A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California Berkely indicates many public EV fast-charging stations are experiencing problems with reliability.
For this study, UC Berkely researchers evaluated the functionality of 657 individual connectors on all 181 open, public DC fast chargers in the Greater Bay Area. These stations were evaluated as functional if they charged an EV for 2 minutes or were charging an EV at the time the station was evaluated. Of the stations evaluated, only 72.5 percent were functional, while the CCS charging cord was too short to reach the demonstration vehicle 4.99 percent of the time.
Of the chargers that were broken, 22.7 percent had an unresponsive or unavailable screen, exhibited payment system failures, charge initiation failures, network failures, or broken connectors. Making matters a bit worse was that a random evaluation of 10 percent of the charging stalls approximately 8 days after the first evaluation showed no noticeable change in the functionality of the chargers. Researchers say these findings sit in opposition to the 95 to 98 percent uptime reported by most EV charging service providers.
“The findings suggest a need for shared, precise definitions of and calculations for reliability, uptime, downtime, and excluded time, as applied to open public DCFCs, with verification by third-party evaluation,” the researchers conclude.
The Biden Administration has set aside $5 billion to set up roughly 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the country. Many of these charging stations will be situated along interstate highways, while others will be located within one mile of a highway entrance for easy access.
David Rempel, a Berkeley professor and one of the authors of this study, told Automotive News that chargers need to be fully functional one hundred percent of the time, as motorists simply won’t put up with broke or defective technology.
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Comments
Well there’s a shocker.
What, that people vandalize things ‘cuz they don’t like ’em? Yeah, no big news that some people are jerks.
I’m sure you EV haters have never encountered a gas station with one or more pumps “out of service” for various reasons?
BLUE- It doesn’t take anyone 30 minutes to fill a car or truck up at the gas station. Even if there are numerous pumps “out of service” which is very uncommon, you will still get out in less time. Nice try though. Electric Vehicles aren’t the answer.
I just drove my new-to-me Boxster across the county to get it home from CA. I spent a good twenty minutes filling the tank at a station in Utah somewhere west of Moab. The holding tank for premium was above ground in back of the building, and it took a long, long time to get from there to me.
That was, admittedly, an outlier. Still, most stops took about ten minutes start to finish, so add on another twenty; seems like a reasonable cost for saving the environment. If most people do this, the ones who see cars as appliances, then the rest of us can play still play with our ICE toys–or, in my case, use them as my everyday drivers.
So stop hating on EVs. Don’t like ’em? Don’t get one. But don’t denigrate folk who do–they’re helping us, and on more than one level.
That has literally only happened to me twice in my lifetime but good try. All I did was go around to another pump and was on my way in less than 5 minutes.
I’m not an EV hater, but most gas stations have a lot more pumps than EV chargers have plugs (except Tesla). And there are far more stations to choose from.
No, let’s not pretend this isn’t a problem by deflecting.
@ Blue
You sound like a typical sucker.
If a gas station is out of gas I can drive down the block to another gas station to fill up.
You silly EV cultist. This fad can not blow up in your face fast enough.
Continue enjoying every fill, knowing the next will be more expensive then the last. I own a EV and energy stocks, thanks.
Where is the “Greater Bay Area”? This must be some local story. But if they surveyed hundreds of chargers it must be EV heaven or CA. There aren’t half that many chargers in my whole free red state! And for good reason, there’s very little demand for EV’s here. You guys keep converting to EV and lower the demand/price of gas for the rest of us.
As someone from the Midwest, I can tell you that the “Bay Area” is San Francisco, and everyone knows this.
We didn’t have to wait half an hour or longer for another pump to open up either.
Apparently, almost everyone. lol
This is one reason amongst many why Tesla is just killing it. Tesla Drivers know that when they pull up to a Supercharging Station they will be able to charge every time.
I have stated years ago that it is too late for Automakers like say GM to start their own DC Charging infrastructure but I still beliebve that they all need to unite monetarily wise and Fund a Network. Relying on small Private Companies to get it done while you are getting completely disrupted by Chinese and startup BEV Makers will just not be enough.
Just remove the sanctions on US energy and fuel prices will get back to normal. You EV lovers can have them just leave my ICE’s alone.
I’ve read another problem at public charging stations are thieves cutting the charging cables to cash in for the copper.
There’s a retail center not far from me. The center has various types of stores. One of the stores has four charging outlets. About two weeks, someone cut the charging cords so they could sell the copper that’s inside the cables. And no, the stores aren’t in the hood
If these are “American Engineered”, then it is shameful state of affairs….If working for 2 minutes gives 72% of the stations a “pass” then there would be many more that stop charging at 10 minutes – both Fast Chargers and also the horrid reliability of slower 6kw public chargers.
