Driving my electrical Volvo from Geelong to Falls Creek within the Victorian snowfields, I used to be pleasantly stunned with how strong the EV infrastructure is for this journey.
When it got here to charging, I most likely didn’t want it as a lot as I believed I would. There may be plenty of dialogue concerning the vary claims of EV producers and what the practical vary of a automobile truly is, and that’s a part of the rationale I needed to share my expertise.
For an EV, a winter snow journey is probably going a worst-case situation for vary as it’s has prolonged excessive pace freeway driving, it’s chilly (no less than by Australian requirements) and has important altitude achieve over the route. So, what does this imply for actual vary in a Volvo XC 40 Recharge?
Regardless of an marketed WLTP vary of 510km, the ∼500km one-way journey is roughly 140-160% of the battery capability in these driving situations.
This implies about 4 charging stops: two on means there, one vacation spot charging on arrival, and yet another cost session on the return journey.
I discovered charging on this route handy with a number of 350KW charging areas alongside the route, that have been largely in working order and out there on the time I arrived or grew to become out there after a really brief wait.
Charging classes have been concerning the length of an affordable relaxation cease, in my case about 20-Half-hour with exception of charging at Vibrant, the place the quickest out there charger is 50kW and I used to be charging for nearly an hour. However I spent most of that point hiring snow chains. If I had deliberate to reach in Vibrant for a meal I’d not have been impacted in any respect.
Vacation spot charging at Falls Creek was satisfactory, with occupancy being a higher challenge than the cost charge. Upon arrival the 4 type-2 22kW AC vacation spot chargers have been absolutely occupied. Whereas slower, by the early afternoon two have been out there and I used to be in a position to take my automobile to a 90% cost after a number of extra hours of snowboarding.
The return journey advantages from travelling down hill and I had extra flexibility with my mid-journey charging cease. Suffice to say I’ve omitted my house charging, however with a ultimate arrival share of 9% I wanted some robust photo voltaic days to take pleasure in very low-cost charging at house.
Some private insights and a bit of white whine…
– Customers occupy the quickest chargers first. Even the place value indicators are used, and out there slower chargers would ship their most charging charge.
– Shopper understanding of battery EV charging is low. I noticed one person sitting at a 350kW excessive pace at a reported 100% state of cost till delivered energy reached 0kW.
– Ought to EV charger parking prices be thought of the place charging bays are restricted?
– One person occupied a vacation spot charger with a stopped by car notification on the charger for greater than 6 hours.
– EV charging networks may do a greater job of indicating defective charging stations.
James Rourke-Dunkley is program supervisor at ARENA Sensible Power Hubs. The unique model of this text was initially revealed on LinkedIn. Reproduced right here with permission.