Drive a Taycan through Europe from Oslo to Malaga - Erik Windahl Olsen

[Scandinavian]

It really is sad to see how he has to drive so carefully in order to find chargers. And then they do not work and are or are not part of the Porsche Charging network??? Porsche really needs to pull their socks up for this.

In Europe Ionity had a plan to build out 400 charging sites By end of 2020. But now I only see 280 as a target on the Ionity tracker site? I remember reading that they had changed their strategy from 400 to 280 sites with a review due mid year? I have tried to find information about this but cannot find any now. I have asked Porsche France and they have still the information that the target is 400 sites by end of year?? So let us see.

It might be good if other owners here in Europe could ask for information from their Porsche centre or the country importer?

Seems ridiculous to buy such a nice car and then have to drive around Europe at 90 km/h and be overtaken by lorries.

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[feye]

This is going to be a problem for all non-Tesla EVs until car manufacturers and delivery companies do get serious about infrastructure. Reading here and there the experience with Electrify America, it is encouraging to see there is growth, but this is nowhere close to the SC network. I cannot even remember when was the last time Tesla installed a supercharger with less than 4 stalls in US - I see many EA only have only 3 chargers. We need more of these, in better places. I am not sure I want to charge my Taycan at night in a Wallmart parking lot..... Many years ago I had a friend who worked at Wallmart, warned me never to go there at night.

Come on! 8 years difference, and why would you EVER leave your Taycan on a supermarket parking lot over night where you can charge it to 80% in 20 min? How would your comment ever make sense in real life even if Wallmart parking lots are the most dangerous places on earth?

Many Superchargers in city areas (e.g. LA or NY) are only 72 kW so you will probably be charging a long time there and they are all super safe places to spend at least an hour?

 

[feye]

It really is sad to see how he has to drive so carefully in order to find chargers. And then they do not work and are or are not part of the Porsche Charging network??? Porsche really needs to pull their socks up for this.

In Europe Ionity had a plan to build out 400 charging sites By end of 2020. But now I only see 280 as a target on the Ionity tracker site? I remember reading that they had changed their strategy from 400 to 280 sites with a review due mid year? I have tried to find information about this but cannot find any now. I have asked Porsche France and they have still the information that the target is 400 sites by end of year?? So let us see.

It might be good if other owners here in Europe could ask for information from their Porsche centre or the country importer?

Seems ridiculous to buy such a nice car and then have to drive around Europe at 90 km/h and be overtaken by lorries.

VW is late with the ID, so is Ionity with the network. Both go hand in hand. Let's see how this works out towards the end of the year...

He can drive faster, there are more chargers, but they are all slow 50kW chargers so overall he will be faster driving slower and get more range. Until he reaches southern France, there the Ionity network is dense enough all they way to Oslo.

 

[Scandinavian]

Until he reaches southern France, there the Ionity network is dense enough all they way to Oslo.

Let us see how they do? I have my doubts that the can avoid to limit their speed. The Ionity network only starts a bit into France and is not that dense as yet. But I also hope that they will speed up the coverage now that VW group seem to invest heavily into EV’s

 

[feye]

Let us see how they do? I have my doubts that the can avoid to limit their speed. The Ionity network only starts a bit into France and is not that dense as yet. But I also hope that they will speed up the coverage now that VW group seem to invest heavily into EV’s

Yes, let see, but seems to invest? VW group wants to have 75 all EV models by 2025 on the market, if this all works out they will have steamrolled the entire global EV market with a deep impression into the Chinese market.

 

[feye]

Of course you are right.

However, I think that there is a real point in that the legacy manufacturers such as Porsche etc. should be looking at Tesla and the SC network and understand that it is an amazing resource that Tesla has set up. And either get their own resource up to speed quickly so that customers of the cars are happy or make a SC alliance with Tesla (that they did offer) so that the customers can be happy that way..... But building out slowly is not reassuring for their budding customer base... many whom are coming from Tesla and have not felt range anxiety in a long while...... and if if they do not hurry they might loose quite a few customers again since range anxiety is a real nuisance and a massive hindrance to acceptance of EVs

Amazing for supercharger network is a bit of a stretch. The real problem is that plug and charge is not made a mandatory requirement either by the car manufactures and/or by law.

First pay then charge is a disaster! These companies put up charging stations in valuable parking real estate and then don't car if it works.

It must be first charge then pay. And if payment fails, it is the problem of the provider, not the user!

 

[Reg]

But building out slowly is not reassuring for their budding customer base...

The Tesla network started with 6 superchargers, and took 8 years to get where it is. Based on the build out of EA, it won't take them anywhere near that long. There is nothing "slowly" about it.

Besides, if Tesla grows according to their plans, they are at risk of not being able to keep up with superchargers since the growth does not seem to be keeping up.

