EV-GO's new Autocharge Plus

[DonTom]

Things are supposed to change quickly with EV charging in year 2025, and it is starting to happen already. For the very first time, I used EV-GOs new "AutoCharge Plus" on my 2023 Energica Experica electric motorcycle.

Soon all DCFCs (DC Fast Chargers) will have this.

What this means, is I go to an EV-GO CCS charger, plug in and walk away. Just like Tesla has had for years with their superchargers. Easier than a gas station, as not even one button to press, no credit card or cash need to be handled, it is all done automatically after the account is set up one time from anywhere, such as from home in advance as I did. That is just so it can recognize our VIN numbers and know who we are.

Still not nearly as fast as a gas station--but that will soon be coming too. At least in newer vehicles. But I don't care about that, because by the time I need a charger, a half hour or so break is fine with me.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Onyrlef]

Things are supposed to change quickly with EV charging in year 2025, and it is starting to happen already. For the very first time, I used EV-GOs new "AutoCharge Plus" on my 2023 Energica Experica electric motorcycle.

Soon all DCFCs (DC Fast Chargers) will have this.

What this means, is I go to an EV-GO CCS charger, plug in and walk away. Just like Tesla has had for years with their superchargers. Easier than a gas station, as not even one button to press, no credit card or cash need to be handled, it is all done automatically after the account is set up one time from anywhere, such as from home in advance as I did. That is just so it can recognize our VIN numbers and know who we are.

Still not nearly as fast as a gas station--but that will soon be coming too. At least in newer vehicles. But I don't care about that, because by the time I need a charger, a half hour or so break is fine with me.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Square the circle, drill baby drill, so gas prices will remain low and people will have zero to no incentive to buy a pita and meantime we're going to streamline EV charging nationwide so you won't need to buy gas.

 

[workinonit]

They are buying gas, coal and fuel rods. Lots of it. Just not directly.

 

[DonTom]

They are buying gas, coal and fuel rods. Lots of it. Just not directly.

No so much here in CA and will get better in the next 25 years:

For now, more like this:

And the countless roof top solar, as I have here, is not even counted in above.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

buy a pita

Like needing to go to gas stations as I do today? I am going to ride an ICE motorcycle back to Reno today and I need to get gas on the way.

But if I left here on an electric, I would go to Reno nonstop. Charge here and there, at my homes only. That is unless I stop for a meal as I often do in Verdi, NV as I get a free charge.

Yeah, getting gasoline on the way is a PITA.

The only reason I am taking a gas bike is because I must give them some exercise and burn off the old gasoline from not being used much. Another PITA that I do not have to be concerned with on EVs.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

, so gas prices will remain low

EVs stop the oil companies from playing games, such as the fake gasoline shortage in the late 1970's. Otherwise I do not think EVs effect the price of gasoline much. They simply limit the production to keep the price up.

But if they get too greedy, then more EV are purchased. There is now a limit to how much BS the oil companies can get away with. IMO, that is mostly a good thing. But low oil prices can also cause problems.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Onyrlef]

EVs stop the oil companies from playing games, such as the fake gasoline shortage in the late 1970's. Otherwise I do not think EVs effect the price of gasoline much. They simply limit the production to keep the price up.

But if they get too greedy, then more EV are purchased. There is now a limit to how much BS the oil companies can get away with. IMO, that is mostly a good thing. But low oil prices can also cause problems.

-Don- Auburn, CA

EV's effect the price of gas none, there aren't enough of them now, nor will there be in the near future and that's especially more so the case now. Outside the people with money and time to burn that other 80-90% of Americans aren't investing in a "pita" when there's zero incentive.

 

[workinonit]

What Cal produces and what gets used in Cal are 2 different things. That says 23%, I suspect it is much higher. As Cal weans off of fossil fuel that number will get higher. Just don't piss your neighbors off and have them open the OCBs and disconnects.

