Charged at 350kW Public Station but Only Received 50kW: Are Electric Vehicle Drivers Being Misled?

Q. I connected my Renault Scenic to a charging station that claims to deliver 350kW of power. However, my dashboard indicated I was only receiving 50kW. A driver next to me with an electric Ford Capri reported the same. Are electric vehicle users being misled? ML, Basingstoke.

Charging electric vehicle batteries does not follow a set speed, and even the benchmarks for charging post output and vehicle charge rates can fluctuate greatly. The Renault Scenic operates on a 400-volt system with a maximum charging capacity of 150kW. Only vehicles equipped with 800-volt systems can achieve charging speeds of 350kW, making 150kW the fastest possible charge for your vehicle. Importantly, this peak rate can only be attained when the battery is in optimal charging conditions.

To attain the maximum charge rate of 150kW, the battery’s state of charge needs to be between 10 and 20 percent along with proper temperature conditions for charging. Provided these criteria are satisfied and the charging station has the necessary power output, charging will occur at the fastest rate until the battery reaches approximately 80 percent capacity, after which the charging speed significantly declines. Many electric vehicles feature a battery preconditioning option, which can be activated either through the vehicle’s menu or by programming navigation to a charging point, automatically preparing the battery en route.

Another key factor is the output capability of the charging station. The stated output reflects the maximum performance under ideal circumstances. However, if multiple charging stations at the same location are in use, the overall power available from the local grid may be limited. As a result, to prevent overloading the local network, the charging stations may reduce their output. In your case, it is likely that both your vehicle’s battery and that of the Ford were not in ideal conditions for full-speed charging.
Greg Carter and Lee Houston, AA technical experts

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