Electrify America to charge batteries to 85% only
The pilot, called ‘Congestion Reduction Pilot,’ is currently limited to ten sites in Southern California. There, the charging process will end automatically once the battery reaches 85 per cent state of chafe (SoC). Drivers then have ten minutes to unplug and move their vehicle or will have to pay an idle fee.
As mentioned above, the goal is to reduce congestion and free up the chargers more quickly for other EVs. For the last 20 or so per cent, the charging speed is reduced to avoid overcharging the battery for durability and safety reasons.
“The goal of the Congestion Reduction Pilot is to reduce queuing at select high utilization charging stations – thereby allowing more people to charge in a timely manner,” Electrify America says about the pilot.
Nine of the ten stations in question are located in and around Los Angeles, the tenth one in San Diego. According to Electrify America, these sites were chosen because they are highly frequented and thus ideal to observe the effects. Depending on customer feedback, the pilot could be extended to other sites.
The ‘Congestion Reduction Pilot’ kicks off in early July; an exact date is not mentioned. It is also not clear how long the pilot will continue. The CPO simply says that it “will be monitoring the pilot daily and making ongoing changes and adjustments as necessary.”
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