A2Z Adapter Recall: Typhoon v1 Exchange Program

[Mach1E]

10,000 cycles, seriously though?

Even if you DC charged exclusively that’s over 2,000,000 miles worth of charging.

Literally EVERYTHING on the car will wear out long before this adapter thing.

This new adapter will be the cockroach of the apocalypse as it will be the last thing remaining on earth.

Sponsored

 

[4sallypat]

I'm going to be honest, this sounds like Tesla trying to bully A2Z a bit, a much smaller company that actually saved my biscuits being able to get me an adapter for a cross-country move LONG before my adapter from Ford came. There's no way I'm doing even 1,000 cycles let alone 10,000 on this thing, and I've never had to charge for a full hour (particularly not anywhere near the throughput they are concerned about). The adapter is a temporary stopgap until NACS comes installed by default which won't be long.

If it saves A2Z a few bucks to not have to junk my adapter and send me a new one, I'm just going to keep what I've got and take the "risk," since I've got the Ford/Tesla version now anyway if I actually get concerned.

Agree - A2Z is being bullyed by Tesla.

A2Z has been my savior from April (OG Typhoon) and has never had an issue, much less surface temps.

7 months charging using A2Z has been flawless.

Can't say that with the recalled Ford/Tesla adapter being replaced....

 

[titan2220]

Couldn't have come at a better time. I'm at 9,985 charges!

 

[bbulkow]

I think Tesla is being too alarmist here. Nobody is going to use an adapter 10,000 cycles. And the Mach-E never draws more than 450 amps. So it will never overheat.

EDIT: The more I read about this, the more it seems like Tesla is just being a bully by sending a cease and desist letter, and forcing them to recall the V1 adapter for an unrealistic use case. I don’t know of any EVs that draw 500 amps for a whole hour.

My thoughts exactly.

To pull high amps you'd need lower voltage like our mache, but 500A * 350V is 175kw (above our charge speed), and there are no EVs with 175kwh batteries. I'm not familiar enough with rivian or other cars to know if they'd exceed... but they can't exceed for a whole hour because of battery pack size. You'd need to serially use the adapter with one vehicle, then switch to another vehicle a moment later before it cools down, or something. Given the A2Z has robust temperature measurement and cutoff, the outcome would be safe. I guess it would be possible to exceed temps if charging in a high-temp environment? I charged in Nevada on a 120F day.... and we're going to get more of those....

10,000 cycles of insertion and removing.... to hit that in a year, you'd have to insert and remove 27 times a day. Or 3 times a day for 10 years. If every DCFC resulted in adding 100 miles of range - per insertion - the adapter lasts 1,000,000 miles. If my mache reaches 1,000,000 miles you know for sure I'm having a party and one $200 adapter isn't going to be the limiting factor.

The email suggests that once the adapter is a bit worn, *and* overheats, there might be an actual safety issue.

The only case this makes sense is an adapter which is being loaned out at a charging site, and being used multiple times (10+) times per day every day. Personal use, with existing cars, would never reach this kind of use.

Or, if you have multiple cars (perhaps 5 cars which you keep for 200k miles each and always DCFC at a Supercharger), and you keep the adapter for 20 years. Or it's something like a rental car fleet and you're charging a lot of cars every day? Industrial uses I can imagine.

I'm torn about whether to initiate a recall. I'm assuming its free - and I won't lose the use of my adapter for a day - then I'll ask myself if I want to help Tesla's bully machine.

 

[HalifaxDC]

I'm assuming there's no cost to do the exchange/replacement? I had a quick look, and didn't see any.

 

[ack154]

I'm assuming there's no cost to do the exchange/replacement? I had a quick look, and didn't see any.

Correct. As long as you're eligible, it's free.

 

[RickMachE]

Shipments will begin Monday for those that complete the registration and photo process.

 

[bbulkow]

Many more of you probably just got the same email (and might even beat met to posting as I type this).

Looks like A2Z is recalling the V1 CCS to NACS adapters with an exchange program.


