Interesting point about the portable battery packs—I haven't tried one myself, but a friend did and wasn't too impressed. He said charging was painfully slow. Wonder if they're improving at all lately?
"He said charging was painfully slow."
Yeah, I've heard similar things, but honestly, my experience wasn't too bad. Last summer, I borrowed one from my cousin after my EV decided to die on me halfway through a road trip (classic me, always pushing my luck). Sure, it wasn't lightning-fast, but it got me enough juice to reach the nearest charger without having to call for help or embarrassingly flag down passing cars. Maybe they're not perfect yet, but they're definitely handy in a pinch... beats waiting on the roadside feeling sorry for yourself, trust me.
- Had a similar experience once, borrowed a portable charger from a friend and it was definitely slow, but better than nothing.
- Still skeptical about relying on them regularly though... feels like more of an emergency backup than a real solution.
- Curious if anyone's tried those roadside assistance services specifically for EVs—are they quicker or just as painfully slow?
I've never tried the roadside EV assistance myself, but honestly, I'm skeptical they'd be much quicker. Seems like they'd just bring along a bigger portable charger or tow you to the nearest station anyway, right? I mean, if you're stuck somewhere remote, waiting around is probably inevitable. Maybe the real solution is better planning ahead or investing in a higher-capacity battery from the start... Has anyone actually had a roadside EV service show up quickly and solve the issue efficiently?
"Seems like they'd just bring along a bigger portable charger or tow you to the nearest station anyway, right?"
Actually, from my experience, that's not always the case. Had a flat battery once—totally my fault—and roadside assistance showed up surprisingly quick. They used a specialized mobile charging unit that gave me enough juice in about 15 minutes to reach a proper station. Sure, better planning helps, but don't underestimate how efficient some of these services can be... just depends on your luck and location.
