What is “Yo-Yo’ing” in the Context of EV Charging?
If you’ve ever pulled up to a Level 3 DC fast charger in the winter with a cold EV battery, you’re well familiar with the pain of very slow charging. The internal battery temperature needs to be above freezing to accept any meaningful power, and it must be near room temperature (or warmer) to charge […]
Why Home EV Charging is at 240V and Public Charging is 208V?
Level 2 EV charging is done at 240 volts in North America, using the same high voltage as power-hungry home appliances like air conditioners and laundry dryers. But as a seasoned EV driver, you may have noticed something odd, why does charging voltage hover around only 208 volts on public Level 2 charging stations? Yes, […]
The “Smoke” During Supercharging is Probably just Steam
Newer owners of Teslas (and other EVs) may be concerned about seeing what looks like smoke coming out the front of their cars while DC fast charging. This is especially common during winters when the outside air is cold and dry. But unless you can actually smell something burning, do not panic. Modern Teslas manage […]
PSA: Battery Preconditioning is a MUST Before DC Charging in the Cold
Precondition your battery, or you will make DC charging slower for everyone. January brings bitterly cold temperatures to the northern states and Canada, and this week has been particularly brutal. Freezing temperatures extended well into the southern US states, and temperatures are approaching 0°F (-17°C) in the north. At times like these, there is a […]
Supercharging as Seen Through a Thermal Camera
DC fast charging pumps a lot of electrons into an EV, very quickly. We thought it would be fascinating to bring a thermal camera to a Supercharging session to uncover this invisible thermal activity before our very eyes. It was a cold December day with an ambient temperature of 46°F (8°C), and we arrived at […]
Can you charge a Tesla on the ChargePoint network?
ChargePoint is a large-scale charging network operating in the United States and 13 other countries with over 30,000 EV chargers in total. ChargePoint offers a mix of Level 2 destination chargers, as well as some DC fast chargers for charging stops on road trips. ChargePoint also offers a competitive home charging station product that integrates […]
Visiting the largest Supercharger station in Texas
Just how big are everyday things in Texas? It’s kind of over the top, actually. The Tesla Supercharger in Temple, Texas has 48(!) V3 charging stalls capable of 250 kW. Tesla has partnered with Buc-ee’s to build several large Supercharging stations on existing Buc-ee’s lots, but this one location in Temple must be one of […]
Can you charge a Tesla on the Blink network?
The Blink charging network is a Level 2 public charging network in the US with locations coast to coast. Since 2009, more than 78,000 charging stations have been deployed by Blink, making it one of the largest charging networks. Unlike competitors, Blink designs, manufactures, and operates charging stations by partnering with commercial property owners. This […]
Can you charge a Tesla on the EVgo network?
EVgo is a Level 3 fast charging network operator with locations in 34 US states and 1000+ DC fast charging stalls, as of 2023. Most locations offer 50 kW DC charging, while newer and upgraded locations offer 100 kW and 350 kW stalls too. The main way to find, activate, and pay for charging is […]
Can you charge a Tesla on the FLO charging network?
The FLO network operates thousands of Level 2 and fast DC Level 3 charging points across Canada and the United States. According to the company, there are 95k+ charging points across the continent, serving over a million charging sessions monthly. You are likely to find FLO’s blue chargers in parking lots, points of interest, and […]