Forget Range Anxiety. EV Drivers Are Apparently Facing 'Hot Dog Anxiety'

New electric-car range and fast-charging performance in the U.S. have improved steadily. Volvo says drivers should rethink how long a fast-charging stop must be. The company calls the new behavior “hot dog anxiety,” where drivers stay longer than needed to charge, often while getting food, leading to overspending. Charging infrastructure is expanding, with more higher-powered public stations. Newer EVs using 800-volt architectures can charge far faster than earlier models. Volvo’s EX60 claims 10-80% in 16 minutes at 350 kW, BMW’s iX3 targets 400 kW for 185 miles in 10 minutes, and a Mercedes-AMG GT model is described as charging at 600 kW for 10-80% in 11 minutes. With these speeds, brief pit stops can provide enough range to reach home safely.

"We have discovered a new phenomenon, Anders Bell, the chief engineering and technology officer at Volvo Cars, told reporters at the U.S. debut of the EX60 in New York City. It's called hot dog anxiety, which replaces range anxiety, he added. For the record, there's nothing wrong with the culinary appeal of hot dogs. Instead, Bell was referring to drivers going to get a bite to eat, staying longer than their car needs to actually charge, and overspending on charging because of it."

"The lack of fast and ubiquitous charging options has long been a frustration for EV drivers. But public fast-charging networks are expanding rapidly in the U.S., with higher-powered stations becoming increasingly common. Newer EVs with 800-volt architectures also get charging speeds that would have seemed outlandish just a few years ago."

"Take the new Volvo EX60 as an example. The Swedish automaker claims it can charge from 10-80% in just 16 minutes at a 350-kilowatt station. The new BMW iX3 pushes even further, with a maximum charging rate of 400 kW that can add up to 185 miles of range in 10 minutes. And the newly revealed Mercedes-AMG GT will charge at a staggering 600 kW, enough to go from 10-80% in just 11 minutes."

"With speeds like these, Bell suggested that drivers often only need a quick pit stop to get enough range to get home safely. They don't necessarily need a full charge, or even a typical 10-80% top up. Since most EV owners charge at home overnight, road trips often only call for brief stops along the way. But drivers might be losing track of how quickly the electronsand the dollarsadd up."

Read at insideevs.com