What's the fastest way to start a CCS charge session?

[israndy]

I did my first charge session last night using my hacked 2018 TM3 and my new Tesla CCS adapter from Korea. It took 9 attempts to get it going. It didn't help that Target turns off the parking lot lights when they close at 9 pm. All I saw was the green glow from the top of the EA chargers and what was on-screen. I couldn't see WHICH charger I was connecting to, Hello EA software team!

When I plugged in it would say Communicating with vehicle..., but never start charging. Probably makes sense as I hadn't set up any CCS info on my EA account so no way it would be doing Plug & Charge w/o some configuration, right?

I did finally figure out that I can add the EA "card" to my Apple Wallet. This should mean that I can pull up to charge and touch my iPhone to the reader, signal my acceptance of the charge on the phone and touch it again to the charger and charging should be enabled. I can then just plug in like I have been doing at ChargePoint chargers since they implemented the Apple Wallet technology, right?

Are those two networks giving me the fastest way to start a charge? EVgo and the old GreenLots network don't seem to have this technology yet.

Will Teslas be able to participate in Plug and Charge or AutoCharge? Is there something we need to do to get this working. Someone we need to nag?

 

[KJD]

My experience with CCS charge stations is about the same as yours. Very frustrating.

I think that the Tesla CCS1 adapter works as it should. The problem is the CCS charge stations out there are very poor quality. I have used 3 different networks so far, Electrify America, EVgo, and Charge point. They all suck compared to a Tesla Supercharger.

I have the 3 apps on my phone and all three of these apps are poorly written. I have tried using the app to pay and I have tried using a credit card to pay and I have tried using apple pay. You never know what method is going to work best on what machine. It seems to me that the app is slightly better than using a CC but not always. At the Chargepoint station I tried yesterday the app would not start the station I was parked at, but I could hear the contactor opening and closing on the machine at the end of the row (no marking on the machine with a station number ) so I finally moved my car to the other end of the row and got a session to start.

It really should not be this hard.

 

[ATPMSD]

Tesla CCS adapter from Korea.

The CCS adapter from Korea is not fully compatible, there have been lots of posts that using it is hit or miss. If there is a SD card in the adapter check to see if there is a software update.

 

[Pricedm]

I did finally figure out that I can add the EA "card" to my Apple Wallet.

Thanks for that tip.
From the Electrify America mobile app: Account > Payment > Use Your Phone as a Pass > Add to Apple Wallet

 

[KJD]

The CCS adapter from Korea is not fully compatible, there have been lots of posts that using it is hit or miss. If there is a SD card in the adapter check to see if there is a software update.

This incorrect.

There is no software in the Tesla CCS1 adapter. It only does pass through from one plug to the other. No SD card at all.

 

[Mockingbird]

The way that Plug-and-charge works is that the automaker would have a backend that accepts the customer's bill from the charging station. The automaker then charges the customer with the payment on file.

For example, Ford would have a backend that accepts customers' bills from Electrify America.

Electrify America would send the customer's bill to Ford. Ford would then subsequently charge the customer using the payment that the customer has on file.

Since Tesla doesn't have a backend to accept the customer's bill from Electrify America, Plug-and-Charge doesn't work.

You get two options: using the Electrify America app or using the on-site credit card reader.

I strongly suggest using the app since the on-site credit card reader is often very problematic. (Also, have an account and payment method setup beforehand)

 

[RTPEV]

My experience with CCS stations is limited to use with an actual CCS vehicle (I don't have the CCS adapter or a Tesla with the right hardware to support it), but yes, it's not a super fast process. But what I did (as the passenger) is bring up the ElectrifyAmerica app as we approached the station. I could then get some advance information about which stall to use (paying attention to which were unavailable, which were 350kW, which had CHAdeMO (we tried to prefer the 150kW non-CHAdeMO stalls, keeping the others open for cars that could take advantage of them). Since the app was up, it was merely a matter of plugging in the car and 2-3 clicks (including selecting the specific connector we wer eusing) on the app to start the session (at least I think that's the order--we found if we didn't do things in the exact right order it would fail and we would have to start all over again). I do feel that once we had the process down, and with the app at the ready, we could get started fairly quickly.

