Tesla Superchargers: Week of Checking Operational Status
During a road trip this week, I examined the operational status of Tesla Superchargers at 58 different sites across 10 states. To conduct this ChargerAudit, I verified the functionality of the Supercharger stalls as indicated by the navigation screen in the car. Additionally, I assessed the success of our charging attempts and noted the number of stalls occupied by other Tesla drivers at each site. While I couldn’t test every single stall, I made an effort to identify any potential issues by observing driver behavior, such as if they had to switch to a different stall.
Weekly Stats:
Number of Supercharger Sites Visited: 58 Total Stalls: 516 Down Stalls: 3 Operational Stalls: 99.4%
Tesla Superchargers: Evaluating Operational Status
The chart above lists the Tesla Superchargers that I visited on this day to perform a ChargerAudit. I’ve included the number of stalls that were reported out of order on the Tesla mobile app. I didn’t individually test every stall, however I carefully observed the number of vehicles connected to charging stalls at each site.
Tesla Superchargers: Evaluating Operational Status – June 15, 2023
The chart above lists the Tesla Superchargers that I visited on June 15, 2023 and to perform a ChargerAudit, no stalls were reported as out of order on the Tesla mobile app. I didn’t individually test every stall, however my observations revealed that approximately 28% of the total stalls were occupied and seemed to be operational.
Analyzing the Data:
Assuming that the app was correct when it indicated none of the stalls were out-of-order, we can infer that 100% of the 80 total stalls were operational. During my visits, I observed that approximately 28% of the total stalls were occupied by charging vehicles.
Tesla Superchargers: Evaluating Operational Status – June 14, 2023
The chart above lists the Tesla Superchargers that I visited on June 14, 2023.
Maintaining optimal functionality of electric vehicle charging stations is crucial for a seamless charging experience. During my visit to Tesla Supercharger stations on June 14, 2023 to perform a ChargerAudit, no stalls were reported as out of order on the Tesla mobile app. I didn’t individually test every stall, however my observations revealed that approximately 32% of the total stalls were occupied and seemed to be operational.
Evaluating Operational Status: Tesla Superchargers – June 13, 2023
The chart above lists the Tesla Superchargers that I visited on June 13, 2023.
Maintaining optimal functionality of electric vehicle charging stations is crucial for a seamless charging experience. During my visit to Tesla Supercharger stations on June 13, 2023 to perform a ChargerAudit, no stalls were reported as out of order on the Tesla mobile app. While I didn’t individually test every stall, my observations revealed that approximately 39% of the total stalls were occupied and seemingly operational.
Analyzing the Data:
Assuming that the app was correct when it indicated none of the stalls were out-of-order, we can infer that 100% of the 54 total stalls were operational. This statistic highlights the impressive reliability of Tesla Supercharger stations and underscores their commitment to providing an efficient charging network for electric vehicle owners.
Implications of Occupied Stalls:
During my visits, I observed that approximately 39% of the total stalls were occupied by charging vehicles. With such a significant portion of the stations observed to be in use, this serves as an indicator of their good working order.
The Importance of Reliable Charging Infrastructure:
Reliable charging infrastructure is crucial for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Tesla’s commitment to maintaining high operational efficiency plays a pivotal role in ensuring customer satisfaction and alleviating concerns about charging availability. The fact that none of the stalls were reported as out of order is a testament to Tesla’s dedication to providing a seamless charging experience.
Conclusion:
Based on my observations, the Tesla Supercharger stations visited today demonstrated impressive reliability. With 100% of the total stalls assumed to be operational and approximately 39% occupied during my visits, Tesla owners can have confidence in the reliability and availability of those Superchargers. As electric vehicles continue to gain popularity, it is important that EV charging operators continue to invest in and maintain a robust charging network to meet the growing demands of electric vehicle owners.
Here is a ChargerAudit tweet from June 13th.
Lansing, MI – South Pennsylvania Avenue Tesla Supercharger. App indicates all stalls are operational, all stalls are lit and no visible indicators of issues, 5 of the 12 stalls had cars plugged into them. Charged on first attempt. ✅Good @RateYourCharge#ChargerAuditpic.twitter.com/8Kb47Fsfss
The chart above lists the Tesla Superchargers that I visited on June 12, 2023.
The idea behind a ChargerAudit is simple. Inspect the operational status and physical condition of EV charging stations you visit. Document your findings in as much detail as you wish. Post to Twitter with the hashtag #chargeraudit.
13 total Supercharger sites visited, 118 total stalls in those sites. Two were reported as out of order on the Tesla mobile app. That translates to 98.3% of the total stalls being operational assuming only those two stalls were inoperable. I did not test each stall, however, 23% of the total stalls were occupied during our visits and presumably working.
Here is a sample ChargerAudit tweet from June 12th.
For the past several years, I have been tracking the electricity usage at the meter of several fast charger sites in the vicinity of Columbia and Jessup, Maryland. My goal was to understand how quickly the utilization of fast charging is growing, and whether some EV charging locations are experiencing more growth than others.
The data that I have collected shows some interesting trends in DC fast charger utilization over time. To give you a sense of what I’ve found, I’ve created a chart that compares the daily electricity usage at five fast charger sites in the area. These chargers are located midway between Washington, DC and Baltimore and have been selected because they represent a mix of CCS/CHAdeMO fast charging sites and a Tesla Supercharger.
Each vertical bar in the chart represents a quarter year of the average daily kWh of electricity used per individual charging dispenser at each site. By analyzing this data, I can gauge the relative utilization between fast chargers located in the same general area. It is my hope that by sharing these findings with you, we can gain a better understanding of the growth of electric vehicle fast chargers and how they are being used in Maryland.
