent it doesn't take as long to charge. It's 10 years old and has over 130 miles. I can still go 50 miles on a good day. Most of my traveling is local, so no range anxiety. I have had to have it towed twice after maximizing turtle mode.
I have neighbors that purchased a Mach E4 after I gave them a ride in my Leaf.
I tell people, if you're not up for the adventure, don't.
we drove our Mach E from MD to NJ, then Canada using only Tesla superchargers during 4th of July week with no issues, it was night and day difference from trips before using CCS DC sites. I used the Tesla app to find and navigate to available supercharger sites and it worked great.
26:00 I agree about EA "chaotic" behavior of punters (customers). I like the EA 350kw (hyper) for my Ioniq6 to charge on but its a crapshot if I can get on a 350kw (hyper). I did see an altercation at an EA charger. The altercation was because a man had pulled up to a charger but hadn't started charging yet because he was on the phone (for maybe one minute--he had just pulled up). Another guy started knocking on his car window and asking him to move because he wanted that charger (no others were available). The man in the car on the phone yelled at the guy knocking on his window. The man knocking on the window drove off and the man on the phone started charging his vehicle.
I really question how any of these adapters can receive UL Listing if they become too hot to touch. For climates where temperature approaches 110 degrees, maybe they should be white to absorb less sun light.
But, if most of the heat is internally generated, that means too high resistance and it needs better connections & conduction of power. You are wasting power by generating heat. Adapters should not resemble your toaster.
I believe Tom mentioned that none of them are UL-listed
@@LemonSanitizer UL2252 has not been finalized yet so none are certified - not even the Tesla adapter.
@@LemonSanitizer You are 100% correct, but he also said UL is determining criteria now for evaluating adapters. One measurement should be temperature. If it burns your hands or gloves are required, this must be a warning in the sales literature. I feel very uncomfortable about buying an adapter that gets SO HOT that I can't touch it.
Everyone who has been downplaying the supercharging network lead for years is all of a sudden now going to be crawling there, even when there might be another DCFC nearby (because it’s likely broken, faulty, derated, not enough stalls, etc.). Well, well, well how the turntables
I don’t think anyone was downplaying supercharger dominance.
EVs changed how I do roadtrips. I used to basically cannon ball run 9, 12, 16 hour roadtrips in a day as fast as possible. Now, I relax, the travel is part of the enjoyment. Take breaks, rest, stop at that weird ironworker shop on the side of the road that sells dragons made out of trashcans, stop at the honor-system honey sales trailer (true story)... What's that weird building way over there off road? Turns out it's an old WW2 emergency radio tower that's abandoned (true story). That stuff is so fun.
I have also turned my way of travelling. I am also more curious and interested in the surroundings and learn more about the world around us.
Same thing here, I used arrive after 10-16 hours of driving just stopping 5min for gas just very tired. Now even though I don't cover as many miles in the same time it is way less tiring to have those brakes for charging and most of the time the car is ready to go before people are after bathroom, food, etc.
I guess I’m the weirdo. I still occasionally rip it across the country in an EV. Currently reliable charging can be tough to achieve at every single stop on a 1200 mile day, but not enough to add much time wasted.
@@Harrythehun
@@GregWaszkiewicz
I’m amazed at many EV haters say they must get to destination as quickly as possible for every road trip. They do most fuel-ups when a restroom is needed and bring food to eat in car so no time is wasted when stopping. They never stop to stretch relieving fatigue and drive late into the night until ready to drop. Most see no sites on the trip and only focus on getting from point A to B. Very sad.
They always say that, they are trying to get there as fast as possible. I have always been an efficiency driver. I drive slow, right lane and when in my ICE I would stretch out those stops as long as humanly possible because the more time spent stopping is time wasted that I was already losing driving so slow. But I was fuel efficient and it was a game to see how many MPG I could get. But one thing you learn when you drive that way is these people who are "in a hurry" will pass me on average 3 times before they eventually pull off of that road or will finally get far enough ahead of me that I won't see them again. They have to stop constantly for bathrooms, fuel, food and they really aren't making the great travel time they think they are. They are driving FAST, and think they are making good time, but not getting very far with it. That being said my strategy as an efficiency driver in an EV stays pretty much the same, but I do get to actually drink something, eat something, and go to the bathroom and actually enjoy the adventure of the charging stops since I will have to stop sooner than I did in my ICE, but I am enjoying it much more. I didn't think I would. It is an adventure.
yes! This is simply a mindset change.
