DC fast charging

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Sparkyv

New member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4
Location
Encinitas, CA
I have a 2014 Spark EV with the DC fast charging option. I am fortunate on the one hand to actually have a DC fast charging station reasonably close to my home. However, I have yet to get it to charge my EV. After attempting to charge on 4 different occasions I made an appointment with my local Chevy dealer to get the system checked out. They tried what they could as they do not have a DC fast charging station. They asked me to take it to the dealer that was closest to the DC fast charging station and have them take the car to the charging station with their testing equipment and try to figure out what is going on.
Has anyone used one of the NRG DC fast charging stations successfully?
 
This is more likely a problem with the charging station than with your Spark. I would contact a rep from NRG to assist you with the problem.
 
Who makes the unit? In the Sacramento area, the newly installed SMUD DCFC from Efacec was having issues with the Spark. An Efacec rep had the following to say about it:

Please understand Efacec is on top of the issue, and there are no problems with the Spark EVs. We are currently working through a software issue on the chargers that is associated only with SAE Combo charging. This issue is very inconsistent as to when it appears, so there may be periods of instability where the charger fails to charge an SAE Combo vehicle, but Efacec is taking steps to solve the problem and provide as reliable of a charging experience as possible. Fortunately, the software problem can be solved by simply resetting power to the unit. We are diligently working on the permanent fix for this software problem, but in the mean time we will implement a regular power reset to keep the fast charger online and available as much as possible for SAE Combo vehicles.

Perhaps you can try resetting the unit?
 
Sparkyv said:
I have a 2014 Spark EV with the DC fast charging option. I am fortunate on the one hand to actually have a DC fast charging station reasonably close to my home. However, I have yet to get it to charge my EV. After attempting to charge on 4 different occasions I made an appointment with my local Chevy dealer to get the system checked out. They tried what they could as they do not have a DC fast charging station. They asked me to take it to the dealer that was closest to the DC fast charging station and have them take the car to the charging station with their testing equipment and try to figure out what is going on.
Has anyone used one of the NRG DC fast charging stations successfully?

Hi, I am assuming you are talking about the Fashion Valley station in SD. Never gone to that one, although today i was considering to, becasue I was very close to complete discharge of my battery.
From my experience with one of Irvine stations:
Swiped my card and all went fine up to the point when charging station is finishing communicating with my Spark. Error code - "cant charge" or something in that effect. btw, on plugshare site, they recommend watching for the plug clicking in your receiving port to make sure it connects properly. I did not her the click, but still tried - obviously unsuccessfully. Been pissed at my self and the rest of the 99%, switched to a regular J1772 station, didn't even have to move the car, but it was still gnawing at me. So i stopped the 240V session and tried the DC again. This time I just wiggled the plug left and right as I was inserting it and at the end give it some extra shove for good measure. Still did not hear a click at all, went to the cc procedure etc. again, but this time it charged :)
We can try meeting there some day when we are both in the area, but trust me - there is no science to it, just luck :geek:
 
I had the same problem here in the bay area Audi/VW dealership Efacec unit. Super dodgy on the CCS side, but the line of Nissan Leaf's have no problem with their side. It used to work flawlessly back in March, but has consistently gotten worse and now it's failed to work the last 5 times. I'll keep an eye out for any updates. Thanks for posting. Thought I was alone in this...
 
cwerdna said:
^^^
For those who don't know, that unit is at http://api.plugshare.com/view/location/8428.
Judging by the comments it's very hit or miss. Someone managed to charge from the CCS side last week, but neglected to say what car. At least a couple of i3 owners have identified themselves and said they couldn't charge, and there are reports of Sparks failing too. VW needs to fix this, and hopefully they won't wait until the e-Golf arrives.

Just checking the Plugshare map, I note the intended CCS at Weatherford BMW in Berkeley has disappeared from the map. Not sure if they've changed their minds or if this is just some Plugshare bug, stations occasionally disappearing from the map for no obvious reason.
 
gra said:
At least a couple of i3 owners have identified themselves and said they couldn't charge, and there are reports of Sparks failing too. VW needs to fix this, and hopefully they won't wait until the e-Golf arrives..

Because they owe GM and BMW owners something? Because they make so much money from providing free quick charging? Why do they need to fix it, specifically not for their own eGold compliance car?
 
