2017 MX Supercharging in Late 2023

[MetalDave]

Hi, all.

We picked up our 2017 Model X about a month ago, and, as our first Tesla, we love the experience and are glad we picked up the vehicle. I'm guessing we'll keep it until the wheels fall off, and we're already plotting to replace our second vehicle with another Tesla in the near future.

I've had some interesting experiences with the Supercharger and rates we're getting during our travels. We've taken two road trips with the MX, and seen charging rates all over the map. While I understand different charging stations may have different issues, v2 versus v3 Superchargers, and the algorithm (and the updates to that) for pulling kW depending upon the State of Charge (SoC), I thought I'd share what I've seen and see if we're on-par with the capabilities expected for this model year.

Interestingly, the first Supercharger we did with the vehicle must have been the perfect combination of SoC, ambient temperature, etc., because I can swear I saw the 225 kW for a brief (very brief) time when I plugged-in. Of course, the charge quickly hit 20%, and the algorithm kicked in to bring the rate down. I've never seen a rate over 200 kW since.
I should also state we've also upgraded from MCU1 to MCU2, had a bunch of service done on the vehicle (some of it software-related issues), and may have had the computer reset once or twice as a result. I'm guessing the software has more to do with charging than the hardware, but we have seen updates over the few weeks we've had the vehicle.

I believe we just had a software update a couple days ago, so we're running the latest and greatest for our configuration (v2023.26.7). I went to the Supercharger last night, and I peaked out at 183 kW with 16% SoC, 88ºF ambient temperature, and a very short navigation to the Supercharger (just over a mile).

I'm not entirely preoccupied with the initial rate of charge being maximized. While it's fun to see us flirt with 200 kW, it's a larger (and older) battery pack than, say, the Model Y, so it's not really going to be capable of that for very long, and, either way, the algorithm kicks in for all vehicle models. I'm more concerned with how long my total charge to 90% is taking and the calculated estimate on time to completion.

When plugging-in last night, the vehicle estimated a 45-minute session to get to 90% from the 16% SoC. The problem is, the calculation lowers down to 40 minutes remaining when I've been sitting there for 15 minutes, and it's down to 30 minutes remaining when I'd been there for 30 minutes. I put in about 70 kWh worth of charge in total, and I was there for about 75 minutes. I believe my lowest rates were in the 30 kW range which, after messing with Destination Chargers during our travels, I won't complain it's the worst. That said, I'm not charging the last 10% (to 100%), so I'm not sure why the charge rate needs to push so low (or if it's properly doing so).

When you "set it and forget it" on your charger at home, I'm sure most don't even pay attention to these things. As we're still working on the installation of our home Wall Connector, I've almost exclusively used SuperCharging over the past four weeks. It almost seems like the problem of underestimating the charge time (or taking too long to charge - depending upon how you look at it) is getting worse.

Since SuperCharging bypasses the Onboard Charger, I have to surmise the rate is all determined by the software between the SuperCharger and the Vehicle. I'm guessing the feedback the vehicle gives the station would account for any battery pack issues, overheat, etc. This leads me to question whether or not I have a coolant problem, battery issues, etc. I'm not sure if there's a way to self-diagnose, but I'm also not sure how to request a check on these systems. I'm also not sure if this is just par for the course with this model, but, again, it seems like it was more accurate and capable in our early days of ownership (albeit just a month ago).

I'd appreciate any feedback or thoughts from the community!

- Dave

 

[DCGOO]

Hi, all.

We picked up our 2017 Model X about a month ago, and, as our first Tesla, we love the experience and are glad we picked up the vehicle. I'm guessing we'll keep it until the wheels fall off, and we're already plotting to replace our second vehicle with another Tesla in the near future.

I've had some interesting experiences with the Supercharger and rates we're getting during our travels. We've taken two road trips with the MX, and seen charging rates all over the map. While I understand different charging stations may have different issues, v2 versus v3 Superchargers, and the algorithm (and the updates to that) for pulling kW depending upon the State of Charge (SoC), I thought I'd share what I've seen and see if we're on-par with the capabilities expected for this model year.