 

[John From Detroit]

I do now want to get into the EV/ICE debate on this thread but I wonder how EV-GO;s "we read the VIN' will work if you drive a Rental as I did a few weekends ago.. I use Charge point and had to show it my phone to make it go BEEP.

 

[RV Driver]

No so much here in CA and will get better in the next 25 years:

Define “better.”

As fas as I’m concerned, the entire EV industry is a scam. No one will discuss the negative effects of the industry, the pollution involved in battery production, and the fact that the electricity being used to charge your electric vehicles is still being produced by fossil fuels. Many EV owners become like cultists, refusing to listen to or discuss opposing views.

No thanks. I’ll continue to happily drive my Chrysler 300C, with its 400+ horsepower Hemi engine.

 

[DonTom]

I do now want to get into the EV/ICE debate on this thread but I wonder how EV-GO;s "we read the VIN' will work if you drive a Rental as I did a few weekends ago.. I use Charge point and had to show it my phone to make it go BEEP.

EvGo has a section to add rented vehicles. When I added my motorcycles, it asked me to confirm mine was not rented.

If rented, it is added differently. I didn't take a good look at the app (BTW, you can download it too) but I assume it uses dates for start and end. Perhaps can even set the time. Mine is permanent. That is permanent until I delete it, such as if I sell the vehicle. That is what one MUST do with Tesla. Nothing new other than other charging companies will do this the Tesla way. Tesla from the beginning designed their chargers to be extra super reliable. That means NO screens, NO buttons. Perhaps we will soon see the same on all chargers but also be able to use a credit card. I don't think charging companies like credit cards all that much, but for a good reasons. So you can monitor your charge from a distance. With Tesla also monitor the inside temps and much other stuff, in case you leave a doggy inside the car on a hot day and stuff like that, using the "Dog Mode".

This remote monitoring only works with wireless or mobile internet, so it cannot be used where there is no service. However, often there is a strong wireless system next to chargers, such as in Cold Springs Station, NV. There, use the wireless from the RV Park. No coverage, otherwise, as that is in the middle of nowhere, NV. The DCFCs are right next to the restaurant with good wireless coverage from the RV Park.

What I expect is coming next is no screens and no buttons on ANY charger. That will increase the reliability tremendously.

With Electrify America I usually use a credit card because it is easier than using the app. But then I have no way to monitor the charge when away, perhaps at a restaurant or whatever.

With the others, such as Chargepoint. I use their RFID card to start the charger and then I can monitor the charge later if I wanna. I have around a dozen of such cards that I always have with me when I am EVing. No way to monitor if a credit card is used.

I assume the car rental agencies will set it up so all you need to do is plug in and the entire thing gets canceled when you bring the car back.

But they will need to have more than one account set up, you do not want to be stuck with only being able to use one type of charger system such as EV-Go only. There are many. Perhaps in the near future the car rental agencies will be able to set up all of them at the same time. I am sure they will figure it out. This is especially needed for rental cars. Not all that important for experienced EV drivers, but it still is nice to be able to just plug in. I have many RFID cards from different charging companies, because of my severe case of Smartphone Phobia. I hate to even have a need to turn the thing on. Using the RFID cards are the 2nd best way. But with EV go, I can now plug in without having any card or anything else.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

No one will discuss the negative effects of the industry, the pollution involved in battery production, and the fact that the electricity being used to charge your electric vehicles is still being produced by fossil fuels. Many EV owners become like cultists, refusing to listen to or discuss opposing views.

All of that has been discussed, even right here in this forum, and several times.

It is true that it is MUCH dirtier to build an EV--no comparison there--ICE is MUCH cleaner to build.

So there you have it. But if you want the entire picture, see here.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

Define “better.”

More solar and wind and other cleaner energy sources.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

I’ll continue to happily drive my Chrysler 300C, with its 400+ horsepower Hemi engine.

You need to trade that slow thing in on a Tesla!

