Frustrated with Level 3 charging!

[dolvio]

Hey everyone,

I have sometimes been using our hydro authorities level 3 charging stations which are rated up to 180kw. It’s cold here in Vancouver, Canada right now for the EV batteries I suppose so I know that can lower charging speeds. The other day I set my destination to the chargers and gave the car 30 mins of driving to condition the battery for level 3 charging. I was at about 55% and wanted to get to 80% as I needed it later that day. 55kw/h is all I could max out at. The car next to me was pushing 85kw/h…

This keeps happening regardless if I set the destination in advance or not. It’s like the car can’t do more than this. Does anyone else have these issues?

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[Fenixgoon]

in the cold (below 32F/0C) i've generally seen about 55kW, give or take, depending on the charging station. will be curious to hear if anyone has fared better and how they went about doing so.

 

[E90alex]

It all depends on the actual voltage and amperage limits of the charger. Just looking at the 180kW rating alone is kind of meaningless.

For example if they got the 180kW rating by 900V x 200A, the Mach-E will only top out at about 75kW maximum in perfect conditions because the Mach-E needs about 400A to hit the 150kW rating.

And it will only hit that 150kW rating in ideal conditions as in battery above 70°F and plugging in near empty. As the battery fills the charge rate will slow.

 

[RickMachE]

Make sure the charger shows as a charger destination, not a flag.

 

[dolvio]

Make sure the charger shows as a charger destination, not a flag.

Definitely. Set the destination as the charger location in the nav app.

 

[RickMachE]

Definitely. Set the destination as the charger location in the nav app.

Irrelevant.

Look at the instrument panel. If the destination looks like a charger, you are all set. If it is a f.ag, it won't precondition.

 

[CameraCarl]

Irrelevant.

Look at the instrument panel. If the destination looks like a charger, you are all set. If it is a f.ag, it won't precondition.

I'm guessing that you have answered this before, but I do a really poor job of searches, so would you mind reminding me how you program a destination charger that will precondition and show the charger icon instead of just showing the flag (which I seem to see more often). TIA.

 

[RickMachE]

I'm guessing that you have answered this before, but I do a really poor job of searches, so would you mind reminding me how you program a destination charger that will precondition and show the charger icon instead of just showing the flag (which I seem to see more often). TIA.

You don't.

A destination charger is a level 2 charger, and no preconditioning is necessary or possible.

A Tesla Supercharger or fast charger from EA or other companies is not called a destination charger.

That cleared up, with the Ford navigation, you select a fast charger, and once you are 30km (18.6 miles) away, the battery will start warming. Or, with GoogleMaps and Android Auto, if it's selected as a charger it will precondition. I see that CarPlay, which I don't use, is now available for this, but you need a current Ford nav subscription it appears, which you don't need with GoogleMaps or Android Auto.

Sit in your vehicle and pick a destination say 300 miles away. It will add chargers. You should then see the destination, i.e. first charger, as the correct symbol.

I don't use the Ford navigation, and use my Lightning more so on winter trips, and they haven't added preconditioning for the 2022s yet...

 

[CameraCarl]

You don't.

A destination charger is a level 2 charger, and no preconditioning is necessary or possible.

A Tesla Supercharger or fast charger from EA or other companies is not called a destination charger.

That cleared up, with the Ford navigation, you select a fast charger, and once you are 30km (18.6 miles) away, the battery will start warming. Or, with GoogleMaps and Android Auto, if it's selected as a charger it will precondition. I see that CarPlay, which I don't use, is now available for this, but you need a current Ford nav subscription it appears, which you don't need with GoogleMaps or Android Auto.

Sit in your vehicle and pick a destination say 300 miles away. It will add chargers. You should then see the destination, i.e. first charger, as the correct symbol.

I don't use the Ford navigation, and use my Lightning more so on winter trips, and they haven't added preconditioning for the 2022s yet...

Thanks (1) for the clarification about terminology (I guess I still have a lot to learn) and (2) for the good explanation about how to ensure that i'm preconditioning for a fast charger.

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