Did EA Free Charging Actually Work for You?

I bought a '23 I5 SEL AWD recently, but it was used as a service loaner before, so it already had 4k miles on it. The salesperson mentioned that I wouldn’t get the EA free charging, which didn’t bother me much. But after seeing someone post about registering for it, I figured I’d give it a try. To my surprise, the registration went through, and when I tested it out, it worked! Super happy about this since the EA station is just 5 miles away. Looks like I’ll be charging my Ioniq there now!

Congrats on getting it to work! EA chargers are always full where I live (Bay Area), but if I go at odd times, I can charge pretty quickly. At least they’re fast when you can actually use them!

Eli said:
Congrats on getting it to work! EA chargers are always full where I live (Bay Area), but if I go at odd times, I can charge pretty quickly. At least they’re fast when you can actually use them!

Yeah, the free charging is great, but I think that’s also why the stations are always packed. I’ve heard lots of complaints from people saying they have to wait up to 40 minutes to use the free chargers. Honestly, it would’ve been better if they just offered a discount instead, like 50% off for a couple of years. That way, people wouldn’t hog the stations just because it’s free.

@Noah
Yeah, free charging has definitely caused some issues. When EA dropped their prices in 2023, the whole network became crowded, and now it feels like everyone’s always waiting. It probably did more harm than good, turning people off from EA entirely.

@Noah
I think some of the problem is that people charge even when they don’t need to. I always wait until I’m low, but others will plug in at 50%.

Maris said:
@Noah
I think some of the problem is that people charge even when they don’t need to. I always wait until I’m low, but others will plug in at 50%.

I went in at 45% last night because I had a 350-mile work trip the next day. I wanted to start with a full charge. But I made sure to go at 9 PM when it wasn’t busy.

@Del
You’re probably going to need to charge again during your trip, right? Maybe it would’ve been better to stop at 80% and then top off during the day?

@Del
Where are you located? 9 PM is actually one of the busiest times in my area.

Maris said:
@Noah
I think some of the problem is that people charge even when they don’t need to. I always wait until I’m low, but others will plug in at 50%.

I saw someone plug in at 69% at my local EA station the other day. I still wonder why they’d do that.

@Bailey
I’ve got the 2-year free charging too, and I only use EA when I’m between 18% and 25% up to 80%. Occasionally, I’ll push it to 90% depending on time or traffic. Once a month, I charge to 100% at home.

@Bailey
Maybe he didn’t need much of a charge? I only charge every 5-6 days to keep my battery above 30%. Luckily, the EA station near me is always empty, and it’s just 3 miles from my house. I’ll sometimes top off to 80% while I’m running errands nearby.

Maris said:
@Noah
I think some of the problem is that people charge even when they don’t need to. I always wait until I’m low, but others will plug in at 50%.

For those who charge at EA, at what percentage do you go? I just got my car and I’m figuring out when to charge.

@Scout
I usually charge when my battery is between 18-25% and take it up to 80-90%. The station is close, so I go early in the morning. Once a month, I do a full charge at home.

@Scout
It’s usually recommended to keep your charge between 30% and 80% unless you’re heading out on a trip. Also, frequent charges are better for the battery’s longevity than letting it drop too low.

Maris said:
@Noah
I think some of the problem is that people charge even when they don’t need to. I always wait until I’m low, but others will plug in at 50%.

The issue would be fine if people stopped at 80%, but some cars like Bolts and Leafs take forever to charge, and they slow down the whole process.

@Galen
They definitely need to charge, but the charging speeds on those cars really do need to improve for everyone’s sake.

Maris said:
@Galen
They definitely need to charge, but the charging speeds on those cars really do need to improve for everyone’s sake.

Exactly! Not saying they shouldn’t charge, just that it’s frustrating seeing them take up space for so long.

I bought a former loaner too, and since you’re the first owner outside the dealership, you get the same perks as a brand-new buyer, like the full warranty and free charging.

What color did you go with? I was looking at one just like you mentioned: SEL AWD, dealer loaner, 4k miles. The salesman told me the free charging wasn’t included, but it sounds like you lucked out! Congrats on your purchase and free charging!

@Tavis
I’m in Central Florida, and I went with Digital Teal. They had a white one with the same mileage as well.