Anyone care to explain CHAdeMO

[TOBASH]

I just got the adapter at the Tesla store, (they are now available).

So, I understand what it is, but who are the best companies to purchase service from? How do I do it? What do I need to purchase? What is/are the best Apps?

I won't always be near a supercharger to get use my lifetime supercharging, and if I am lost or nowhere near one, I want a backup.

 

[jboy210]

Electrify America (EA) and other have Chademo chargers. I believe EA is require to have one per site. As I understand it they are limited to 50KW so considerably slower than a Supercharger. But in a pinch will do.

Plugshare contains a list of charging sites in an area and what connectors they provide. Also, one of the recent updates to Tesla maps added 3rd party charging locations.

 

[rdskill]

I've used Electrify America. They are pretty mainstream. EvGo also support Chademo.

You'll want to use www.plugshare.com for locating them.

 

[wws]

Go to plugshare.com and enable the CHAdeMO filter. Each site has info on which charging network it uses.

I recently signed up for EVgo for two reasons: 1.) A few of their sites have Tesla CHAdeMO adapters mounted to the charging station - apparently with more to come. So at these stations, you don't need to bring your own adapter. (I think this is a great idea.) And 2.) AAA here in Northern California has a special deal with them that has no monthly fees. It is slower and more expensive than Supercharging, but doesn't cost anything to keep active.

To use a EVgo station is simple: Plug the CHAdeMO plug into the Tesla adapter. Plug the Tesla adapter into the car. Use the phone app to start the charger. (Alternatively they send you a card to wave in front of the charger, but the app seems more reliable.)

The Tesla adapter is limited to 125 amps. So look especially for CHAdeMO stations that are rated at 125 amps or more in order to approach the max of 50 kW. Actual rate will depend on the State of Charge of your battery pack.

 

[TOBASH]

Thanks one and all. Many of the EV companies don’t provide robust service in NY BUT I will do more research.

Funny because almost 100 years ago there were electric cars and electric car chargers in NYC. We were ahead of the curve. What ever happened?

 

[wws]

Funny because almost 100 years ago there were electric cars and electric car chargers in NYC. We were ahead of the curve. What ever happened?

Some factors: Charles Kettering, at Cadillac, invented the electric starter motor for ICE cars. Lots of other advances in ICE tech. Plentiful oil was discovered in Oklahoma, Texas, and elsewhere. Battery tech didn't advance much. And the electrical infrastructure was pretty primitive. Homes, if they had electricity at all, barely had enough service to light a few light bulbs.

 

[Teriyaki88]

Just be aware that many of the non-Tesla chargers are not as dependable. Be cautious as you may be stuck if its out of order.

 

[MXLRplus]

Most locations for CHAdeMO are paired with CCS specification, except Nissan dealer CHAdeMO sites.
Most DCFC sites accept credit cards, but often require you call first or load a cellphone app.
In areas where cellphone service might be sketchy, the "Scan Cards" from the DCFC company are a real lifesaver.
I carry:

• EVConnect
• EVgo
• Electrify America
• ChargePoint

and can go coast to coast.

Asking about non-Tesla DCFC tech here is like asking for relationship advice from a divorcee.

Tesla is making a mistake IMO by not selling a CCS adapter. That is WAY more useful than CHAdeMO.

 

[wws]

Most locations for CHAdeMO are paired with CCS specification, except Nissan dealer CHAdeMO sites.
Most DCFC sites accept credit cards, but often require you call first or load a cellphone app.
In areas where cellphone service might be sketchy, the "Scan Cards" from the DCFC company are a real lifesaver.
I carry:

• EVConnect
• EVgo
• Electrify America
• ChargePoint

and can go coast to coast.

We've had a ChargePoint account for years. For one thing, my wife needed one for doing Volt charging at work. But ChargePoint sites are all over the place here in N. Cal. It has been useful having the account even with the Tesla. Recently signed up for EVgo because they are equipping some of their CHAdeMO sites with attached Tesla CHAdeMO adapters. One is even at a grocery store that I go to. So I've used it a couple of times to help support the cause.

Asking about non-Tesla DCFC tech here is like asking for relationship advice from a divorcee.

I've used Tesla CHAdeMO adapters a few times, but don't actually own one. On those few occasions, it has been via either a borrowed or (EVgo) attached adapter.