"The Tesla Model 3 has a peak power of 510 horsepower. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 163 mph. The combined output of the Model 3 is 480 horsepower, with 283 hp coming from the rear electric motor and 197 hp from the front motor. The car is powered by an 82.1 kWh battery"

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

I use Charge point and had to show it my phone to make it go BEEP.

Level two does NOT work with EV-Go's "Plug & Pray" (AutoCharge+)

And I don't want it to.

That is because those that can read a VIN number must see the VIN number or else you get a "communication error" and the charge well not start.

The problem is my semi-homebrew charging setup on my 2017 electric motorcycles. I use external chargers that send NO info to the charge stations.

So far, I have only seen one level-two charger that requires a VIN number and that was in Florida. I tried it and got such an error in year 2021 and could not charge the motorcycle there. I didn't need the charge, I only wanted to see what would happen and I got a "cannot communicate with vehicle" message so it would not supply any juice. That was on the motorcycle that I take on my RV trips.

IIRC, that one Level Two charge station was in front of a Target store in Kissimmee, FL. For my 2017 Zeros, the simpler Level Two charging, the better. Just let me have a 14-50R with no other BS. A plain 240 VAC at 35 amps is all I need (~8 KW) That is very reliable with my setup.

BTW, I use Chargepoint RFID cards. Just tap on machine and charging starts. Must faster and easier to use than any app.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[RV Driver]

You need to trade that slow thing in on a Tesla!
-Don- Reno, NV

I didn’t buy it to win drag races. I bought it (a 2007 Chrysler 300C Heritage Edition) because it’s a big, comfortable car with a nice reserve of power when you need it.

It’s also a throwback to the original 300C of 1957 (when I was just a kid) that I thought was the coolest car I had ever seen. It is still like-new in 2025. I often get comments about it.

 

[Chef Duane]

EVs stop the oil companies from playing games, such as the fake gasoline shortage in the late 1970's.

Yeah, there was no gasoline or oil shortage in the 70's. It was the embargo that was the issue.

"The 1970s oil embargo, particularly the 1973 oil crisis, was a significant event where the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) imposed an oil embargo against countries supporting Israel during the Yom Kippur War. This embargo led to substantial oil shortages and skyrocketing prices in the United States and other nations, reshaping global energy policies and geopolitics. The crisis highlighted the West's dependence on Middle Eastern oil and prompted efforts to develop alternative energy sources and improve energy efficiency." - wikipedia.

I just find it so ironic that just a few short years ago many people though Elon Musk was saving the world from oil, but now that he doesn't toe their line, he's the antichrist and they firebomb his products.

 

[Chef Duane]

It’s also a throwback to the original 300C of 1957 (when I was just a kid) that I thought was the coolest car I had ever seen. It is still like-new in 2025. I often get comments about it.

The '57 300C and Steven King's "Christine" were pretty much the same car. "Christine" was a Plymouth Fury however. Two and a quarter tons of rolling steel and chrome.

 

[DonTom]

, there was no gasoline or oil shortage in the 70's. It was the embargo that was the issue.

Then explain this.

Let's say back then there was an infinite supply of gasoline. But only one gas station was open every 100 miles. Would those extra-long lines still prove a shortage?

We had a few gas stations open with lines a mile or so long. Perhaps 100 closed gas stations within 20 miles or so from it.

We had very close to the same number of cars getting gasoline, they just had to wait longer for it.

Why?

How much gasoline we had had nothing to do with the number of gas stations open. They were closed only for one reason; to piss people off so they will be happy to soon pay twice the price with no complaints.

And that is exactly what happened.

If there were no BS involved all the gas station will still be open and would close when they ran out of gas, one at a time. There was no excuse for the lines.

When I first heard they were going to stop gasoline delivery to most of the gas stations, right then, I knew it had to be BS. There is NO other reasonable explanation.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Chef Duane]

Then explain this.

Let's say...

No. Let's not say....
Believe what you want to believe regardless of reality. You're going to anyway.