[salant76]

One of the biggest challenge in owning an EV is good charging networks. Here in southern New England there is a lot. I will soon have (5) with 30-40 minutes of my house and over a dozen with in 1 hour.

Then there is Northern New England with big massive gaps between stations. As of right now there is no easily accessible DC faster chargers north of Bedford, NH in NH. The furthest northern EA location in Maine is just South of Portland. Fun fact Portland is closer to New York City then it is Fort Kent in northern Maine on the Canadian border.

Things however look like they are going to change a lot in New Hampshire and Vermont. Currently EA shows up and coming locations in southern New Hampshire in Manchester and Nashua. With the biggest news to me in central part of the state in West Lebanon (near 89 and 91) also getting one. This is a big deal since the only DC fast charger from Bedford, NH to Montpelier, VT are 2 CHAdeMO chargers. As anyone that has driven 89 in the winter knows that can be a very tough stretch of road.

Hopefully these new chargers will go online by this summer. If I hear anything on the West Lebanon location I will post it here.

 

[ixlr08]

There is one listed as "coming soon" in Kittery, ME. But it has been listed as such for at least 6 months, I wonder when that one will be online?

 

[salant76]

There is one listed as "coming soon" in Kittery, ME. But it has been listed as such for at least 6 months, I wonder when that one will be online?

The closest one to my house is Marlborough, MA was installed and looked to be nearly finished on October 5th. It is still not online. Maybe the next time I go into work I will stop by and see what is going on.

It is concerning that when it takes over 6 months from install time to get online.

 

[RRV22]

Yeah...a very big concern when you don't have home charging.

 

[Pxpxpunk]

Even in a major EV market like Los Angeles, the entire suburb of the San Fernando Valley is a wasteland for their chargers. The nearest one to me is 10 miles away, and that too has been listed as coming soon for 6 months.

 

[MCheiron]

Even in a major EV market like Los Angeles, the entire suburb of the San Fernando Valley is a wasteland for their chargers. The nearest one to me is 10 miles away, and that too has been listed as coming soon for 6 months.

The nearest one for me is 30 miles. Nothing in Pittsburgh just two further away along two of the interstates. Nothing for hundreds of miles south through WV or anything between I-80 and I-90 in northern New York State. Literally nothing DC fast charging not even from other networks. This is a major issue.

 

[stealthg]

The closest one to my house is Marlborough, MA was installed and looked to be nearly finished on October 5th. It is still not online. Maybe the next time I go into work I will stop by and see what is going on.

It is concerning that when it takes over 6 months from install time to get online.

I agree, depending on where you want to go. Living in Worcester, MA, I can get to most places that I frequent on one charge. The furthest that we go in to Maine is Camden and there are plenty of non EA chargers to top off at on the way (EVgo and Charge Point locations at strip malls and the like), if there is a problem with the EA charger. I would be concerned on some of the desolate stretches of US 1 up there though. Traveling to VT would be more concerning, as a lot of plugs in that direction seem to be in random places, like government buildings and dealerships.

I would like to see EA get more hotels involved, similar to ChargePoint, so that I can charge at my destination, instead of having to seek out an charger first thing on the way out of town. There are a lot of chargers in muni decks in New England, so I'm not as worried.

The EA charger in Northborough at the Walmart on Rt 9 is a nice existing EA station in that area. They also have an nice setup in Auburn, right off of the pike.

 

[Mark Magiera]

living that life with an e-Golf, the option atm to VT is to top off in Manchester (if from Boston area) & make it to Bradford VT to an EVGo. W. Leb is greatly desired, this is the 3rd location attempt in 2 years for that region. See it to believe it.. As will Colchester VT for EA.

In recent news this week, the Gov. of VT made this announcement.
GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT ANNOUNCES NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS TO BE INSTALLED
So get those Blink accts ready...

NH needs work, bad... The administration is NOT EV friendly.

 

[salant76]

@Mark Magiera,

I hear you with the West Leb location (and NH administration). My parents have left the area but still have friends that live up there maybe they can ask in a few months if they see any activity. Bradford, VT is 25-30 miles North of 89 in Vermont that really isn't close when you have an e-Golf.

 

[ikkviper]

I’m in South Florida and am nervous about making the trip across the state to visit family in the Fort Myers area. I wish EA or someone would setup some chargers in the center of the state (I-75) for ease of mind. There are superchargers at the halfway point, but of course they only work with Tesla...

 

[Huey52]

I've got a trips planned from Boston area to No. Conway & Sunapee NH this Summer so will be interested in further infrastructure.

 

[Huey52]

In my college days I hitchhiked a number of times the entire length of 89 in Winter so I know it well.

But that was a long time ago in a galaxy ...

... As anyone that has driven 89 in the winter knows that can be a very tough stretch of road. ...

 

[salant76]

I've got a trips planned from Boston area to No. Conway & Sunapee NH this Summer so will be interested in further infrastructure.

Sunapee shouldn't be an issue there are slow 50 kWh chargers in Bedford and Nashua already. North Conway may be more of an issue. Going the 95 to Rt 16 may be your best and only bet.

 

[RRV22]

Two things stand out from reading these comments.
1/ You better have overnight slow charging at home.
2/ The fast charging Network for out of town trips is mediocre to pretty bad.

 

[Huey52]

Only ~160 miles from Boston to Conway, NH and a friend at the other end with electricity and indoor plumbing. No problem.

The USA charging infrastructure is actually progressing better than I hoped, in this somewhat "chicken or the egg" game. Once there are many more EV's it will likely improve dramatically. And it's really only the "fringe areas" that are woefully lacking. Boston to DC is no issue at all for instance.

Two things stand out from reading these comments.
1/ You better have overnight slow charging at home.
2/ The fast charging Network for out of town trips is mediocre to pretty bad.

 

[ChristophW]

Only ~160 miles from Boston to Conway, NH and a friend at the other end with electricity and indoor plumbing. No problem.

Yes, that. I currently plan to buy a mobile EV charger with a 14-50 plug, and have that in the car together with a dryer outlet (14-30) adapter. That should cover most people's setup and allow us to charge overnight when staying over.

 

[stealthg]

The USA charging infrastructure is actually progressing better than I hoped, in this somewhat "chicken or the egg" game. Once there are many more EV's it will likely improve dramatically. And it's really only the "fringe areas" that are woefully lacking. Boston to DC is no issue at all for instance.

I drove from Worcester to Charlotte and back last year and there were chargers everywhere, including EA, especially on the I-95 corridor.

 

[salant76]

I just received a notification from EA saying that the Kittery, ME location is now open. I will not be going by that location until the end of the month. When I do I can confirm it is up and running.

 

[Andy at Ross-Tech.com]

I just received a notification from EA saying that the Kittery, ME location is now open. I will not be going by that location until the end of the month. When I do I can confirm it is up and running.

Ooh, hopefully walking distance from Kittery Trading Post. 🏹

 

[stealthg]

I just received a notification from EA saying that the Kittery, ME location is now open. I will not be going by that location until the end of the month. When I do I can confirm it is up and running.

I’m going to be in the Portsmouth area next weekend. I’ll try to do a drive-by, although it may lead to visiting the crate and barrel outlet. That might cause me to lose money on this side mission. 🤣