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38 Messages

Saturday, January 20th, 2024 2:59 AM

Brisbane - Melbourne - Brisbane road trip 4545 kms

Just completed this trip over Christmas, one word, horrible experience, never again in an electric car.

Cost $130, but the experience with broken chargers, drivers charging to 100% hogging the chargers, long wait times (at one point 1hr and 20 mns) to charge, was a terrible, stressful experience, never again in an electric car.

Used predominately NRMA chargers in NSW. Armidale one broken, had to divert to a showground to charge on a 5 pin there, delay about 2 hrs. Parkes charger broken had to stop at Peak Hill Caravan park to charge on their 7 kw. Arrived at Young to find the charger working but the NRMA app out of service. Had to cut short the journey for that day and stay the night at Cootamundra (no chargers at Cootamunda, motel host kind enough for me to charge on their 3 pin overnight)

On the way back similar issue, had to wait at Nabiac for 1 hr and 20 mins to charge and all the surrounding chargers were out of action and 2 cars ahead charging on the only NRMA charger in town - however two modern chargers installed at Coonamble (where no one hardly visits).

Got to Macksville BP charger out of action, go to Coffs Harbour lady at the only working charger in town (3 or 4 in town only one working) she is busy installing the BP app - so she kindly let me charge while she was opening her account on the app.

Got to Ballina and two cars charging (to 100) so waited another 40 mins to begin charge, when my turn came to charge, had to go out in the pouring rain to plug in (no shelter) like the petrol bowsers,

Horrible experience, buying a petrol car next so I can have stress free road trips till I see the day every second petrol station has as many EV DC outlets as petrol bowsers.

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17 Messages

10 months ago

Hi Clayton, we're really sorry to hear about your experience. No doubt there was congestion due to it being the holiday period. Can you give me some more specific dates so I can find out more for you?

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38 Messages

Hi Bridie, yes it most likely was the busy holiday period, but I just hope that NRMA are working to add more stations at all these busy sites. I am sure you all have the data of your busiest sites re charging and perhaps place priority in duplicating these sites. There is currently no redundancy built into many of your DC fast charging sites, such as Young, Parkes, Armidale etc once this station is down that's it. Owners with smaller batteries and limited range have no liberty to go to the next charger or find an alternative. 

Armidale site was down on 28th December around 12:30pm. 

Parkes site down 1st of January we needed a charge around 7am.

Young site was working but software was down on 1st January around 1pm.

Wagga site not operational on 2nd January, we needed to charge around 7am.

Regards

Clayton

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