First DC fast charging experience with Electrify America

[Andretex]

Just wanted to share my experience…

I was very happy with the first DC fast charging experience with EA and my Lucid Air touring. Here is the run down.

I went to a Walmart site that had 10 EA chargers, most were 350kw capable. Based on the reviews from plugshare the site gets pretty good reviews but does have the usual complaints about certain stations. When I arrived there were 3 others were charging. Plugshare stated two were in use, but that was incorrect. Two hyandai and one polestar were charging.

I plugged into the first open 350 kw charger, handshake happened, it recognized the Lucid, charging started for free! Wow I was happy to see that work. Then it stopped. The station said to unplug and remove car. Well, a station next door was open, so being lazy, I did not move my car. I plugged another 350 kw station to the car and... Handshake happened, recognized the Lucid and boom, charging started. Wow I got happy again. Free Lucid charging with plug and charge worked!

I arrived at 16% or about 70 miles left. I know a new Lucid will not track the mileage left very well.
Charge started at 199 kw. Not the 300+ they say Lucid can handle.
The charge rate steadily decreased.
At 10 minutes the rate was at 144 kw.
At 15 minutes it was at 121 kw
At 20 minutes my car was at 62% charge, the rate had dropped to 98 kw and it said I received 199 miles. Wow, I was happily impressed.

I thought about stopping, but my wife was enjoying sitting in the car listening to tidal Atmos music. There were no other cars waiting for a charge, so I stayed longer.

I unplugged at 29 minutes of charge when the rate was 72kw. The car was at 75% Soc, mileage was at 321 or about 250 miles added to the car. EA said 57.2 kw was delivered to the car. So the first 20 minutes delivered about 199 miles to the car and the last 9 minutes about 52 miles.

Overall, a great experience. Does this sound like your experience on your first DC fast charge?

 

[Spin Doctor]

Sounds like a pretty good experience. I find the newer EA hardware to be rather more reliable; they have a long way to go, but they're (slowly) improving.

 

[xponents]

It does sound like a good experience, I agree.

I just wanted to note, when one charger doesn't work, PLEASE move your car instead of doing it from the other parking spot. Not only will less people get angry, it saves space, is polite, and lets other people use the "broken" charger.(sometimes chargers work for one car but not another)

 

[Volund]

Also the charging curve of Lucid does slow down as it gets close to 80

I don't know if I've everhad 200+ when above 50%

So only low SOC (5-15) Is when I ever got 250+

 

[GGHLAW]

I just drove my 2023 Lucid Air from Albany NY to Newport RI and back. Started with 409 and ended up with 180. So the car used 229 miles for a 168 mile trip. I assume speed and other things (AC?) affect the “mileage”. There are no EA chargers in Newport. Closest one was 20 miles away. Since we did not need car I plugged it into a regular plug at the hotel and it took 2 days to add 200 miles to the car. So I didn’t need to find an alternative source and possibly pay. I’m supposed to get 3 free years of EV with the vehicle. I had a Tesla Model S for 7 years. When I got my Lucid my Model S topped out at 275 fully charged. However, there are tons more Tesla supercharger available than EA sites. I also got free supercharging for life with that Tesla and that transferred to the new owner.

 

[joec]

I just drove my 2023 Lucid Air from Albany NY to Newport RI and back. Started with 409 and ended up with 180. So the car used 229 miles for a 168 mile trip. I assume speed and other things (AC?) affect the “mileage”. There are no EA chargers in Newport. Closest one was 20 miles away. Since we did not need car I plugged it into a regular plug at the hotel and it took 2 days to add 200 miles to the car. So I didn’t need to find an alternative source and possibly pay. I’m supposed to get 3 free years of EV with the vehicle. I had a Tesla Model S for 7 years. When I got my Lucid my Model S topped out at 275 fully charged. However, there are tons more Tesla supercharger available than EA sites. I also got free supercharging for life with that Tesla and that transferred to the new owner.

Tesla hasn't offered free supercharging for a long, long time. And I actually think that's a good thing.

We need to stop incentivizing people charging at public chargers who could just as easily charge at home. It would make life a lot better for those who can't.

 

[GGHLAW]

I charge at home almost all the time. Can’t charge at home when you live in NY and you are in Rhode Island.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

I learned a lot watching the Cannonball run with the lucid.
Now when I'm tripping I use their philosophy: charge as much as you need then move on. We have to get over the
"fill the tank" philosophy we learned with ICE cars.

What is your time worth?

For the two years left of free EA charging I only go local when I'm really low and feel like a free lunch. My local EA 150 gets me as much as 172kW peak rate whilst I walk to the Whole Foods for lunch or supplies. Really nice place = never had to wait to plug in. I'm not telling where it is.

On the other hand there is a bank of 350 chargers at the King of Prussia Mall (SE PA) that has always had an open spot ... but the rate is typically lower than what I get at the 150 chargers. I only go there to see the work progress on the Lucid service center being built in the former Toys R Us location. Amazed at how empty this high-end mall is. They must be losing money hand over fist.

