Electrify Chargers (EA) Early Termination - Idle Fees

[ADVDan]

Our 2023 Mach E charges fine to 100% once/week at home on Chargepoint home charger and at Hilton Hotel charger.

At EA charging station in Woodburn Outlet Mall (Oregon) using Ford App and wanting 100% charge this time, the Ford app said the car was charging to 100% by 1023 a.m. After thinking we had another have hour to go, we continued shopping. After subsequent checks showed the charge stuck at 90%, we returned to the car to discover that we were being charged Idle time at $0.40/min to a total of over $6 idling charge.

The EA app wouldn’t show our charging as we don’t use our monthly fee-based acct when not traveling much. After plugging in first and the charge initiating automatically via the Ford app, I tried viewing the charge status in the EA app, but the charger just said “in use”, in other words “not available to use.”

Calling and writing to EA on site and since has been of no use. They will not refund the idle fees, saying there is no error indicated on their charger. Our Ford app was set to 100% in the only place I know to set the Target Charge.

Next, we were overnight at the Portland Hilton and the valet plugged in the charger and it successfully charged to 100%.

Before comments on charging to 100%, please know that we do so normally only once/week at home as battery conditioning or when we really need the full charge, not often.

Do any of you have experience with EA being unable to charge the Mach E to 100%, or know a way to monitor EA charging on their app? I did not see a notice on the Ford app that charging was complete.

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[Charge_Rob]

There are notifications for charging complete from FordPass, and the live status of the vehicle's charging is visible on the FordPass home screen, along with the FordPass widget (iOS) or Apple Watch app. Ultimately even if the charger had an error that tripped it to end the session, in Electrify America's view that's time to move the vehicle so someone else could in theory use it, so idle fees start regardless of why the charge stops, whether their charger had an issue or not.

If you used BlueOval Charge Network to pay, then EA can't refund you anyway since you didn't pay with them, that would be Ford you'd call, but again there's little that can be done if EA believes idling occurred.

 

[Deleted member 19354]

Our 2023 Mach E charges fine to 100% once/week at home on Chargepoint home charger and at Hilton Hotel charger.

At EA charging station in Woodburn Outlet Mall (Oregon) using Ford App and wanting 100% charge this time, the Ford app said the car was charging to 100% by 1023 a.m. After thinking we had another have hour to go, we continued shopping. After subsequent checks showed the charge stuck at 90%, we returned to the car to discover that we were being charged Idle time at $0.40/min to a total of over $6 idling charge.

The EA app wouldn’t show our charging as we don’t use our monthly fee-based acct when not traveling much. After plugging in first and the charge initiating automatically via the Ford app, I tried viewing the charge status in the EA app, but the charger just said “in use”, in other words “not available to use.”

Calling and writing to EA on site and since has been of no use. They will not refund the idle fees, saying there is no error indicated on their charger. Our Ford app was set to 100% in the only place I know to set the Target Charge.

Next, we were overnight at the Portland Hilton and the valet plugged in the charger and it successfully charged to 100%.

Before comments on charging to 100%, please know that we do so normally only once/week at home as battery conditioning or when we really need the full charge, not often.

Do any of you have experience with EA being unable to charge the Mach E to 100%, or know a way to monitor EA charging on their app? I did not see a notice on the Ford app that charging was complete.

EA employees are based in Manila and are not familiar with the product they represent they only know what the power points and trainers have shown them. They are unable to think outside of the box and take responsibility.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Our 2023 Mach E charges fine to 100% once/week at home on Chargepoint home charger and at Hilton Hotel charger.

At EA charging station in Woodburn Outlet Mall (Oregon) using Ford App and wanting 100% charge this time, the Ford app said the car was charging to 100% by 1023 a.m. After thinking we had another have hour to go, we continued shopping. After subsequent checks showed the charge stuck at 90%, we returned to the car to discover that we were being charged Idle time at $0.40/min to a total of over $6 idling charge.

The EA app wouldn’t show our charging as we don’t use our monthly fee-based acct when not traveling much. After plugging in first and the charge initiating automatically via the Ford app, I tried viewing the charge status in the EA app, but the charger just said “in use”, in other words “not available to use.”

Calling and writing to EA on site and since has been of no use. They will not refund the idle fees, saying there is no error indicated on their charger. Our Ford app was set to 100% in the only place I know to set the Target Charge.

Next, we were overnight at the Portland Hilton and the valet plugged in the charger and it successfully charged to 100%.

Before comments on charging to 100%, please know that we do so normally only once/week at home as battery conditioning or when we really need the full charge, not often.

Do any of you have experience with EA being unable to charge the Mach E to 100%, or know a way to monitor EA charging on their app? I did not see a notice on the Ford app that charging was complete.

That charger has a 1 hour limit outside of mall business hours (sounds like you were there before 10AM). So that's probably why you were cut off. They don't want people there for long outside of business hours (perhaps that's why they also have a 90% limit). Like Rob said EA is probably not going to refund your idle fee because you're tying up a charger regardless of the intentions or cause. If charging stops, it's your responsibility to notice and do something about it ASAP to avoid idle fees. But it wasn't the car's fault that stopped charging.

