DCFC Tops out at 70kW

[Lost In Jersey]

I've had my Lightning (XLT SR) for about a month and a half, and I have never seen my rate of charge above 72kW at a DCFC station. For a while, I thought this was normal but I've see many people online talking about their charging curve, and it sounds like I should be seeing around 120kW at least. I've used multiple chargers at different locations, and I am often the only vehicle there. My SoC when plugging in has been anywhere from 10% to 70%, so it's not the expected drop off above 80%. The one I have used most frequently I have seen other vehicles charging above 150kW, so I know it's not the charging station.

Am I doing something wrong? Is anyone else seeing this?

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[Yellow Buddy]

I've had my Lightning (XLT SR) for about a month and a half, and I have never seen my rate of charge above 72kW at a DCFC station. For a while, I thought this was normal but I've see many people online talking about their charging curve, and it sounds like I should be seeing around 120kW at least. I've used multiple chargers at different locations, and I am often the only vehicle there. My SoC when plugging in has been anywhere from 10% to 70%, so it's not the expected drop off above 80%. The one I have used most frequently I have seen other vehicles charging above 150kW, so I know it's not the charging station.

Am I doing something wrong? Is anyone else seeing this?

First question is which station are you charging at? And has it been at the same one?

Just because it’s capable of a supposedly 150kw doesn’t meant it consistently puts that out. Some stations split the power, some are just perpetually broken.

To demonstrate how far apart it could be. I charged at a 120kW ChargePoint that maxed or at 60kW. On the same day 1 EA charger topped out at 80kW despite being a dedicated 150kW station (this one was in NJ…but what are the chances?) Another one further away allowed me to hit 210kW (not F-150L)

So sometimes it can be the charging station.

 

[Lost In Jersey]

First question is which station are you charging at? And has it been at the same one?

Just because it’s capable of a supposedly 150kw doesn’t meant it consistently puts that out. Some stations split the power, some are just perpetually broken.

To demonstrate how far apart it could be. I charged at a 120kW ChargePoint that maxed or at 60kW. On the same day 1 EA charger topped out at 80kW despite being a dedicated 150kW station (this one was in NJ…but what are the chances?) Another one further away allowed me to hit 210kW (not F-150L)

So sometimes it can be the charging station.

I most frequently visit an EVGo station, but I've used multiple EVGo and Electrify America stations all across NJ with the same result. The stations have been rated anywhere from 175kW to 300kW. Whether all stalls are full or I am alone, without fail it stays at 68kW majority of the charge and creeps up to 72kW occasionally. The only Chargepoint station I've used is a 62.5kW station, and it typically works fine. That said, at the EVGo station I frequent I watched the stall I use most of the time charge another vehicle at 135kW while I still sat at 68kW at another stall.

I don't expect 150kW all the time, but I've never seen a charging rate remotely close to that, which is making me think there is something wrong with my truck, and I've been spending more time charging it than I should be when I'm on the road.

Side note, I'm also from the 7/11 build week (I've been lurking a long time), and you were a treasure trove of info back in that group. You definitely helped feed my tracking addiction. Thank you for that!

 

[Yellow Buddy]

I most frequently visit an EVGo station, but I've used multiple EVGo and Electrify America stations all across NJ with the same result. The stations have been rated anywhere from 175kW to 300kW. Whether all stalls are full or I am alone, without fail it stays at 68kW majority of the charge and creeps up to 72kW occasionally. The only Chargepoint station I've used is a 62.5kW station, and it typically works fine. That said, at the EVGo station I frequent I watched the stall I use most of the time charge another vehicle at 135kW while I still sat at 68kW at another stall.

I don't expect 150kW all the time, but I've never seen a charging rate remotely close to that, which is making me think there is something wrong with my truck, and I've been spending more time charging it than I should be when I'm on the road.

Side note, I'm also from the 7/11 build week (I've been lurking a long time), and you were a treasure trove of info back in that group. You definitely helped feed my tracking addiction. Thank you for that!

Have you been consistent with plugging in at certain states of charge? Have you by chance tried initiating a charge from around 15% of range remaining?

Edit: NVm I have to work on my reading skills

If you’ve plugged in all over then it warrants having your truck looked at. It could be a number of things but the dealer should be able to diagnose it. It’s a huge amount of time. Topping out at 72kWisn’t normal.

 

[GDN]

If you are at the lower end SOC or even up to about 70% in the Lightning, check the charger on Plug share if it is rated at 150kW or above your truck should be pulling that. If it doesn't the charger has problems.

 

[ddbrooke]

I've charged at 5 different EA chargers and had from 130 to 170 kW for the first 8-12 minutes then they would drop down to 110-130kW until the truck got to 60 or 70% and then drop to the 90's. These were 350kW chargers in PA at Dubois, State College, Bedford, Carlisle, and in Delaware at New Castle. My results very much mirror what Tom reports in his YouTube video.
Try the 350kW units if you haven't already. I plugged into a 150kw once and was getting a slow charge rate so I ended that session and moved to the 350kW.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

Does SR vs ER matter for DC charging rates? I know the ER has a different hardware configuration than the SR (which is why the ER can charge at 80A AC vs 48A AC)...just curious.

 

[hturnerfamily]

TOM, KYLE, DOM, and MARTYN discuss this very 'issue' on this video - it's not that the CHARGER Unit is the problem, or that your TRUCK is the problem, most of the time it's the way VOLTS and AMPS work, in relation to the output capability of the CHARGER Unit, and the Truck's own battery size/voltage, etc... it's not an easy conversion for most of us to understand.
From experience, I've never ever ever seen ANY Chargepoint unit go over 67kwh speed, no matter my state of charge, and the ONLY time I've ever seen any amount above that was at a NEW EV GO 350kw unit just south of the airport near Atlanta, where I received over 135kwh, and maybe a 350kwh unit from EA in Kennesaw, GA, but only for a few minutes before dropping off to more like 99kwh.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

Does SR vs ER matter for DC charging rates? I know the ER has a different hardware configuration than the SR (which is why the ER can charge at 80A AC vs 48A AC)...just curious.