 

[PompousAss]

Now when I'm tripping I use their philosophy: charge as much as you need then move on. We have to get over the
"fill the tank" philosophy we learned with ICE cars.

So nice for you that your cup runneth over with choices. Some of us can't count on the very few available options to operate properly.

Try not to be quite so preachy to others whose situations are different from yours.

 

[joec]

So nice for you that your cup runneth over with choices. Some of us can't count on the very few available options to operate properly.

Try not to be quite so preachy to others whose situations are different from yours.

I didn’t find anything in what you quoted “preachy.” He was simply relating his own approach to charging after watching a video.

 

[xponents]

So nice for you that your cup runneth over with choices. Some of us can't count on the very few available options to operate properly.

Try not to be quite so preachy to others whose situations are different from yours.

Username checks out

 

[Viking]

Yesterday I did my 4th "fast charge" at a Walmart. I was at 15% SOC with good weather 70 degrees. First charger was 30 kW. I moved to a second. It was 20 kW. Third machine was 60 kW. Now I see why no one was using the machines at this location. My previous charging session did not authenticate. On the line to EA I got it going. First two where OK. All stations I have visited had at least one charger down. Most had waiting lines.

That is my experience since my Lucid purchase 1 1/2 months ago.

 

[Negan1000]

Yesterday I did my 4th "fast charge" at a Walmart. I was at 15% SOC with good weather 70 degrees. First charger was 30 kW. I moved to a second. It was 20 kW. Third machine was 60 kW. Now I see why no one was using the machines at this location. My previous charging session did not authenticate. On the line to EA I got it going. First two where OK. All stations I have visited had at least one charger down. Most had waiting lines.

That is my experience since my Lucid purchase 1 1/2 months ago.

You should report these issues to EA.

 

[hydbob]

These were both this morning at 2 different sites.

 

[lucidtouringman]

Just wanted to share my experience…

I was very happy with the first DC fast charging experience with EA and my Lucid Air touring. Here is the run down.

I went to a Walmart site that had 10 EA chargers, most were 350kw capable. Based on the reviews from plugshare the site gets pretty good reviews but does have the usual complaints about certain stations. When I arrived there were 3 others were charging. Plugshare stated two were in use, but that was incorrect. Two hyandai and one polestar were charging.

I plugged into the first open 350 kw charger, handshake happened, it recognized the Lucid, charging started for free! Wow I was happy to see that work. Then it stopped. The station said to unplug and remove car. Well, a station next door was open, so being lazy, I did not move my car. I plugged another 350 kw station to the car and... Handshake happened, recognized the Lucid and boom, charging started. Wow I got happy again. Free Lucid charging with plug and charge worked!

I arrived at 16% or about 70 miles left. I know a new Lucid will not track the mileage left very well.
Charge started at 199 kw. Not the 300+ they say Lucid can handle.
The charge rate steadily decreased.
At 10 minutes the rate was at 144 kw.
At 15 minutes it was at 121 kw
At 20 minutes my car was at 62% charge, the rate had dropped to 98 kw and it said I received 199 miles. Wow, I was happily impressed.

I thought about stopping, but my wife was enjoying sitting in the car listening to tidal Atmos music. There were no other cars waiting for a charge, so I stayed longer.

I unplugged at 29 minutes of charge when the rate was 72kw. The car was at 75% Soc, mileage was at 321 or about 250 miles added to the car. EA said 57.2 kw was delivered to the car. So the first 20 minutes delivered about 199 miles to the car and the last 9 minutes about 52 miles.

Overall, a great experience. Does this sound like your experience on your first DC fast charge?

Sound alike my experiences when we undertook a 1200mile trip.. also the wife not wanting to get out part! She was enjoying sitting in the comfy seats listening to tunes.

 

[EVCar]

These were both this morning at 2 different sites.

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location? Station #?
Once my car’s navigation is fixed, I‘ll be taking a trip to So Cal.

 

[hydbob]

First one was Atascadero behind the 7-eleven and the second was at Los Alamos, the Depot stop.

 

[EVCar]

First one was Atascadero behind the 7-eleven and the second was at Los Alamos, the Depot stop.

Thanks.
Will keep these in mind when we go North.

 

[Volund]

These were both this morning at 2 different sites.

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View attachment 15830

Wow. I don't think I have ever been above 250, even at 9 percent SOC

Think I spiked once to 300 when I was at like 4 or 5 soc. But goes to station limited quickly

Going to give your dream edition the benefit of the doubt

 

[hydbob]

Wow. I don't think I have ever been above 250, even at 9 percent SOC

Think I spiked once to 300 when I was at like 4 or 5 soc. But goes to station limited quickly

Going to give your dream edition the benefit of the doubt

Like @Bobby says, must be the special bubble gum they are using to hold the car together.