Since I’ve owned my Tesla, I’ve gotten a large number of questions. Many of them recurring. With Hilton’s new announcement of EV Charging installations throughout the country, here are some answers to the most popular ones to help all those who may be interested in EV ownership.
How many miles do you get per charge?
It depends. Yes, that’s going to be the answer to a lot of the questions.
It depends on what size battery you have, it depends on how you drive, it depends on driving conditions. Just like driving a traditional car, there are a lot of variables. With a gas car you don’t always get the same mileage with every tank of gas, right? Same with an EV. Personally, I have a 60kW battery and I can get about 140 miles per charge based on the way I drive. I’ve also learned from Tesla that my range adjusts based on my driving habits. Over the last year, I have “lost” about 10 miles per charge based on my driving. It isn’t that my battery is degrading, it is that my car is learning how I drive and adjusting it’s stated range based on that. Yes, my car is smarter than I am! If I were to drive more conservatively, my range would go back up. As I drive more aggressively with fast starts and heavy accelerations, my range goes down. If I had a larger battery, I would get more miles, just like if you have a bigger gas tank you get more miles.
How long does it take to charge?
It depends. Just as different gas stations fill your gas tank at different rates (and doesn’t it seem that when it is cold out they always run slowly?!). Different charging stations and different outlets provide juice at different rates. It ranges from a 110V outlet which charges at 15A (and a rate of about 4 miles per hour) to a 220V outlet which charges at 30A (and a rate of about 24 miles per hour) to a Supercharger which charges at about 110A (and a rate of 130 miles per hour). Tesla now has an adapter for the CHAdeMO high speed chargers, which are more in line with the superchargers.
So, if I’m running really low, it takes at least 24 hours to charge from a standard outlet, 8 hours from a level 2 charging station (or a 220V outlet), or about an hour from a supercharger.
I do not always wait until the battery is low, and I do not always charge to a full charge. It depends on what I’m doing, where I need to drive to, and how much time I’ve got.
Do you have charging capabilities at your condo?
NO! Yeah, maybe not my best decision. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend buying an EV unless you have charging capabilities at your usual parking spot. However I have made it work. I have some logistical items that I need to deal with on a regular basis, however that’s one thing in life that I enjoy. There are days that it is annoying, however overall the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences.
I have gotten approval from my condo association to install a charging station, I haven’t had the time to get it done yet though. Luckily my condo board is progressive and has an EV Charging Station policy!
Where do you charge?
It depends (sensing a theme yet?!). Luckily there are many options throughout Houston! Thank you to HEB, the City of Houston, Ecclesia Church, Tesla, Whole Foods, Memorial City Mall, FastPark and Relax among others for providing charging. Each provider has different options, some pay, some free, some level 2, some superchargers, some CHAdeMO fast charge.
There are a number of apps that provide charging information to find stations throughout the area. PlugShare is the best one which combines all charging stations. And my Tesla shows charging stations on its navigation system that I am able to navigate to with a touch of the screen.
Yes, my buying patterns have changed based on who provides charging. When are companies going to realize this? Put in charging stations and I will spend more money with you!
How much does charging cost?
It depends. I scored a great deal with eVGo where I have a yearly unlimited contract for $60. Or Blink charges $0.04 per minute (I’m a member in Texas…it is different for different states and if you have a membership or not). Or Tesla Superchargers are free for life. Whole Foods provides free charging. FastPark and Relax also provides free charging while I’m out of town and parked at the airport. It all depends on the business that installed the charging station and what they are willing to provide to their customers. Overall, for the last 15 months, I have paid less than $200 for charging (and I have driven about 8000 miles). Even with the low price of gas, this is a great deal!
Do you have other questions for an EV driver?
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