Charging on the Go: Mastering Payment Methods at Electrify America Stations with Your Credit Card or App

I’m going on a long trip with my 2023 Volvo XC40 and wanted to test the high-speed charging capabilities of the Electrify America station.

I downloaded the app and set up an account. I also added Electrify America to my Apple Wallet. 

At the station, I plugged the high-speed adapter into the car outlet, then tapped my phone where the credit card reader it. No matter what I did, It would not recognize the phone, telling me that there was an error, and to try again. 

I tried a few times and then gave up. 

CREDIT CARD

I ended up swiping with a credit card, which activated the station and started charging. 

After I finished this first test, I ended the session and removed the charger. 

SECOND TRY

Then I plugged in the charger again to try to get the app to work.

Only then did I realize that I had to tap UNDER the credit card payment box against the charger where it says, "Members: tap here to pay with plan". That user interface needs a lot of improvement.

After I tapped there, the charging started once again. 

Without a plan, you have to pre-load at least $10 into your account. I did that. 

When I looked at my recent credit card transactions I saw a $50 charge from Electrify America. I had to search online to see why that happened and it is a temporary charge that verifies your credit card account that is supposed to go away once the charge from your charging session completes. I'll be watching that to make sure the $50 charge goes away. 

UPDATE: It looks like I was at an older charger with an old design. Here’s a photo of a newer charger. Makes more sense.

Charging an Electric Car via a Clothes Dryer Outlet Adapter

I'm using a clothes dryer outlet adapter to connect to my Volvo XC40 Recharge charging cable. I set the 'Current Limit (amps)" setting to 24. It charges at a rate of 15 miles per hour.

My electrician says, "It is safe to go to 24 amps, fyi. You will be good. 20 will work fine with that adapter. You can go 80% of the load, which is 24 amps."

Please discuss this option with your electrician.

Volvo XC40 Recharge EV doesn’t have an AM radio!

Volvo XC40 Recharge EV doesn’t have an AM radio, but you can get AM radio like WBZ-AM via apps like iHeartRadio and TuneIn.

First At-Home Electric Car Charge

First at-home charge.

I used the supplied Volvo charger to connect to the standard plug in my garage.

“Domestic Outlet/Home Charging (Level 1): 

A standard three-prong outlet with 110V/120V doesn't charge an electric vehicle at great speeds, but it's good for plugging your car in overnight so that it's charged in the morning. With level one charging, you can usually expect about 24 hours for a full charge to be complete.”

8 hrs = 24-40 miles. At best 5 mph.

I wasn’t ready to buy or lease an electric car, so I subscribed to one. 

I wasn’t ready to buy or lease an electric car, so I subscribed to one. 

Volvo lets you subscribe to a car at a fixed price without a long-term commitment. 

That was perfect for me because while looking for a new car, I wasn’t ready to commit to an electric vehicle, but when I found out that I could subscribe to a car with a minimum five-month term, I decided to do it. 

We got a 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge TWIN AWD Ultimate. It’s all-electric. The subscription includes insurance, tire coverage, dents and dings coverage up to $1,000, maintenance, and 24/7 roadside service.

After five months, you can return the car, buy the car, or continue leasing it for a total of two years. 

Now begins my personal experience with owning an electric car.