Frustrated with public EV charging options? Globe readers have thoughts

When I bought my electric vehicle in 2022, I knew I was embarking upon an adventure: Though EVs were gaining popularity, it was well understood that the public infrastructure for charging them had some catching up to do.

Four years later, the infrastructure can still fail to meet our needs.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about a frustrating experience during a one-day road trip in Southern Ontario, when I encountered chargers that were either slower than advertised or didn’t work at all.

I received a large number of e-mails in response to the article. Many readers agreed that, as much as we love our EVs at home, road trips can be difficult.

But readers also offered helpful tips for long-distance driving, and how the charging infrastructure could be improved. Here are some of the highlights.

Plan ahead with apps

PlugShare received several mentions because it identifies charging options across various networks and the quality of each stop is rated by consumers. You can filter charging options by speed and consumer scores.

Also, consider A Better Routeplanner (ABRP). This is a navigation tool built especially for EV drivers and can accept a number of variables, including how much charge you want on your battery when you arrive at your destination.

Get a Tesla, or a Tesla adapter

This is politically loaded. But the facts speak loud and clear: The Tesla network is very good. If you can’t see yourself in one of Elon Musk’s vehicles, then consider getting an adapter that will allow you to use some (not all) Tesla chargers. Good news: Some new EVs come equipped with the Tesla charging standard, called the North American Charging Standard, or NACS, here.

“Being able to charge on the Tesla network with a converter has been a game-changer for us,” Nick told me.

Get a vehicle with a bigger battery

Generally speaking, a bigger battery will deliver more range, so this may be a factor that tops your shopping list.

Be sure to understand what range means, though. It is an estimate of how far you can drive on a full charge under good conditions. Highway driving and winter conditions will reduce your range. Oh, and bigger batteries can be expensive.

As Chad said: “Because charging infrastructure is a bit of an issue, people are buying vehicles with much bigger batteries than they would otherwise need if the charging infrastructure was better.”

Have a gas car as your road warrior vehicle

This isn’t a defeatist comment. You can fully embrace an EV for all your commuting needs. But if you are a two-car family, having one as-powered vehicle in the driveway could give you the best of both worlds.

Many readers have praised hybrid vehicles for the same reason: You get the benefits of a battery during short hauls, and gas on the open road.

Move to (or visit) Quebec

Quebec is awesome. And if you drive an EV, it looks even better, given how EV ownership has been encouraged for years. Christine said of La Belle Province: “Way more chargers, they work, they’re located at restaurants and national parks – wow!!”

And finally … the wish list

Globe readers have come up with a short – and compelling – list of how charging could be made a whole lot better at non-Tesla charging stations.

At the top: smooth payment options. What’s with maintaining a half dozen payment apps, each requiring updates and logins? Swipe and pay is better, at least as a dependable backup.

Deb has nine apps. “Some want funds deposited so they can then keep what I don’t use. There’s no way to organize who has my money and who doesn’t,” she said.

Second on the wish list: Deliver what you promise. It is deflating when you discover that a charger promising 100 kWh is actually delivering less than half that – doubling your charging time.

And third: squeegees. Most gas stations have them. Why can’t EV drivers get them?

Here’s my question for you this week: Do you have a favourite public charging station? Tell me why you like it and where it is. Send your likes to dberman@globeandmail.com.

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