Charger Location Map
In October 2021, I released a Fast Charger Utilization Study about these chargers, followed by an update in January, 2022. With 18 months of data, we now have a more comprehensive understanding of how EV drivers are utilizing these fast chargers over time.
It’s been over three years since the Maryland Public Service Commission approved an EV charging pilot that allows the utilities to use ratepayer funds to own and operate public charging stations. When they petitioned for approval of the pilot, my utility, BGE, had assured regulators that their public EV charging stations would be highly reliable and that they would respond quickly to resolve outages and issues. How are they doing in that regard? I wanted quantitative data to find out.
95% to 99% uptime is the range described in the utilities’ semi-annual EV charging reports. That seems quite optimistic compared to what other EV drivers and I have experienced. The only way to actually find out the ground truth is to go out and visit the chargers. I chose to evaluate all the utility-owned fast chargers in the BGE service territory.
Professor David Rempel of the University of California, Berkeley recently published a study on the reliability of the public (non-Tesla) electric vehicle fast chargers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The results showed that more than a quarter of the chargers in the Bay Area were not functioning or had a design failure. The non-functioning stations suffered from non-responsive displays, payment system failures, initiation failures, network failures, or damaged connectors.
The Berkeley study utilized a group of volunteer EV drivers who visited the chargers and tested each one by plugging into their EV and attempting to charge for two minutes. The methods used in the Berkeley study inspired the procedure that I used to test the fast chargers in Maryland.
Procedure
Between August 28 and September 6, 2022, I tested all 69 public fast chargers that are owned and operated by BGE. I created a map of the charger locations and divided the locations into manageable groups that I could visit and evaluate over a number of days.
I drove to each site and worked through a checklist of tasks to test each fast charger. First I took a series of photos of the chargers. Then I recorded the Station ID, model and serial number of each unit. I visually inspected the equipment including the display, cables and connectors for damage. I documented the online status of the charger in the Shell Recharge mobile app. Then I attempted to initiate a charge via the app. If the unit began charging, I let it run for two minutes. Meanwhile I took note of the charging speed and made sure that the charger was operating as expected. After two minutes, I’d stop the charge and then attempt to initiate a charge using the RFID card reader.
If a charging session failed, I reported it to Shell Recharge customer service. This should have alerted BGE of the specific chargers that were having issues. In many instances, when I reported the issue, Shell Recharge responded that a service ticket had previously been created.
Results
A charger was classified as fully functional if it authorized via the Shell Recharge app (or started free), initiated a charge, and maintained the expected charging speed for two minutes.
71% (49) of the BGE fast chargers were fully functional as defined above.
14.5% (10) of the chargers were completely inoperable.
2.9% (2) consistently displayed error codes and would not charge.
4.4% (3) were offline and did not respond via the app. However, these did initiate via a tap of a Shell Recharge RFID card. Most drivers however do not carry a Shell Recharge card.
7.2% (5) initiated a charge but delivered very low power, around 15 kW. That is a fraction of the 50 kW rated power for those stations.
Plug-in electric vehicles registered in Maryland as of June 30, 2022
There are 50,124 plug-in electric vehicles registered in Maryland as of June 30, 2022. That is a 15,283 increase in the number of Maryland EV registrations over the previous 12 month period according to data from MDOT / Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
The 12 month increase in Maryland EV registrations amounts to a 44% rise. This compares to a 35% rise over the previous 12 month period between June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2021.
Enforceable sign at Electrify America, Tysons Corner Center
$25 fine for violation
Takes effect July 1, 2022
EV charging space must be clearly marked
No violation unless the sign includes: “PENALTY, UP TO $25”
Plug-in vehicle “that is not in the process of charging” violates the law
Virginia lawmakers passed a bill earlier this year that creates a prohibition and a civil penalty for certain vehicles parked in spaces reserved for charging electric vehicles. The law goes into effect today.
To be enforced, the Virginia “anti-ICEing” law requires that the parking space adjacent to an electric vehicle charging station be clearly marked as reserved for charging electric vehicles. Additionally, the sign indicating that the space is reserved for charging electric vehicles must include the following language: “PENALTY, UP TO $25.”
Map of Virginia EV Charging Stations with Enforceable Anti-ICEing Signage
The highly-specific signage requirements detailed in many state and local anti-ICEing laws are often not understood by EV drivers. The police will not be able to enforce these laws, including in Virginia, if the charging space is not designated by signs that meet the criteria in the law. In other words, if there are no signs, there can be no fines.
I’ve learned from years of experience advocating for EV drivers that it is relatively easy to pass an anti-ICEing law. It’s a much greater challenge to convince EV charging operators and site hosts to post the special signs that allow the laws to be enforced.
Eight years ago, I approached my local County Council representative to propose an anti-ICEing ordinance. The Howard County, Maryland Council Bill 36-2014 subsequently passed and went into effect on September 29, 2014. That was the easy part.
The main reason I wanted the ordinance was because publicly-funded EV charging stations on property owned by the Columbia Association were chronically being blocked by gas vehicles. When I contacted Columbia Association, they said that they would not do anything about the problem unless there was a law against it.
After the Howard County ordinance passed, I approached the Columbia Association again to ask that they post enforceable signs. To make a long story short, it took another two years and a lot of effort to finally convince them to post enforceable signs. [Signs Posted at Columbia Association EV Charging Stations]
Colorado EV drivers worked to get a statewide anti-ICEing law passed in 2019. When Colorado HB 1298 passed, Tesla indicated their support for the legislation via the following Tweet.
