Any experiences using Shell free charging?

y_p_w

y_p_w

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I'm playing around with it hoping to maybe get some free electrons here or there when I'm borrowing my parents' Tesla Model 3. Shell bought out Volta, but I heard they had an advertising kiosk model where you just plugged in. I heard it was just 2 hours and it would stop. Maybe lock out a specific vehicle for a certain period? I tried installing the Shell ReCharge app maybe last year but never used it. But I've been reading that the current way to do it is with the general Shell US app, which includes access to the Shell charging stations.

I'm seeing a lot of places I visit have availability and free charging, but it's kind of light on the details. As far as I can tell, one arrives there, checks the station ID, confirms the details, and confirms payment source. But there's real time availability on the app. Most of the ones I'm thinking of using are free (subsidized by businesses) but I suppose there might be a time when I need to use it as a paid service. The ones that are free, I [correction] can't seem to find what the time limit is on free charging, if there is one. Or perhaps idle fees like with Tesla Superchargers. And they should allow the use of an OEM Tesla adapter.

As far as I can tell, the (pricey) Tesla CCS adapter should work with a 2023 Model 3, but there's no way to use the standard J1772 adapter with a CCS plug.
 
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y_p_w said:
I'm playing around with it hoping to maybe get some free electrons here or there when I'm borrowing my parents' Tesla Model 3. Shell bought out Volta, but I heard they had an advertising kiosk model where you just plugged in. I heard it was just 2 hours and it would stop. Maybe lock out a specific vehicle for a certain period? I tried installing the Shell ReCharge app maybe last year but never used it. But I've been reading that the current way to do it is with the general Shell US app, which includes access to the Shell charging stations.

I'm seeing a lot of places I visit have availability and free charging, but it's kind of light on the details. As far as I can tell, one arrives there, checks the station ID, confirms the details, and confirms payment source. But there's real time availability on the app. Most of the ones I'm thinking of using are free (subsidized by businesses) but I suppose there might be a time when I need to use it as a paid service. The ones that are free, I can seem to find what the time limit is on free charging, if there is one. Or perhaps idle fees like with Tesla Superchargers. And they should allow the use of an OEM Tesla adapter.

As far as I can tell, the (pricey) Tesla CCS adapter should work with a 2023 Model 3, but there's no way to use the standard J1772 adapter with a CCS plug.
Click to expand...
I have been using the former Volta system chargers for two years now. In spite of any instructions they post there is no App needed; you just plug in and charge. Unfortunately the Shell chargers nearest to me have just been equipped with credit card readers so you might want to grab a few electrons while they are still free.

Every Volta charger I have visited featured J1772 plugs and I see Teslas using them frequently.
 
I used a Shell charger (a DCFC) just once (worked fine) so I don’t know their network well, but I did get emails recently about the Shell Recharge app shutting down and migrating to the normal Shell app.

I downloaded the “new” Shell app and it shows all fees at certain locations. Including idle fees.

Another option is using the Plug Share app and filtering by “Free Charge” location. And can filter by NACS or J1772

Even just filtering Level2 chargers (without the Free filter) will reveal a lot of free chargers “hidden” all over. Many are just “Live” all the time.
 
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I tried to use Shell Recharge in Junction, TX last October and the nicest thing I could say about it, is that it sucked. On the 4th charger that I tried, it finally worked, but I never got above 50KW, which at a 4% SOC in a Mach-E should have been around 130KW. After 30 minutes I pulled off and resolved to go to Electrify America before leaving town, which I did so a couple of days later. I haven't been back to a Shell Recharge location since then.

Now that we have our Tesla adapter, it's unlikely I'd go elsewhere on a road trip unless I had to.
 
I have one in town that's free. I haven't had any issue with it. All I had to do was download the app and make an account. I haven't used it in a long time. It got some early usage while I was waiting for my EVSE to show up. It was late to deliver when we got the Model 3.
 
