Sheeme150 just posted "The PAINS of Living with an EV! My WORST Experience Yet"

[dickp]

Like many you, I find him annoying and grating to watch. Managed to make it through this video just to see what all the hubbub was about. Yeah he does sensationalize it a bit, but at the end of the day, it looks like he's just reporting on the issues he's having with Ionity. I have noticed that, in general, the british motoring press (and social media influencers) tend to complain a lot about the state of public charging networks there. Harry Metcalfe (who i enjoy watching) also complained about this in a Taycan video. No matter where you live, I think it's safe to say that if you dont have a way to easily charge at home, you're not likely to enjoy owning an EV.

I agree; however for the 2 or 3 times a year that I want to do a road trip it would be good to know that you could reliability count on being able to DC Fast charge. Getting stranded in the middle of a trip would be a potential deal breaker for me - & a for sure deal breaker for my wife.

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[rich_r]

I agree; however for the 2 or 3 times a year that I want to do a road trip it would be good to know that you could reliability count on being able to DC Fast charge. Getting stranded in the middle of a trip would be a potential deal breaker for me - & a for sure deal breaker for my wife.

Yeah, atleast in the US, I haven't heard of people actually getting stranded. You do still need to do more prep/planning than you would in an ICE car to plan out the stops and also have a backup plan. Like you, I rarely take trips that would require me to use DC fast charging, so overall it'll be more convenient than an ICE car. I also think that given all the attention on EVs now and the huge push VW group and Ford are making, it's inevitable that these charging networks will improve rapidly over the next 2 years or so.

 

[manitou202]

Assuming he had real charging issues (not fabricated for clicks), it looks like it might be an issue with his Taycan unfortunately. He seemed to have multiple charging failures at several different charging locations. The issue seemed to follow the car not the chargers.

This is an issue with all EVs. The number of failure modes for charging is significantly higher versus inserting a gas pump nozzle into you fuel tank. My Model X had trouble charging at a Supercharger site back in 2018 in Boulder, CO. None of the chargers would complete the handshake between the charger and car.

Tesla is the most reliable EV today in terms of charging, but none are perfect. Unfortunately this will remain an issue forever as it can only be simplified so far.

 

[Anil]

The problem is that Shmee doesn't have home charging so is totally reliant on public charging stations to charge his car. I don't think any critic can offer a fair appraisal of an EV if they are reliant only on public charging. Having a home charger and charging overnight is essential to appreciate the true joy of owning and driving an EV, especially a Porsche Taycan.

 

[plumandreal]

Ive been driving EV's in the UK for 3 years and his experience lines up with mine. I have in the past driven my Taycan to 5 motorway service stations in a row, getting only 4-5% charge from each one before erroring.

At times, it can be shocking. At other times it just works. Patience is definitely needed.

 

[XLR82XS]

The problem is that Shmee doesn't have home charging so is totally reliant on public charging stations to charge his car. I don't think any critic can offer a fair appraisal of an EV if they are reliant only on public charging. Having a home charger and charging overnight is essential to appreciate the true joy of owning and driving an EV, especially a Porsche Taycan.

All those cars he "owns" and showing off and the fool doesn't have home charging?! What about that garage video showing multiple cars? No outlets in there?

 

[thecoloradokid]

While I have no sympathy for "the fool" who buys a Taycan with no access to convenient home charging, I do have sympathy for my fellow Taycan owners in the UK. There should be absolutely no reason why there are charging challenges like Shmee and @plumandreal face.

Also, I was wondering what Brexit regs are now for taking your Taycan over from the UK to the continent via the ferry or train? With summer approaching and travel restrictions easing it would be great to take a tour to the South of France or Switzerland.

 

[Runestone]

If eating rotten fish heads is the latest fad, they will make vids on this and praise it like the lord!

 

[SteveDC]

I just posted my comments here:

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/uk-charging-nightmare.5030/#post-69627

Steve

 

[SteveDC]

So, what do you mean by "this type of experience in the US?" I think it is common knowledge that this guy is a non-experienced EV owner and lives in the UK - which has an underdeveloped EV charging infrastructure.

There are plenty of other Taycan Youtube videos by more experienced and more knowledgeable people that you can watch. I would recommend that you do not waste your time watching this guy's videos when he talks about his Taycan because his experience is very different than what you will experience in the US once you get your Taycan.

Approximately what percent of Taycan owners are first time EV buyers, would you say? I‘m one of those first timers. Steve

 

[thecoloradokid]

Approximately what percent of Taycan owners are first time EV buyers, would you say? I‘m one of those first timers. Steve

Steve:

Honestly, I am not sure it matters how many Taycan buyers are first time EV owners. With anything, do your research, but don't over analyze and believe every video you see on the web.

