Maximizing Your Electric Vehicle's Supercharge Rate: Understanding Factors That Affect Performance and Reliability
The Curious Case of Supercharge Rates
Supercharging has been a game-changer for electric vehicle owners, allowing them to travel long distances without worrying about running out of battery. However, as with any technology, there are bound to be hiccups along the way. One such issue that has been raised in a recent conversation is the curious case of supercharge rates.
According to Bib Wilson, two SuperCharger stations were going through expansions where the existing chargers delivered only half of the expected charge rate, 65 kW. Swapping chargers gave the same 65 kW rate. This led to speculation that the legacy chargers were derated while the new ones were being installed and tested.
However, another user pointed out that if you did not navigate for a long enough distance and time to the SC, the batteries will not be at optimal pre-conditioning temp, and will charge slowly. It could also be possible that the two chargers weren't happy, which can happen at some sites. Moving to different pedestals fixed it.
The Reliability of Different Superchargers
Another interesting point raised in this conversation is the reliability of different superchargers. According to one user, the 250KW superchargers are much more reliable than their 150KW counterparts. While 150KW is plenty fast, sharing and flakiness is common. However, it was fun to get 257KW for a while!
Another user shared their personal experience with no complaints on both MYP 250+ KW and M3RWD 100+ KW. However, they also noted that all conditions had to be optimal for peak performance.
Factors Affecting Supercharge Rates
While supercharging is generally reliable, there are several factors that can affect its performance. As mentioned earlier, pre-conditioning plays a significant role in ensuring optimal charging speeds. If your battery is cold or your state of charge (SOC) is too high for peak kWh, you may experience slower charging rates.
Sometimes, however, slow charging rates can occur unpredictably for what appears to be no reason. In some cases, local utilities may limit power delivery during peak demand or due to weather-related issues like downed power lines.
Finally, even Tesla's over 99% SC reliability does not guarantee flawless performance every time. Faulty chargers can still occur, as evidenced by comments on PlugShare from other users experiencing similar issues.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, while supercharging has made electric vehicle ownership more convenient than ever before, it's important to keep in mind that there are still occasional hiccups along the way. Pre-conditioning your battery and choosing reliable supercharger stations can help ensure optimal charging speeds. However, sometimes unpredictable factors like local utility limitations or faulty chargers can still result in slower charging rates. By staying informed and aware of these potential issues, EV owners can continue to enjoy hassle-free road trips with their electric vehicles.