Torrid said:
I have one in town that's free. I haven't had any issue with it. All I had to do was download the app and make an account. I haven't used it in a long time. It got some early usage while I was waiting for my EVSE to show up. It was late to deliver when we got the Model 3.
Click to expand...

It's kind of hard trying to figure out what's what without photos of the site. I know there are new Shell Recharge that look like a gas pump. Different styles, but I think these can be paid with point of sale credit/debit card system.

images


But then there are the existing ones acquired from Volta.

348s.jpg


I saw one location listed that I've seen before that I thought was just some sort of business provided charging system. It has boxes from different suppliers mounted on the columns in a subterranean garage with J1772 connectors. Seemed like an impromptu setup. But then I noticed that they had these big screens on the wall, so I'm thinking it's an old Volta setup.

I looked it up, and found some old photos of it. They had some sort of Volta-branded boxes separate from the advertising display. I guess they might have failed and they just replaced them with something generic.

1250490.jpg
 
y_p_w said:
It's kind of hard trying to figure out what's what without photos of the site. I know there are new Shell Recharge that look like a gas pump. Different styles, but I think these can be paid with point of sale credit/debit card system.

images


But then there are the existing ones acquired from Volta.

348s.jpg


I saw one location listed that I've seen before that I thought was just some sort of business provided charging system. It has boxes from different suppliers mounted on the columns in a subterranean garage with J1772 connectors. Seemed like an impromptu setup. But then I noticed that they had these big screens on the wall, so I'm thinking it's an old Volta setup.

I looked it up, and found some old photos of it. They had some sort of Volta-branded boxes separate from the advertising display. I guess they might have failed and they just replaced them with something generic.

1250490.jpg
Click to expand...
The ones here look like the first picture.
 
I went out for the day and found one to use. It was the kiosk style bought from Volta. Had some communications problems and had to restart a few times. But other than that, it’s not that hard to use. I plugged it in with an adapter, then identified the charger (by number) on the app and approved starting the charge. These were classified as free with a 2 hour limit. After I was done, I checked my credit card transactions and nothing was charged, including holds.

I did notice some were hogged. I think some just leave there EVs even after the charging has stopped. Saw one listed as available but when I got there it was someone parked, but with the connector still on the base. I took another look around parking lot and he was still there, just parked with the door open.
 
andrew_j said:
If is close maybe, most of these free chargers trickle and provide maybe 3-15 miles/hr.
Click to expand...
The one by me is level 2. 32a on the Model 3 and 48a on the Model Y since it's a Performance with the cobalt based battery. They don't do free on the CCS units here. For these cars that's around 25 miles an hour.
 
andrew_j said:
If is close maybe, most of these free chargers trickle and provide maybe 3-15 miles/hr.
Click to expand...

The one I used said 9.6 kW, but I was getting a little over 6. It was maybe 27 miles of estimated range per hour. It was 32A at about 205V AC. 32A is the limit for this car with Level 2. The CCS versions might be up to 50 kW, but a Tesla CCS adapter is $300 and is only sold new to registered owners.

https://shop.tesla.com/product/ccs-combo-1-adapter
 
dubber09 said:
I understand US is opening more coal mines to boost electricity production, ok, let's burn more coal to pretend electric cars are clean.
Click to expand...
Do you have anything better to do with your time? The US also trying to cut wind and solar as some show of brain dead power and that’s supposed to be my problem?

Complain all you want about free fuel for your vehicle, but you know the type of vehicle to buy if you want it.
 
This is how it computes in my brain. The folks who charge at home love their EV . The people I see at the Tesla charging station don't look like they are having a kumbaya moment. Just an observation.
 
Hermann said:
This is how it computes in my brain. The folks who charge at home love their EV . The people I see at the Tesla charging station don't look like they are having a kumbaya moment. Just an observation.
Click to expand...

It’s not so bad when out on vacation and it’s pretty fast. Then there are those who still have complimentary charging for the life of the car.
 
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