Interestingly, the first Supercharger we did with the vehicle must have been the perfect combination of SoC, ambient temperature, etc., because I can swear I saw the 225 kW for a brief (very brief) time when I plugged-in. Of course, the charge quickly hit 20%, and the algorithm kicked in to bring the rate down. I've never seen a rate over 200 kW since.
I should also state we've also upgraded from MCU1 to MCU2, had a bunch of service done on the vehicle (some of it software-related issues), and may have had the computer reset once or twice as a result. I'm guessing the software has more to do with charging than the hardware, but we have seen updates over the few weeks we've had the vehicle.

I believe we just had a software update a couple days ago, so we're running the latest and greatest for our configuration (v2023.26.7). I went to the Supercharger last night, and I peaked out at 183 kW with 16% SoC, 88ºF ambient temperature, and a very short navigation to the Supercharger (just over a mile).

I'm not entirely preoccupied with the initial rate of charge being maximized. While it's fun to see us flirt with 200 kW, it's a larger (and older) battery pack than, say, the Model Y, so it's not really going to be capable of that for very long, and, either way, the algorithm kicks in for all vehicle models. I'm more concerned with how long my total charge to 90% is taking and the calculated estimate on time to completion.

When plugging-in last night, the vehicle estimated a 45-minute session to get to 90% from the 16% SoC. The problem is, the calculation lowers down to 40 minutes remaining when I've been sitting there for 15 minutes, and it's down to 30 minutes remaining when I'd been there for 30 minutes. I put in about 70 kWh worth of charge in total, and I was there for about 75 minutes. I believe my lowest rates were in the 30 kW range which, after messing with Destination Chargers during our travels, I won't complain it's the worst. That said, I'm not charging the last 10% (to 100%), so I'm not sure why the charge rate needs to push so low (or if it's properly doing so).

When you "set it and forget it" on your charger at home, I'm sure most don't even pay attention to these things. As we're still working on the installation of our home Wall Connector, I've almost exclusively used SuperCharging over the past four weeks. It almost seems like the problem of underestimating the charge time (or taking too long to charge - depending upon how you look at it) is getting worse.

Since SuperCharging bypasses the Onboard Charger, I have to surmise the rate is all determined by the software between the SuperCharger and the Vehicle. I'm guessing the feedback the vehicle gives the station would account for any battery pack issues, overheat, etc. This leads me to question whether or not I have a coolant problem, battery issues, etc. I'm not sure if there's a way to self-diagnose, but I'm also not sure how to request a check on these systems. I'm also not sure if this is just par for the course with this model, but, again, it seems like it was more accurate and capable in our early days of ownership (albeit just a month ago).

I'd appreciate any feedback or thoughts from the community!

- Dave

Your experience sounds pretty much on par for legacy X. I maxed out at around 195 on my former 2018.

I assume you know that if you stop at a V2 supercharger (150 kw) the pedestals are shared. You need to make sure there is nobody charging from the same number you are using (1A vs 1B). If you pull in to a pedestal with someone on the same number (shared), the rate is reduced by half for both you and your neighbors session. Most superchargers the A and B pedestal are right next to each other, but not always. Some are arranged 1A, 2A, 3A, 1B, 2B, 3B. So pay attention to the markings. V3 and beyond do not operate in that fashion. .

 

[MetalDave]

I assume you know that if you stop at a V2 supercharger (150 kw) the pedestals are shared.

Thanks for the reply, and my apologies: I meant to add that to my writeup. Yes, I am aware that V3's do not share power, and this seems (to me) to be the only advantage they have over a V2 for our 2017 MX.

Case in-point: They're on their way to having 100 v3 SuperCharger stations at The Tanger Outlets at Barstow (Barstow, CA, off of Lenwood Road). However, the original (16) V2 SuperCharger stations behind the Chili's (next door) are better located near the actual restaurants. My rationale is my car will quickly be running charge at 150 kW or less (the capability of a V2 charger) when my SoC is above 20%, so I might as well show those V2's some love. Everything's cool as long as folks keep their spacing (i.e. avoid the 'B' unit if the 'A' unit is in use).

There's definitely a learning curve when you become a Tesla owner, and we learned that lesson in just a couple of road trips. You don't necessarily need to discount or avoid the 150 kW charging stations.

 

[MetalDave]

Your experience sounds pretty much on par for legacy X. I maxed out at around 195 on my former 2018.

Are the refreshed MX doing it any faster? If so, what changed to facilitate higher speeds? Apart from battery chemistry (i.e. different batteries), I expect we're still talking about a battery pack of the same or similar size (and one significantly larger than the 3's and Y's). Is there a faster Onboard Charger? Again, I'm speculating and maybe I'm not missing out on anything better.