FYI, it's not good charging etiquette to charge to 100% on a DC charger, it takes too long and ties up the charger for other people wishing to use it. Because the rate drops off so much at high percentage, you should only DC charge to 80-85% before stopping to move your car. Because of abuse by many people slow charging to 100%, EA is implementing charge limits and idle fees at certain locations to encourage people to move on and increase charger throughput.

If you want to charge higher than 85%, you should do that on a Level 2 charger rather than tying up a high power DC charger when Level 2 will do.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Once a week charge to 100% is too often and is no bueno.

 

[RickMachE]

Charging fees and limits are visible on the EA charger's screen. Charging to 100% regularly on DCFC is poor charger etiquette.

 

[ADVDan]

There are notifications for charging complete from FordPass, and the live status of the vehicle's charging is visible on the FordPass home screen, along with the FordPass widget (iOS) or Apple Watch app. Ultimately even if the charger had an error that tripped it to end the session, in Electrify America's view that's time to move the vehicle so someone else could in theory use it, so idle fees start regardless of why the charge stops, whether their charger had an issue or not.

If you used BlueOval Charge Network to pay, then EA can't refund you anyway since you didn't pay with them, that would be Ford you'd call, but again there's little that can be done if EA believes idling occurred.

Do you have any information on EA chargers NOT cha

There are notifications for charging complete from FordPass, and the live status of the vehicle's charging is visible on the FordPass home screen, along with the FordPass widget (iOS) or Apple Watch app. Ultimately even if the charger had an error that tripped it to end the session, in Electrify America's view that's time to move the vehicle so someone else could in theory use it, so idle fees start regardless of why the charge stops, whether their charger had an issue or not.

If you used BlueOval Charge Network to pay, then EA can't refund you anyway since you didn't pay with them, that would be Ford you'd call, but again there's little that can be done if EA believes idling occurred.

There were other empty spots. All when we arrived to charge, some when we arrived to get ours. Thx for the info. I will ck the Ford app closer next charge. I did not see a notice that it was complete. Perhaps, because it said it was charging to 100%, I just focused on it being at 90 and didn't see something saying it was complete. Worth checking out.

 

[ADVDan]

Charging fees and limits are visible on the EA charger's screen. Charging to 100% regularly on DCFC is poor charger etiquette.

 

[ADVDan]

I will look for something that posts a limited time or percentage on the charger. I never noted that before. As for the etiquette, I do not regularly do so, and find it more efficient in most all cases to go and charge faster with another stop. We had no other stops and there was nobody else there at the charging station as it was just at the start of business hours. Thanks for the tip on the limits being posted on the charger's screen.

 

[ADVDan]

Charging fees and limits are visible on the EA charger's screen. Charging to 100% regularly on DCFC is poor charger etiquette.

Once a week charge to 100% is too often and is no bueno.

You may want to read more about this on LFP batteries.

 

[ADVDan]

That charger has a 1 hour limit outside of mall business hours (sounds like you were there before 10AM). So that's probably why you were cut off. They don't want people there for long outside of business hours (perhaps that's why they also have a 90% limit). Like Rob said EA is probably not going to refund your idle fee because you're tying up a charger regardless of the intentions or cause. If charging stops, it's your responsibility to notice and do something about it ASAP to avoid idle fees. But it wasn't the car's fault that stopped charging.

FYI, it's not good charging etiquette to charge to 100% on a DC charger, it takes too long and ties up the charger for other people wishing to use it. Because the rate drops off so much at high percentage, you should only DC charge to 80-85% before stopping to move your car. Because of abuse by many people slow charging to 100%, EA is implementing charge limits and idle fees at certain locations to encourage people to move on and increase charger throughput.

If you want to charge higher than 85%, you should do that on a Level 2 charger rather than tying up a high power DC charger when Level 2 will do.

 

[ADVDan]

Thank you for your feedback. I was not aware that the charger had a 1 hour limit, but that is not what terminated it. We were not outside of business hours either. The charge started at 10:07 a.m., charged for 42 mins, terminating at 10:49 a.m. at 90%. As for the etiquette, I practice good etiquette. There was not anyone waiting. In fact every spot was open when we arrived and still an available one when we returned to the car. I only go to 100% if I have to and have only had to, one time prior and it didn't make it either. Some posts here say that the %limit and time limit are posted on the screen. I have not notice this before, but I will look for it. Thanks again.

 

[RickMachE]

You may want to read more about this on LFP batteries.

Doesn't matter what type of battery you have, charging to 100% at a DCFC is poor etiquette. I have charged to 95% to make the next charger, and 90% sometimes for the same reason, but charging to 100% when you don't need the range for your trip isn't cool.

Google "Charging etiquette" and every site you find tells you that.

 

[Maui]

I would assume idles fees are for when connected. So if you unconnect and sit there, I know bad etiquette if someone is waiting, they don't have other sensor and there would be no idle fees correct? Just a curiosity more than anything.

 

[ADVDan]

Yes, that would be bad etiquette. The worst I experienced was a woman had unplugged her car and left to shop more. Her excuse when she returned was: "I have a baby." Didn't matter that I could get to the charger for a long time.

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