WHEN the low-battery warning flashed across the gauge cluster in my car, I immediately turned to Google Maps to find the nearest charging station.
I was in the Mazda CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid. Thankfully, the car didn’t solely depend on the battery because I was about to encounter some rough road.
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CX-90 PHEV drivers can plug their cars into Level 1 and Level 2 public chargers across the US.
It will give the car around 23 miles of pure electric range before the gas motor takes over.
Charging the car allows drivers access to an exhilarating surge of power. EVs deliver instant torque, providing immediate and seamless acceleration that outpaces traditional gas engines.
A fully-charged CX-90 PHEV is exceptionally fun. I wanted to boost the depleted battery.
Once the warning flashed, I turned to the Google Maps app on the infotainment’s Apple CarPlay to find the nearest charging station.
The Google app alleged it was 0.8 miles away from a ChargePoint.
Accordingly, I directed the car toward this supposed station but was surprised when I arrived.
The ChargePoint was vacant, as the app said. But it wasn’t available for my car.
Instead, the charger was attached to a police station and was not meant for public use.
Only police cruisers could plug into the station.
It wasn’t the first time a phone-based navigation app had brought me to an incorrect station.
Previously, I drove a Nissan Ariya EV on a 200-mile trip.
I asked Google Maps to point me to a nearby Electrify America station on that trip.
When I arrived, the station was defunct.
In a statement to The U.S. Sun, a Google representative said the tech company was aware of the problem.
“To help EV drivers, Google Maps displays over 400,000 charging stations around the world, using data from charging network partners and user contributions,” a Google spokesperson told The U.S. Sun.
“Recently, we discovered an issue with one provider that resulted in some private charging stations being displayed as public – we’re in the process of resolving this as quickly as possible.”
EV MAKERS MAKE THEIR SOLUTION
Vehicle manufacturers are deploying proprietary technologies that help drivers find active charging stations along their routes.
For example, Tesla does not use Apple Carplay or Android Auto on its vehicles.
Instead, Tesla owners are treated to a bevy of Supercharger stations displayed on the car’s giant infotainment system.
The Supercharger network is the largest EV charging system in the US.
Rivian trucks feature a similar system that lets drivers map out how many stations they want to visit before their destinations.
They can even choose how many miles of range they want by the end of their route.
Rivian is now one of the companies that can plug into the Supercharger network via a dongle extension.
The Ariya also has its infotainment-based charger search.
Electric vehicles vs gas
Pros and cons of EVs vs gasoline-powered vehicles
EV PROS:
- Convenient (when charging at home)
- Cheaper (depending on state or city)
- Cheaper maintenance, due to lack of mechanical parts
- Great for commuting
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Federal and state tax incentives
- More performance (speed, handling – depending on the make and model)
EV CONS:
- Higher initial cost
- Higher insurance rates
- More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
- Higher curb weight (thus causing more rapid wear on crucial parts)
- Low resale value
- High depreciation rates
- Lack of charging infrastructure
- Unreliable public charging (related: slow charging times)
- Poor winter and summer performance
- Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
- Range anxiety
GAS PROS:
- Highly developed refueling infrastructure
- Fast refueling
- Cheaper insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Established repair industry
- Lower initial cost
- Higher range before refueling, especially with hybrids
- Many manufacturers produce nearly emission-less engines
- Cheaper refueling, depending on the location
GAS CONS:
- Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on petroleum)
- Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
- Higher repair costs
- Higher insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Varying costs at the pump, depending on state, city, and county
Source: Car & Driver, Perch Energy, AutoWeek
POLICE END
Ultimately, I was able to find a Level 2 charger for the CX-90 a few miles from the police station.
It was a happy ending.
The gas engine kicked in during a quick jaunt to the other station.
The car charged quickly, and I enjoyed the immediate acceleration of the battery for the rest of my drive.
But if I was in a full-electric vehicle, the police station gaffe could have cost hundreds of dollars.
Towing electric SUVs isn’t cheap – had I depleted a full-electric vehicle while heading toward an unavailable charger, my bank account would have suffered.
Most EV drivers will consistently avoid my predicament daily.
A bulk of electric vehicle charging in America happens when drivers are home.
But drivers hoping to make the electric switch will want to ensure their cars can charge.
In my experiences, I’ve learned to trust the cars to find their own solutions.