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LAKE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Better late than never. Much better, based on my recent experience with one of the first electric-vehicle fast chargers in the nationwide network General Motors and Pilot Flying J service stations are building.
A 350 kW DC fast charger — roughly equivalent to 800 volts, the fastest level of DC charging widely available in the United States or Europe — delivered 37 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity to the Polestar 2 EV I was driving in 64 minutes at a cost of $20.41. It was a blustery day with temperatures in the 40s, but power delivery was quick, and more important, uninterrupted by the snafus that can make charging infuriating.
The all-wheel-drive electric SUV’s state of charge rose from 52% to nearly 90% in the session, giving me a range of about 234 miles. DC fast-charging costs more than lower-voltage charging at home, but still generally saves money per mile driven versus gasoline.
Branded “GM Energy,” four spanking new 350 kW chargers sit under a lighted canopy at the Flying J station at exit 1B of I-280, just south of Toledo.
Three other EVs successfully charged at the kiosks — which look like exceptionally clean, modern gas pumps — while I spoke with Alex Keros, head of GM’s new public charging unit.
“We think these types of charging settings are game changers,” Keros said.
They need to be. Concern about charging is one of the most common reasons people say they’re reluctant to buy an EV. People worry chargers will be hard to find, unreliable and slow. They’ll be stranded on the side of the road, or sit for hours charging at low voltage.
Here’s the problem
They’re right to be concerned. While Department of Energy statistics show EV owners do 80% or more of their charging in the most convenient way possible — at home, plugged into a 240-volt outlet while they sleep — early-adopting EV owners have had trouble finding places to charge quickly en route to weekend getaways and vacation spots.
DC fast chargers (DCFCs) are the answer. Depending on the vehicle and other variables, they can charge an EV to 80% or more of its full range at speeds approaching the time most people spend when they stop for gas on the interstate.
But there’s a gas station at just about every highway exit. They tend to be well-lit and secure and the pumps always work.
None of that’s been true for DC fast chargers so far. They’re reasonably common in some parts of the country, but you can go hundreds of miles without seeing one in others, and they don’t always work. Even when easy to find, DCFCs are often in daunting spots and poorly lit corners of deserted parking lots.
None of that inspires confidence.
Tesla recognized the problem early on. People buy cars to go anywhere, not anywhere within a couple of hours from of home. So in 2012, Tesla began building a national network of DC fast chargers — it calls them Superchargers — only its vehicles could use. Consumers rewarded Tesla by making it the world’s biggest EV-maker and the fastest-growing and most valuable automaker.
GM and Flying J have an answer
It’s impossible to overstate how important Superchargers were to Tesla’s success, but the rest of the auto industry ignored the lesson for years, handing Tesla an advantage that’s just beginning to diminish as other automakers join the party and Tesla opens its chargers to other brands.
“EV drivers are eager for a better charging experience and to have more charging locations along America’s most traveled corridors,” Pilot Travel Centers LLC CEO Adam Wright said. “These new charging locations and the many more to come, will be critical for improving range confidence.”
The first 33 GM Energy-branded DCFCs are open now, located on heavily traveled corridors and charging deserts around the country. New ones are opening every month as GM and Pilot Flying J select locations, add power lines and build the charging pavilions.
EVgo runs and maintains the chargers. I used EVgo’s smartphone app when I charged the Polestar 2. Most GM Energy stations should also offer plug and charge, a service that makes charging fast and easy.
“It takes five seconds to get out and plug in,” Keros said.
After that, EV owners can walk away for coffee, doggie playtime or anything else. Unlike gasoline vehicles, EVs don’t require supervision while refueling.
A welcome feature of GM Energy chargers that will be familiar to most laptop and smart phone users: a spinning wheel to let you know the charger is connecting. Many current chargers provide no feedback while the car and charger communicate, often leading impatient users — like me — to disconnect and try again, adding time and frustration to what should be a simple process.
The stations will show up on independent route planning apps like Plugshare, ABRP, and Chargeway. Automakers’ embedded systems will also list them.
Trailer-ready, free Wi-Fi and secure
The station I used in Ohio embodies the amenities GM plans to offer. It has a canopy for shelter from the elements. Four chargers are laid out in the pull-through design gas stations use, so vehicles hauling trailers can refuel. Very few current EV chargers are set up to easily accommodate trailering, but 20%-50% of GM energy stations will offer pull-through layouts and canopies.
The canopies aren’t just to protect drivers from rain and snow. By providing shade, they’ll also prevent intense sunshine from baking the chargers and reducing efficiency on the hottest days.
The Flying J in Lake Township has a 24-hour Denny’s, a TV lounge filled with recliners, clean bathrooms and fully stocked convenience store. I don’t generally patronize the big truck stops, but by the end of my charging session I was wondering why.
“We want to make sure people can see themselves using an EV,” Keros said. “Pulling a trailer behind a Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup and with enough range to do the trips they expect.
“EV charging is the future. The first step is having the chargers where people expect them. The next is making sure they work.”
The program’s other targets include:
- Multiple fast charging stalls at each site, with chargers capable of delivering up to 350kW.
- Canopies to help protect drivers from the elements during charging.
- Pull-through charging stalls to accommodate EV towing.
- Centrally located chargers in well-lit areas, monitored around-the-clock by onsite staff.
- Access to restrooms, food and beverage options, and free Wi-Fi.
- Plug and Charge compatibility for a streamlined charging experience
Location, location, location
“The amenities people want include many things,” Keros said. “Dog parks, play pits, picnic tables. I met one owner who said he charges his car while he hikes a nearby trail.”
Some of the stations will have more than four chargers.
The EV charging islands are in addition to the stations’ existing gas and diesel pumps. Some will initially be badged as “Ultium,” the name of GM’s EV technology. That’ll be replaced by GM Energy signs, to make it clear the chargers don’t have to be used by vehicles powered by Ultium batteries.
There are around 40,000 DCFCs in the country now. Some projections of EV growth say 175,000-200,000 will be necessary in 2030.
“Having fast chargers every 25-50 miles will be useful” on major transportation corridors, Keros said. The GM/Pilot Flying J stations won’t accomplish that alone, but they’re a start, and they’ll be augmented by the new Ionna DCFC program seven automakers — including GM — are building to add “at least 30,000” chargers in the U.S. and Canada. Expect other gas stations and highway plazas to add DCFCs as the number of EVs on the road increases.
“It’s a real estate game,” Keros said. “We’re working with a partner that already has great locations. That’s essential.” Pilot, Flying J and EVgo will be responsible for keeping the chargers running, but GM will monitor performance.
Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
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