There's more to it too, with some instructions and eligibility info, but that's the main detail. It eventually points to here: https://a2zevshop.com/apps/vep

I sent this note to A2Z, because I still had questions. Maybe those of you who have initiated replacement know the answers? I clicked on a couple buttons on the page but it just wanted me to start the recall......

First,

Is this recall at cost to me? I am looking at the website and it implies (so far) that I will be paying CA$ 268.21 (possibly more if shipping and tax are included). Safety recalls are usually free. Can you confirm whether I will have to pay?

Second,

Will I be without my adapter for a period? That is, will I have to send you my V1 adapter, wait for you to process it, then have you send me the V2 adapter? If so, what is the expected time I will be without an adapter?

Third,

Will this recall be available for a period of time? I supposedly have my Ford adapter arriving "soon" / "this month", so I may wish to wait for that adapter to arrive before initiating the safety recall.

 

[Sikkun]

I sent this note to A2Z, because I still had questions. Maybe those of you who have initiated replacement know the answers? I clicked on a couple buttons on the page but it just wanted me to start the recall......

First,

Is this recall at cost to me? I am looking at the website and it implies (so far) that I will be paying CA$ 268.21 (possibly more if shipping and tax are included). Safety recalls are usually free. Can you confirm whether I will have to pay?

Second,

Will I be without my adapter for a period? That is, will I have to send you my V1 adapter, wait for you to process it, then have you send me the V2 adapter? If so, what is the expected time I will be without an adapter?

Third,

Will this recall be available for a period of time? I supposedly have my Ford adapter arriving "soon" / "this month", so I may wish to wait for that adapter to arrive before initiating the safety recall.

This will be provided to you free of charge.

 

[mdolan92869]

I sent this note to A2Z, because I still had questions. Maybe those of you who have initiated replacement know the answers? I clicked on a couple buttons on the page but it just wanted me to start the recall......

First,

Is this recall at cost to me? I am looking at the website and it implies (so far) that I will be paying CA$ 268.21 (possibly more if shipping and tax are included). Safety recalls are usually free. Can you confirm whether I will have to pay?

Second,

Will I be without my adapter for a period? That is, will I have to send you my V1 adapter, wait for you to process it, then have you send me the V2 adapter? If so, what is the expected time I will be without an adapter?

Third,

Will this recall be available for a period of time? I supposedly have my Ford adapter arriving "soon" / "this month", so I may wish to wait for that adapter to arrive before initiating the safety recall.

I can only answer the first question, I was thinking the same thing and figured I'd bail when they asked for a CC number, but it never did. Not sure why it scares you with the price as you go through the process.

 

[MCred]

....delete...
2. I get all the way to Pick Your Return Method and there is nothing to pick. What is supposed to happen here? If I click Submit it just tells me that field is required - but there's no "field" to select anything. Even tried turning off adblocker and starting over.

EDIT: I got the return method thing to work switching to Edge instead of Chrome - unless it was just a really conveniently timed fix. The only option to select was to pick up from my address (though I'd MUCH rather just drop it off somewhere).

I too, have a problem with some sites not working with FireFox and Chrome, but I like the enhanced security of them. I am forced to use Edge from time to time to get something to work, ? perhaps they run an active script or cookie that my browsers prevent?
I received the A2Z recall as well. They seem to be an excellent company, wish I had purchased the AC adapter as well in the lower cost bundle.

 

[kodiakng]

Yeah, after 10,000 charges ….

thank you oh great number knower.

 

[kodiakng]

folks, this is a NHTSA recall, not an optional A2ZEV customer satisfaction effort. the costs of the recall are on A2ZEV, not the customer. good on A2ZEV for getting out ahead of the actual release of the recall notice and so far the process has been easy, but they don't have a choice in following through.

i still find it ironic that tesla appears to be the initiator but not surprised they are being a bully about it.

 

[kodiakng]

the NHTSA bulletin is out now:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=24E093000

the attached reports describe the situation as pretty much what A2ZEV has described.

 

[Bruboy]

They way they make it sound? Probably not - but I'll get mine replaced anyway just to not take any risk.

I agree it's a hassle. But I don't want to be thinking "Damn, I wish I had...."

Sponsored