Insufficient charging in A1? Some faced risks...

Inadequate charging in A1? A reader contacted Quattoruote, claiming she almost ended up stranded with her Ford Puma carrying her husband and two children. Vaielettrico responds. To contact us: info@vaielettrico.it

Inadequate charging in A1? A family’s mishap with the Puma

I’m attaching a letter I found on Quattroruote where a reader complains about the lack of highway charging stations. And/or the malfunction of those available at a service area. I should mention that I don’t have any range issues thanks to my EV3 with an LR battery. Nor do I have a full understanding of the situation for those who own cars with a (stated) range of 330 km. I’m not familiar with the specifications of that model, so I don’t know whether 330 km is a stated figure or actual performance, nor what the highway range is. However, I read that they stopped at two consecutive areas without charging stations, arriving at the third with almost no range left. And during an additional stop, the charging stations were out of service, forcing them to reach the next one in an “energy emergency” situation. Leaving aside various apps with built-in navigation that often prompt you to leave the highway to charge, the Puma doesn’t have a navigator.

Does it plan the route and charging stops?

How many people call a tow truck because their battery is dead?

Even before buying the EV3, I realized that while there’s no need to spend hours planning, some level of planning is essential—just to avoid wasting even more time (and peace of mind) in case of problems. That said, I agree that there needs to be more charging stations in service areas if the data cited by Quattroruote is accurate. Unfortunately, aside from misinformation, bad faith, and ignorance (see: “A useless luxury: that’s how electric cars are seen here”), these charging issues affect many people who already find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere with dead batteries. It would be interesting to know if there are any statistics on this. Putting car breakdowns aside, what percentage of electric vehicle owners have had to call a tow truck because of a dead battery?

Inadequate charging in A1? We don’t think so…

Answer. Let’s briefly summarize the journey of this family. After entering Valdichiana, they stopped first in Chianti Est and then in Bisenzio Est, without finding charging stations. So they left to charge at Barberino, off the highway. Continuing northward, they tried again in Arda Est, in Piacenza region, only to find chargers that were not working. Finally, with just 27 km of range left and hearts in their throats, they managed to refuel at Somaglia Est and make it home. What can be said? With a car that doesn’t have excellent range and two children in the car, it’s wise to plan stops in advance. This can be done in a few minutes using one of the many apps. We receive dozens of emails per week with complaints of all kinds, but we have no record of drivers left without battery power. Moreover, the Autosole A1 is one of the best-served sections: there’s a Free to X station every 50 km, and other brands are also available.

Arrival.

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