My experience with ChargePoint is almost 100% at L2 chargers, but I've found it works very well with my phone. I bring up the app and just hold my phone in front of the charger and it unlocks the connector, I plug in and it's all set. Worked well with the physical card too, but it's been rock solid with the phone, so I never even reach for the card any more.

The worst experience I've had is with a BTCPower Shell Recharge (Greenlots) station (again, just an L2 station). At this particular station I had to bring up the app (it was required!), scan a QR code on the station, which brought up a list of potential stations (?) that I had to select from (caveat: this particular station was brand new and in "test" mode, so maybe it would be better once they moved it to regular use), then it seemed like 4-5 other steps before I was finally able to initiate the charge. And none of this was described in the app or on the machine itself--I had to figure it out through trial and error.

In the interest of equal time, I should also say that just using the parking apps that have become common is not exactly straightforward either. First of all, the companies keep changing so I have to keep downloading new apps, setting up accounts, payment methods, define your car, etc. It seems like every time we park in a lot it takes well over 5 minutes to get set up just to pay for parking. I miss the days in these lots where you would literally stuff a dollar bill into a small slot assigned to your space.

 

[srs5694]

I have limited experience with CCS chargers (using the Setec adapter), but more experience with CHAdeMO (using Tesla's CHAdeMO adapter). These two adapters, and I would expect the Tesla CCS adapter, are pretty similar in terms of the logistics of getting the charge started. This is certainly nowhere near as easy as Tesla's Supercharger experience, but once you know the routine for any given network, it's comparable to using a networked Level 2 EVSE or gas pump.

Note the words "once you know the routine for any given network." This is critical, because it's not standardized. Most networks provide apps, but some also support network-specific RFID cards and/or credit cards. Some networks interoperate, so you can use (for instance) an EVgo card at a ChargePoint station; but unless you've got a scorecard, you can't count on this sort of interoperability. Thus, it's advisable to set up an account and download the app (or get an RFID card, if you prefer) for any given network before traveling if you expect to be using its chargers on a trip. As others have noted, EA's credit card readers have a reputation for unreliability, but I've never tried to use this payment method with them, so I can't comment on that. I recommend testing at a local station, if possible, before traveling, just so you know the dance for that particular network. The charging procedure differs from one network to another. Some require you to plug in first and then activate the charger via the app. Others require tapping the RFID card or activating the charger before plugging in. It's often necessary to identify, in the app, the station and stall you're trying to use. Sometimes deviating from the instructions works OK, but I can't promise that'll work properly all the time. I generally prefer to plug the adapter into the charger's cable and then plug the adapter into my Tesla, simply because it's less awkward that way.

 

[israndy]

Thanks for all the input, I was not looking for info on J1772 or CHAdeMO as I already know those well.

I finally got a working session out of one of the CalTrans chargers on my way home from an LA Supercharger Hunt using Tesla's Free Holiday Charging. The last rest area coming back into SF Bay has free DCFC and I got the charger to start. Getting it to quit is another issue. You can't use the button on the CCS plug they way you do on Tesla, J1772, and CHAdeMO connectors.



Still need to experience other chargers, but what threw me was the EA charger saying "Communicating with Vehicle" for a LONG time. Perhaps I have an issue with my car, but I never had that happen with CHAdeMO. And there was so much Trial and Error getting the EA CCS station to start I am not really sure how I did it.

I did get a chance to try another EA station on the trip and the EA wallet card did NOT react cleanly like the ChargePoint card does.

I will certainly have the app out next time and use my phones flashlight to see WHICH station I am parked in front of.

