Some info on adapters.

 

There are places in the US where the local criminals steel copper-copper anything, they've discovered the amount of copper in an EV charging stations cable, one pair of bolt cutters, they are in business. This problem is so common in the EU, EVs are sold with a cable. It isn't just Cats the criminals are stealing anymore! I predict, here in the US, the "charging stations" will require you to have your own cable, one that plugs in at both ends. There are criminals everywhere, this isn't isolated to just one geographic location.

 

That is a very good theory. I had thought about it for some time after hearing about new construction sites being robbed blind of all it's wiring many times around the area. I would imagine those that'll be using those chargers, (road trips) may indeed need their own cable.

The majority of the motoring public wont have to worry about it as they'll be charging at home.

 

I believe you're correct about the home charge. As long as they aren't in an area where there isn't enough juice at the time you need to charge, as no 100% of the entire population works exactly the same hours. Those charging at home, "more power to em"! This relegates those without their own charging cord, as they do in EU, to utilizing their vehicle within range of home, something along the lines of a metro only machine. who know U-Haul never misses a profit potential, they may rent you a charging cord, if you're leaving the range dictated by your home's location! If that business is good, I wouldn't be surprised U-Haul putting in charging stations at U-Haul centers! I'll add, they wouldn't be the only ones, profit is profit.

 

I don’t think it is.

Level 3 DC fast charging uses a different connector than Level 2 charging found at home, grocery stores, supermarkets, and other places. And the cables are fundamentally different; they are liquid-cooled to handle the massive power output of these stations.

It takes a fundamentally different design to handle 350 kW than it does 11 kW. There’s nothing you can do to a Level 2 charger to make it compatible with DC quick charging; they’re fundamentally different animals.

 

If it's a copper cable, do you think any of that matters to a thief?

 

My bigger argument is that it's impossible to bring a home charging setup to a public station and make it work. It's a fundamentally different connection that you can't just plug in. I don't see how you could make a workable, detachable 350 kW cable. It would be big, inflexible, and clunky enough that it would be difficult to fit into anything smaller than a Lightning.

I've never seen a pilfered charging cable, even in the most desolate and remote charging stations. They're big, thick cables that would be hard to cut, and a significant portion of that volume isn't copper.

 

On the reliability front, it looks like Electrify America is trying to do something about it. Over the last two days, they’ve sent out emails about how they’re relabeling the chargers and “improving the charging experience.” Whatever that means.

They’ve caught a ton of flak recently for their reliability issues, and it looks like they’re ripping out old chargers and replacing them with completely different units. These could be the droids we are looking for.

 

Theft of these cables is HUGE, if one spends a couple of seconds with google, you'll realize how wide spread the problem is. here is just one example from Van Nuys CA:"Out of the 40 stations that we have, 38 of them were stolen and the other two were damaged," said CEO of the nonprofit One Generation Jenna Hauss.

She says the estimated cost in damages is over $18,000.
source, Fox local Van Nuys CA.
I can post a hundred like stories, but I believe all will get the "jist" of this post, if not please Google "Stolen EV charging Cables".

 

ON edit: never mind. There’s no point in dragging this further off-topic.

 

Well I saw the first Lightning on I10 today and I was driving ~70mph and the Lightning passed me driving ~75-80mph.

 

They have a real good reason to force this...social (political) control. Covid was a warm up.

 

won’t surprise me in the near future there will be steps to outlaw older gas and diesel vehicles that don’t have a cell connection that can facilitate remote procedures, all in the name of “road safety”.

 

We are a truck forum, not a political one. If you have thoughts about the politics behind electric pickup trucks, there are no shortages of other places to discuss them. But this isn’t it.

 

Tom, you are 100% correct; however, an automatic, govt controlled "Kill switch" on new vehicles (especially electric) is a feature that will be mandatory, as in seat belts, or bumper requirements, etc., the motivation and cost-as it applies to a those new lightnings may be something worthy of discussion. Or a separate forum. Again, you are 100% correct, I'm adding just a thought, as it applies to new vehicle requirements, in the same way one would discuss new speed limits, or window tint etc.