EVs are expensive. That’s one of the biggest reasons why car shoppers are reluctant to buy one as their next vehicle, even if they offer greater long term savings when charging at home. While paying to charge your EV does come out less than filling up on gasoline, the next best thing would be to experience free EV charging. Well, I finally got to try one out — but it did come with its own pros and cons.
I spoke to my colleagues about their experiences with free EV charging, which were both good and bad, but I wanted to see for myself what the hype is all about. For those teetering on the idea of buying an electric vehicle, I wouldn’t say that the potential of free EV charging should be high on your priority list. Instead, I would classify it more as an extra perk to owning an EV.
What’s really interesting about my experience with free EV charging is that I came upon it by accident while testing the Lucid Air Pure. I wasn’t looking for a free charging station, so when I read the fine print on the cost, I was blown away at the end with a receipt that read zero dollars. Here’s what I learned about free EV charging.
Free with a catch
Driving around to find a dinner spot, I remember there was an EV charging station close to where I settled on eating. The sign indicated that it was a Volta charging station, but once I parked the Lucid Air Pure in the spot and proceeded to scan the QR code, it turned out to be operated by Shell Recharge — so I obviously had to wait to download the app before proceeding on.
I can’t tell you enough how this is one of my biggest criticisms about EV charging. Many of charging stations require you to download their respective apps and create an account, rather than just using a credit card as you would at a gasoline station. It’s an annoyance I know my non-tech savvy father would be bothered by, but this is a hoop you have to jump through to get free EV charging.
Before I could start charging, I needed to add funds to my account. At this point I thought charging wasn’t going to be free at all, but since I created yet another EV charging account, I decided to add $10 because I’ll most likely come across a different Shell Recharge station where I would need to pay.
Once I finally got through all of that, the charging sequence finally started and I left the Lucid Air Pure, crossing my fingers that the cost would come out to be zero when I came back. And just like what the fine print listed in the app, it came out to be free. I went back to the same EV charger the following day, and again charging cost me nothing. Crazy!
Level 2 speeds for the win
What makes this EV charging experience even more satisfying is that it isn’t the same Level 1 charging speeds I get at home, but a much faster Level 2 charging. Before I started, the Lucid Air Pure was showing a range of 129 miles. In the 1 hour and 10 minutes of charging, it added back 46 miles — giving the car a total range of 175 miles.
In total, the EV charger dispensed 9.31 kWh of electricity, which I’m impressed about because that’s a decent amount added back for that time frame. This comes out to about a rate of 39 miles/hour with this Level 2 charger, which blows away the 3 miles/hour rate I get at home. If I wanted to get a full charge, it would’ve taken 6 hours and 25 minutes from when I started.
The point I want to make here is that these free EV chargers are convenient, especially after visiting other paid charging stations that offer slower charging speeds. Who wouldn’t want to get more range while they’re shopping or having dinner? But while I’m ecstatic about free EV charging, they do have their own set of challenges.
Challenges with free EV charging
Most notably, there simply aren't enough free charging station. This was one of two at this busy shopping plaza, which I imagine would be nearly impossible to get a hold of at busier times. Fortunately for me, I came to it in the late evening closer to 9:00 p.m., when many of the shops were closing up for the night.
Another challenge that I’ve seen at this particular charging station is that vehicles hog up the spot for extended periods of time, so it’s a game of roulette trying to snag one during peak hours. What’s worse is that the other charger at this location was out of commission and wasn’t showing up at all in the app. It irritates me whenever I come across an unoccupied charging station, especially when things are busy, only to find it’s not working at all.
Bottom line
I know these issues with free EV charging can easily be overlooked because at the end of the day, I only had to deposit a small amount of money into my account to reap the rewards. So far, the same EV charging station is showing up with a $0 flat rate fee for me — and with no time restrictions. At the end of the day, free EV charging still exists, and I’ll gladly take whatever I can find despite the challenges.
More from Tom's Guide
- I test drove a Lucid Air Pure for an entire day — it has better range as my gas-powered car
- Sorry, EVs — I test drove my first PHEV and it’s the perfect blend of electric and gas power
- I drove a Ford F150 Lightning for a weekend — here's my pros and cons
English (US) ·