Yes. The ER can charge faster at 155kW, 120 for the SR.

From experience, I've never ever ever seen ANY Chargepoint unit go over 67kwh speed, no matter my state of charge, and the ONLY time I've ever seen any amount above that was at a NEW EV GO 350kw unit just south of the airport near Atlanta, where I received over 135kwh, and maybe a 350kwh unit from EA in Kennesaw, GA, but only for a few minutes before dropping off to more like 99kwh.

Thats because ChargePoint chargers split the 125kW. While the station is capable of 125, each side only gets about half of that.

Not all EA chargers are like that. The older ones had the capability to do dedicated 150. The newer ones will split the 150 IIRC. I have definitely seen higher than 72kW on my SR Pro.

The charge station in the OPs situation can be eliminated if he has pulled this at 10% SOC and another vehicle was able to pull a higher rate on the same station/plug, and it’s a dedicated 150kW station. It would take a couple of minutes but it should ramp up quickly and we’ll above 72kW.

 

[metroshot]

Yes. The ER can charge faster at 155kW, 120 for the SR.



Thats because ChargePoint chargers split the 125kW. While the station is capable of 125, each side only gets about half of that.

Not all EA chargers are like that. The older ones had the capability to do dedicated 150. The newer ones will split the 150 IIRC. I have definitely seen higher than 72kW on my SR Pro.

The charge station in the OPs situation can be eliminated if he has pulled this at 10% SOC and another vehicle was able to pull a higher rate on the same station/plug, and it’s a dedicated 150kW station. It would take a couple of minutes but it should ramp up quickly and we’ll above 72kW.

My SR charges at 175kW peak at low SOC on EA's 350kW chargers then it tapers off.

As for variations of charge rates, I found not all EA chargers dispenses the same rate - yesterday I charged at EA at 25kW while the week before at a different EA charging at 140kW.
Both were 150kW chargers.

Definitely the charger - even varies within the same network.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

My SR charges at 175kW peak at low SOC on EA's 350kW chargers then it tapers off.

As for variations of charge rates, I found not all EA chargers dispenses the same rate - yesterday I charged at EA at 25kW while the week before at a different EA charging at 140kW.
Both were 150kW chargers.

Definitely the charger - even varies within the same network.

Exactly correct, which is why I asked and what I posted in my first response. But the OP has eliminated that variation when someone else charges right before or after at 150kW.

As for the 175, that’s amazing. They’re supposed to max out at 120 so I wonder if there was some sort of update.

 

[Lost In Jersey]

Exactly correct, which is why I asked and what I posted in my first response. But the OP has eliminated that variation when someone else charges right before or after at 150kW.

As for the 175, that’s amazing. They’re supposed to max out at 120 so I wonder if there was some sort of update.

Spot on, I've been tracking this for a while now. If it was one station, I'd absolutely accept that it was the hardware there and go about my business. Seeing all the numbers posted in this thread, especially the 175kW anecdote, reinforces my belief that something is wrong with my truck

I have a service appointment scheduled for Monday morning, hopefully I can kill 2 birds with one stone since I have the delaminating running board issue as well. I'll be sure to report back, although I will say after my purchase experience I'm not sure I'm confident in my dealership's abilities. Hopefully service is better than sales.

 

[Prime8]

Spot on, I've been tracking this for a while now. If it was one station, I'd absolutely accept that it was the hardware there and go about my business. Seeing all the numbers posted in this thread, especially the 175kW anecdote, reinforces my belief that something is wrong with my truck

I have a service appointment scheduled for Monday morning, hopefully I can kill 2 birds with one stone since I have the delaminating running board issue as well. I'll be sure to report back, although I will say after my purchase experience I'm not sure I'm confident in my dealership's abilities. Hopefully service is better than sales.

Just adding another data point. My SR XLT has hit 170kw+very briefly at EA 350 stations. It usually pulls over 100kw consistently to 80%. It sounds like your truck is not functioning 100% correctly OP

 

[Firestop]

FWIW, my latest 3 DC fast charges over the past 4 days (I’m not concerned):

1. 120 kW rated EZStop - unknown manufacturer: 64-90% SoC (26%) in 58 min, 35.76 kWh delivered; no Peak recorded.
2. 350 kW (newly installed) EVgo: 66-87% SoC (21%) in 21 min, 27.46 kWh delivered; ~130 kW peak.
   
3. 150 kW EA: 73-93% SoC (20%) in 41 min., 29.762 kWh delivered; 97 kW peak.

 

[GDN]

FWIW, my latest 3 DC fast charges over the past 4 days (I’m not concerned):

1. 120 kW rated EZStop - unknown manufacturer: 64-90% SoC (26%) in 58 min, 35.76 kWh delivered; no Peak recorded.
2. 350 kW (newly installed) EVgo: 66-87% SoC (21%) in 21 min, 27.46 kWh delivered; ~130 kW peak.
   
3. 150 kW EA: 73-93% SoC (20%) in 41 min., 29.762 kWh delivered; 97 kW peak.

You aren't concerned, but yet this is what must change and will be required before mass adoption. There are very few people that in a survey would tell you it's OK and they are prepared to sit at a "gas" station for an hour to just get 1/4 of a tank of gas - that is likely only good for about 75 miles max.