Monthly Myth: Charging an EV isn’t convenient

With improved driving ranges and a growing charging network, operating an EV can be more convenient than gas-powered cars.

By Tim Benford: President of Drive Electric Dayton, Past Vice-President of Electric Auto Association 

With a gasoline-powered car, we typically wait until we reach, say, a one-fourth tank full, we take a detour to a gas station, spend a few minutes refueling, and then get back on the road. Life with an electric vehicle (EV) is different, and I would argue, better.

If you are one of the three out of four people who have access to a dedicated parking spot at home, you simply plug your EV into the electrical socket (Level 1) or plug your wall charger into the car (Level 2), you walk away, and in the morning you get back into a charged up car. There is no waiting until you have a one-fourth tank left, no driving to a gas station, no breathing noxious fumes. It’s a completely different fueling pattern. 

Driving long distances may take a little longer, but not that much. For instance, when driving from Dayton to Cleveland in Ohio, a journey of 216 miles, I pass by four Tesla Supercharger locations. My Model 3 has a range of 322 miles fully charged, but let’s reduce that to 250 to account for cold temperatures and inefficient driving. En route, I’ll make just one stop half way along to recharge, stretch my legs, eat lunch or have a snack, as almost all Superchargers are located near at least one restaurant. In a 20 to 30 minute pitstop, my EV charges up and I’m refreshed for the remaining journey. 

The same goes for drivers of all other makes and models of EVs, You’ll often find there are numerous public chargers along your route located in areas with ways to occupy your time while you charge.  

Charging does, for now, take longer than gassing up, but your EV can ‘refuel’ without you standing there, which allows you to multitask. And the time taken to recharge the battery of an electric car has dropped sharply and will only improve as a new generation of batteries and more powerful charging points become available.

The charging network is growing...

There are ways to charge an EV even for those who do not have a dedicated parking spot. For instance, many businesses have installed chargers that allow both employees and visitors to charge while working, shopping, or dining. And, you may be surprised at the great number of results when you type ‘public charging stations’ into the search field in your Google Maps, Apple Maps, PlugShare, ChargePoint or Electrify America apps. What’s more, some public Level 2 charging points provide free electricity. There are no free gasoline refueling stations, so that’s another win for EVs.

Most public charging stations are 220-volt Level 2 chargers that take approximately four hours to replenish an EV’s battery pack, but a growing number of Level 3 public stations, also known as DC fast chargers, can replenish as much as 80% of an EV’s state of charge in around 30 minutes. If you’re planning a road trip, plotting a course dotted with Level 3 chargers is essential.

Fortunately, there are major efforts worldwide to increase the number of available charging stations, including by traditional fossil fuel companies such as BP and Shell as they move to diversify their fuel types and supply sustainable energy. The away-from-home charging situation will only  improve over time. For more details here’s a helpful article on how to charge an EV. 

So, if EV’s have enough range and are convenient to charge (just in a different way), what’s the next myth a prospective EV buyer might worry about? How about “EVs aren’t good for the environment because they’re powered by coal-based electricity.” Let’s bust that myth next month!