The worst thing about taking a long trip in an EV is getting held up when you need a charge. It sucks to roll up to a charger only to find someone else is already using it. Electrify America reckons it has found a way to fix this issue, but it could prove highly unpopular with customers.
The idea is simple. Electrify America will enforce a State of Charge limit of 85% at certain stations as part of a new pilot program. At these locations, customers will not be able to fully charge their EV to 100%. Instead, charging will halt at 85%,. The owner will then be given ten minutes grace to move their vehicle before they start racking up idle fees.
The pilot is being branded as a congestion reduction measure, targeted at the network’s busiest stations. All ten stations in the pilot are located in California, though the measure could easily be rolled out further in time.
On a basic level, the idea does make some sense. EV batteries typically charge the fastest in the 10% to 80% range. Indeed, this is why many automakers rate their vehicles fast charging performance on this metric. In this region, charging happens under a constant current (CC) regime until the individual cell voltage reaches the nominal level, usually around 4.2 volts each.
Beyond 80%, the charging process continues much more slowly under a constant voltage (CV) regime. The charging voltage is held at 4.2 volts per cell, while the current applied decreases gradually until the battery is completely filled. Charging speed is dependent on current, so that last 20% takes much longer as the current continually decreases.
Electrify America’s move isn’t unprecedented. Indeed, many EV owners have often considered charging to 80% as good manners when using crowded charge stations. Regardless, it’s already seen some pushback from aggrieved customers. Much of the criticism centers around the poor reliability of EA’s charger network. Many customers allege that the huge number of broken chargers is a bigger cause of congestion than customers choosing to charge to 100%.
You know what would really help congestion? Fixing the chargers. pic.twitter.com/IlLidq0Tjx
— Adam (@adamUCF) July 8, 2024
All goes down the drain when only 2 of the 4 stalls are up and running. You should make it a minimum standard to have 6 stalls at every location.
— Mister Suave (@MisterSuave69) July 8, 2024
For some customers, it won’t be a big deal. However, in some situations, not being able to charge to 100% can be really annoying. If you need every last drop of range to reach your next charging stop, getting cut off early could mess up your whole deal. This is a bigger deal in rural areas where congestion is less likely, of course, but it bears consideration when instituting charge limits that could surprise unwary travellers.
This also, as Matt has pointed out before, might have implications for Uber/Lyft drivers. While there’s no explicit statement saying this is pointed at them, people leasing an EV with no intention to buy it (whether a livery driver or otherwise) are probably not as concerned about battery life. [Ed note: It’s true, when I see an Uber/Lyft license plate at an EA charger I just assume they’re going to 100% – MH]
For now, the program remains a pilot, with Electrify America noting it may roll out the measure to more chargers in future. It could help free up chargers in the short term, particularly in busy periods like national holidays. At the same time, artificial limits on charging are unlikely to make customers happier. They’d probably just prefer the provision of more working chargers instead.
Image credits: Electrify America, Ineltro datasheet
Man, the EV revolution really gets funnier every day.