One of the lesser-known things about EVs is that it can be difficult to charge an EV.
Gas pumps are easy. You drive up, pop open the filler door and fill ‘er up. The hose and nozzle are easy to handle and the pump easily accepts your credit/debit card. Slide it into the reader and within seconds, the gas is flowing. EV “fast” chargers are not easy like that. To begin with, many of them are situated such that it is necessary to back up to them – as opposed to pulling up beside them, as you do with a gas pump. You might have to pull up on the right side – depending on which side the gas door is on your particular vehicle. But you’ll never have to back up to the pump. You probably will have to do that if you have an EV – unless it’s one that has its charge door up front.
The next thing is hooking up the charge cord, which is not as easy as it sounds because EV fast charge cords are very bulky and awkward to maneuver. The cable is heavy-gauge, which is necessary on account of the high voltage electricity. The plug is not like a nozzle that you just insert and then squeeze the handle to get the gas flowing. The plug must be compatible – i.e., the right kind to mate with the port your EV came with. You might need to use an adapter, which means plugging that in first and then plugging the “nozzle into that. Getting the apparatus to mate properly can take some effort. There is typically an interlock that has to connect correctly before the electricity can flow. Push hard to insert and listen for the click sound that indicates proper engagement.
Once engaged, it will take a few moments for the kiosk-totem to electronically interact with the EV, to ascertain compatibility, state of charge and other such things. It is not like pumping gas, which involve squeezing the handle until the tank is full or you’ve decided that’s enough gas.
Now, it’s time to try to get the kiosk-totem to accept your payment. This is not as easy as it sounds. It is not as easy, at any rate, as inserting your charge/debit card into the reader and – within seconds – pumping gas into your tank. Some EV kiosk-totems take awhile to read your card; some want you to download an “app” that “connects” your card to the charger’s network. Sometimes, it just won’t work – at all – which is a real problem when you’re running low on charge and there isn’t another charger kiosk-totem pole within the driving range you have left.
You cannot pay cash, either – because there is no way to pay cash at EV fast charger kiosk-totems. There is no attendant – it’s entirely self-service – and (unlike other automated interfaces, such as the self-checkout apparatus at supermarkets) there is no slot that accepts cash. This is clearly not a technological problem. It is clearly meant to eliminate the option of paying cash (and thereby, anonymously) for a charge. It may be a function of the kiosk-totem’s owners not wanting to have to pay a guy to swing by occasionally to empty the cash box; in other words, it may be purely a function of the extractive nature of this business; i.e., it’s about minimizing their costs at your expense. Regardless, the bottom line is you must pay electronically for your charge.
Now comes the wait, but that’s the easy part. It doesn’t take any effort, after all, to hang out for however long it takes to get a partial charge (my experience has been about 30 minutes to get 70-100 miles of driving range back).
Assuming you have a warm place to wait. Or a place that has AC, if it’s 100 degrees outside.
When you’ve waited long enough, it’s time to disconnect the apparatus. But this is not as easy as it sounds, either. More precisely, it is not as easy as pulling the nozzle out of the filler neck and placing the pump handle back on the gas pump, as you do after filling up. You must first get the charge apparatus to unlock from the charge portal. There is usually a button on the apparatus that has to be pushed to initiate the de-coupling but it is sometimes balky. On several occasions, I’ve had to wrestle with the apparatus to get it uncoupled. This isn’t easy, either. Then you have to manhandle the bulky charge cord/”nozzle” back to the apparatus which – again – isn’t as easy as returning the gas pump gun to its pad on the pump because the charge cord/”nozzle” is much bulkier and heavier. If it’s awkward and difficult for a man to deal with it is apt to be more awkward and difficult for a woman or older person to deal with.
It all begs the question: Why would anyone choose to deal with it?
Your guess is as good as mine!
