While the Oak Park River Forest High School Huskies have never faced the Tigers of Elmwood Park High School in Friday Night Lights style on the football field, the two neighboring suburban communities outside of Chicago are rivals in the electric vehicle (EV) space. Driver.
In fact, both cities have two Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations for the public to use: Elmwood Park at the fire station and Oak Park at the main library. Like the type of public chargers often found in malls and parking lots, these 240-volt Level 2 chargers are capable of charging 20 to 30 miles per hour, with a cost calculated per kilowatt-hour. But in Elmwood Park, a two-hour charging session costs $2.53, while in Oak Park the cost is $4.59, or 81% more.
It would be difficult for drivers of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to find such a large price difference at gas stations within a 3-kilometer radius. And yet the trend in prices in Elmwood Park and Oak Park can be seen across the country wherever public electric vehicle charging is available.
There are several reasons why the price of EV charging can vary so widely. But the bottom line is a big problem for consumers. "It can be very difficult to know where to go when you want to get the best price when charging your electric vehicle at a public facility," says Drew Toher, sustainability campaign director at Consumer Reports, who led our first initiative of its kind. Analysis of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in US retail stores
Freight networks in numbers
There's no place like home
According to the Department of Energy, most electric vehicle owners charge the majority of their charge at home. But not everyone who wants to own an electric vehicle has access to a driveway or garage. The bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden in 2021 includes $7.5 billion to build a network of public electric vehicle charging stations across the United States. 500,000 charging stations are expected to be installed by 2030 (to date there are more than 168,000 public ones). (Charging stations can be found here.) However, to encourage consumers to purchase electric vehicles, it is important to have more chargers available and give consumers clear expectations about refueling costs.
"Consumers have the right to expect clear and visible prices when they fill up their vehicle," says Toher. "This is an important issue for the industry to address if it is to persuade renters, apartment dwellers and anyone else who does not have access to charging at home to replace their old petrol car with an electric vehicle."
"Being a retail customer charging electric vehicles is a big hassle," says Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, PhD, director of the Sustainable Communities Program at the environmental justice nonprofit GreenLatinos . Unless the consumer experience becomes easier, both in terms of availability of public charging and clarity of pricing, people who do not have access to charging at home, including many people living in low-income communities of color, will win. I can't do this. He says we will be able to reap the benefits of cleaner transportation and lower energy costs.
to do
If you're thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle, the CR Electric Vehicle Buying Guide is a comprehensive resource. Among other things, it can help you calculate the cost of charging a vehicle at home and on the go depending on the type of charger used and the electricity kWh tariff. However, if charging at home isn't an option, here are some additional tips to make the process more convenient and cost-effective.
Use apps to find charging stations and shop based on price. Each of the charging networks has an app that helps you find chargers within the network that are compatible with the type of charging port you need. You provide this information when you register to use them. Many also tell you whether the charger is in use and allow you to pay for the session through the app. (In some cases, you can also pay at the station itself with a credit card or mobile wallet.) For example, the Blink mobile app allows you to search for charging stations by zip code or address, view their availability, and, once connected, receive live updates on the charging station Get your vehicle's battery charge level.
ChargeHub and PlugShare , apps not connected to a charging network, can help you find chargers on networks by location and provide you with cost estimates.
Google Maps also has a tool to help you find electric vehicle chargers. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the search bar and select Settings. Scroll down, select "Electric Vehicle Settings," then select your vehicle connector type. Maps will then share the location of chargers compatible with your vehicle.
Explore free charging: At least one major retailer, Macy's, is offering free Level 2 charging in the parking lots of some of its locations. Free chargers can also be found at Cinemark theaters and some parking lots (although parking may be charged). Apps with two or more charging networks also have filters to help you find chargers on their networks that are free to use.
Become a member. Several charger manufacturing and servicing companies offer subscription services that allow you to pay a monthly fee for discounted use of chargers on their network. For example, Electrify America, with its more than 950 stations in 47 states, the District of Columbia and five Canadian provinces, says users can save about 25 percent on charging with a $7 per month subscription. EVgo operates in more than 35 states and offers a three-tier subscription model with monthly prices ranging from 99 cents to $12.99 for its more than 1,000 charging locations. It claims that users with the highest membership level can save up to 30% every month.
Consider billing on a peer-to-peer basis. Depending on where you live, you may be able to book a charging session at someone's home who has a charger. EVmatch, a company that could be described as an Airbnb for electric vehicle charging, has a platform where charger owners can register. After agreeing on a price (owners typically increase electricity costs by about 20%), electric vehicle drivers can book a session. Heather Hochrein, founder and CEO of EVmatch, says she created the service to help drivers who don't have access to charging at home. Operates throughout the United States.
Don't stay there. When charging electric vehicles, time is money. Avoid additional costs by disconnecting as soon as possible once your vehicle is sufficiently charged. After a 10-minute grace period, Electrify America charges 40 cents per minute for cars that don't disconnect. Tesla charges 50 cents per minute, which doubles to $1 when the station is at 100% capacity. Pro tip: If the vehicle moves within 5 minutes, the fee is waived.
Reject CC. Unless you're traveling and need a full charge quickly, opt for slower Level 2 chargers, which can be cheaper or even free (see above). There are more than three times as many Level 2 public chargers as there are DC fast chargers in the United States. (See CR's Real View: " Can EV Owners Rely on DC Fast Charging? ")
Transportation company lawyer at work. Employers can be persuaded to install free charging stations in the company parking lot if enough employees want it. The US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 's Workplace Charging Shop Employer Toolkit can help.
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