Opinion: Confessions of an EV Charging Nomad

October 8, 2024 – By AJ Campbell

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Electric vehicle ownership is growing because of the big subsidies that help people buy new or used electric cars. But your experience as an EV owner can be very different depending on whether you own a home. Using an EV is pretty convenient if you own a home and can install a charger. You can plug in your car overnight and wake up every morning with a full charge, ready to go. You don’t need public chargers except for occasional top-offs or road trips. However, this is not the reality for many EV owners who don’t have access to home charging and rely on public charging stations. Even though there are more EVs on the road, the charging infrastructure hasn’t kept up, which makes it very challenging for those who can’t charge at home. We have created policies to encourage EV ownership, but many owners are struggling because they can’t quickly charge their cars regularly.

EV Charging Nomads

Many EV owners, like me, have become what can best be described as EV Charing Nomads. Someone who can’t charge at home overnight and is 100% reliant on our wonky, public charging network.  Life for us is not the easy unplug-and-go that homeowners experience.  We have bouts of real-range anxiety.  We wonder if the charger we looked up on Google Maps is working because they often are not.  Will we be out of juice on the side of the road like some EV road kill because the charger wasn’t working, time-limited, or inaccessible.

Politicians love to talk about EV adoption success and attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies at public charging facilities. Yet, they seem to lose interest once the charging points are installed. For example, chargers from the Electric Vehicle Institute have remained non-operational in Takoma Park for extended periods. Only one charger out of four is functional at one converted gas station serving as an EV charging point.  These are not isolated incidents; instead, they represent a systemic issue that needs to be addressed on a broad scale.

City of Takoma Park Refuses to Consider More Public Chargers

I approached the City of Takoma Park about a year ago regarding installing a public charger that would be accessible to street parkers, and the hostility I encountered was shocking and deeply disheartening. When I suggested that no charging facilities were available in my ward, I was dismissed outright, being told that this was not a concern I should have.

This kind of response highlights the deeply ingrained bias towards homeowners as if they are the only ones deserving of the convenience of overnight home charging. Renters and condo owners are left out of the conversation and forced to make do with inadequate and inconsistent public charging infrastructure. It’s baffling that we are in an era of pushing for widespread EV adoption, yet access to reliable charging infrastructure is restricted to those privileged enough to own a home.

Why should only homeowners enjoy the benefits of convenient overnight charging while others are effectively sidelined? This inequity must be addressed if we want to genuinely support the transition to electric vehicles for everyone, regardless of housing situation.  While rebates and subsidies are available to apartment buildings and common ownership communities, it is too complex for many board members to understand or see the value.

Public Charger Complexities

When EV Charging Nomads find available commercial public chargers, they often face additional issues, such as unsafe locations. Many public chargers are situated in remote parking lots or poorly lit areas, making them potentially dangerous for anyone charging late at night. Single women, in particular, face heightened safety concerns, as charging a vehicle for extended periods in an isolated location can be risky. A well-maintained, well-monitored, and safe public charging network is critical—not only for convenience but also for the personal safety of all EV drivers.

Speed is another significant issue. If you are an EV Charging Nomad, slow chargers might as well be useless. The focus must shift away from slow, Level 1 chargers towards higher-level, faster chargers in public and retail spaces. Charging Nomads do not have the luxury of waiting for a multi-hour partial charge—they need quick access to DC Fast Charging. No Charging Nomad wants to hang out outside a shopping center in a remote parking lot, waiting seven hours for their car to charge. We need fast charging in safe, accessible public places.

It is also important to note that not all electric vehicles use the same type of charger, and there are multiple charging levels that drivers need to be aware of. Level 1 chargers are the slowest, often taking many hours to provide a full charge. Whereas Level 2 chargers are faster and typically found in public and residential settings. Level 3, or DC fast chargers, provide the quickest charging times but are usually only available at commercial locations. The lack of uniformity in charging standards and equipment further complicates the experience for EV Charging Nomads. For example, while Tesla has its proprietary Supercharger network, other vehicles may use CCS or CHAdeMO chargers, requiring adapters or completely different stations. The challenges posed by these incompatibilities mean that even when a charger is available, it may not work for a given vehicle. While there is hope for the future by introducing adapters, multi-port chargers, and increased adoption of the NACS standard, this consistency is still far from a reality.

Public vs. Private and Costs

Relying solely on private companies like Tesla to solve the public charging problem is not viable. While Tesla’s Supercharger network is impressive and has made charging easier for Tesla drivers, it shouldn’t bear the burden for all electric vehicle drivers. Other car manufacturers, like General Motors, are adopting the NACS charging standard, and it’s time for the rest of the industry to follow suit or provide adapters for compatibility. A comprehensive, accessible charging network is essential for supporting the growth of electric vehicles and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Another factor that contributes to the difficulties faced by EV Charging Nomads is the cost. Public chargers, particularly DC fast chargers provided by networks like Electrify America or EVgo, are far more expensive than home charging. Nomads are forced to pay these higher rates because they have no alternative. The lack of affordable charging options adds another barrier to EV adoption, especially for those already facing the high cost of installing home chargers or lacking the ability to install them altogether. These cumulative costs can significantly deter many potential EV owners from switching from gas-powered vehicles.

Current Infrastructure Status

Currently, the public charging infrastructure fails to meet the needs of many EV owners. Drivers are left wandering, searching for functional chargers, wasting hours at slow stations, and dealing with unreliable service. The sense of freedom and sustainability that is supposed to come with owning an electric vehicle is lost when drivers constantly worry about how and where to charge their cars. It’s time to address these issues and invest in a reliable, widespread charging network that supports the growing electric vehicle community, making EV ownership accessible for all.

Conclusion

Electric vehicles have the potential to transform our society, reduce emissions, and decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. However, that potential will remain unfulfilled without a serious commitment to improving charging infrastructure, particularly for those currently marginalized as EV Charging Nomads. The time to act is now—it’s time to ensure that every driver, regardless of their living situation, has access to the power they need to keep moving forward.

More Information on Local EV Charging

County Page EV Charging
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/energy/zev/EV-charging.html
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/energy/zev/index.html

The 2.6 million the county received for EV charging stations
https://www.mymcmedia.org/county-gets-more-than-2-6-million-to-install-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/

https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=45696

Moco Charging Survey

Montgomery County Reports Community Electric Vehicle Charging Survey

Electric Vehicle Institute
http://www.ev-institute.com/

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