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Were you ever able to charge that vehicle Eric? Can you imagine if it was hot (aka 90-100), or freezing cold while being in that predicament? Our gasoline pumps sometimes slows down due the cold. Usually resetting the on/ off handle or waiting 30 seconds can help. Either way you can still get your gas tank filled up. Apparently the EV chargers are about as reliable as a politician keeping his promises to taxpayers.
‘You cannot pay cash, either – because there is no way to pay cash at EV fast charger kiosk-totems.’
The Steak ‘n Shake restaurant my brother and I tried to eat at last week wouldn’t take cash. And the girl working there wouldn’t even talk to us. After wrestling with the infuriating and detestable (credit-only, natch) kiosk thing for a few minutes — obviously to no avail — my brother told the burger fryer gal, amiably enough, “Hey, we’re getting kinda hungry here.” She deliberately looked away from us and ignored us. We walked out, and she was undoubtedly pleased with our leaving, as that meant less work for her.
Those kiosks surely log not only purchases, but also aborted attempts. But I suspect that Steak ‘n Shake execs couldn’t care less about any sales lost to me and my kind.
Morning, Strait!
I’d have been out the door, too. If a place will not accept cash – legal tender, still – then you are relieved of any further obligation to pay
We haven’t had much of a problem with EV “fast” chargers, but there are a couple of facts to keep in mind, already given by Eric as fair warnings:
1. “Fast” chargers cost as much or more per mile as the gas pumps, so it is best to use them only if absolutely necessary.
2. These chargers are not always functional. At a Flagstaff Walmart, we found a short of line of people who were waiting for the 2-out-of-6 chargers that were working. Plan accordingly.
I haven’t had too much trouble wrestling with the cables themselves. There was one that refused to click into the plug, but it’s usually about as much trouble as the gas pump. Occasionally a gas pump can be bitch getting started as well, but that’s usually resolved quickly.
Now as to “why?”… Gas is still above $4 here, most pumps are around $4.15. And the boats are still only trickling out of that Strait. Any time now, those reserves could run dry, and then the true pain begins. That’s why. And for us, much of the energy used to charge the car comes straight from Helios. No regrets so far.
The entire EV industry is an intentionally engineered “boon-doggle”.
It’s a shiny object yelling “squirrel” and emoting “feels good” emoji’s to the sheeple suckered into buying dangerous toys disguised as legitimate transportation.
These “wessels” can randomly burst into flames that can destroy and damage homes, other vehicles and anything nearby that can be ignited in a runaway thermal reaction.
There’s a bigly reason the (((media and establishment))) don’t publicize that something like 80-90% of 1st time EV buyers don’t buy another EV. Could it be just the range anxiety, or the overall anxiety of the issues plaguing EV’s, from cost, refueling times, and limited ranges, and lack of service centers?
The reason that us, the goyim sheeples, are being herded into these flammable, radiation emitting wheeled bathtubs, is the same everywhere: our (((governments))) hate us, and want to control us, and harvest us when it’s convenient for them, and they don’t want us to be able to do a single thing to stop them.
YMMV….
I was recently in the SF Bay area for a few days. There are a lot of EV’s in the region, even something I’ve never seen, many EV retail stores in a major downtown shopping area. Most EV Manuf. represented.
We were walking back from dinner to our hotel around 9-10PM and walked by about 20 telsa charging stations, 10 on each side of the parking lot. They were all full, but what caught our eye was over half of them had people in the cars. Obviously waiting to be charged. It was weird to see these people at night sitting in their cars at that time of night. Were they getting a quick charge to go somewhere else? At 10PM? I wonder if these people were instead sleeping in their cars for the night to avoid the very high hotel cost in the area? Is it an EV loophole? “no we’re not squatting officer, it just takes 3hrs to charge this thing”
I wonder what the story is? I new way of life for EV users?
Interesting concept Chris, when the Establishment succeeds in making housing unaffordable rather than ‘living in a van down by the river’ we can live in a Tesla connected to its charger.
