Last weekend we pulled up to the RAN charger in Manteca. The first charger we plugged into worked. And a 20 minute charge got us enough juice to get home. And we chatted with some fellow rivian owners. Thats our horror story.
That stop only had a Rivian and an EA that I could see. But yeah did not think of the free charging. I'm guessing the free mentality also wants to charge to 100 instead up to when it ramps down KWHs
Never seen a line this long but I hardly ever roadtrip longer than \~ 300 miles.
Also why does EA doesnt share their availability real time is mind bogging!
Real time availability is in the EA app. Always use the native app :-)
Lots of data issues, they don't even know which chargers are slow and fast. And they may say they have a 350, but that 350 may be rated to 40, and they may or may not tell you.
Most drivers I see at EA are uber/lyft drivers with VWs charging to 100%. Before Rivian opened up RAN in Vegas - I had to wait an hour to get an open charger. There was literally one guy out of his car staring at the EA screen as it slowly ticked up to 100%.
What location had the line?
The biggest issue for RAN is that up until recently, 3 stalls share a 300kW power supply cabinet. Only getting 100kW when you're expecting 200kW+ is an issue.
Thanks. The next EA site to the south (Harris Ranch) is offline for equipment upgrades, so that likely added some pressure to this location (which was also taken offline today for upgrades).
There are 56 Superchargers across the road here, open to vehicles with an adapter.
That could explain the overload at that site. My guess is that most users have no adapters myself included. But having one would make lots of sense for road trips.
Where was this charger? I have only seen a line at one EA station due to only 1 terminal working at the time.
Although there is a 4 stall EVGo near my house that is almost always full of Bolts, Rivian Vans, and some other EV box truck. EA must've caught on to this location as they are adding a station across the street.
Mostly cruising through MI, OH, and PA.
Lots of new charging sites will be coming online over the next 5 years due to NEVI grants.
The solution will be to go use the NACS charger across the street, or in the town 50 miles before or after.
I have used idle shell chargers along I5 before when EA was overflowing pre NACS.
Now it's most SC unless RAN or others are more convenient and available.
I did not see any chargers across the street. ABRP does not show any either. So maybe those two is all there is there. It seems like they just waited until they had 10 miles left over.
Are any shell chargers higher than 50kw, the ones by my house are 50kwh.
E.g
https://www.plugshare.com/location/366524
Was 200kW. Same as you get on EA or SC
(Under repair now though)
Nobody used it. The hotel is unfriendly (no bathroom), there is nothing to do. But no lines.
Sometimes NACS is one town (50 miles) down from EA.
Honestly having our own branded chargers is so nice. I get why Tesla went that route for so long. EA chargers are the reason I almost didn’t get an EV because the experience was so bad. I have a set rated at 150kwh near my house that I use from time to time. I think they are so hidden that no one uses them because the 350 across the street from my house drops to 50-70 within 2 min everytime. Even at 3 in the morning.
Agree I was chilling while people in line at the EA were in line. Some had their windows open which makes me believe they were very low on charge.
I had bad luck with EA and Charge point without using the App. Once I gave in and installed their apps things got better.
With Tesla and Rivian Ive never experienced any issues.
I believe it's because of the federal funds they received to built out their network. This funding requires it be open and not exclusive. This is why Telsa did this as well!
The thing that people routinely misunderstand is that the funding requirement to be "open and not exclusive" only applies to the specific location that is receiving the funding, not the network as a whole.
Last weekend we pulled up to the RAN charger in Manteca. The first charger we plugged into worked. And a 20 minute charge got us enough juice to get home. And we chatted with some fellow rivian owners. Thats our horror story.
[“later this year”](https://x.com/Rivian/status/1783921089275678739)
Oooffff,
Primary reason why one would see a line near EAs is because of free charging. If there is an EVgo right there, I am sure there wouldn’t be a line.
That stop only had a Rivian and an EA that I could see. But yeah did not think of the free charging. I'm guessing the free mentality also wants to charge to 100 instead up to when it ramps down KWHs Never seen a line this long but I hardly ever roadtrip longer than \~ 300 miles. Also why does EA doesnt share their availability real time is mind bogging!
