EVgo DC chargers were horrible up until the beginning of 2018. They're still not perfect, but improvement is being made.

[SeanNelson]

What is the difference between DCFC and CCS/SAE??

"DCFC" is a more generic term that's used to describe high speed charging using direct current.

"CCS/SAE" is a description of the kind of plug used for DC Fast Charging on the Bolt. All "CCS/SAE" plugs are DCFC, but not all DCFC stations have CCS/SAE plugs.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

What is the difference between DCFC and CCS/SAE??

"DCFC" is a more generic term that's used to describe high speed charging using direct current.

"CCS/SAE" is a description of the kind of plug used for DC Fast Charging on the Bolt. All "CCS/SAE" plugs are DCFC, but not all DCFC stations have CCS/SAE plugs.

To expand on this, there are two other types of DCFC in the US:
CHAdeMO, used by Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Kia (Soul EV). Most non-Tesla DCFC I have seen have both a CHAdeMO and a CCS plug.
Tesla Supercharger, used exclusively by Tesla

There are other standards around the world, with which I am not familiar.

 

[Anonymous]

Might as well ask: anyone make an "adapter" cable from one to the other?

 

[GetOffYourGas]

For example suppose I want to go to Santa Barbara for the weekend. That's a 200 mile round trip plus whatever local driving I might do. It's a stretch in a Bolt

But if anywhere along the way I can plug in for a half hour and add 50-80 miles of range, I'm in great shape.

I think that's the real benefit of DCFC and why I think moving people quickly though with half hour limits is fine

Another use case (and one that I intend to do) is a trip that is up to 1.5x the range of the car. I have multiple family members that I visit regularly who live about 250-300 miles away. With a Bolt, this would require a single ~30 minute pit stop to gain enough extra miles to get where I am going. Both end points have charging, so I would start both trips with a full charge. So in rough numbers, I start with 238 miles, and add 90 miles in 30 minutes, and now I can travel 328 miles.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Might as well ask: anyone make an "adapter" cable from one to the other?

No. Not yet, anyway. There may or may not be a technical reason why this is impossible (e.g. incompatible grounding methods).

 

[Anonymous]

Not that it helps us Bolt EV users, but I think that Tesla has a CHAdeMO adapter.

 

[WetEV]

Might as well ask: anyone make an "adapter" cable from one to the other?

Tesla has an adapter cable between Chademo and Tesla cars.

CCS to Chademo or Chademo to CCS isn't simple, would be a computer as well as just a cable. The computer would need to emulate a car on one side and a charger on the other side, translating network messages and protocols between the two.

Chademo is currently a lot more common, at least in Washington State, BC and Oregon. CCS used to be rare, but is becoming more common, mostly as dual stations that support both standards.

 

[Anonymous]

Tesla to CCS?

 

[WetEV]

Tesla to CCS?

Not a chance. Tesla gets a lot of value for their investment in charging infrastructure. Tesla is not going to give this marketing advantage away.

 

[Pigwich]

Tesla to CCS?

Possible but unlikely. As far as I know, the Tesla uses a CAN bus to communicate with it's superchargers, and so does CHADEMO. CCS uses Green PHY / powerline communication, which is a different beast with a different "physical layer" a whole TCP/IP stack and all the accompanying BS. Technically, this could all be accomplished with a little microcontroller and some power supplies small enough to cram in to a box of Altoids, but it's less straightforward.

 

[EldRick]

There was a Kickstarter for an adapter that would allow the Bolt to use Tesla "destination" chargers, which are installed at hotels and restaurants. http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JDapterQuickChargePowercom-Jdapter.htm
The hardware for these stations is paid for by Tesla, while the site owner maintains and pays for the juice. These chargers run 30-50a, according to one report, but the adapter has an L1 connector. The cost of charging is set by the site owner.

 

[michael]

For example suppose I want to go to Santa Barbara for the weekend. That's a 200 mile round trip plus whatever local driving I might do. It's a stretch in a Bolt

But if anywhere along the way I can plug in for a half hour and add 50-80 miles of range, I'm in great shape.

I think that's the real benefit of DCFC and why I think moving people quickly though with half hour limits is fine

Another use case (and one that I intend to do) is a trip that is up to 1.5x the range of the car. I have multiple family members that I visit regularly who live about 250-300 miles away. With a Bolt, this would require a single ~30 minute pit stop to gain enough extra miles to get where I am going. Both end points have charging, so I would start both trips with a full charge. So in rough numbers, I start with 238 miles, and add 90 miles in 30 minutes, and now I can travel 328 miles.

Yes, same idea. A quick squirt of juice to add a little range and finish the trip.

 

[SparkE]

There was a Kickstarter for an adapter that would allow the Bolt to use Tesla "destination" chargers, which are installed at hotels and restaurants. http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JDapterQuickChargePowercom-Jdapter.htm
The hardware for these stations is paid for by Tesla, while the site owner maintains and pays for the juice. These chargers run 30-50a, according to one report, but the adapter has an L1 connector. The cost of charging is set by the site owner.

What is a 'L1 Connector'? Is it different from a J1772 (either type 1 or type 2) connector?

 

[EldRick]

By L1, I meant J1772, not the CCS DCFC connector, i.e. the charging rate for the Bolt will be limited to 30a (25mi/hr) by the onboard charger.

 

[Anonymous]

By L1, I meant J1772, not the CCS DCFC connector, i.e. the charging rate for the Bolt will be limited to 30a (25mi/hr) by the onboard charger.

So, in other words, NOT an L3 solution for the Bolt EV?

 

[EldRick]

Correct - not L3, it's an L2 EVSE adapter - Tesla destination charger to J1772.

 

[Anonymous]

Used my closest EVGo in Sherman Oaks early this morning about 3am, I noticed the following:

I was at about 96 miles remaining.

The EVGo did not stop at 30 minutes, but continued charging.

The charge rates were 35 KWh until 80%; then 24 KWh until 85%, then 16 KWh.

It then stopped a little short of one hour at 86% with some sort of proximity error asking to unplug/plug and for the EVGo card again but I was happy with the charge and unplugging reset the machine for the next charge and I left with about 200 miles.

I topped off at home at 110V; completed at about 12:30pm.

 

[samiam95124]

I complain about the 30 minute EVgo limit often, on the phone to the operators.

I have to. Their f%^&ing stupid rfid card still does not work after I have replaced it 3 times, so I have to call them to start the charge.

 

[Nagorak]

So does the 30 minute limit vary by location then, or is it just random whether it kicks in or not?

 

[Anonymous]

It was 30 mins at that location when I used it in prime time last time... So not sure!