Shall we make this Charging Port Protector?

[AOSK]

We designed this, but not sure if it's needed and if it's going to cover the mold cost.

Shall we make one? will you get one if it's 24.99$? any design opinions?

 

[RickMachE]

I see no value in it. The ONLY reason to have any protection there, during charging, is if you're in an environment that gets a ton of snow, or freezing rain. In that case, you'd want a hood that covers everything and is secured to the car. Because the fender isn't steel, magnets don't work. Ford makes a similar item to what you show, in Europe, but it doesn't provide CCS access. https://www.ford-accessories.ie/ele...ttachments/charging-port-winter-cover/2630165

 

[AOSK]

I see no value in it. The ONLY reason to have any protection there, during charging, is if you're in an environment that gets a ton of snow, or freezing rain. In that case, you'd want a hood that covers everything and is secured to the car. Because the fender isn't steel, magnets don't work. Ford makes a similar item to what you show, in Europe, but it doesn't provide CCS access. https://www.ford-accessories.ie/ele...ttachments/charging-port-winter-cover/2630165

yes, we designed this according to Ford one.
we been thinking for quite some while now about making a snow protector,but can't figure out a universal fit solution, and we started to think probably a solution like Ford is the best solution at this point

 

[that_macheguy]

I don’t see any need for this or the ford one. I live in ND and it is very cold and we get tons of snow in the winter. I’ve never once had a problem while charging.

 

[MellowJohnny]

I'm in if you remove the hole for the door latch port. You'll never need to close the door while charging (obviously) and it can get contaminated with ice & snow, preventing the charge port door from closing.

Make that one change and I'm definitely in.

I used this all year and the only winter charging problems I've had have either been from freezing rain or wet snow which melted and subsequently froze, completely freezing the charging handle latch.

 

[BTRYPWRDPONY]

Not to highjack your thread---but how about making some lift pads--I bet you would sell a ton of those. Just sayin'

 

[generaltso]

Not to highjack your thread---

Which part of that was NOT?

 

[BTRYPWRDPONY]

Which part of that was NOT?

Just being nice about it.

 

[rkmoray]

I am not an engineer(at least not mechanical, I am a software engineer) but what about your original idea shown, with a small door that opens up hinged at the top to protect from the top?

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I will but this whatever the final version is. My car spends a lot of time parked outside at work. The snow builds on the charging handle and tends to get down around the port. This then makes it hard to close the charging door the next morning. This should solve that problem at least.
Something the covered the charging handle as well would be even better.

 

[tfitzgex]

We designed this, but not sure if it's needed and if it's going to cover the mold cost.

Shall we make one? will you get one if it's 24.99$? any design opinions?

Only if you can add a "karen lock"

 

[AOSK]

Not to highjack your thread---but how about making some lift pads--I bet you would sell a ton of those. Just sayin'

jack puck? we are already making them. it will be pack of 4. We actually already made a mold before, but it is slightly too big to fit in the front hole, and we are now making another molding for it. we are just doing some testing now at this point.
we will also make some stickers, and include instruction in the package about the jack area so people from tire store or some situations like that wont mess it up
@macheconnection been helping us on doing some testing with it.

 

[AOSK]

I'm in if you remove the hole for the door latch port. You'll never need to close the door while charging (obviously) and it can get contaminated with ice & snow, preventing the charge port door from closing.

Make that one change and I'm definitely in.

I used this all year and the only winter charging problems I've had have either been from freezing rain or wet snow which melted and subsequently froze, completely freezing the charging handle latch.

we are thinking to cover that on our later design too, and add some slope on top of the charging area so that the snow could slide away

 

[Mach-Lee]

AOSK, please take a look at this so you fully understand the problem:

https://www.bmwblog.com/2016/02/21/bmw-i3-life-hack-charge-port-snow-cover/

You need to think more in 3 dimensions rather than just having a flat plate. It needs to protect the latch button of the J1772, otherwise ice will get inside and you won't be able to press down the button to release it:

A bag over the whole thing is the best solution:

 

[CMRD]

we are thinking to cover that on our later design too, and add some slope on top of the charging area so that the snow could slide away

I think a cover that keeps out snow and ice is a necessity. If it did that I would buy one

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