Thanksgiving can be a sensitive time for those of us that work in the EV charging industry. There’s of course the trope of the EV skeptic uncle who might be particularly energized this year. There’s also the more mundane prospect of having to explain yet again that your trip was fine and as always charging was not an issue. For those of us on the infrastructure side, there’s the very real concern that perhaps the promise of seamless charging won’t pan out for some. Ghosts of thanksgiving’s past like the very viral and perennially exaggerated video from Thanksgiving 2019 at the San Luis Obispo Supercharger still haunt our industry this time of year. And while it’s true that charging infrastructure has come a far way in the last five years, this is still the time of year that puts our still nascent industry to the test.
So, what can we do to do besides fret and look forward to some tryptophan fueled stress relief? At Stable, whenever we find ourselves facing a fog of uncertainty and anecdotes we’ve found that data offers the best sunlight. This case is no different. If you find yourself trying to plug in this Thanksgiving, here’s what we’ve found:
As with any major travel weekend, there’s the potential for congestion but at this point it’s less of a particular concern for charging than it is dealing with traffic more broadly. Looking at the daily trends, expect some charging congestion in the same places you’d expect traffic more broadly:
Areas With Congestion by Hour Over Thanksgiving Week
Congestion was intermittent and concentrated around peak travel times, mostly concentrated in the afternoon and evening and typically outside a handful of peak hours was relatively manageable.
Looking at overall congestion across whole week, few places saw persistent extended congestion beyond 1-2 hours of peak rush hour per day.
Total number of hours with light, moderate, and high congestion over Thanksgiving week
Unlike a normal week when weekend afternoons see the greatest congestion, around Thanksgiving the two worst times to plug in are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday afternoon. Saturday afternoon in particular is a time of peak congestion nationwide. Our advice - get some extra time with your friends and family, travel on Sunday if you can.
Average Nationwide Utilization by Hour Over Thanksgiving Week
Last years most congested corridors and times:
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