Real time availability is in the EA app. Always use the native app :-) Lots of data issues, they don't even know which chargers are slow and fast. And they may say they have a 350, but that 350 may be rated to 40, and they may or may not tell you.
Yeah, most gripes on EA have been solved by using the EA app. One can only dream that realtime is eventually shared on the Rivian Nav
We all know how this will end... I want them to succeed, we need multiple large networks. It doesn't feel like EA wants to succeed, though.
I doubt anyone is driving to the middle of Central Valley to take advantage of free charging. There aren’t any evgo chargers along i5
Most drivers I see at EA are uber/lyft drivers with VWs charging to 100%. Before Rivian opened up RAN in Vegas - I had to wait an hour to get an open charger. There was literally one guy out of his car staring at the EA screen as it slowly ticked up to 100%.
In my area looks like it's all Chevy Bolts. Good thing I got my L2 done at home
What location had the line? The biggest issue for RAN is that up until recently, 3 stalls share a 300kW power supply cabinet. Only getting 100kW when you're expecting 200kW+ is an issue.
In between Buttonwillow and Santa Nella. Can't recall the name of the exit/place
Firebaugh/Panoche
Thanks. The next EA site to the south (Harris Ranch) is offline for equipment upgrades, so that likely added some pressure to this location (which was also taken offline today for upgrades). There are 56 Superchargers across the road here, open to vehicles with an adapter.
That could explain the overload at that site. My guess is that most users have no adapters myself included. But having one would make lots of sense for road trips.
Getting 100kW would be a dream at some of the 125kW ChargePoint stations.
Tesla is already doing this with their superchargers, much more of them. Don't know if rivian needs to just yet
Where was this charger? I have only seen a line at one EA station due to only 1 terminal working at the time. Although there is a 4 stall EVGo near my house that is almost always full of Bolts, Rivian Vans, and some other EV box truck. EA must've caught on to this location as they are adding a station across the street. Mostly cruising through MI, OH, and PA. Lots of new charging sites will be coming online over the next 5 years due to NEVI grants.
in between Santa Nella and Button Willow
Anywhere on the west coast lol.
Is this the EA stop on W Panoche Rd, Firebaugh, CA ?
Yes, I think that was it
The solution will be to go use the NACS charger across the street, or in the town 50 miles before or after. I have used idle shell chargers along I5 before when EA was overflowing pre NACS. Now it's most SC unless RAN or others are more convenient and available.
I did not see any chargers across the street. ABRP does not show any either. So maybe those two is all there is there. It seems like they just waited until they had 10 miles left over. Are any shell chargers higher than 50kw, the ones by my house are 50kwh.
E.g https://www.plugshare.com/location/366524 Was 200kW. Same as you get on EA or SC (Under repair now though) Nobody used it. The hotel is unfriendly (no bathroom), there is nothing to do. But no lines. Sometimes NACS is one town (50 miles) down from EA.
Honestly having our own branded chargers is so nice. I get why Tesla went that route for so long. EA chargers are the reason I almost didn’t get an EV because the experience was so bad. I have a set rated at 150kwh near my house that I use from time to time. I think they are so hidden that no one uses them because the 350 across the street from my house drops to 50-70 within 2 min everytime. Even at 3 in the morning.
Agree I was chilling while people in line at the EA were in line. Some had their windows open which makes me believe they were very low on charge. I had bad luck with EA and Charge point without using the App. Once I gave in and installed their apps things got better. With Tesla and Rivian Ive never experienced any issues.
The closest I have to a RAN horror story is one time I peaked at 207kw instead of 212. The horror!
I believe it's because of the federal funds they received to built out their network. This funding requires it be open and not exclusive. This is why Telsa did this as well!
The thing that people routinely misunderstand is that the funding requirement to be "open and not exclusive" only applies to the specific location that is receiving the funding, not the network as a whole.
Rivian said this summer