Charging “beta"

[khbkhb]

Starting back in early ’22, we joined a charging perks beta. In a nutshell, MachE reports to Ford the SoC, target SoC and departure time, Ford communicates to the Utility (Xcel in our case), the utility determines optimal (for them) charge windows to Ford, Ford creates a schedule for the MachE and sends it. Originally purely SMS Text based control and reporting, later an App was added.

This worked almost flawlessly for years (occasional hiccups as one might expect in a beta program). Sadly, since Feb 4, the first part seems to work (the text based part of the system reports windows have been calculated … but asking it for the schedule fails with “There was an error processing your message”). The App correctly reports sane charge windows, but the wrong target SoC (always 100%, and the App won’t successfully change its SoC target).

Is this just me (we did have a slightly confusing change of MachE for non-technical and involuntary reasons), or is this more systemic? My old contacts at the factory have moved on, and the feedback mechanism isn’t producing results at the moment.

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[ReverendPete]

That is interesting. I have Xcel here, and a few months ago, they approached me with a "new" program that sounds like basically the same thing, and they offered a bill credit when I signed up. Except that we aren't offered any control like that. It said that it would charge every day based on when Xcel deemed it to be a good time for their grid, and something about guaranteeing that the car would be at its target charge value by any departure times that were set... But no app or texts. So I wonder if maybe they're transitioning you to the same program I am on...

To be fair, I haven't had any issues with my car not being charged when I needed it, but I need to dig deeper into my utility bill, because it seems like more often than not, it is charging during peak rate times, instead of in the middle of the night. And if that's really the case, it won't take too long before that bill credit gets eaten up by higher rates. (I do have a large solar array, and net metering, so I'm not too worried about it all, but after the fact, it kind of seems like a shady program).

 

[RickMachE]

We have a program with DTE, "SmartCharge". In short, we get an incentive (used to be $100 a year, now it's $5 a month" for them to be able to set a "do not charge" window a few times a month, or a "please charge now" window. I think I recall one "please charge now" window over the years, and multiple "do not charge" windows, until they mysteriously stopped sending them maybe 2 years ago...

But, I keep getting $10 a month (2 vehicles), so I don't care.

 

[Colorado MME GT]

There were a couple of iterations of this program. It's currently called "Ford Energy Awards." I'm a participant with Xcel in Colorado, and it works fine. Ford coordinates with Xcel on the best time to charge to meet both the time-of-day rates and Xcel's generation/distribution needs. I received a $150 credit on my power bill in December. I still get texts from Ford when I plug in, but I haven't used the SCHEDULE function in a couple of months. My MME still charges to meet my scheduled departure time.

Are you still showing as enrolled at https://www.ford.com/fordenergyrewards/dashboard?

 

[khbkhb]

..(I do have a large solar array, and net metering, so I'm not too worried about it all, but after the fact, it kind of seems like a shady program).

While I suppose anything is possible (wrt transitions) at the moment it is “broken” in that our target SoC is 90% and left to its own, it now charges to 100% (the backend isn’t paying attention to what the car or the Ford app setting says for target, but is obeying the departure time). I’m sure there’s a bug, just don’t have enough information about the implementation(s) to know precisely where ;>

 

[khbkhb]

Are you still showing as enrolled at https://www.ford.com/fordenergyrewards/dashboard?

yes; and reasonable charge times *are* computed, but the target SoC is wrong (right in car, and Ford.app; but not being observed and the “Ford Energy App” is stuck at 100% (by stuck, it won’t allow it to be changed, but it is paying attention to it and not the other locations).

no doubt there is a bug; unclear precisely where … glad to hear it isn’t widespread!

 

[Colorado MME GT]

yes; and reasonable charge times *are* computed, but the target SoC is wrong (right in car, and Ford.app; but not being observed and the “Ford Energy App” is stuck at 100% (by stuck, it won’t allow it to be changed, but it is paying attention to it and not the other locations).

no doubt there is a bug; unclear precisely where … glad to hear it isn’t widespread!

Curious. I'm not seeing the behavior in my vehicle. I have it set to 90% as the norm, and recently did a one-time 100% charge before a road trip, and the Ford Energy program recognized the setting every time.

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