Tesla is making a mistake IMO by not selling a CCS adapter. That is WAY more useful than CHAdeMO.

I kind of wonder what percentage of CHAdeMO usage is from Tesla owners with adapters (and the closest Supercharger is a significant number of miles away) vs Leafs, old Soul EVs, etc. I bet that if/when Tesla offers a North American CCS adapter, much of the demand for CHAdeMO will disappear almost overnight.

 

[jboy210]

We've had a ChargePoint account for years. For one thing, my wife needed one for doing Volt charging at work. But ChargePoint sites are all over the place here in N. Cal. It has been useful having the account even with the Tesla. Recently signed up for EVgo because they are equipping some of their CHAdeMO sites with attached Tesla CHAdeMO adapters. One is even at a grocery store that I go to. So I've used it a couple of times to help support the cause.



I've used Tesla CHAdeMO adapters a few times, but don't actually own one. On those few occasions, it has been via either a borrowed or (EVgo) attached adapter.



I kind of wonder what percentage of CHAdeMO usage is from Tesla owners with adapters (and the closest Supercharger is a significant number of miles away) vs Leafs, old Soul EVs, etc. I bet that if/when Tesla offers a North American CCS adapter, much of the demand for CHAdeMO will disappear almost overnight.

How often do you use Chargepoint or other non-Supercharger locations with your Model 3? I got a ChargePoint account and have used it for one test ($1.00) in 2 1/2 years. The Supercharger density is pretty good by me. But 98% of the time I charge at home. Only on trips down I-5, 99, or around the Bay Area do I charge away from home, and that is always at a Supercharger.

 

[wws]

How often do you use Chargepoint or other non-Supercharger locations with your Model 3? I got a ChargePoint account and have used it for one test ($1.00) in 2 1/2 years. The Supercharger density is pretty good by me. But 98% of the time I charge at home. Only on trips down I-5, 99, or around the Bay Area do I charge away from home, and that is always at a Supercharger.

Well my wife used it every workday for several years with our Volt. The L2 charging stations at her workplace were managed by ChargePoint. They set up a private group for employees. Our ChargePoint account had to be linked into the private group in order to use them.

I've only occasionally used CP with my Model 3. Typically at L2s where I was parked for a couple of hours, the parking spot was convenient, and I could use a few miles. Once at our local library the entire parking lot was full - except for the EV spots. Was attending a meeting that was about to start. So I parked in one of the EV spots, and started up the L2 charging. Also used CP for CHAdeMO charging on a road trip last fall - at Fox Station in Fallon, Nevada. No Superchargers anywhere near there.

 

[cwerdna]

For anyone who has the CHAdeMO adapter, there's this: Electrify America To Offer Free Charging All Labor Day Weekend Long. But, there's only 1 CHAdeMO plug at each EA site... So, check Plugshare first. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit an EA site if I only had CHAdeMO, esp. during the day.

 

[ArcticStation]

I see that you are in New York. If you decide to venture a few hours north, especially to rural areas of Quebec and Atlantic Canada, you will have an opportunity to use your adapter--a lot! After almost three years I have used my adapter within the US only twice, but when visiting family and friends in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia the adapter is always in use. I believe there are only two Superchargers in Nova Scotia (Aulac on the NB/NS border and near the Halifax airport), and none in Newfoundland and Labrador. I have both an eCharge account that seems to work throughout Atlantic Canada, along with a Petro-Canada account that I use when more convenient.

 

[RandyS]

Tesla is making a mistake IMO by not selling a CCS adapter. That is WAY more useful than CHAdeMO.

You may be right, but one thought of a competitive nature comes to mind...

Where I live in Southern California, I don't see much use at the Electrify America charging stations relatively speaking. I've never seen an EA site full locally.

If Tesla started selling a CCS adapter, that could theoretically dump a significant number of Tesla cars as customers right into EA's lap. And since car throughput is key for a non-Tesla charging provider to be financially successful (because of the high demand charges on commercial electric rates that need to be diluted by many cars charging in a month to keep costs under control), Tesla actually can hold a competitor like EA "at bay" by withholding business via CCS adapters and NOT selling the CCS adapter (as well as turning off the Setec adapter via software to prevent CCS charging).

Would they do that? Food for thought...