Charging networks, apps required and member requirements, Northwest area

[GA_Rivian]

We're hoping to take delivery in a few weeks in Bellevue, WA. It's been a long wait, but jazzed to get rolling. We're going to have a long drive home to MT and wondering how many different charging apps and memberships people generally have. Sure would be nice to be able to just swipe a credit card.

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[TollKeeper]

I would think if you got the Tesla app, you should be generally good. Cant beat the superchargers!

But you would have to check and see if any of the charger stations have the magic dock to be sure!

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

I would think if you got the Tesla app, you should be generally good. Cant beat the superchargers!

But you would have to check and see if any of the charger stations have the magic dock to be sure!

To be clear, very few Tesla Superchargers have MagicDock installed. For those unaware; MagicDock refers to Tesla Superchargers that have an integrated CCS adapter and are unlocked to charge non-Tesla vehicles.

From observing other posts similar to this, it seems like the charger networks most use are as follows:

RAN (Rivian Adventure Network): Rivian app
Electrify America
Tesla (app will tell you where MagicDock chargers are)
EVgo
ChargePoint (very few fast charging options)

You should check out route planning apps like ABRP (A Better Route Planner) to see which chargers are along your route and when to plan charging stops. Another great app is PlugShare, which is community run and has lots of reviews on chargers to let you know which ones are reliable and available.

 

[VandalSibs]

If you are taking I90 back to Montana, the are Tesla Superchargers with Magicdocks (so your new Rivian could change there) in George (westmost location) and Moses Lake.

 

[av8or]

I mostly use Rivian, Electrify America, and Tesla and I pause the subscription when I won’t be using them. If swiping or tapping a card isn’t available and often it’s not, downloading and setting up a new app doesn’t take too long, especially if you need juice. I’ve set up several while sitting in front of the charger. Congratulations I hope you love it!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

You should plan your route ahead and see which charging networks are available. You can do it with Rivian app or A Better Route Planner app. Payment through each network’s app is better than swiping cards at the chargers.

Not all Tesla SC locations allow non-Teslas.

 

[GA_Rivian]

Payment through each network’s app is better than swiping cards at the chargers

What do you mean by that? Cheaper? What's better about paying through an app?

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

What do you mean by that? Cheaper? What's better about paying through an app?

More secure and reliable.

 

[VSG]

The best thing to do is to learn how to answer this yourself by using ABRP to plan your route home, see which chargers it has you stopping at, then making sure you are prepared to charge at those chargers. And scout out some backups just in case you find you are using more energy than you planned for, or in case you do some side trips or find you are running behind schedule.

But for Seattle to Montana, the primary brand you're going to encounter is Electrify America.

Here is my proposed trip. Try it yourself in ABRP.

1) Ask the service center to have your car charged to 100% for pick up. There is no harm in doing this occasionally, and since you will be driving it immediately it's not going to stay at 100% for long. But that will let you travel pretty far before you have to stop.
2) Plan for a stop in George on I90 at the Tesla Magic Dock. Charge for a half hour.
3) Next stop in Spokane on I90 at the RAN charger for a half hour.
4) Depending on when you leave, you might want to time your trip so you can eat while stopped at one of these places. Or choose a different place to stop and charge. Best experience is to multitask when you are stopped, so don't be making a stop just to eat without charging.
5) The rest of the chargers along I90 are going to be Electrify America. Looks like you only have to make one more stop, in Missoula, but you might want to make a brief stop in Kellogg to top off after Spokane just because you will probably be getting low on battery by about Missoula and you really don't need the stress. Better to be safe on your first trip so you can learn how close to cut things.
6) If you plan on doing this in two days, choose a hotel that has a charger. That will give you one "free" overnight charge and give you the opportunity to detour a bit to see some of the sights along the way, since you won't have to spend all the daylight hours just racing to get home.

First, install the EA app. Set it up with your credit card information so you don't need to use a physical card (card slots are sometimes vandalized or don't work - the app is much more reliable). Choose the free plan.

Also, the day before you drive home, upgrade to their Pass+ plan. You can do this through the app once you have an account and payment method set up. This will cost $7/mo. but you can cancel it and re-activate it on a month-by-month basis. Why should you do this? Because you will save 25% when you charge. That means that after ONE charging session you will have recovered your monthly fee. Because you're going to be charging at EA at least two times on that trip, you'll end up saving money. Then cancel your Pass+ when you get home and your discount will expire after 1 months. Repeat when necessary.

Second, there are two Tesla Magic Dock chargers along the way, like @VandalSibs said. You're going to want to try one out just for future reference, but they're also a little cheaper than the EA chargers along the way (although they are also a little slower). Many more Tesla chargers are going to be available to Rivans in the future, but for now these Magic Dock chargers are few and far between. These ones in central WA are the closest to you, so this is likely the only chance you'll get to use one in the near future ...

To use the Tesla Magic Dock chargers you will need to set up the Tesla app and add a payment method. These Tesla chargers don't allow you to use a credit card.

Third, there is a RAN charger in Spokane you should stop at. Why? For the same reason you should stop at the Tesla chargers - for the experience. Plus, the RAN is the fastest and best charging experience you will get in a Rivian. They are sure to be working properly and unlikely to be crowded.

You do not need any app for the RAN chargers, but make sure you have a valid credit card added to your Rivian account - that is what will be charged.

 

[GA_Rivian]

You do not need any app for the RAN chargers, but make sure you have a valid credit card added to your Rivian account - that is what will be charged.

It's possible to have more than one card in a Rivian account. It looks like it only charges the default one. What's the point of having additional ones? I was going to add my wife's but don't see the point.

Thanks for the charging suggestions, especially trying out the different vendors.

 

[VSG]

It's possible to have more than one card in a Rivian account. It looks like it only charges the default one. What's the point of having additional ones?

I don't know.

But one other thing to think about - when setting up your charging apps choose a credit card that gives you money back on EV charging. Costco credit cards, for example, give 4% back.

 

[BigSkies]

Good advice above on ABRP. Put some of your common road-trip destinations in there and set up accounts with the networks you’ll be using.

Download PlugShare in addition. Check recent reviews for all chargers to see if you need to plan around broken or derated chargers.

Other networks that are common:
-EVGo: You can enter your Rivian VIN for plug-and-charge. It’s a nice feature

-ChargePoint: A very common network for L2 charging, and some L3 chargers.

-EVConnect: A smaller network that tends to be both overpriced and unreliable.

-Blink: Another smaller network that I don’t see to often.

 

[Birdowin]

Or, the simplest way is to use the Rivian app on your phone. On the home page tap the arrow icon and it will take you to the route planning page. Add your home address and it will plan the route and show all of the chargers, times, brand of charger and length of charge at each one. Then hit send to truck and it will program the route to your new truck. The same applies in your Rivian. You can plan trips on the main screen. Remember this is all new technology so be patient and don’t expect everything to work perfectly on the first trip.
Have a great trip.

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