Yeah, Chris… The Tesla hotel, huh?
Once I though of getting a job in San Francisco and living my nights on a boat with automated capabilities. After bringing me to shore, my boat would turn around and cruise out to sea a bit, then drop anchor until I got off work. At which time it would hoist anchor and come to get me. Thus, I would bypass the local rent and collect massive cash.
Never went in that direction, though.
Hadn’t considered that they’d be living in their EV but it makes sense.
I wonder if you it’s possible to run the car while connected, which would allow the driver to turn the A/C or heater on without any battery charge consequence. Sort of a pay-by-the-kWhr shore power.
‘It is apt to be more awkward and difficult for a woman’ — eric
Well, that’s what you’re supposed to do while cooling your heels at the charging station. Be chivalrous — help a damsel in distress by plugging the thick charging probe into her receptacle.
And don’t take foolish liberties by trying to anthropomorphize the situation, despite the obvious, awkward analogy.
My old tube is like brand new
And now I got muh TeeVee workin’
My old tube is like brand new, yes,
Come over baby and I’ll show my tube to you
— Johnny Winter, TV Mama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AieoEUY8i24
Martin Armstrong posted an article last night that Volkswagen is considering cutting up to 100,000 jobs over the next few years. Politicians in Germany will likely blame it on Trump or tariffs instead of this demented Net Zero agenda that THEY’VE been pushing for years….
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/europes-current-economy/volkswagen-is-germanys-warning/
Again, as with the article that appeared in the Charlotte Observer, no mention of the Scout EV project. VW has been constructing a massive facility just north of Columbia, SC for a few years now.
The Observer article did mention EV sales cratering and the fact the Chinese are leading the way on “affordable” EVs.
Armstrong ignores this as well.
I don’t understand your comment. Was it an attempt to refute the Armstrong article, or are you suggesting those 100,000 jobs will simply move to America?
Not sure why Armstrong would ignore this but the Scout build seems to be squarely a debacle now. VW is obviously dangling the carrot in front of Republican politicians in S.C. as a way to keep the grift money spigot flowing and they’re happy to oblige and throw bails of cash at them.
https://www.fitsnews.com/2026/02/18/scout-motors-debacle-more-delays-more-taxpayer-bailouts/
Eric: “It all begs the question: Why would anyone choose to deal with it?”
The answer of course is to save the planet.
The actual reasons why people buy an EV could be because they don’t like the smell of gasoline, propaganda, they believe that EVs are more reliable, they are related to Richard Green and seek his approval, they don’t drive much and believe that an EV is a better choice. It could be any of the above but it’s their money and time and I won’t stand in their way when they p*ss it down the drain. I may laugh at them but that’s another story.
As for me I’ll stick with hydrocarbon based fuels as God intended.
The people putting up with all that are the same people who have a positive reaction to web pages full of childishly drawn graphics, videos with glockenspiel and ukulele soundtracks and up talking women mansplaining “difficult” subjects like “MATH.”
https://www.recurrentauto.com/research/who-is-buying-electric-cars
This page gets points taken off for not using a ukulele whistling hand-clapping soundtrack in their explanation for why EVs are cheaper than gas.
I think the counter argument Eric is presenting is a good start, but I say someone with some sense has to fight fire with fire, remixing Eric’s EV series into a tale of incompatible, missing, out of service and hugely expensive charging stations. With ukulele and glockenspiel, Comic Sans fonts and watercolor graphics.
“one of the lesser-known things about evs is that it can be difficult to charge an ev”
there are many potential problems with fast charging, not to mention the cost, at the link below. ford engineers developing new EV’s actually enjoyed the EV’s until they had to take them out for long drives and needed fast charging. That (2022) was when they decided ev’s would be a failure, and years later their program was cancelled
https://www.google.com/search?q=one+of+the+lesser-known+things+about+evs+is+that+it+can+be+difficult+to+charge+an+ev