Hot areas really need solar roofs at the chargers to help reduce the direct sun on the cable and adapter.
Lots of people are holding off buying GM EV'S until they can charge on TESLA SUPERCHARGERS because CCS infrastructure is still not good in 80% of the country.
I will say that gaining access to an additional network represents a significant improvement in the travel experience, so the Superchargers opening will improve the travel experience for a lot of EV owners. Going from 1,000+ mile trips with zero DCFC for two thirds of the trip, to having ChargePoint and EVgo cover those routes, to having Electrify America also covering those routes, etc. all represented massive improvements to my EV travel experiences.
Even now, Electrify America and Tesla are the only two networks fully supporting Interstate travel corridors, so having access to both definitely makes long distance travel more convenient. I'm looking forward to the build outs from GM-Energy EVgo and Mercedes-ChargePoint, which should add third and fourth options along most of these major travel routes. Essentially, we're fast approaching the level of convenience that people have come to expect when traveling with gas cars.
I can confirm that having access to all the networks is the cheat code for flexible EV road tripping. Maybe I want to charge affordably. Maybe I want a bathroom, or a certain amenity, or it’s just convenient for the car’s SOC. Not being locked into any network is what I’ve experienced for 18 months now and I can’t wait for every EV driver to have that same freedom of choice. It’ll drive charge point operator competitors to improve the entire experience.
42:35 My charging site review model has turned into a bit of a checklist for charging sites, and one of the categories is focused specifically on "Access." It's probably not as in-depth as it should be for people with specific accessibility needs, but it does call out the need for ADA-compliant spaces at a minimum. Walter at The Network Architect Channel has been doing a great job championing that site review checklist recently with some really great charging site reviews. I'd love to get Liv's take on what could be improved with the "Access" category, as it's currently favoring vehicle access over human access needs, though there's still some overlap there.
It's been great following Liv and Patrick's adventures! The big takeaway I have from their trip so far is that, even with Supercharger access, prioritizing one network over all others is not necessarily ideal. The Needles Supercharger stop was just painful to watch (literally for Patrick, I think), so I think moving forward, route planning should be primarily based on the quality of the individual charging site itself rather than the provider.
Ya you're spot on there. The adapter definitely opens up more options but you're still going to select what works for your route and what has the best amenities...or at the very least (in 118 degrees) shade! - Liv
@@MachE_VLOG Thanks, Liv! I was just listening to your and Patrick's comments about anxiety due to stall count. At some point, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the minimum number of stalls and level of reliability that you think would prevent anxiety. The Superchargers are clearly there already, but I'm starting to think that 8 stalls should be the minimum count for any Interstate station.
Patrick and Liv are such awesome ambassadors for the EV movement!
I’m currently in St. George, eating homemade ice cream, watching your podcast. Coming from Vancouver BC, it is so hot down here, I am actually missing Vancouver. My friend tells me Vegas is going to be even hotter, I can’t imagine. 🥵 22:04
Absolutely agree that the additional network really reduces range anxiety, but my region has many older (and incompatible) Tesla chargers. Still not a magic fix for everything. Hoping that route-planning and pre-conditioning come to CarPlay integration soon. Let’s Go!
Thanks for brightening my day with an out of spec podcast.😊
Jordan hit it on the head when he compared the two styles of Road trips. I enjoy both the Fast Charge Race to Vegas method and the relaxed style of Patrick & Liv, and Francie (OK- not so relaxed when leaving adapters behind!). Taking the time to show the sights along the way is great. So good to have the Mach_E team on the podcast! Met you both when you were in Schenectady and I can tell everyone they are both just as nice in person as on camera!
Aw thank you so much for the kind words! We'll be back for National Drive Electric Week in Schenectady so hope to see you again! - Liv
Wish Tesla would publish a schedule when other car brands will be authorized to use the SuC Network.
Yup. Waiting for BMW hehe
@@verynick Audi & Porsche here
This is the responsibility of said car brands, not Tesla
I did a 1000 mile road trip last month in my Mach-E with the official adapter. With new networks popping up (Starbucks, PFJ, Circle K) using Superchargers was not as important in 2024 as it would have been in 2023 or earlier.
