For a few decade now, Tesla has led the automotive trade within the rollout of North American fast-charging infrastructure. Whereas most automakers selected to depend on third-party networks like EVgo or Chargepoint for CHAdeMO and CCS infrastructure, Tesla as an alternative selected to construct out their very own unique charging community. They did so utilizing a customized cost protocol now often called the North American Charging Commonplace (NACS).
The younger automaker was in a position to develop its community rapidly and developed a repute for reliability. Inside just a few years, the Supercharger community turned the model’s largest benefit over different automakers.
Kia EV9 Supercharger Woes
The Kia EV9 can attain cost charges of over 200 kW on many Electrify America stations. Nevertheless, V3 Superchargers are restricted by their 400V structure. This causes points for EVs that depend on 800V structure for peak cost speeds.
However lately, competing CHAdeMO and CCS networks have grown quickly nationwide. Technological development has grown as nicely. It’s not unusual for brand spanking new CCS installations to be pushing 350 kW, far surpassing the 250 kW succesful V3 Superchargers.
So it got here as a shock to many when final 12 months, one after the other, automakers started abandoning CCS in favor of Tesla’s NACS. Following these bulletins, Tesla started increasing Supercharger entry to CCS-equipped autos for the primary time. Whereas the charging expertise has been nice for a lot of drivers, it has been a less-than-ideal for others.
Automobiles just like the Chevy Silverado EV and the Kia EV9 depend on 800V charging infrastructure to realize their most cost charges. Present V3 Superchargers have been constructed with 400V charging in thoughts.
That is what Alex from the EV Patrons Information YouTube channel just lately explored. He arrived at a CCS Magic Dock-equipped Supercharger to check out the cost efficiency of the Kia EV9. The method of initiating a cost couldn’t have been simpler. However disappointment units in as soon as the cost session begins.
Whereas the EV9 can attain charges over 200 kW from a 350 kW Electrify America (EA) station, the V3 Superchargers can not even get the Kia over the 100 kW threshold. For this cost session, the EV9 peaked at a fee of 84 kW. This isn’t solely lower than the automobile’s max cost fee on a 350 kW CCS station, but in addition slower than a typical 150 kW CCS station.
Alex confirmed within the feedback that the battery had been pre-conditioned earlier than this cost session. He explains that “V3 Superchargers do not natively put out the voltage required to cost your battery. (…) As a way to cost, these EVs have to spice up the voltage utilizing an onboard DC-DC conversion circuit that not solely reduces charging effectivity, it decreased charging speeds dramatically.”
Alex estimates that the EV9 ought to be capable of hit as much as 100 kW from a V3 Supercharger, nevertheless. Some Kia drivers have reported cost speeds within the 90 kW – 95 kW vary.
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The eventual launch of V4 Superchargers ought to allow 800V charging at speeds as much as 350 kW. However your guess is pretty much as good as ours as to after we will see these models at our native Superchargers. Whereas the next-generation cost stations have been noticed within the wild, they’ve up to now been powered by older V3 cupboards. So in the interim, cost speeds will proceed to be restricted for autos that cost at 800V.
What has your expertise been up to now charging your non-Tesla on the Supercharger community? Tell us within the feedback beneath.