You are totally right. My bad.
The company I work for is collaborating with multiple carmakers. We are not app developers, we are data scientists. We create machine learning algorithms for OEMs which are then integrated into car's HMI or a brand companion app. We have a great experience optimizing different systems for ICE cars, however, now we received several requests from different carmakers to optimize EV systems. For that reason, we decided to start by asking real EV drivers about their pains so that we could make sure that we address the right problems.
Mini-Rant: If you use an acronym, please explain it (HMI = Human machine Interface? I don't want to RTFM to understand an ETLA). [end Mini-Rant]
First of all, good luck, get stuck in and enjoy. Avoid the data science and spreadsheets and get a qualitative feel for what people say. I really hope you can positively influence Electric Vehicle (EV adoption). I suspect that the managers/clients would do better to drive a Tesla for a week.
I'm not as experienced as many on this forum, I have a Tesla Model 3 Long Range that is effortless to use and charge even on roadtrips of thousands of miles across Europe and at least 6 countries. We also have a Zoe 22kW that I found quite stressful to do a 70 mile trip when I bought it. That was due to a variety of factors that may not repeat but included me being tired after work and travel by public transport to seller, haggling and test rides, driving in rain, driving around an unknown crowded city, only 40 miles of charge in car, broken chargers, missing a turning/junction and needing a different app for each charger).
What I'm trying to say is that to a large degree, Tesla has done the hard work - just look at their conclusions and actions. Copy them.
Go to Netherlands and Norway, copy them. Then go to Italy and do the opposite (one broken 50kW charger in a co-op miles from a main road - others a long distance away, similarly broken).
I'm not sure how I could have got to Rome in anything other than a Tesla, it is probably do-able but a real pain with kids, wanting to visit some attractions and on a schedule. Even in a Tesla 3 long range we had 1 range anxiety in Italy (went off-piste looking at stuff in hills) and 1 in Germany (2 Superchargers, neither with CCS - old style Tesla Model S only!)
Some points that Tesla chargers may or may not have depending on location
- Multiple fast (100kW minimum nowadays) chargers (8+ - preferably 40! Tesla ramps up first V3 supercharger installations for Europe | The Driven ) in multiple locations (charge, skip 2, charge, skip 3)
- I could live with 50kW chargers - but lots of them. I think they are cheap and presumably don't incur high peak load costs (especially if battery buffered). From memory, even Teslas fall below 50kW when fairly full (looking at charge curves, maybe not now until 70-80% full). I don't mind a 20 minute break on long journeys as long as I can get a coffee, use the toilet and walk around if the alternative is stress. I don't really need 250-350kW chargers - but they are lovely.
- 24 hour clean toilets
- coffee
- ideally fast food
- ideally better food choice
- sun shade (preferably solar)
- somewhere inside worth a walk/wander
- kids play area (inside + outside)
- ruthless de-ICEing ie removal of fossil (petrol/diesel) cars or at least a severe education - bollards are removed after a 20 question de-bunking exam is passed
- fix chargers fast - every location must have 6 working ones or the CEO has to publicly apologise on TV with a deep low bow or public stocks and free rotten fruit at the location in question
- most importantly stop the nonsense of various fees, apps, cards etc - charge a kWh fee with a maximum time (20,30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes) and an overstay fee. Display them clearly.
- loads of destination chargers (2-11kW AC) sprinkled in every car park
- I've just been looking at zap map, plugshare and abetterrouteplanner. I used to like the last but find it a pain on my phone now. I preferred the previous user interface. Ideally all would emphasise the NICE charging locations based on number of chargers, reliability, basic facilities (working toilet is worth 300 points, first coffee shop is worth 30 points, subsequent ones worth 5, one food place gets 10 points, next 1-5 points etc. Change to a consistent legend with numbers instead of colours 7/50 rather than blue / purple (or other way around?). Ability to filter on having minimum facilities (toilet open for next hour may be enough, other times - coffee/food within 5 minutes walking)
- it doesn't need data science! It just needs an ability to look at where satisfaction and adoption is higher.
- Do YOU drive an EV? If not, get your employer to rent them for you and and your colleagues - a variety, Teslas, Renaults, Leafs, MGs, vans, plug-in hybrids (and you must avoid using petrol). Swap them around. Going from a Zoe 22kW to a Tesla should be an education in and of itself.
- Do a few things better than Tesla - add multi-drop mapping and emphasise the nicest charging locations.
- Get supermarkets to consistently have a bunch of multi-connector AC/DC 7kW to 50kW DC chargers in a minimum of 8 per location with consistent rules. If i'm in a new location and I know that I have up to 30 minutes in any Tesco, I'll go there. If I need 60 minutes (unlikely for DC - but lets me do massive shop or eat lunch) and Asdas allow it - I'll do it. Just make everything easy. My life doesn't revolve around the car, your client or any shop.
- Look at EV/Tesla forums and look for wishlists. Otherwise just copy Tesla.
- Phone app tells you state/rate of charge, estimated 50-80% time and cost so I can round up the relatives, toilet visits just before departing
- I want to treat the charging as mundane, obvious, no effort, no quirks.
- Electric Vehicles are not hard. Much easier than Internal Combustion Engines and their complex logistics
Good luck, enjoy your travels in Teslas, Leafs, Kias and Renaults.