Gotta try one of those EVgo stations on my next long drive

 

[KJD]

Thanks for all the input, I was not looking for info on J1772 or CHAdeMO as I already know those well.

I finally got a working session out of one of the CalTrans chargers on my way home from an LA Supercharger Hunt using Tesla's Free Holiday Charging. The last rest area coming back into SF Bay has free DCFC and I got the charger to start. Getting it to quit is another issue.

The stop charging button on the center console screen in the car seemed to work the best for me.

 

[kishkaru]

Activate the charging session on the EA app BEFORE plugging in the car to the charger.

I know it sounds counter intuitive and against the instructions by EA, but this is the most reliable way I found. Something about the CCS handshake always takes too long and times out when I use the CCS adapter. Activating the charger before plugging in ensures that payment authorization and other stuff gets done first. Then, plugging in the car should just start the charging session in seconds, like at a Tesla supercharger.

After all, that's how gas pumps work, right? Pay first, then pick up the handle.

 

[KJD]

Activate the charging session on the EA app BEFORE plugging in the car to the charger.

I know it sounds counter intuitive and against the instructions by EA, but this is the most reliable way I found. Something about the CCS handshake always takes too long and times out when I use the CCS adapter. Activating the charger before plugging in ensures that payment authorization and other stuff gets done first. Then, plugging in the car should just start the charging session in seconds, like at a Tesla supercharger.

After all, that's how gas pumps work, right? Pay first, then pick up the handle.

I tried the local EA station here again today. I agree with you it does work better if you activate the session before you plug in the car.

The car did give me a message about charge cord not in all the way, so as others have suggested I lifted up the cord just a little bit until the green light on the car started flashing and then it was fine after that.

Also noted that 2 of the other stations had error messages on them about being Unavailable for whatever reason.

In summary I am still happy that I bought the adapter because when on a road trip the more options you have the better, but obvious to me that Tesla charge stations are so much easier to use and much more reliable than anything else out there. The Tesla stations will always be my first choice on where to stop.

 

[Mockingbird]

Thanks for all the input, I was not looking for info on J1772 or CHAdeMO as I already know those well.

I finally got a working session out of one of the CalTrans chargers on my way home from an LA Supercharger Hunt using Tesla's Free Holiday Charging. The last rest area coming back into SF Bay has free DCFC and I got the charger to start. Getting it to quit is another issue. You can't use the button on the CCS plug they way you do on Tesla, J1772, and CHAdeMO connectors.

View attachment 810147

Still need to experience other chargers, but what threw me was the EA charger saying "Communicating with Vehicle" for a LONG time. Perhaps I have an issue with my car, but I never had that happen with CHAdeMO. And there was so much Trial and Error getting the EA CCS station to start I am not really sure how I did it.

I did get a chance to try another EA station on the trip and the EA wallet card did NOT react cleanly like the ChargePoint card does.

I will certainly have the app out next time and use my phones flashlight to see WHICH station I am parked in front of.

Gotta try one of those EVgo stations on my next long drive

For Electrify America, once it said "Communicating with vehicle", you have 60 seconds to initiate charging from the Electrify America app before the charger times out.

You should have the Electrify America app open and ready before plugging in.

 

[israndy]

I added the app card to my wallet on my iPhone. I went to the EA charger, plugged in my car, held the phone up to the charger and the EA card opened on screen and the phone demurred with a message saying "Looking for payment". I am not sure WHY they let you add the EA card to your wallet if it isn't so you can say you wanna pay with your EA card. I ended up selecting my credit card and holding the phone against the charger again and it thanked me and started the charge.

Since I am a member why didn't it use my balance on my account and charge me the rate as a member instead of treating me like a guest and charging my credit card blindly?

I get that I can choose to start charging in the app, but as I mentioned previously when the parking lot is dark and the only light is the bright green logos and the display it's hard to know which stall I am plugging into. Holding my phone to the reader of the stall I am connected to seems like it should be the correct way to operate the charger.

