In these times of maximal vengeance against EVs and their infrastructure, it was a pleasant surprise to drive electric (towing a trailer) across 5500 miles of western US this summer and discover so many new chargers, especially in the Four Corners. Major gaps in the charging network have been filled!
There finally is fast charging on the way to from Durango/Farmington to Albuquerque (Cuba NM).
The shabby Electrify America station in Gallup NM has two spiffy new competitors. New Electrify America chargers that we have used this summer are very fast (350 kw) and better maintained. Electrify America is trying to up its game.
After the city of Cortez rejected Tesla’s very generous offer of fast charging downtown, the private sector stepped up and there is now a beautiful spacious bank (pictured) of eight fast Tesla chargers (open to those with an adapter) next to the Safeway. Like so many new charger banks, there is a pull-through charger (for long vehicles or trailers) and the charging cables are now long enough for all other brands to charge without obstructing Tesla owner access.
Crossing the Colorado River drainage is always difficult in Utah, and especially so south of Hite and north of Hoover Dam/Lake Mead. The crossing at Page has long had a Tesla charger, but it is of an older design and therefore not compatible with non-Teslas. As with Cortez, the private sector stepped up and there is now a reasonably fast (up to 180 kw) pair of chargers in the Circle K in downtown Page, enabling easy EV travel along Utah’s southern border (Cortez, Kayenta, Page, Kanab, St. George). The Circle K network of convenience stores (>6800 stores in East and Southwest) has embarked on building an EV charger network, which will be a major asset as it gets built out.
New fast chargers are now present in Durango. The new REI store has eight fast Rivian chargers (open to all) including a pull-through. Nearby, at the Durango Motors lot are two very fast chargers (open 24/7 to all brands).
Rivian has also installed a nice bank of chargers at the grocery store in Del Norte CO, a convenient location to feed and recharge between the Four Corners and the Front Range.
A long-standing hole for non-Tesla owners has been Telluride, where the older Tesla supercharger bank was incompatible with other brands. The new Mountain Village Tesla station nearby is fully compatible.
And if you are headed to the Weminuche Wilderness to celebrate its 50th anniversary, there are fast-charger jumping off points from every direction: Ouray, Lake City, Creede, Wolf Creek Pass, Pagosa Springs, Durango, Purgatory Ski Area, and Mountain Village.
Nationwide we are seeing major upgrades in the quality of stations (bigger, better amenities, better lighting). Most of the major non-Tesla car producers (BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Toyota, Rivian) have united behind the Ionna brand of chargers. Ionna is planning 30,000 very fast (400 kw) charging bays by 2030. They will face stiff price competition from Tesla based on the prices we saw this summer.
One feature that is still lacking in the national network is good signage. Many fast-charging stations are hidden behind tall hotels in convoluted urban parking areas (not next to a public highway). To find these hidden gems, car manufacturers have relied on sophisticated onboard navigational systems to steer the EV owners to the posts. To put it charitably, this is a work in progress, and even if perfected has the unfortunate side effect that combustion-car drivers are not aware of them. If prospective EV drivers do not see chargers, they can be misled – as many are – into believing that only a few public chargers exist. Gas stations have long known that getting customers requires big signs, bright lights, and recognizable canopies. It is time for the EV charging networks to board that train.
