Pull-Through Charging – The Revolution That Must Happen for EV Trucks to Succeed
By Edward A. Sanchez – June 1, 2021
Even more than a week later, the Ford F-150 Lightning EV continues to generate chatter, discussions, controversy, and news. To that end, noted EV vlogger Marques Brownlee suggested that the Lightning may actually have substantially more real-world range in light-duty use cases than Ford is suggesting with its initial range estimates of 230 and 300 miles, perhaps as high as 450+ miles in regular (non-towing/hauling) use. While that’s great news for Ford, and for potential Lightning buyers, it’s only one aspect of the overall experience of EV trucks that needs to improve substantially before they can and will be adopted with confidence by truck buyers. The revolution that needs to happen in EV charging is massive, nationwide proliferation of pull-through Level 3 DC fast chargers.
The reason this needs to happen is simple: Unless you methodically plan your road trip stops ahead of time for meals, bathroom breaks, etc., as well as checking that your designated stops also have fast charging, road-tripping in an EV can be an arduous experience. Add the awkwardness of towing a trailer and what will likely be 100+ kWh batteries being the norm, and even with L3 charging, you’re looking at another hour per stop tacked on to your trip. And whether you’re a seasoned trailering veteran or a newbie, reversing a trailer is an exercise in either Zen-like patience and concentration, or utter confusion and futility.
If a pull-through L3 charging location is not an option, you have one of two choices: Either pull your truck and trailer into what will likely be a crowded lot, often with a line of other EVs waiting to charge, or park and un-hitch your trailer, and then drive your truck over to the charging stall. Then re-hook your trailer afterward to continue your trip.
I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t exactly sound like my idea of fun. Hence, why for the near-term, my choice if I were to do any significant towing would be the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid over the Lightning.
So far, the only major charging network that I’m aware of that has made any significant investment in pull-through chargers is Electrify America. Their charging station in Baker, Calif., (roughly halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas) mercifully has a design to potentially facilitate EV towing. It is perhaps not coincidental that Ford has announced a partnership with EA for both the Mustang Mach-E as well as the F-150 Lightning.
The pull-through style Electrify America EV charging station in Baker, Calif., is perfect for those towing between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
But pull-through chargers should not be rare. I understand why companies are hesitant to build them. They require a lot more real estate and have a lower density of chargers per square foot. It is more cost-effective for the charging networks to build pull-in stations, and will likely see a higher utilization rate and ROI on them.
Not all locations will lend themselves easily to pull-through stations. It goes without saying that most of them will probably be on the outskirts of metropolitan areas or in relatively remote areas where real estate is cheap and readily available. For the record, Baker is not exactly a bustling metropolis, however it is a heavily trafficked waypoint between Southern California and Las Vegas with several gas stations and restaurants.
There needs to be a network of pull-through stations from coast-to-coast between 50-100 miles outside of urban areas on heavily traveled interstate and highway routes. Whichever company realizes this first, and aggressively builds them out, whether it’s Electrify America, ChargePoint, or another, will in time be rewarded with business and loyalty from leisure road-trippers towing travel trailers.
OEMs offering EV trucks need to aggressively market their partnerships with these networks as a valuable resource and perk for buying their brand of truck. Perhaps even offering free L3 charging for a period of 2-3 years, or a budgeted “free” allocation of say 5,000 kWh. You could even see a competition between brands for the most attractive “free charging” package with purchase.
When pull-through L3 stations become as common along America’s interstates and freeways as Shell, Chevron, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell, then – and only then – will you see scores of Lightnings, SilvErados, “Ramchargers” or whatever else traversing the highways and byways with trailers in tow.
(Images courtesy Electrify America)
- Podcast - Facebook - Google News - Twitter -