 

[kishkaru]

I get that I can choose to start charging in the app, but as I mentioned previously when the parking lot is dark and the only light is the bright green logos and the display it's hard to know which stall I am plugging into. Holding my phone to the reader of the stall I am connected to seems like it should be the correct way to operate the charger.

There are TWO separate card readers on the chargers. One for credit cards (above), and one for the RFID (below). Tap your phone on the RFID reader, and NOT on the credit card reader! The RFID reader is hidden and non-obvious. They really should light it up!

If you did use the correct card reader, then it should have worked. Do NOT add the EA membership card to your Wallet. It should work to read the info directly from the app. At least this is the way it is on Android, not sure on iOS. It works this way for EVgo and Chargepoint as well. No need go add the membership to the wallet, or open the app. Just tap the phone on the RFID reader.

 

[Copythat23]

anything that isn't a tesla charger is a 50/50 chance it will be working. There's little support and no care ever. Sometimes it will charge for 5 min then turn off too which gets costly if you are not on a plan and it cost $5 to turn on each time!

 

[ambudriver03]

anything that isn't a tesla charger is a 50/50 chance it will be working. There's little support and no care ever. Sometimes it will charge for 5 min then turn off too which gets costly if you are not on a plan and it cost $5 to turn on each time!

Agreed. I tried two different EVgo units last night, and each shut off after < 5 mins, I don't think it was the Tesla CCS because it worked the day before on a different station and stayed charging for 25ish minutes.

The connection fee at EVgo ($1 per session) can be mitigated if you sign up for the 'AAA member'
EVgo Promotion (after I logged in with my aaa, it automatically signed me up as NorCal member, even though my AAA is in Southern California

 

[israndy]

Wish there was something like that for Electrify America

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I did my first charge session last night using my hacked 2018 TM3 and my new Tesla CCS adapter from Korea. It took 9 attempts to get it going. It didn't help that Target turns off the parking lot lights when they close at 9 pm. All I saw was the green glow from the top of the EA chargers and what was on-screen. I couldn't see WHICH charger I was connecting to, Hello EA software team!

When I plugged in it would say Communicating with vehicle..., but never start charging. Probably makes sense as I hadn't set up any CCS info on my EA account so no way it would be doing Plug & Charge w/o some configuration, right?

I did finally figure out that I can add the EA "card" to my Apple Wallet. This should mean that I can pull up to charge and touch my iPhone to the reader, signal my acceptance of the charge on the phone and touch it again to the charger and charging should be enabled. I can then just plug in like I have been doing at ChargePoint chargers since they implemented the Apple Wallet technology, right?

Are those two networks giving me the fastest way to start a charge? EVgo and the old GreenLots network don't seem to have this technology yet.

Will Teslas be able to participate in Plug and Charge or AutoCharge? Is there something we need to do to get this working. Someone we need to nag?

I know it's a post from last week so people may have already replied, but :
(1) Electrify America is plug in first, then start. That differs from other networks. However, it makes sense given that the plan is that ultimately everybody would use Plug & Charge.
(2) The charger number is up at the top right of the charger. If you're using the app, use your phone's flashlight or just the light from the screen to light up the last two digits of the charger number.

 

[ambudriver03]

I know it's a post from last week so people may have already replied, but :
(1) Electrify America is plug in first, then start. That differs from other networks. However, it makes sense given that the plan is that ultimately everybody would use Plug & Charge.
(2) The charger number is up at the top right of the charger. If you're using the app, use your phone's flashlight or just the light from the screen to light up the last two digits of the charger number.

There are literally tons of Electrify America charging stations here in Los Angeles/Orange County, CA BUT
Half of them are broken!

I went last night and charged my tesla via CCS at 95kw (150kw station), and 2 out of 4 CCS pedestals were offline, the one I charged at, the NFC and Credit card reader were both broken, so you could only initiate the session via the app, but it DID work.