Incidentally, we did have a Model Y loaner for a day while the MX was at the Service Center. We took it to the SuperCharger for the full experience, and it was, indeed, a much faster experience to 90% SoC as you'd expect. What struck me wasn't the speed as much as the accuracy of the charging time. I think that's what's really bugging me about the charging performance on our MX. I wonder if there's a calibration that needs to be done or something. If it's going to be an hour, an hour-fifteen, etc., I'd be happier knowing that were the case. Again, this is on a V3 charger that should not have anything impacting it other than the communication between the Onboard Charger and the Pedestal.

 

[DCGOO]

Are the refreshed MX doing it any faster? If so, what changed to facilitate higher speeds? Apart from battery chemistry (i.e. different batteries), I expect we're still talking about a battery pack of the same or similar size (and one significantly larger than the 3's and Y's). Is there a faster Onboard Charger? Again, I'm speculating and maybe I'm not missing out on anything better.'

Oh my yes. The refresh X at a V3 Supercharger, pulls down 250 KW, from roughly 15% to 40% before it backs off slightly. The highest I've seen on mine is 260 kw. It is still north of 150kw at 60%. The problem most folks have with new Xs, is getting a meal in, before the car is charged!
The AC charger is reduced from yours, to 48 amps at 250 volts, 11 to 12 kw max. You probably have 72 amps max.

As far as what changed, I can't say. Tesla obviously altered the charge characteristics to support the higher charge rates now available. Battery tech is not exactly a stationary target.

 

[IvesSM]

I can second what @DCGOO said. The newer refresh models have significantly faster recharge times than pre-refresh.

My wife's MYP uses the house Wall Connector for all of her charges and we have gotten a bit lackadaisical on charging where she only plugs in when she is down to 30-40% SOC and charges up to 80% and she is good for many days.

With the new 2023 X and free Supercharging I follow about the same regimen where I won't go over to the SC until I get down to 30% or there abouts and charge up to 85%.

So far I have not plugged the X in @ home so it's been free since I picked it up. There are 2 Superchargers (1-150 kW, 1-250 kW) within about 5 miles of the house so it's not inconvenient. The longest charge time I have spent at the SC is 25 minutes. Generally it's 15-20 min. This 2023 X charges a lot faster than the 2019 I previously had.

REMEMBER: You can't compare an X charging to a Y charging. DIFFERENT BATTERY PACK SIZES.

QUESTION What battery size of in your 2017 X?

-stew

 

[Riceball777]

Sounds normal for a pre refreshed model x. And yes the reffeshed 2022+ model x do supercharge significantly faster. I have a 2022 model x plaid and on a version 3 super charger it is very fast. It can maintain 250kw charging speed from 0-35% before slowing down. 0-50% take only 15 mins. 0-80 % is only 30 minutes and 0-100% is 1 hour.

 

[henderrj]

We just took a 5000 mile trip in our 2018 X100D. I can report that in this weather the version two handles get pistol hot in the sun and the charging slows down. I tried that trick of putting a damp rig over the plug to keep it cool, and it definitely works. Keeps the charging higher longer. Probably not a huge amount of difference, but enough to be worth it in my opinion. Then again, I'm kind of a techie and love that weird stuff!

 

[Dr_G]

Hi, all.

We picked up our 2017 Model X about a month ago, and, as our first Tesla, we love the experience and are glad we picked up the vehicle. I'm guessing we'll keep it until the wheels fall off, and we're already plotting to replace our second vehicle with another Tesla in the near future.

I've had some interesting experiences with the Supercharger and rates we're getting during our travels. We've taken two road trips with the MX, and seen charging rates all over the map. While I understand different charging stations may have different issues, v2 versus v3 Superchargers, and the algorithm (and the updates to that) for pulling kW depending upon the State of Charge (SoC), I thought I'd share what I've seen and see if we're on-par with the capabilities expected for this model year.

Interestingly, the first Supercharger we did with the vehicle must have been the perfect combination of SoC, ambient temperature, etc., because I can swear I saw the 225 kW for a brief (very brief) time when I plugged-in. Of course, the charge quickly hit 20%, and the algorithm kicked in to bring the rate down. I've never seen a rate over 200 kW since.
I should also state we've also upgraded from MCU1 to MCU2, had a bunch of service done on the vehicle (some of it software-related issues), and may have had the computer reset once or twice as a result. I'm guessing the software has more to do with charging than the hardware, but we have seen updates over the few weeks we've had the vehicle.