I just finished a round trip from So California to Idaho in a P2. It was a learning experience & I was more confident after day one. Polestar uses Google Automotive & it works *most* of the time, but is very conservative (often predicting something like "you will have 8% charge remaining" when the real result is around 20%). She (the assistant voice that I have not yet named) also once led me to an aging charger of unknown origin on a lonely road & it didn't even work. My method became to use the Electrify America app on my phone while traveling & also plan via Google maps on my MacBook ahead of time, along with the in-car Google Maps. I wrote suggested stops on this thing called "a sheet of paper" ahead of time. (How jurassic of me!) It wasn't as complicated as it sounds & some stations (e.g. Shell Recharge) only showed on Google maps on the MacBook. Pilot Assist lane centering worked pretty well, especially when surrounded by tractor-trailers (yikes!) & ride quality on the highway was actually better than in the city. Internet radio worked well too, only dropping out in some canyon areas.
We have had good experiences charging the R1T at Tesla Superchargers. Tesla folks seem fine with it. My husband uses golf gloves to handle the adapter.
ooh classy and good idea! - Liv
@@MachE_VLOG Thanks, Liv.
From what I've seen, the route planning in Polestar vehicles is just as good as Tesla's- it integrates charging stops into your route, predicts how much range you'll have when you get to each one, and predicts how long it'll take to charge at each one. It's very good! 🤷
Thank You Everybody for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste
🙏🏻 😊 ✌ ☮ ❤ 🕊
21:00 I wish there were more Magic Dock roll-outs. Magic Dock seems like a win-win.
Me too! - Liv
Great to see Patrick and Liv on the podcast! As far as I know, only the magic dock stations are part of the route planning and it's interesting that thr v3 SC aren't in the route planning. This is good to know when I get my adapter
Hi Merchy!
💙 Can't wait for you to get your adapter! - Liv
Carry an oven mitt.
We use golf gloves.
I'd like to see a review of the Mach E RWD w/ LFP pack (Select or Premium). Does the RWD offer any fun driving attributes? How does the LFP pack perform in the Mach E? I only ever seem to see reviews of the GT & Rally trims. Thanks!
Another good video! I live in Los Angeles. My dad grew up in Santa Clara, and my grandparents lived there until they passed away in the late ‘90s. When I was in high school and college, I would drive up a couple times per year to visit them. Back then, I’d make the eight-hour trip as fast as possible, only stopping for potty break and to pick up gas. Then I studied in Germany for a year. They would take a 100-mile two-hour road trip and stop twice for coffee and lunch. Now that I’m older, I much prefer the slow and easy approach. My wife and I have done several road trips in our Mach-e and enjoy the freedom of using superchargers. Now, if only Tesla had a longer cable.
Best part of BC for me is that ability to take both hands to open a bottle or bag. The rest is gravy. Adaptive Cruise Control is great.
I had one instance where I felt crowded by a Tesla as I was finishing up. They were backing into the stall for the post I was using as I was backing out. Several other posts available, so not sure why they needed that one.
I'm looking to create a checklist based on the Newscoulomb method.
I had a chance to spend a day in a wheelchair while at university. The one thing that I got from that was the realization that I could get out of the chair if I needed, but most in the chair cannot.
I used to plan trips from Flying J to Flying J when they were the reliable 24-hour option. In an EV, I use the approach used for flight planning. Have a planned stop, an alternate stop, and a buffer above that.
Great Podcast - I watch both channels & really enjoyed & agreed with it all! As a Lightning Owner , I can agree with 99% of your comments
I have a ‘21 and I see superchargers on my built in nav…at least I think I do?
The adapters getting hot is an issue but also they are warm/hot and they are in the sun on a hot day...black in the sun is more heat.
The Ove Glove 😂 19:45
I can charge my Bolt and ID4 at Magic Dock stations. So it should be possible(with an adapter) to charge at the non Magic Dock stations(V3). The capability is there. However, according to State Of Charge(Tom), the issue is app access. OEMs want us customers to use the OEM's app, not Tesla, so they get the data and $$$. That's bull s**t. This effort(getting tesla access) should be about making owning an EV easier and less stressful to take road trips. Not about who gets my charging data/money.. So until the OEM's get their app software to work, we won't get access to Tesla SuC network. and who knows how long that will take.
Since I received my Tesla in 2017, I’ve used the Tesla network about 95% of the time and it works great! The only time I don’t use it is if I’m in an area that has no Tesla superchargers.
Anyone afraid that A.I. is going to take over the world should ask why so many EVs can't even navigate to a working charger while making sure there is a backup and preconditioning the battery.
Good morning, Francie❤🎉 And 1st😅
the pre exiting gas stations have already facilities like rest rooms, food, weather protection.. so they need to convert from. gas to electric..