ChargePoint charges a fortune to any Restaurant or other place of business having one or 2 of their horrid 6 kw dispensers… Mostly – the cord ends are broke – or else the access card won’t work – or else the unit is constantly rebooting itself – all this for a glorified light switch – where the ‘free’ ones should require no access card at all. Since their “Home” computer knows all – you would think they would PROACTIVELY send the repairman out to any Dual-Units where one of the 2 is habitually avoided due to it being out-of-service. But that NEVER happens.
But I agree with others that the nationwide situation seems to be somewhat of a joke..
A typical Gasoline station has much more complex access and safety requirements by necessity – yet 99% of the time – everything works just fine. This makes electric dispensers ever more deserving of Knee-Slapping Laughter.
IN my experience Vandalism is not a big problem – especially with the slow speed 6kw ChargePoint things – seeing as there is little copper to remove. It is simply inept manufacture (and/or) installation.
I only drive Plug-In cars but admittedly Gas Stations have EXCELLENT (99%+) reliability – plus the transaction is fast, repeatable, reliable, and seamless.
ChargePoint blew hundreds of millions in capital investments installing chargers. Most of that money is in installation costs, like digging up the parking lot, that are gone for good. Their debt-to-assets is nearly 3, so they’re underwater by 3x.
Long story short, nobody wants to loan them money, their stock plummeted, so they don’t have cash to fix the things.
It’s common in the infrastructure business, including Internet, cell phones, satellites, etc. You have to time and expand just right so your assets get good use and you can afford to build more. If you’re too early or late, you lose.
Sam:
I hear what you are saying but I’m still not letting companies like EVConnect, ChargePoint, etcetera off the hook just yet.
In my area they Replaced ALL the ‘first generation’ Dispensers that were EVEN much worse…. I’m in Buffalo, NY and the first group were all designed for San Diego weather where they think “FREEZING COLD” is 55 degrees F.
A company with half a brain :
1). Would have designed outside units that cost 25% more to be able to take inclement weather….
2). That way, they wouldn’t have had to remove all the old crappy units and totally replace them with units that are turning out to be only somewhat less crappy…
Recent software updates have at least allowed the rather useless display screen to indicate the power level going to the car…ABOUT TIME.
But the above shows how even a moderate amount of dopey people in charge can cause HUGE expenses and double or triple work for an organization…. I’m not surprised they are underwater 3 times over.
Here in northern California summer. I’ll be cooked to perfection in 30 minutes.
One more reason not to get an EV!
No surprise here.
Typical ICE driving slobs with the ignorant comments. You don’t drive one, shut your polluting traps. Enjoy paying your ridiculous gas prices that are not going to change anytime in the near future. Meanwhile, the world will continue to revolve and you caveman types and join the albatross and dinosaurs your gas comes from in extinction.
Why is it that the know all do all progressive Kw obsessives can’t make a statement let alone write a sentence without the name calling and pejorative labels? It is because they run out of FACTS in their cannabis woke brains. No name calling with all due respect for those who disagree. Slobs, Cavemen? Really, Better Human Than You?
Cry about it sissy
There are many people that wait half an hour or longer to get a tank full of gas. Have you ever been to the Costco gas stations? The lineups are insane and people still wait in those lineups.
What’s the difference between an EV charging and people filling up with Costco gas stations?
I think with the increasing sales of electric vehicles and the increasing infrastructure, every charging point will be like a Costco station. LOL
Is this yet another reason to let ignorance lord over reason? Another reason for divisive rhetoric?
In times of high demand, it not unusual to be on line behind two, three, or even four cars at a gas pump. We all rest assured that each of those vehicles will be moving along with five minutes. If EVs become the predominant methodology for transportation, how much time can you devote to this endeavor? An hour? Two hours?
Or maybe…….they don’t live in a world where stress and impatience dominate. Where they can enjoy their time leisurely rather than rush rush rush. Lol
I am sick of seeing all this EV hate. Options are good for all, move on.
This whole discussion has been derailed by EV haters and trolls.
We all recognize that charging stations need to be more numerous, dependable, and, eventually, faster.
And as that happens those of us who use our EVs for local trips and daily commutes, will use them for more convenient longer trips, too.
But the truth is that the majority of charging now, and then too, is and will be at our homes
We are saving money and helping our planet, too. And I am sure that competition will lead rental home owners, and apartment complexes, to provide charging outlets, too. Some already are.