WE'RE ANNOYED WITH HOW INEFFICIENT OUR EV TRUCKS ARE WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH RURAL AREAS

EV Channels Review

This episode of the Out-of-Spec Podcast highlights a significant pain point for owners of large, inefficient EVs like the Rivian R1T: the inadequacy of current charging infrastructure, particularly outside major corridors. Hosts Branden Flasch and Kyle Conner express frustration with slow charging speeds (62.5 kW and below) encountered in rural areas, which, combined with the trucks' low efficiency (around 1.8 miles/kWh), makes for painfully long charging stops. They argue that 50 kW DC fast charging is no longer sufficient for these vehicles and that even higher-rated chargers can be bottlenecked by cable limitations (200 amps) and load management. The discussion emphasizes that while these trucks are capable on main highways with high-power chargers, daily driving and quick top-ups in less developed areas expose their inefficiency. The hosts call for a multi-pronged solution including faster AC charging, more prevalent high-power DC charging, and potentially larger batteries, while also lamenting the current limitations of onboard chargers and charging standards.