DC Fast Charging over 80% on a road trip?

[skiingj]

I know it's not good to charge over 80%. With that said can you if your on a road trip? Last couple times I wanted to go to 90%...

Edit: Forgot to add I was speaking about DC Fast Charging.

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[generaltso]

Why would you think it's not good to charge above 80%? For daily charging, Ford recommends stopping at 90%. In general, if you go to 100%, try not to leave it that way for a very long time.

The one caveat is if you're planning to charge above 80% at a DCFC, you better bring something to do. The charging rate will drop to 12kW when you hit 80%, so that last 20% will take a long time.

 

[jojomontag]

I know it's not good to charge over 80%. With that said can you if your on a road trip? Last couple times I wanted to go to 90%...

You can, if you're really needing to. But it will take much longer. Once it hits 80%, the rate of charge drastically reduces.

 

[RickMachE]

I know it's not good to charge over 80%. With that said can you if your on a road trip? Last couple times I wanted to go to 90%...

You can charge to any percent you want. Before a road trip, charge to 100% with a home charger.

With a DC charger, as soon as it hits 80% it will slow down from high speed to like 14kw. If you are using your free hours, you can sit for another hour or more and wait to get to 100%. If you are paying by the minute, like in many states where EA operates, that would be expensive.

 

[Kabish]

Its... So.... Slooooooooooow after 80% lol I think it takes a little over an hour to go from 80% to 100% from what I've read and have seen on my FordPass app. On the plus side, if you are eating or shopping, you have PLENTY of time to get back before its finished charging and you get idle fees lol

I personally think that curve is absurd. They are already leaving room at the bottom and top of the battery at least in the extended range. I understand it slowing the charge, but I'd expect to see that at like 90% maybe even 95%. But pushing it down to 12.5kwh the second it hits 80% is annoying.

 

[silverelan]

It's great to hit 80% when you want to. The scenario I keep seeing is if your timing to get back to the car is flexible because of reasons, then it'd be helpful to come back 15 mins later and be at 90% instead of 83%.

 

[CarsIMBwife]

Check for hotels with level 2 chargers. During the day, I did the 80% DC, but at the hotel went to 100% overnight. Was very helpful on a trip. When no travel plans, I go to 90% charging at home.

 

[skiingj]

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful

 

[Al-E]

Since charging is already slower than gassing up and our car specifically already restricts 10% of the battery it seems just plain dumb for charging to work this way. Is it a physical reason it slows down so much or is it artificially throttled?

I mean especially on a road trip you are forcing the driver to stop more often for longer by not really letting people fill up to 100% (waiting around for hours isn’t viable) and just adding to peoples negative perceptions of range and range anxiety.

 

[RedStallion]

Since charging is already slower than gassing up and our car specifically already restricts 10% of the battery it seems just plain dumb for charging to work this way. Is it a physical reason it slows down so much or is it artificially throttled?

I mean especially on a road trip you are forcing the driver to stop more often for longer by not really letting people fill up to 100% (waiting around for hours isn’t viable) and just adding to peoples negative perceptions of range and range anxiety.

I don't know how much truth is in this explanation, what I heard is that the battery cells vary by their capacity and other factors, some reach the full charge earlier than others. So the last 20% goes the leveling cycle to prevent damaging the individual cells.

 

[Al-E]

I don't know how much truth is in this explanation, what I heard is that the battery cells vary by their capacity and other factors, some reach the full charge earlier than others. So the last 20% goes the leveling cycle to prevent damaging the individual cells.

Thanks for the info. I’ll have to do more research into this part of EV ownership for sure

 

[RockwallRick]

Check for hotels with level 2 chargers. During the day, I did the 80% DC, but at the hotel went to 100% overnight. Was very helpful on a trip. When no travel plans, I go to 90% charging at home.

I found a hotel with a level 2 charger for our next road trip. If that doesn’t work out there is a Harley dealer nearby that has a low speed level 3 charger. My Wife wants to charge up to 100% every time at home but I have been telling her that is not recommended.

 

[JamieGeek]

I found a hotel with a level 2 charger for our next road trip. If that doesn’t work out there is a Harley dealer nearby that has a low speed level 3 charger. My Wife wants to charge up to 100% every time at home but I have been telling her that is not recommended.

If she doesn't belive you just point to the section in the owner's manual that says so. (Page 149)

 

[RickMachE]

If she doesn't belive you just point to the section in the owner's manual that says so. (Page 149)

What? Read the manual?

 

[AZBill]

Electrify America set a goal, not yet reached of course, to have chargers every 70 miles along freeways, but in no case more than 120 miles. In many areas of the country they have reached this. To optimize charging times, it is a best practice to have enough miles to reach the next charger with some reserve. Ideally you would like to have have 150 to 200 miles between charges. If your next charger is 120, then plan to stop, but if your next charger is 70, and the one after that is 70 miles, then skip one. 80% should be enough to get you either 120 or 140 miles, with margin.

If you are staying at a hotel overnight, then go for a L2 and charge to 100% for starting the next leg. Or if you are eating dinner and taking an hour, let the DFDC go for that long and get above 80%. As long as there is no line at the DFDC. If a DFDC is busy, then as a courtesy you should stop charging at 80%.

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