In my opinion you don't need to watch only Taycan specific videos. There are very good reviews of the EV's all over the web, and great feedback on this site. EV's share a lot of the same characteristics - they all run on a battery, so they are affected by temperature, speed, elevation change, weather, and other forces - you can learn about this from any credible EV road trip video. But, if you are concerned about taking a road trip in a Taycan start by reviewing some of @daveo4EV posts on this site since they are a good primer for anyone new to EV's.

Finally, and in my opinion, the best way to learn about your car is to drive the thing and learn about the nuances of a Taycan yourself. Your experience on the east coast of the US will be vastly different than some dude in the UK, or in Australia, or even me in Colorado. In the past year I have put 13,500 miles on two different Taycan's and been to 10 different states. My Taycan has seen the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, a lot of the Rocky Mountains, and the deserts of Arizona and California. The best thing you can do is to read about experiences from the more credible people on this board and not just from the complainers, watch videos on the web with a grain of salt, and not to over analyze what your experience will be from others in advance of getting your car.

I am not sure when you ordered your car, or when it arrives, but try to balance the negative videos of people who live in completely different environments than you with more informational feedback from people on this board.

Sorry for rambling on, and let me know if you have any other questions about the Taycan, and I will give my feedback, or point out someone who can provide a better viewpoint. Cheers!

 

[Kingske]

Approximately what percent of Taycan owners are first time EV buyers, would you say? I‘m one of those first timers. Steve

Hi @SteveDC , my 2020 Taycan 4S is my first EV as well and I am surviving all right (with a smile on my face). First-time EV ownership definitely requires getting used to as it is not quite a set&forget experience if you are used to ICE cars, but that learning curve is also part of the excitement IMHO. Other than its user interface not being the most intuitive among EVs, I do not think the Taycan is a more challenging car than other EVs to enter this new world of mobility. If you have to go through the challenge of relearning some of your car user habits, you may as well be rewarded by enjoying the best ride available.

 

[struther]

Hi @SteveDC , my 2020 Taycan 4S is my first EV as well and I am surviving all right (with a smile on my face). First-time EV ownership definitely requires getting used to as it is not quite a set&forget experience if you are used to ICE cars, but that learning curve is also part of the excitement IMHO. Other than its user interface not being the most intuitive among EVs, I do not think the Taycan is a more challenging car than other EVs to enter this new world of mobility. If you have to go through the challenge of relearning some of your car user habits, you may as well be rewarded by enjoying the best ride available.

The Taycan was my first EV as well. I made a point of doing research before picking up the car. I had already signed up for the charging services, loaded the apps, got myself familiar with the apps etc before picking up the car. The dealership also gave me a heads up and offered to help as well - I didn’t need it thanks to this board and other sources. Although I have never needed to use chargers on the road, I made a point of stopping at a few to get the experience. For me, plug and charge worked at the EA sites - haven’t been able to test the app. I also stopped at a PetroCanada to test that process although I didn’t need the charge either. I wanted to get familiar with the process before making a road trip or actually being in need of a fast charger. I actually enjoyed making these trips and counted it as part of the experience of the new car. I truly love this car even though it was thrown up the odd error and strange behaviour.

 

[SteveDC]

The Taycan was my first EV as well. I made a point of doing research before picking up the car. I had already signed up for the charging services, loaded the apps, got myself familiar with the apps etc before picking up the car. The dealership also gave me a heads up and offered to help as well - I didn’t need it thanks to this board and other sources. Although I have never needed to use chargers on the road, I made a point of stopping at a few to get the experience. For me, plug and charge worked at the EA sites - haven’t been able to test the app. I also stopped at a PetroCanada to test that process although I didn’t need the charge either. I wanted to get familiar with the process before making a road trip or actually being in need of a fast charger. I actually enjoyed making these trips and counted it as part of the experience of the new car. I truly love this car even though it was thrown up the odd error and strange behaviour.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I was getting concerned, since the Master Plan was to drive the thing locally for a month or two, then head down to FL to visit family, about 800 miles. With that latter trip in mind, I was especially encouraged by Colorado Kid’s comments about his trips to the west coast. My younger brother lives in Denver, BTW.

 

[thecoloradokid]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I was getting concerned, since the Master Plan was to drive the thing locally for a month or two, then head down to FL to visit family, about 800 miles. With that latter trip in mind, I was especially encouraged by Colorado Kid’s comments about his trips to the west coast. My younger brother lives in Denver, BTW.

@SteveDC : you are doing the right thing. Drive your car locally for a while and make sure you get any teething issues out of the way. Driving to Florida from Northern VA, DC, or southern Maryland is about as easy a drive as you can do in the US since there are Electrify American chargers conveniently located all along I-95. If there is any drive to do to figure out road tripping in a Taycan, that is the one. Heck, even driving to visit family in Denver is super easy since I-70 is completely covered as well.

All I can say is don't be afraid getting out and about in your car. The EA chargers are not perfect, but they will get you to Florida or Colorado easily. that being said, always have a back up plan just in case.

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