Yup. I’ve had an EV for 6 years (in Texas of all places) and have only used a public charger a handful of times, and mostly because of the novelty to see what DC charging is like. I’ve only needed it one time on a long distance trip. So 6 years, 1 DC fast charge.
Okay, now what about the people who don’t live in SFHs? I could charge at home most nights if I had an EV, but a lot of people literally can’t install chargers.
It’s so easy to install communal chargers, that no house has an excuse to not do it. It just needs to be normalised.
Here where I live, I don’t think there is a house with no ev charger at a parking space.
You don’t have to install a charger, if you can charge your laptop/phone at home you can charge your car at home.
It’s just an extension cord.
Of course this requires you to run the cord outside if you don’t have a garage but it’s not like you have to bury it or anything. Because again it’s just an extension cord.
And even if you want “fast” charging at home you aren’t really “installing” a charger you are just getting a 220v outlet installed in the US. If you have a central A/C unit or electric dryer as an example you already have this installed in your house you are just adding an additional outlet for ease of access.
The “real” fast chargers that are installed for public use are not being installed in your home because those are 480v or even 800v. Which is considered industrial use, as far as I am aware you can’t get that power connection in your garage because the infrastructure isn’t there.
I’ll let my friends living in apartments know they can run an extension cord from the 5th floor then lol, I’m sure there’s nothing unsafe about that.
Daily mileage isn’t the only factor either. I’m not sure why I would pay 30k for a used EV if it costs almost the same to charge per 100km as a diesel car worth under 2k takes to refuel per 100 km but takes much more time to do so. EVs start making more sense for people in apartments when public fast charging is nearly free, like charging at home is.
Hey everyone with an electric car did you know you are wrong because if i follow this correctly.
1 .You can buy a 20 year old car for $2000.
2. This person knows someone who lives on the 5th floor.
Yeah it’s called individual choice. It’s not for everyone in every situation. Just like diesel versus gasoline or natural gas or walking or riding a bike or taking a bus.
But the point I made still stands you don’t “have” to install anything.
And yes I have seen people running cords out of windows from apartments. Is it the best option. No.
Would I do it also no.
But there are options available.
Make the choice that works best for your situation.
If we’re going to ban fossil fuels 100%, we need EVs to work for everyone. If we don’t ban fossil fuels altogether, people can continue driving old cars which is bad. I know I will.
If we’re going to ban fossil fuels 100%, we need EVs to work for everyone.
Why? We’ve made THOUSANDS of changes to society over the last century that did not work for everyone, but where a lot of them benefitted the (vast) majority. We should continue having that as the aim. The idea that a solution (for ANY problem) exists that works for literally 100% of the population is silly.
It doesn’t have to be a binary choice. We could have regulations that require EV charging stations on new construction, from street lamp poles, etc, and still let people fill up their gas car.
The government should probably do something to combat the proliferation of huge pickup trucks, but idk what that would look like.
If we are going to ban fossil fuels 100% (we aren’t) but if were going to, personal vehicles would be banned for being grossly inefficient uses of space and resources to build.
Allowed? No. Do people do things that they aren’t allowed to do even when they aren’t the best option. Yes all the time.
I would be willing to bet wherever you live there are things that aren’t allowed happening all the time. In fact you, just like everyone else probably participate in some of those activities regularly.
For example, since this conversation is about cars. You have never once driven over the speed limit (depending on where you are under the speed limit) or drove somewhere without a seat belt or used your cell phone with your hands while driving. How about using your turn signal to change lanes 100% of the time.
With the layout of the road outside the house here there’s no pavement on our side and with the car right next to the gate there’s no cable across anywhere someone could walk unless they go through the gate. We’re usually charging from the main charger on the drive though, it’s only when we have multiple cars to charge that the extra cable comes out.
Most EV owners do not realize that most car drivers live in apartment buildings and have no chance to charge their car at home.
I live in a building that was built in 2023 and has no underground charging stations. In fact no stations around the building either. In Germany. Berlin. Yep
Most people in western countries (Europe+US) live in houses.
I suspect, without digging up evidence, that people living in houses are more likely to be car drivers than people living in apartments (who are more likely to have access to mass transit), so the data skews even further towards houses.
Also, without digging up more numbers, I suspect many of the apartment-bound-car-drivers have consistent workplace parking that could be (but likely isn’t yet) converted to support workplace charging.
I recognize that information doesn’t help your current situation at all, but it is not in fact the majority experience.
I do 120v / 12A charging at home and an overnight charge exceeds my daily commute. But, yes, a 240v / 25A charger is much faster and an overnight charge in them can cover a daily commute I would find punishingly long.
ITT: Lots of people dont realize how infrequently you actually stop at a charger if you have charging at home or work.
Yup. I’ve had an EV for 6 years (in Texas of all places) and have only used a public charger a handful of times, and mostly because of the novelty to see what DC charging is like. I’ve only needed it one time on a long distance trip. So 6 years, 1 DC fast charge.
Since they installed chargers at my workplace roughly one year ago, I have stopped exactly 3 times to charge in a public charger:
First was when we had an issue with chargers the day before I was going on a 2 weeks holiday out of town.