TonyWilliams said:
gra said:
At least a couple of i3 owners have identified themselves and said they couldn't charge, and there are reports of Sparks failing too. VW needs to fix this, and hopefully they won't wait until the e-Golf arrives.

Because they owe GM and BMW owners something? Because they make so much money from providing free quick charging? Why do they need to fix it, specifically not for their own eGold compliance car?
Because it's bad PR that will affect sales of their own cars. After all, if you're considering an e-Golf and VW can't even keep the QC at their own prominent Electronics Research Laboratory in Silicon Valley functioning, what conclusions are you likely to draw about the probable reliability of the car? VW was the only major auto maker to see U.S. sales decrease this past month, so they've got enough of a hill to climb without carrying any unnecessary weight.

Update: Apparently VW agrees with me, because there have been two successful CCS charges (car type unstated, unfortunately) reported today on Plugshare, after VW engineers had some trouble yesterday. At least part of the problem seems to have been due to operator error; see the comments at the Plugshare listing.
 
gra said:
Because it's bad PR that will affect sales of their own cars. After all, if you're considering an e-Golf and VW can't even keep the QC at their own prominent Electronics Research Laboratory in Silicon Valley functioning, what conclusions are you likely to draw about the probable reliability of the car?

Toyota doesn't care... Honda doesn't care... they have installed zero chargers or charge stations for public use.

Not every manufacturer thinks they need to promote or make their car seem "good". Both Toyota and Honda sell all the EV's they want... the bare minimum, just like GM and Fiat/Chrysler.
 
TonyWilliams said:
gra said:
Because it's bad PR that will affect sales of their own cars. After all, if you're considering an e-Golf and VW can't even keep the QC at their own prominent Electronics Research Laboratory in Silicon Valley functioning, what conclusions are you likely to draw about the probable reliability of the car?

Toyota doesn't care... Honda doesn't care... they have installed zero chargers or charge stations for public use.

Not every manufacturer thinks they need to promote or make their car seem "good". Both Toyota and Honda sell all the EV's they want... the bare minimum, just like GM and Fiat/Chrysler.
Sure, but those two are going over to FCEVs so don't care about BEVs, while VW appears to be more serious about BEVs, although as a group they seem to be going in more for PHEVs. Not surprising given that many of their brands are upscale, and need to be able to cruise on the autobahn at speed for considerable distances. I wonder what a Tesla's range is at 100+ mph.
 
Hi all, any updates on this? I tried again 3 days ago, and still no bueno.
Does anybody know how to contact efacec? Their website is terrible.
 
I have used NRG DC Fast Chargers with 3 different SPARK EV vehicles with no problem. The equipment was ABB and also a BTC power station. Friends have also changed their SPARK EVs with no problem.
I would suggest you try other types of DC Fast Chargers and if none work it's your car. If others works it;s that particular DC Fast Charger.
What equipment was the DC FC that you have tried?
What indications did you get ?
 
hwb said:
Hi all, any updates on this? I tried again 3 days ago, and still no bueno.
Does anybody know how to contact efacec? Their website is terrible.
Efacec just makes the hardware.
Who is the administrator of the network? You tap a card to start a session, I assume. What card?

The metro area where I live has 15 of this brand of DCFC and Chargepoint handles the network.
I contact them to do a remote reboot when I see the "Needs Service" Triangle of Doom.
They are usually dependable but after heavy storms the night before I can find one with the Triangle, sometimes.

The part that really bugs me is the Chargepoint app will show it "Available" and when I got there is it down and two remote reboots didn't get it working.
It was my worse experience with my Spark EV due to this situation.
I had 2 miles showing and some L2's were 1.1 miles away according to Plugshare.
I made it !! But it was stressful, for sure.

Then I had to hang out at a Buffalo Wild Wings and drink a few weird beers with a bunch of rowdy Cheifs fans while a game was going on.
I was on my way to test ride a Zero motorcycle. So that mission was a bust.... :( :mrgreen:
 
we don't have any Efacec DC Fast Chargers in Arizona or I try one and see if it works with our 2015 SPARK EV. They should have a contact number on their website.

I'd start here =
Efacec USA, inc.
Website: www.efacec.com
Email:[email protected]
Tel.:+1 770 446 8854
 
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