I believe we just had a software update a couple days ago, so we're running the latest and greatest for our configuration (v2023.26.7). I went to the Supercharger last night, and I peaked out at 183 kW with 16% SoC, 88ºF ambient temperature, and a very short navigation to the Supercharger (just over a mile).

I'm not entirely preoccupied with the initial rate of charge being maximized. While it's fun to see us flirt with 200 kW, it's a larger (and older) battery pack than, say, the Model Y, so it's not really going to be capable of that for very long, and, either way, the algorithm kicks in for all vehicle models. I'm more concerned with how long my total charge to 90% is taking and the calculated estimate on time to completion.

When plugging-in last night, the vehicle estimated a 45-minute session to get to 90% from the 16% SoC. The problem is, the calculation lowers down to 40 minutes remaining when I've been sitting there for 15 minutes, and it's down to 30 minutes remaining when I'd been there for 30 minutes. I put in about 70 kWh worth of charge in total, and I was there for about 75 minutes. I believe my lowest rates were in the 30 kW range which, after messing with Destination Chargers during our travels, I won't complain it's the worst. That said, I'm not charging the last 10% (to 100%), so I'm not sure why the charge rate needs to push so low (or if it's properly doing so).

When you "set it and forget it" on your charger at home, I'm sure most don't even pay attention to these things. As we're still working on the installation of our home Wall Connector, I've almost exclusively used SuperCharging over the past four weeks. It almost seems like the problem of underestimating the charge time (or taking too long to charge - depending upon how you look at it) is getting worse.

Since SuperCharging bypasses the Onboard Charger, I have to surmise the rate is all determined by the software between the SuperCharger and the Vehicle. I'm guessing the feedback the vehicle gives the station would account for any battery pack issues, overheat, etc. This leads me to question whether or not I have a coolant problem, battery issues, etc. I'm not sure if there's a way to self-diagnose, but I'm also not sure how to request a check on these systems. I'm also not sure if this is just par for the course with this model, but, again, it seems like it was more accurate and capable in our early days of ownership (albeit just a month ago).

I'd appreciate any feedback or thoughts from the community!

- Dave

Hi, all.

We picked up our 2017 Model X about a month ago, and, as our first Tesla, we love the experience and are glad we picked up the vehicle. I'm guessing we'll keep it until the wheels fall off, and we're already plotting to replace our second vehicle with another Tesla in the near future.

I've had some interesting experiences with the Supercharger and rates we're getting during our travels. We've taken two road trips with the MX, and seen charging rates all over the map. While I understand different charging stations may have different issues, v2 versus v3 Superchargers, and the algorithm (and the updates to that) for pulling kW depending upon the State of Charge (SoC), I thought I'd share what I've seen and see if we're on-par with the capabilities expected for this model year.

Interestingly, the first Supercharger we did with the vehicle must have been the perfect combination of SoC, ambient temperature, etc., because I can swear I saw the 225 kW for a brief (very brief) time when I plugged-in. Of course, the charge quickly hit 20%, and the algorithm kicked in to bring the rate down. I've never seen a rate over 200 kW since.
I should also state we've also upgraded from MCU1 to MCU2, had a bunch of service done on the vehicle (some of it software-related issues), and may have had the computer reset once or twice as a result. I'm guessing the software has more to do with charging than the hardware, but we have seen updates over the few weeks we've had the vehicle.

I believe we just had a software update a couple days ago, so we're running the latest and greatest for our configuration (v2023.26.7). I went to the Supercharger last night, and I peaked out at 183 kW with 16% SoC, 88ºF ambient temperature, and a very short navigation to the Supercharger (just over a mile).

I'm not entirely preoccupied with the initial rate of charge being maximized. While it's fun to see us flirt with 200 kW, it's a larger (and older) battery pack than, say, the Model Y, so it's not really going to be capable of that for very long, and, either way, the algorithm kicks in for all vehicle models. I'm more concerned with how long my total charge to 90% is taking and the calculated estimate on time to completion.

