[EA Excellence] - EA continues to find new ways to fail - 85% limit

[daveo4EV]

this is a minor issue but a reminder as to how user experience/intereface _MATTERS_

and honestly I have no idea how a casual EV user would know what to do…

was charging at EA today - it worked!!! so yeah - but I'm tootling along and suddenly it just "stops" charging - no feedback - no errors - and the idle counter (10 minutes grace)

I unplug and replug -it authorizes fine and doesn't start charging…goes directly to the idle timer/grace period

change stallls

same thing - no electrons flow, but it authorizes and goes to idle 10 min grace period - no error in the car - no messages in the car

so now I'm thinking I have a FastDC charging fault and I'm gearing up to schedule a service visit - but first I'm going to verify it doesn't work at another entire EA site, not just different stalls at the same EA site

so I drive to a near by site - plug in - and to my relief it starts to charge. So yeah - no FastDC porsche service visit…

I walk away form the car to do a bathroom break - and while I'm away from the car it stops charging again - it's like OMG - I'm soooo depressed - my Macan EV is having charging issues…I'm super depressed

but I notice something - it stops chagring at 86% indicated SOC on the dash - it stopped in the same place at the other EA site - so I google around…

turns out the 2 EA sites I'm visiting have an 85% charging limit

but the _ONLY_ place they tell you that is if you check the EA site in the EA app on your phone!!!!

there are no messages on the EA screen, no notifications to your text, no alerts in the vehicle, no message on the screen - it just silently cuts off the charging after the car reaches > 85%…

one would think you'd try and do better and let people know that hey your charging sessions stop not due to any errors on our charging equipment or your vehicle, but because we're limiting charging session to 85% at these particular EA stalls…

I can't imagine the number of false service visits this is potentially causing EV manufacturers given the lack of any customer notification of this behavior…

Even when they work EA finds new ways to screw up…

Sponsored

 

[refazi]

Most of the EA sites at the bay area has this limit now, it actually helps with the lines, these stations are still very busy compared to any other network because of the free charging programs that Porsche/Audi/VW/BMW/Mercedes/Hyundai/Lucid has or still have given with a new car purchase.
As far as messages etc, there is a pretty big sticker with that 85% limit on the dispenser, i agree that the screen should also display that because not everyone reads these stickers.

 

[ColdCase]

I noticed EA has been preventing retries for months now, it would be nice if a reason was provided when you plugged in.. You have to wait maybe 30 minutes or drive to another EA station.

So it appears that your session stops for any reason, error or limit, you can't just plug back in.

The last time mine stopped ay 40% with no warning or reason. I assumed the Macan stopped charging and blamed it for the inconvenience. I drove a couple miles up the highway to another EA station to finish up.

 

[PrudentOcean]

When I first got my car I was charging primarily at two different EA locations.

The first was half-way between my home and my office, and it has only four CCS plugs and a 85% charging limit. Since I normally have a 80% target SoC, that wasn't a problem.

The other EA location was at a shopping mall across from my office. While more convenient and equipped with more chargers (10, but 3 blocked long-term due to a construction project), the fact that it was at a mall meant more traffic and lines at almost any time of the day. This location did not have a 85% charge limit, so it was my go-to if I wanted to max out the SoC for a longer trip. However, recently EA expanded the 85% SoC limit to this location as well. Very disappointing.

The screens on the EA chargers do state that there is a 85% charge limit, maybe you missed it. It is also prominently shown in the PlugShare app, but the My Porsche app makes not mention of this.

 

[racerjim]

And, PCP will let you plan higher SOC by increasing the charge time in the app, without notifying you of this......so thanks for the warning.....

 

[pdealessandrini1930]

Most of the EA sites at the bay area has this limit now, it actually helps with the lines, these stations are still very busy compared to any other network because of the free charging programs that Porsche/Audi/VW/BMW/Mercedes/Hyundai/Lucid has or still have given with a new car purchase.
As far as messages etc, there is a pretty big sticker with that 85% limit on the dispenser, i agree that the screen should also display that because not everyone reads these stickers.

Hi All.

Agree that EA network is very busy due to the many Auto OEMs who’ve signed up with the network. I’d add Ford for the Mach-E model too, to underscore demand for this network’s charging stations.

importantly, as was noted, most have, or are increasingly being reset from unlimited to 85% max charge. One near my weekend home still allows 100%. The one near my week day home is preset at 85% but stops at 86%

one thing am sure most of us have experienced is that at any station, if the plug in and start doesn’t work, calling the toll free phone # of EA and advising station #, the customer service team reboot the unit and it starts right up. That doesn’t relate to over riding 85% cap though.

happy charging!

 

[outie]

The EA app and a label on top of the screen usually shows wordings like "this charger has a 85% limit", so maybe you missed it.

I find there's not much issue with 85% limit. Most of the time it can barely get to 86% within the free 30 min of charging. What I found, however, is that we barely face wait times at our local station since then, so that's a big plus.

 

[daveo4EV]

The EA app and a label on top of the screen usually shows wordings like "this charger has a 85% limit", so maybe you missed it.

I find there's not much issue with 85% limit. Most of the time it can barely get to 86% within the free 30 min of charging. What I found, however, is that we barely face wait times at our local station since then, so that's a big plus.

you don't consult the app if you're using plug&charge - so the 85% limit "notice" is not part of the user experience…

you pull in - plug in - the charging session starts - and then will no notice/errors the charging session just 'stops' - which the common 'experience" is that means there is a charging fault somewhere (either the vehicle or the station/stall) - and un plugging and replugging in leads to no charging started again for no explanation …

my bet is most people would incorrect diagnose there is a fault somewhere (since that is a very very common experience)…

 

[ColdCase]

The first time this happened to me via plug/charge I called EA support and they reset the charger. Did not work, they didn't know why or not aware of the limit. Their solution was to try another station. But, apparently the charger/data base retains the disconnect info and will not allow a reconnect for a period of time regardless of reboot. But by the time you drive to another station, the ihibit timer resets.

Anyway, as many say around EA charging stations, regardless of EV brand,.... what else is new....

Sponsored