[Nai3t]

Yup, we've done that! Didn't help.

Do you have access to any other EVSEs to plug into? Neighbors, public, etc.? That would eliminate your car as the problem.

 

[PANZERidIV]

I actually prefer the window switch setup with kids and dogs. I like to open the back windows and I don’t want to chop off a head accidentally when I am trying to roll my front windows up in a hurry.

 

[MichaelinBoulder]

Took delivery of my ID.4 in May of 2021. Depsite the various bugs with the car, I have enjoyed it EXCEPT for one problem -- charging speeds at
Electrify America Stations. I've been told that the 2021 ID.4 can accept charging speeds of 125kW and 135kW for the 2022 ID.4. Most EA
stations have a claimed output ability of 150kW or 350kW, usually some units with each speed at most locations.

I am familiar that the rate of charge can be dependent on many factors, including environment conditions, the battery level at the time of the
charge, etc. I realize that the charging speed slows down when the battery gets to 80%.

At most EA stations I've visited, I get charging speeds of 50 to 60Kw, even when I'm starting with a battery at 20% or so. I'm extremely lucky
when I get 80Kw, and a couple of times I even reached 100Kw. For the longest time, I felt the problem was with EA and their inferior equipment.
Early on EA reps would tell me it's a problem with my ID.4. I've taken my car into the dealership three times to have this issue check out and
all three times I was told my car is working perfectly, as designed. During my most recent visit, I spoke with the dealership's GM, who drives an ID.4. He
said the Number One complaint they hear about the ID.4 is the slow charging at EA stations. He told me they have reached out to VW, but
they don't seem to listen or care.

As more electric vehicles hit the roads, I have met many owner's of other electric vehicles, charging at EA stations. These include many Rivians,
BMW's, Porsche's, and Fords. In all of these cases, these vehicle owners were getting charging speeds that were double or triple what I have
been getting. This past Sunday in Utah, I went into an EA station iwth about 20% left on my battery and got a charging speed of 85kW tops.
A few minutes later, a Porsche Taycan pulled in to charge next to me. He started with a battery level of 24% and was getting a charging
speed of 195kW. At another station, a Rivian pick-up was getting a charging speed of 148kW, compared to my 64kW.

This morning I called VW Customer Care to ascertain how I can get my issue escalated and have someone higher up the food chain run
diagnostics or determine why I'm getting nowhere near the advertised 125kW speed ability VW has in their advertising. I was shut down.
Told that since a dealer found no problem, there was NOTHING they can do to assist me. It was clear they simply don't care.

Before I took delivery of my car, I received emails and phone calls from VW, with people willing to answer questions and otherwise
help, since I was getting one of the early deliveries. Those people have probably been redeployed.to answer complaint calls.

I'm posting this for two reasons......
1. I'm curious what charging speeds other ID.4 owners are experiencing at EA stations (I charge primarily in Utah, Nevada and California).

2, I want prospective ID.4 owners to know that this may be an issue when you get your car, if you are depending on EA charging
stations.

Thanks!

Hi - up until a few weeks ago I was getting up to 121kw from EA chargers, at least when the SOC was low and the temperature was mild. No with still mild temps and and low SOC the best I am getting is about 60kw. EA says it is not their problem and is probably the car's fault. VW says there is nothing that can be done!

 

[SunWizard]

Hi - up until a few weeks ago I was getting up to 121kw from EA chargers, at least when the SOC was low and the temperature was mild. No with still mild temps and and low SOC the best I am getting is about 60kw. EA says it is not their problem and is probably the car's fault. VW says there is nothing that can be done!

With version 2.1 the battery is heated to 46F, and with 3.x its 32F, yet we get slowed DCFC until >63F battery temp. People experiencing slow DCFC need to have a dongle to see if its their cold battery temp that is the problem. Note at At 54F (12°C) battery temps DCFC will max out 65Kw. The battery will be sitting near your overnight low temp, and if you are in Boulder (near me) its been getting cold at night <54F.

 

[Islander]

People experiencing slow DCFC need to have a dongle to see if its their cold battery temp that is the problem.

I'll be paying more attention to the reported battery temp as the weather cools here in the Pacific NW. But I'm curious what other people see. From my limited observations (version 2.1), the battery warms to about 54F minimum after 10-15 minutes of driving, but does not warm past that more than 5F above outside air temperature. I noted that in Bjorn Nyland's test of the ID.Buzz, he was arriving at charging stations at about 27C with the outside air temperature at 12-14C. He was using the ID.Buzz's navigation system to hop from charger to charger, but there did not appear to be any indication that the Buzz was pre-conditioning the battery. Nor did he appear to drive in any special way designed to heat the battery. My rough guess is that using the MBS system to power a car weighing in at 2600 kg (with Bjorn in it) put enough extra strain on the battery to get it to run warmer ... but I really have no idea how he achieved those results.

 

[ericy]

Hi - up until a few weeks ago I was getting up to 121kw from EA chargers, at least when the SOC was low and the temperature was mild. No with still mild temps and and low SOC the best I am getting is about 60kw. EA says it is not their problem and is probably the car's fault. VW says there is nothing that can be done!

You really need to use an OBD tool to see the battery temps and the dynamic charging limit.

 

[vwbeast]

I'm noticing the same issue on my ID4. I'm in southern CA so temperature shouldn't be a big factor. For example, today I charged right after lunch and ambient air temp was 70F. Started charging at 41% and charge speed was 64kW. After 30 mins, I only made it to 76%. Ionic started charging next to me and I see the rate at 138-141kW when I glanced over a few times over 20 minutes. Then a 2022 Kona pulls up and his car charges between 60-65kW (he started around 40%). Kona driver comments that he always notices how fast Ionic EVs charge and how slow his charge is (he stated he usually only gets in the 60s kW). However, when looking up the max charging speed for a Kona it's only 77kW so his speeds seem correct. For a 2022 ID4, the max should be 135kW. At what point should I be concerned?