When plugging-in last night, the vehicle estimated a 45-minute session to get to 90% from the 16% SoC. The problem is, the calculation lowers down to 40 minutes remaining when I've been sitting there for 15 minutes, and it's down to 30 minutes remaining when I'd been there for 30 minutes. I put in about 70 kWh worth of charge in total, and I was there for about 75 minutes. I believe my lowest rates were in the 30 kW range which, after messing with Destination Chargers during our travels, I won't complain it's the worst. That said, I'm not charging the last 10% (to 100%), so I'm not sure why the charge rate needs to push so low (or if it's properly doing so).

When you "set it and forget it" on your charger at home, I'm sure most don't even pay attention to these things. As we're still working on the installation of our home Wall Connector, I've almost exclusively used SuperCharging over the past four weeks. It almost seems like the problem of underestimating the charge time (or taking too long to charge - depending upon how you look at it) is getting worse.

Since SuperCharging bypasses the Onboard Charger, I have to surmise the rate is all determined by the software between the SuperCharger and the Vehicle. I'm guessing the feedback the vehicle gives the station would account for any battery pack issues, overheat, etc. This leads me to question whether or not I have a coolant problem, battery issues, etc. I'm not sure if there's a way to self-diagnose, but I'm also not sure how to request a check on these systems. I'm also not sure if this is just par for the course with this model, but, again, it seems like it was more accurate and capable in our early days of ownership (albeit just a month ago).

I'd appreciate any feedback or thoughts from the community!

- Dave

This is such a relevant post to me. Thank you ! The closest I've come to answering my musings.

I've been Looking at a Model X from the 2016 through 2020 era for a while now, with a concerned eye on the battery capacity and charging rates. Degradation is ovbviously the other consideration. I've found that capacity is relatively easy to find and degradation is less of a concern, especially since the 8 year battery warranty would still bein effect.

So the focus has been on charging rate. I understand the dependent variables (temp, charger rating, SOC, etc), but my standard is our 2023 M3. Overnight charging is not a problem, but the critical element here is trips. We found our half doxzen or so trips that the M3 with Super Charging just about meets our charging needs: 15 - 30 minutes to charge roughly 200 miles for our next hop. We like to drive at least 150 to 200 miles. The M3 just about makes that cut cut.

So I was hoping to find more information that compared the current state of technology to the older MX line. eg if the current M3/Y capacilities allow a 20 minute stop on trips, how long would the older MX require? I'm thinking that could really be a rational, even though not a quantitative discussion.

Gerry

 

[MikeC]

This is such a relevant post to me. Thank you ! The closest I've come to answering my musings.

I've been Looking at a Model X from the 2016 through 2020 era for a while now, with a concerned eye on the battery capacity and charging rates. Degradation is ovbviously the other consideration. I've found that capacity is relatively easy to find and degradation is less of a concern, especially since the 8 year battery warranty would still bein effect.

So the focus has been on charging rate. I understand the dependent variables (temp, charger rating, SOC, etc), but my standard is our 2023 M3. Overnight charging is not a problem, but the critical element here is trips. We found our half doxzen or so trips that the M3 with Super Charging just about meets our charging needs: 15 - 30 minutes to charge roughly 200 miles for our next hop. We like to drive at least 150 to 200 miles. The M3 just about makes that cut cut.

So I was hoping to find more information that compared the current state of technology to the older MX line. eg if the current M3/Y capacilities allow a 20 minute stop on trips, how long would the older MX require? I'm thinking that could really be a rational, even though not a quantitative discussion.

Gerry

I just sold my 2016 75D, I think my max range on that was not much more than 200-210 miles. On that car I'd guess it's about 45-60 minutes to go from almost empty to 80-90%, depending on the Supercharger.

 

[Dr_G]

We just took a 5000 mile trip in our 2018 X100D. I can report that in this weather the version two handles get pistol hot in the sun and the charging slows down. I tried that trick of putting a damp rig over the plug to keep it cool, and it definitely works. Keeps the charging higher longer. Probably not a huge amount of difference, but enough to be worth it in my opinion. Then again, I'm kind of a techie and love that weird stuff!

I wonder why the handle temperature matters? The handle is part of the charger, not part of the wiring or software in the car?

 

[Rocky_H]

I wonder why the handle temperature matters? The handle is part of the charger, not part of the wiring or software in the car?

Most of the Supercharger versions do have thermal sensors in their handles, and they can and do lower the charging power if it's getting too hot. It's part of the safety monitoring in case there is a partially cracked or broken wire or loose connection or something that is creating a hot spot.