 

[felixtb]

The Tesla network started with 6 superchargers, and took 8 years to get where it is. Based on the build out of EA, it won't take them anywhere near that long. There is nothing "slowly" about it.

Besides, if Tesla grows according to their plans, they are at risk of not being able to keep up with superchargers since the growth does not seem to be keeping up.

If you read my paragraph with some humility you would have noticed that I never said that Tesla built their SC network fast but rather that the network they now have is a great resource and that with this, a current Tesla owner has very little range anxiety to worry about. This will keep on being Tesla's sales value for as long as the Legacy manufacturers and Elec providers are not up to speed with charging on long distance drives. Which means that when a customer chooses between brands the SC Network will help Tesla sales for a long or or possibly medium time forward.... for better or for worse. I am not a Tesla FAN BOY but rather a realist in the current EV landscape.

And I do drive a lot of long distances with my EVs

But Yes if you travel a the wrong times you might get caught in charging cues..... but better that then not having a charging option....... at least for now.

 

[PanameraFrank]

Of course you are right.

However, I think that there is a real point in that the legacy manufacturers such as Porsche etc. should be looking at Tesla and the SC network and understand that it is an amazing resource that Tesla has set up. And either get their own resource up to speed quickly so that customers of the cars are happy or make a SC alliance with Tesla (that they did offer) so that the customers can be happy that way..... But building out slowly is not reassuring for their budding customer base... many whom are coming from Tesla and have not felt range anxiety in a long while...... and if if they do not hurry they might loose quite a few customers again since range anxiety is a real nuisance and a massive hindrance to acceptance of EVs

I definitely agree, I don't know why these automakers can't hire a decent crew to put together their apps. Just look at the "Porsche Connect" app, it's awful. This is consistent across every non-Tesla EV I've driven/owned.

My point was more that, until (or if) Porsche manages to pull together a decent app/tools of their own there are really good alternative apps that work well and quells anxiety.

Now don't get me started on the absolute dreadful quality of most EA chargers, for which there is absolutely no workaround and is the most disconcerting part about the growing charging network.

 

[ron_b]

...

Now don't get me started on the absolute dreadful quality of most EA chargers, for which there is absolutely no workaround and is the most disconcerting part about the growing charging network.

Not sure about your area but the Electrify America chargers I have visited with my Bolt EV (awaiting a Taycan) have all been fine. Have seen 1 unit down at a site of 4 units but never worse than that. Also recent YouTube roadtrip videos using EA have been very positive.

Also I find it quite easy to talk to EA and report issues.

 

[ron_b]

Erik installment #2 on return trip. He is outrunning a Panamera and getting good range.

He did report an issue with the Porsche breaking 2 a new maximum speed when the range manager thought it could not maintain the prior speed. This is I would say a bug and the car should have simply coasted down to the new speed and not applied the brake pedal or regen as there was no need to take a quick action unless there were speed limit signs or such.

Bringing the Taycan back (ep. 2): Barcelona - North Germany
Erik Windahl Olsen

 

[svp6]

Sounds like he had a much better second part once he found the Ionity chargers. His part 1 reminds me of his compatriot Bjorn Nyland's early trips with the model S - charging at level 2 chargers sometimes for hours..... we have come a long way - there is hope for the electric future

 

[dryii]

... why would you EVER leave your Taycan on a supermarket parking lot over night where you can charge it to 80% in 20 min?

They just said "at night", not over night. After it gets dark some places have sketchy people lurking around.

 

[ron_b]

Erik's final leg, had one slow charge at 104kW at 40%, reasons not know but I think he was swapping to Google maps so maybe not battery prep and it was cold. He didn't show the battery temp. Also a miss routing to avoid non-existent (or maybe cleared) construction. The biggest pain it seems was the detour into Hamburg with no clear exit costing 90min.
I especially enjoyed his rather positive comment at the end when he said that he could very much depend on the Range estimator and he would be fine arriving with 6 to 8% predicted.

Bringing the Taycan back (ep. 3): Denmark, Sweden and Norway

 

[Rollep]

In Europe Ionity had a plan to build out 400 charging sites By end of 2020. But now I only see 280 as a target on the Ionity tracker site? I remember reading that they had changed their strategy from 400 to 280 sites with a review due mid year? I have tried to find information about this but cannot find any now. I have asked Porsche France and they have still the information that the target is 400 sites by end of year?? So let us see.

Far as I know the plan is still 400 charging sites but I doubt they will reach that number by the end of this year. Though they have already passed 280 (currently 283 live or under construction) so maybe there is still some hope

Last week I did a 1500 km trip from Stavanger, Norway to Karlstad, Sweden and back. It went like a breeze using Ionity chargers all the way. I did not use one minute more than I would in an ICE car

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