It’s almost the Lunar New Year, and we all know that the range of new energy vehicles in winter is lower than in summer, which means we need to charge more frequently and for longer periods of time. If you have a home charging station, that’s great, but if not, you’ll need to find one outside (like I did). As an experienced charger, I have carefully researched this topic and would like to share my experience with you today.
When I first plugged in, the range displayed in the upper right corner was 119 kilometers. Note that there are two display modes for range: “CLTC” mode always shows 606 kilometers, while “Dynamic” mode calculates the range based on driving habits in the previous section. I recommend choosing Dynamic mode as it is more accurate. In the upper left corner, there is a predicted end time for charging, which is usually quite accurate. You can use this time to plan your own schedule, such as going grocery shopping, having a cup of coffee, or taking a nap with an alarm clock set. Also, please note that you can slide the charge percentage in the middle of the screen, but for the health of the battery, it is recommended to charge the lithium-ion battery to 90% for long-distance travel, which is more beneficial for the health of the battery.
Zooming in on the screen, you can also see the current charging current and voltage, and the charging rate was 81KW that night, which is normal for a fast charging station. I once went to a fast charging station in Shanghai during a business trip, where the highest power reached 240KW, which was really fast. Of course, this power is often related to the number of vehicles charging at that fast charging station. When there are many vehicles charging, the current will be evenly distributed to avoid dangerous situations caused by high voltage concentration in a short period of time, but the disadvantage is that the charging time for each vehicle may slow down.
Here is another picture of the current fast charging station, which is almost full, haha. It has to be said that the development of our new energy models is too fast.
It can be clearly seen here that the range has reached 372 kilometers and the charging power has increased from 80KW to 101KW. There is a significant improvement.
Charge complete! Let me show you the charging speed. The battery level increased from 13% to 95% in 56 minutes. Usually, I come to charge at noon and take a nap while charging, haha. When I wake up, the battery is full. This APP is quite user-friendly, you can also see the temperature and current fluctuations during charging.
Finally, let me show you the cost of this charging. When charging outside, try to choose stations that do not require prepayment so you can enjoy the convenience of paying after charging. Also, pay attention to the charging time, as electricity fees are cheaper during off-peak hours. If you often charge at the same station, check if there are any prepaid discounts or membership activities at that station, which can save you a lot of money.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.