 

[Atlant]

You really need to use an OBD tool to see the battery temps and the dynamic charging limit.

I see this sort of reply a lot and I'm always tempted to ask: “Why? Did I buy a car or a science project?”

I used to care a great deal about the inner workings of my cars but decades down the road, I just expect them to do what they're supposed to do without me having to faff around endlessly about it.

 

[Atlant]

At what point should I be concerned?

If you're getting (typically) 60 kW, your ID.4 is performing as designed/programmed.

The claim in the manual isn't exactly a lie (because it's wrapped in disclaimers) but it leaves an utterly false impression as to how fast the ID.4 will DCFC.

 

[Huey52]

MY2021 is a science project. But then I kinda expected same. And I kinda like science projects.

I see this sort of reply a lot and I'm always tempted to ask: “Why? Did I buy a car or a science project?”

I used to care a great deal about the inner workings of my cars but decades down the road, I just expect them to do what they're supposed to do without me having to faff around endlessly about it.

 

[ericy]

I see this sort of reply a lot and I'm always tempted to ask: “Why? Did I buy a car or a science project?”

I used to care a great deal about the inner workings of my cars but decades down the road, I just expect them to do what they're supposed to do without me having to faff around endlessly about it.

You keep wanting to blame VW, when the problem could just as easily be an EA issue. That's why.

 

[Atlant]

You keep wanting to blame VW, when the problem could just as easily be an EA issue. That's why.

No, we've seen enough reports here to suggest that it's an inherent characteristic of the ID.4 and NOT an EA issue. We've also seen quite a few persons citing DCFC Charge Curves and other data that again suggests that this is an inherent characteristic of the ID.4 and its current programming.

VW's claims leave a false impression (and whether or not that's deliberate, I can't say).

 

[ericy]

No, we've seen enough reports here to suggest that it's an inherent characteristic of the ID.4 and NOT an EA issue. We've also seen quite a few persons citing DCFC Charge Curves and other data that again suggests that this is an inherent characteristic of the ID.4 and its current programming.

VW's claims leave a false impression (and whether or not that's deliberate, I can't say).

And I have seen lots of reports of EA chargers that derate because of failed temperature sensors and/or failed liquid cooling for cables.

 

[Atlant]

And I have seen lots of reports of EA chargers that derate because of failed temperature sensors and/or failed liquid cooling for cables.

Sure. And both can simultaneously be true: 1) There are lots of broken or semi-broken EA chargers and 2) for most people in most DCFC charging situations, the ID.4 doesn't even come close to reaching the promised 125 kW charging rate.

 

[ericy]

Sure. And both can simultaneously be true: 1) There are lots of broken or semi-broken EA chargers and 2) for most people in most DCFC charging situations, the ID.4 doesn't even come close to reaching the promised 125 kW charging rate.

I don't agree with the 2nd part - I routinely get something in the 120s. But it helps to start from a lower SOC, and it helps when the weather is warmer (doesn't need to be hot - just not winter).

 

[PANZERidIV]

I charged exclusively for 14,000 miles at about a dozen chargers and only a couple times was there no charger there that would charge my VW ID.4 at 125kW and I always started below 10% and it always took around 40 minutes to 80%. Facts are facts. Or maybe people can spend their time posting up all of their charging problem videos along with temperature to prove their case. But it is a free country and getting things off your chest can be good so if that’s the extent of it, carry on.

 

[Atlant]

…and I always started below 10% and it always took around 40 minutes to 80%.

Starting at a low SoC is clearly the big key but letting the car get below 20% SoC is too nerve-wracking for me, especially on a long trip far from home.

It's okay if VW never fixes this problem but that doesn't mean that slow charging (compared to the competition) ISN'T 1) a problem and 2) an ever-more-serious competitive disadvantage.

 

[PANZERidIV]

Personally I would make my case and leave it to see how many other people make their cases but the bottom line is if your car won’t charge as fast as mine in 70 degree weather then the dealer needs to fix it. I’m out!

 

[ga2500ev]

I don't agree with the 2nd part - I routinely get something in the 120s. But it helps to start from a lower SOC, and it helps when the weather is warmer (doesn't need to be hot - just not winter).

This is just a fundamental problem with advertising EVs. In order to compete, the advertising must show the maximum value possible. Problem is that when companies like VW say charges at 125 kW instead of saying "charges up to 125kW under ideal conditions." or saying range is 275 miles per charge instead of "range is up to 275 miles under ideal conditions." it sets up the erroneous expectation that max value is going to be available under all conditions. Hence the frustration with customers who are not clued into the real world operation of EVs.

VW has compounded this issue by not offering enough information to see what's actually going on. There should be an expert charging screen that shows the requested power, the offered power from the stations, the battery temperature, and the ability to warm the battery. They've made the classic mistake of thinking that a novice owner will always remain a novice and therefore doesn't need the extra information or control to improve the situation. All user systems should have a default and an expert mode so that those who want and can use more information can have the opportunity to do so.

ga2500ev

 

[ericy]

VW has compounded this issue by not offering enough information to see what's actually going on. There should be an expert charging screen that shows the requested power, the offered power from the stations, the battery temperature, and the ability to warm the battery. They've made the classic mistake of thinking that a novice owner will always remain a novice and therefore doesn't need the extra information or control to improve the situation. All user systems should have a default and an expert mode so that those who want and can use more information can have the opportunity to do so.

Yeah, I would be all for having an "Expert" screen. Or something along those lines.

But it isn't just VW - the EA charger might display the charge rate requested (and indicate if the charger was derating because of some fault), but they have chosen to dumb down their interface as well.