Second was when I arrived to my holiday destination.
Third was the day we were going back home from the holiday destination after two weeks.
That’s about it in a whole year.
Okay, now what about the people who don’t live in SFHs? I could charge at home most nights if I had an EV, but a lot of people literally can’t install chargers.
It’s so easy to install communal chargers, that no house has an excuse to not do it. It just needs to be normalised.
Here where I live, I don’t think there is a house with no ev charger at a parking space.
Of course your daily mileage comes into play… but
You don’t have to install a charger, if you can charge your laptop/phone at home you can charge your car at home.
It’s just an extension cord.
Of course this requires you to run the cord outside if you don’t have a garage but it’s not like you have to bury it or anything. Because again it’s just an extension cord.
And even if you want “fast” charging at home you aren’t really “installing” a charger you are just getting a 220v outlet installed in the US. If you have a central A/C unit or electric dryer as an example you already have this installed in your house you are just adding an additional outlet for ease of access.
The “real” fast chargers that are installed for public use are not being installed in your home because those are 480v or even 800v. Which is considered industrial use, as far as I am aware you can’t get that power connection in your garage because the infrastructure isn’t there.
I’ll let my friends living in apartments know they can run an extension cord from the 5th floor then lol, I’m sure there’s nothing unsafe about that.
Daily mileage isn’t the only factor either. I’m not sure why I would pay 30k for a used EV if it costs almost the same to charge per 100km as a diesel car worth under 2k takes to refuel per 100 km but takes much more time to do so. EVs start making more sense for people in apartments when public fast charging is nearly free, like charging at home is.
Hey everyone with an electric car did you know you are wrong because if i follow this correctly.
1 .You can buy a 20 year old car for $2000. 2. This person knows someone who lives on the 5th floor.
Yeah it’s called individual choice. It’s not for everyone in every situation. Just like diesel versus gasoline or natural gas or walking or riding a bike or taking a bus.
But the point I made still stands you don’t “have” to install anything.
And yes I have seen people running cords out of windows from apartments. Is it the best option. No. Would I do it also no.
But there are options available.
Make the choice that works best for your situation.
If we’re going to ban fossil fuels 100%, we need EVs to work for everyone. If we don’t ban fossil fuels altogether, people can continue driving old cars which is bad. I know I will.
Why? We’ve made THOUSANDS of changes to society over the last century that did not work for everyone, but where a lot of them benefitted the (vast) majority. We should continue having that as the aim. The idea that a solution (for ANY problem) exists that works for literally 100% of the population is silly.
It doesn’t have to be a binary choice. We could have regulations that require EV charging stations on new construction, from street lamp poles, etc, and still let people fill up their gas car.
The government should probably do something to combat the proliferation of huge pickup trucks, but idk what that would look like.
If we are going to ban fossil fuels 100% (we aren’t) but if were going to, personal vehicles would be banned for being grossly inefficient uses of space and resources to build.
So like, out my door and into the parking lot?
I’m very pro ev, but getting apartments to have charging stations is a big step forward we need to take to encourage adoption
You live somewhere that allows randoms to lay trip hazards across the pavement?
Allowed? No. Do people do things that they aren’t allowed to do even when they aren’t the best option. Yes all the time.
I would be willing to bet wherever you live there are things that aren’t allowed happening all the time. In fact you, just like everyone else probably participate in some of those activities regularly.
For example, since this conversation is about cars. You have never once driven over the speed limit (depending on where you are under the speed limit) or drove somewhere without a seat belt or used your cell phone with your hands while driving. How about using your turn signal to change lanes 100% of the time.
The world is full of rules not being followed.
Anyone doing those things should have their car crushed.
Turning walkways into a hazard course is not an acceptable approach.
With the layout of the road outside the house here there’s no pavement on our side and with the car right next to the gate there’s no cable across anywhere someone could walk unless they go through the gate. We’re usually charging from the main charger on the drive though, it’s only when we have multiple cars to charge that the extra cable comes out.
Most EV owners do not realize that most car drivers live in apartment buildings and have no chance to charge their car at home.
I live in a building that was built in 2023 and has no underground charging stations. In fact no stations around the building either. In Germany. Berlin. Yep
Most people in western countries (Europe+US) live in houses.
I suspect, without digging up evidence, that people living in houses are more likely to be car drivers than people living in apartments (who are more likely to have access to mass transit), so the data skews even further towards houses.
Also, without digging up more numbers, I suspect many of the apartment-bound-car-drivers have consistent workplace parking that could be (but likely isn’t yet) converted to support workplace charging.
I recognize that information doesn’t help your current situation at all, but it is not in fact the majority experience.
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Most trips don’t eat 100%, if your commute eats 10-40% of your battery 5% an hour on 110v at home is just fine.
Probably a lot better for the batteries too.
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I do 120v / 12A charging at home and an overnight charge exceeds my daily commute. But, yes, a 240v / 25A charger is much faster and an overnight charge in them can cover a daily commute I would find punishingly long.
Why do you think these screenshots add anything of value to this discussion?
Ha you’re right!