I put a Tesla station in Google with car play and it still tells me I can't charge there with my f150
Love it, another race to Vegas coming! Can hardly wait. Great video, thanks!
I have an ID.4 and travel often. 81k so far in 24 months. Yes we do have some issues but overall I have not had all these problems with the chargers. There are other networks the EA. And actually the built-in navigation system is ugly but it's pretty good. Since I have been driving EVs since 2017 I always pre-plan. ABRP, and plugshare are a must. What is missing currently is a good education system for the new EV drivers. But overall it's far better than 2017 when I first started.
I’ve had a Tesla since 2017 and it’s been great since day one. But of course more locations now.
Ther is a UA-camr that does the rollout vid weekly Architect is in the name. He uses a 50 point evaluation system. He also focuses on the Pilot/Flying J sites
His is the network architect channel.
The best option is for everyone to go to NACS and get rid of the adapter.
Seems as though Elon's firing of a lot the Supercharger team had no bad effect on it's reliability. I tried to explain this to a couple of people, but they were clueless. Elon hates entropy in a company and he was in war mode. Only the hardest working and most essential people would survive. It's one of the reasons Tesla is the only company that makes a profit on EVs. And I said he would hire some of the Supercharger team back, but they didn't believe me. He's done this before. .... And as a Model Y owner, I say welcome to all other non-Tesla EVs. Hey, I've used Chargepoints and EVgos.
Maintenance issues can take a while to show up in a charging network. New site deployments are down and the NACS adapter rollout has been extremely slow. We also noted in our video some issues with Supercharging - the app is very buggy; in Barstow, many stalls were down, in Cedar City, the app said all but two stalls were down but they were actually working, and in Copper Mountain, the Magic Dock stalls lacked any labels.
@@MachE_VLOG Zero problems for me in the last few months. One station that I sometimes use, in a remote area of Colorado, went down but it was back up in 4 hrs. As an experiment I did a hypothetical trip on my Tesla App and it had me stop short at another SC to avoid this broken SC at 47% battery and charge to 93% so I could skip the broken SC and still get to my destination. Excellent job Tesla! There's nothing like the Supercharging infrastructure. And All non-Tesla EVs welcome as far as I'm concerned!
I'm happy to see so many different types of EVs so yes, one big family.
BUT, I'm on my second Tesla; first was a 2015 85D and now a MYP.
The whole tesla experience has me sticking with them. I'm sure 10 years from now there will be many more to choose from and my research will start a new
When I type in a "Tesla - Sheetz (insert town)" it shows the destination as a charger which means the car should be preconditioning since it knows its a charger. But I hope the tesla chargers get added to the navigation soon. I can see them in the app on the map but not in the car. I own a Mustang Mach-E.
Unfortunately it doesn't actually precondition because the car doesn't know you will be charging there since it thinks it is incompatible.
@@MachE_VLOG When searching for a Tesla super charger in the navigation that you can charge at with the adapter (or magic dock), it pulls it up like any other charger. I see no reason why it wouldn't precondition on route to it. It knows it can charge at those. It even shows that it is in the ford network when viewing it.
@@MachE_VLOG I'd like to add when I say "it shows it as a charger" when navigating, I mean in the instrument cluster. It shows a charger icon instead of the destination flag.
@@CaptDnaDonut The stations that require a NACS adapter don't show up in the Navigation system but they will show up in the Public Charging app. If you click to navigate to the charger in the Public Charging app, it will load in the destination to Navigation system but the Navigation system won't think of it as a charging stop. It is just navigating to GPS coordinates. I've spoken to the Ford engineers responsible for public charging navigation and they said it is an issue they are working on - one, to add them to the Navigation system and two, make sure the car preconditions if necessary for the charger. I asked when that would happen and just got the answer that "it is being worked on and we understand this is a priority."
@@MachE_VLOG 🤷♂I guess I have special software because when I search for a super charger that I can use my adapter at, the little destination icon in the gauge cluster shows a charger. So it knows its going to a charging stop instead of an address. If it was going to a GPS location it would have a little flag icon. I guess my recommendation is to not type in the address and try typing in the name of the tesla super charger showing in the ford pass app. The car will know its going to a charger that way. Edit: I could link a video so you can see what I mean.
Nothing will save a vehicle with a 100% negative profit margin. Next subject?
Ford is losing money on EVs because they are investing $38 Billion in 3 brand new factories that start to come online next year to produce low cost EVs and T3 - the next generation electric truck.
Your next subject: Tesla's first year that was profitable was 2020!
These chickens will come home to roost one day.