Yeah, PlugShare has definitely saved me a few headaches, but you're right—sometimes the info can be sketchy or outdated. Another tip I'd throw in is to always keep a quick-charging cable or adapter handy, especially if you're traveling through unfamiliar routes. One time I got stranded near a charger that was supposed to be working (according to PlugShare AND the official app), and nothing was happening... Luckily, I had a cable and a nearby hotel let me plug in overnight. Slow, but better than nothing.
Honestly, this is exactly why I'm still hesitant about going full EV. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the tech and all, but reliability is king for me—especially on a budget. One thing I'd suggest is keeping a portable power bank or jump starter with a built-in inverter handy. They're not too pricey these days, and in a pinch, you can at least get enough juice to limp to the next charger. Saved my buddy once when his fancy EV app let him down...
Good points about the portable power bank—definitely a smart backup. A couple things I'd add from an insurance perspective:
- Check your roadside assistance coverage carefully. Some policies now explicitly cover EV towing or charging assistance, but others might still be catching up.
- Be aware that frequent battery drain-outs or emergency charges could potentially impact your battery's long-term health and lifespan, which might indirectly affect your vehicle's resale value or even insurance premiums down the line.
- Also, double-check if your insurer offers discounts or incentives for EV owners who install home chargers or have backup solutions in place. Some companies are starting to reward proactive planning.
Personally, I'm still on the fence about EVs myself—mostly due to infrastructure concerns. Curious though, has anyone here actually had to use their roadside assistance for an EV yet? How'd it go?
Interesting points about insurance—I hadn't really thought about how frequent emergency charges might affect battery health or even resale value. Good to know.
I haven't personally had an EV yet, but my brother-in-law recently got one, and he actually did have to use roadside assistance a couple months back. He was driving home from a weekend trip and misjudged the range (rookie mistake, I guess). Anyway, he ended up stranded about 10 miles from the nearest charging station. He called his roadside assistance provider, and they sent out a flatbed truck pretty quickly—within about 45 minutes or so. The driver was familiar with EVs and knew exactly how to load it safely, which was reassuring.
But here's the kicker: when they got to the charging station, it was already occupied and had another car waiting in line. So he ended up waiting another hour before he could even start charging. Not exactly ideal after already being stranded once that day...
It made me realize that while roadside assistance might be catching up quickly, infrastructure still has some ways to go—especially in rural areas or along less-traveled routes. I'm budget-minded myself, so I've been crunching numbers on whether an EV makes sense financially right now. Between potential battery wear from frequent deep discharges and the inconvenience factor of limited charging stations, I'm still hesitant.
Still, it's encouraging to hear insurers are starting to reward proactive planning like home chargers or backup solutions. That could tip the scales eventually for me. For now though, I'll probably stick with my trusty hybrid until things improve a bit more on the infrastructure front.
Fair points, but honestly, range anxiety fades pretty quickly once you get used to your EV's quirks. I've had mine two years now, and after a month or so, planning charges just became second nature...haven't been stranded yet (knock on wood).
