First Time EV Owner: Live experience report

[R1TVT]

I have ZERO RFID cards for DCFC chargers. I usually initiate the charge from the App (not the terminal) at EA chargers. You might have better luck if you try initiating directly from the App.

You plug in first (I believe) then choose the charger from the EA App (if you haven't tried that already), although I am going by pure recollection and have not been to an EA charger since last summer.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I regularly use EA when I travel. I don’t think EA sends out an RFID card. I’ve never used a card for any network.

To get the EA subscription discount at a charger, these are my steps:

1. Turn off any VPN on the phone;
2. Open the EA app and find my location on the map;
3. Select the correct charging station;
4. Select the charger by ID, which is usually on the front of the post;
5. Select start charge;
6. Plug in the charger to the vehicle;
7. Race to get lunch, eat lunch, use the restroom, etc., before the charge is done;
8. Enjoy the discount

If the internet connection is flakey, the transaction can sometimes time out.

I have had some luck opening the app and waving the phone at the RFID terminal on the charger when the internet connection fails. But I don’t use the Wallet apps, so sometimes this doesn’t work.

If all else fails—which is rare for me—you can just use Plug-And-Charge. Afterward, you can sometimes get a good Customer Service Rep who will refund you the discount amount. You usually have to get on the phone with them, so I rarely do this. You need to keep a record of your charge session. Take a photo of the total cost and session screen on the charging post. Make sure you include the time and date and the charger ID.

 

[strider]

I have ZERO RFID cards for DCFC chargers. I usually initiate the charge from the App (not the terminal) at EA chargers. You might have better luck if you try initiating directly from the App.

You plug in first (I believe) then choose the charger from the EA App (if you haven't tried that already), although I am going by pure recollection and have not been to an EA charger since last summer.

Using the app worked for @Logan most of the time but he reported at one charger there was no cell service so couldn't access the app.

 

[Logan]

I have ZERO RFID cards for DCFC chargers. I usually initiate the charge from the App (not the terminal) at EA chargers. You might have better luck if you try initiating directly from the App.

You plug in first (I believe) then choose the charger from the EA App (if you haven't tried that already), although I am going by pure recollection and have not been to an EA charger since last summer.

Yep, this is the method I’ve settled on using so far.

Plug in, open app, find charger, click “start charge”, and away we go.

Using the app worked for @Logan most of the time but he reported at one charger there was no cell service so couldn't access the app.

Yep, this was it. Super remote charger, tiny town (a one gas pump at a general store sort of place), and no internet reception.

I bit the bullet and went ahead and paid the money with the card reader. I just wasn’t able to confirm where any other chargers were within range. And given it was only my third stop, I didn’t know how far I could push it. (Was at 27%??).

 

[R1TVT]

I bit the bullet and went ahead and paid the money with the card reader. I just wasn’t able to confirm where any other chargers were within range. And given it was only my third stop, I didn’t know how far I could push it. (Was at 27%??).

Nice knowing even when you bite the bullet for a card without your member discount, your trip is still going to cost way less than a gas trip!

 

[BeerParty]

I regularly use EA when I travel. I don’t think EA sends out an RFID card. I’ve never used a card for any network.

<snip>

I have had some luck opening the app and waving the phone at the RFID terminal on the charger when the internet connection fails. But I don’t use the Wallet apps, so sometimes this doesn’t work.

I have been using EA for over two years; I was not aware of a RFID card, I though that was only available via a phone.

I always try the sensor approach first. I open the app on my phone, plug in my car, and then hold the phone in front of the sensor panel on the charger cabinet. That's always been the fastest way to initiate charging for me. I don't even have to select the charging location on the EA phone app, it just works. I have had to revert to using the EA app when the phone sensor approach doesn't work, but that has been rare.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I have been using EA for over two years; I was not aware of a RFID card, I though that was only available via a phone.

I always try the sensor approach first. I open the app on my phone, plug in my car, and then hold the phone in front of the sensor panel on the charger cabinet. That's always been the fastest way to initiate charging for me. I don't even have to select the charging location on the EA phone app, it just works. I have had to revert to using the EA app when the phone sensor approach doesn't work, but that has been rare.

One of the reasons I use the app is that sometimes my vehicle responds to the plug-in event too quickly and starts charging before I’ve had a chance to activate my subscription.

It would be nice if vehicles could securely hold your account information for the various subscriptions so P&C just worked with subscriptions. Ford was developing that capability, but I haven’t heard anything useful since they announced their tax scam…er write-down.

 

[J Alynn]

I have been using EA for over two years; I was not aware of a RFID card, I though that was only available via a phone.

I always try the sensor approach first. I open the app on my phone, plug in my car, and then hold the phone in front of the sensor panel on the charger cabinet. That's always been the fastest way to initiate charging for me. I don't even have to select the charging location on the EA phone app, it just works. I have had to revert to using the EA app when the phone sensor approach doesn't work, but that has been rare.

Learning so much! Had the Lexus now for well over a month and still getting by on trickle charge. Realized the park less than half mile away has an EV Go charger and still holding at $.25/Kwh so in a pinch we can run there to do a full charge vs trying to trickle over night if something comes up

 

[N Wilson]

One of the reasons I use the app is that sometimes my vehicle responds to the plug-in event too quickly and starts charging before I’ve had a chance to activate my subscription.

It would be nice if vehicles could securely hold your account information for the various subscriptions so P&C just worked with subscriptions. Ford was developing that capability, but I haven’t heard anything useful since they announced their tax scam…er write-down.

This is something I am thinking about as I prepare to embark on a cross-country road trip later this month. i plan to get memberships with a few of the networks to get the discounted pricing, but I know that if I use Plug and Charge through the Ford app, I won't get the discounts. Wondering if I should temporarily disable P&C while on the trip so as to make sure I get the discounts?

I recently watched an episode of State of Charge where Tom was interviewing the head of Walmart charging division about the buildout of their charging network, and they discussed the issue of P&C convenience vs network discounts. Apparently it's being worked on to be able to get the discounts through manufacturer P&C programs, but it's not a reality as of today.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

This is something I am thinking about as I prepare to embark on a cross-country road trip later this month. i plan to get memberships with a few of the networks to get the discounted pricing, but I know that if I use Plug and Charge through the Ford app, I won't get the discounts. Wondering if I should temporarily disable P&C while on the trip so as to make sure I get the discounts?

I keep it on, but only because I’m lazy.