Who's in Charge?

Who's in Charge? 

If we're going on a trip together, I want to drive and we're taking my car.  Aside from the fact that driving eliminates my risk for motion sickness, it ultimately boils down to my desire for control.  I like to be in charge of the trip.  I'm the crazy lady who is going to anticipate where I will stop for gas, and where we will eat (you can bet I've already looked at the menu and know what I will order), and I most certainly will never run out of gas because I'm a planner!  My family made fun of me at Disney when I handed them their spreadsheet itineraries.  I told you - I'm a planner.  

Being a planner is essential in having an electric vehicle. Most people don't go to the extreme of planning where they will get gas because it's prevalent on every corner - not so with an electric vehicle.  So how do you find out where to charge?  You can't assume that every town has a charger.  I will tell you that as of 2022, they do not!  Advancements and investments are being made in the electric vehicle charging industry to remedy this issue but until then, you better plan your next road trip if you're taking an EV!  

On my most recent trip to Nashville, TN from Mt. Vernon, IL, I used an app called PlugShare.  PlugShare provides a map of all charging stations in the nation, as well as an option to plan your trip.  At first glance, you may say, "Wow!  There are a lot more chargers on this route than I realized."  However, not all chargers are accessible to you.  Some chargers are located at car dealerships - these are not accessible to the public.  Hotel chargers are also listed but are only available to hotel guests. Also, note that EV chargers that are "coming soon" are listed.  The great thing about PlugShare is that the community will post check-ins, photos, and reviews so that you know which charging stations are out of order before you get there.  

The app says that there are 23 charging stations between Mt. Vernon, IL, and Nashville, TN.  Here is the list: 

I began the trip with plenty of charge so I didn't need to stop at closer stations.  I'm listing them so you can see how many stations out of the 23 listed are accessible.  I've listed them in bold below.  As you can see - not many.  

ILLINOIS 

  • Ford Square Mt. Vernon - not a public charging station 
  • Comfort Suites Mt. Vernon - complimentary charging for hotel guests only
  • Tyler Toyota - not a public charging station
  • Walmart Supercenter Mt. Vernon - Electrify America Public Charging Station, Fast Charge (About an hour to charge)
  • Good Samaritan Hospital - Level 2 (6-8 hours to charge) - meant for hospital guests
  • Weeks Chevrolet Buick - not a public charging station
  • Nissan of Marion - not a public charging station
  • Watermark Ford - not a public charging station

KENTUCKY 

  • La Quinta Inn and Suites Paducah - complimentary charging for hotel guests only
  • Walmart Supercenter Paducah- Electrify America Public Charging Station, Fast Charge (About an hour to charge) 
  • Paducah Ford - not a public charging station 
  • Larry Stovesand Buick GMC - not a public charging station
  • Best Western Paducah - complimentary charging for hotel guests only 

TENNESSEE 

  • Old Glory Distilling Co. - Complimentary Level 2 charging (6-8 hours to charge) 
  • Home 2 Suites Clarksville - complimentary for guests 
  • Tru by Hilton Clarksville (coming soon) - complimentary for guests 
  • Walmart Supercenter Clarksville - Electrify America Public Charging Station, Fast Charge (About an hour to charge) 
  • Hampton Inn Pleasantview - complimentary for guests 
  • Nashville, TN Fire Department Station - Level 2 charging (6-8 hours to charge)
  • Midtown Printing - Level 2 charging (6-8 hours) 
  • Comfort Inn Nashville Opryland (coming soon)
  • Gaylord Opryland - Complimentary Level 2 charging (6-8 hours) - complimentary for guests
  • Opry Mills - Fast charge (about an hour to charge)

80/20 Rule

    I charged the Rivian for the first time on my own (video below on that experience!) on the Friday before our trip. I only charged it 80% because that is what the manufacturer recommends.  Like smartphone batteries, an EV's battery will last longer if you prevent it from charging 100 percent or running it down to zero. To extend your EV battery's life, it is best to abide by the 80/20 rule, which means not charging past 80 percent and not letting it drop below 20 percent.

@lynnhutchison0

 

♬ Electric Slide - Party Music

 

 

Our Charging Route

    After charging the Rivian to 80%, I was up to 286 miles of range.  My destination was only about 240 miles away.  I boasted to everyone within earshot that I could make it from Mt. Vernon, IL  to Nashville, TN in a single charge.  

maury

You can imagine my astonishment when I learned that wasn't true.  When I hopped in the car Monday morning to begin our trip, I had already lost a small amount of charge.  It wasn't enough of a loss to make a huge impact, but it wouldn't be the last time I learned this the hard way on our excursion.  We arrived in Clarksville, TN, and decided that we would eat lunch first and then charge at Walmart Supercenter.  Hindsight, we should have charged before we ate and we would have been fine, but you couldn't have convinced my stomach of that at the time.  You see, I knew there was an Italian sub calling my name - and the heart wants what the heart wants. 

I calculated in my head that Walmart was only 6 miles away from the restaurant.  I parked the car at the restaurant (which didn't have a charger) with only 16 miles left to spare.  Simple math would say that I was doing pretty good..... 16 miles - 6 miles = 10 miles upon arrival to the charger.  However, you can't use simple math with an electric vehicle because it is merely giving you an estimated range. After lunch, I started the EV only to find that the range had depleted to 9 miles left!!!  YIKES!  

@lynnhutchison0

Getting to know your vehicle is crucial to planning your trip. Ask me how I know! 😬

♬ Oh No - Kreepa

This moment brought more questions to mind as we nervously drove to Walmart Supercenter, namely, "What happens when an EV breaks down on the side of the road?"  It was a great question, one that I didn't want to find the answer to on the trip.  We made it to Walmart with 4 miles to spare and 1% of battery life left.  Remember the 80/20 rule we discussed?  Apparently, like toilet paper, the closer you get to the end of the roll, the faster it goes.  What a learning opportunity! 

We successfully charged the Rivian to 83% at Walmart Supercenter in an hour while we perused the aisles.  We factored this hour of charging into our trip so it wasn't a big deal.  After charging, we completed the last 40 miles or so of our trip.  After arriving at the hotel, I decided to wait the day before departure to charge the truck to 100%.  While the manufacturer recommends only charging to 80% on a daily basis, I'm not sure I would ever go on a long trip without charging to 100% again - you live and you learn!  Charging at the hotel was easy - and free.  There were three chargers available in the lot.  One was occupied by a vehicle that apparently plugged in upon arrival and never moved again.  I'm not a seasoned EV owner, but I do believe that there is an etiquette to occupying chargers.  Courtesy would dictate plans to charge and move. That being said, there were chargers that were not even touched, so it's not like anyone was waiting to use it.  However, imagine a world where EVERYONE had EVs at the hotel.... yikes.  We've got a long way to go before we can accommodate that.  I digress.  

We left Nashville, TN with a little more wisdom and experience with the Rivian.  Leaving the hotel with 100%, we arrived in Paducah, KY to charge again without hitch.  We arrived home with plenty of charge left to spare as well.  Overall, it was a learning experience.  I failed to mention that Electrify America (the charging station that is located at Walmart Supercenters throughout the country) was running a promotion that offered complimentary charging.  Do you know how much it cost us to get from Mt. Vernon, IL to Nashville, TN?  Zero dollars.  

Even with all of the hiccups, surprises, and bumps in the road, I can say that I'm warming up to EV's.  They're fun to drive and with gas being over $4.00/gallon right now, you can't deny it's something to consider!