CCS Charger

[Derek2]

How have people fared using the CCS 50kWp charger. I assume this is DC charging

 

[eNate]

I've never had any issues, other than the occasional charger being down or charging slowly. The i3 really ratchets down the charge rate for the final 10%, so unless "all the range" is needed, it's best to cut the session inside of that 80 to 90% SOC window, otherwise session time can double.

 

[3pete]

<span>I assume this is DC charging</span>

Yes, 50kW charging is DC.

<span>I've never had any issues, other than the occasional charger being down or charging slowly.
</span>

I've had:
* Charger is broken and is self-aware of that fact
* Charger acts like it works but won't charge your car. Plugshare check-ins show it works for Chademo and also corroborates other CCS cars can't use it
* Charger is slow -- like, 1kW slow. That was at an Electrify America charger, I never did check if they charged my credit card the three cents I racked up before moving to another charger that worked fine.
* Charger is "slow" intentionally. Harley dealer's chargers typically max out at 24kW. Also, reading plugshare reviews (and on here), it seems like i3s have more issues not being able to charge on these stations for some reason. Maybe since BMW also makes motorcycles they're a direct competitor to HD? :lol:
* Charger won't activate - claims it's not connected to the car but car shows it's connected

Additionally, issues not specific to fast-charging can apply:
* Location has 1 charger and it's occupied (EA is the only one around me with multiple DC Fast Chargers in a location)
* Walmart shopper/worker has parked in front of the charger

Lastly: pricing that works out to being as expensive or more than gasoline.

For all those reasons (and my car's realistic 60 mile range), I charge at home 99% of the time and I'm not sure how I'd feel on a road trip relying on DC Fast Chargers even a longer range vehicle. As long as you have enough range to hop between Electrify America stations (or Tesla superchargers if you have a Tesla) you should be fine.

 

[stumbledotcom]

It's significantly better today than it was in 2014/15. In the SF Bay Area, there are now hundreds of DC locations, including a seemingly rarely used, double-unit EVGo station in the public side of my condo complex's garage. Over the years, I've experienced many of the issues 3pete highlights but none have happened to me since late 2018. I feel as if the dominant players here EVGo and ChargePoint have finally gotten their act together. I charged at an EA station on Saturday for the first time. While it was confusing and frustrating, I did go from about 40% to 90% in the time it took for us to walk a block, pickup an item at a pharmacy and walk back.

 

[eNate]

Agreed, EA can be a bit confounding at first, seriously after using EVGo. But free EA charging came with the ID.4 that I also own, and my recent all EA road trip have gotten me use to their pecularities, and they've yet to let me down.