Porsche Mobile Charger Connect vs Mobile Charger Plus

daveo4EV

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the external charging hardware (EVSE) is better the more dumb it is - there are very few adjustments on the EVSE - it’s mostly a setup it once affair - all other adjustments after installation are made via the app (Porsche Connect) or in the car on it’s main computer screen.

long time viewers will know I normally recommend clippercreek EVSE’s rather than Porsche - but I thought I’d change it up and bring in a new player (ChargePoint) simply to show there are alternatives to the Porsche option and more than one (there are at least 10 other vendors).

ClipperCreek is a pure stupid dumb bullet-proof functional EVSE - it has no screen, no app, and you just wire it up (plug or hardwired) and it simple “works”

Porsche’s EVSE @ $1120 is simply the most expensive EVSE in North America - and unlikely other Porsche products it’s far from the best - both ClipperCreek and ChargePoint are “expensive” EVSE’s (1/2 the cost of Porsche option) - there are even cheaper alteratives - basically you can throw at rock at an EVSE and find something cheaper and better than the Porsche charger.
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daveo4EV

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daveo4EV

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it should be noted that if you really really really must have the Porsche Charger (PMCC) the cheapest time to purchase _IS_ with the vehicle - if you order the car and do _NOT_ check the box for PMCC (and/or the 25ft cable) it will spec out to over $3200 to other it “after the fact” - since the only way to purchase it is via individual parts via the service center parts counter…

so $0 extra dollars = PMC+
$1120 w/Vehicle purchase = PMCC
$1120 w/Vehicle purchase + $0 25ft Cable = PMCC w/25 ft Cable
more than $3200 for the PMCC “post purchase”

at $3200 via service parts the PMCC is really really really ridiculous vs. the “expensive” $800 clippercreek options

note the new EV guys - clippercreek was previously winner for expensive but high quality EVSE’s - many many people feel they are overpriced - well Porsche has taken that crown (well at least the expensive part, not the high quality part).
 

chrisk

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The Mustart, Clippercreek and ChargePoint are all great options. Keep in mind that the last 2 were in back order last time I checked, so if you want them don't wait last minute.
Another charger with good reviews even from this forum is the Canadian GrizzlE https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Q22651D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_4KPM6VRFNHVTSZEAHKKB

I personally prefer the ChargePoint point because you can hardwire it with the main wires screwed directly on the charger while the Clippercreek has a pigtail and requires connections into an electrical box.
 

daveo4EV

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amazon says you can have the mustart by Aug 6th - w/25ft cable…for $359

so we have 4 options w/25ft cables that are cheaper and at least equal (if not better) to the $1120 Porsche PMCC - but all are at least 1/2 the cost of the Porsche alternatives and you get to keep the PMC+ that comes with the car and it‘s 15 ft cable.

ClipperCreek
ChargePoint
Mustart
GrizzlE

I’ll add a 5th option

JuiceBox - https://smile.amazon.com/JuiceBox-Generation-Electric-Vehicle-Charging/dp/B07ZL2SWXC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2SML8B9R8KB2Z&dchild=1&keywords=juicebox+ev+charger&qid=1627225930&sprefix=juicebox+ev,aps,245&sr=8-5

and Wall Box - https://smile.amazon.com/Pulsar-Level-Electric-Vehicle-Charger/dp/B08H2LYFHX/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2SML8B9R8KB2Z&dchild=1&keywords=juicebox+ev+charger&qid=1627225930&sprefix=juicebox+ev,aps,245&sr=8-6
 


chrisk

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amazon says you can have the mustart by Aug 6th - w/25ft cable…for $359

so we have 4 options w/25ft cables that are cheaper and at least equal (if not better) to the $1120 Porsche PMCC - but all are at least 1/2 the cost of the Porsche alternatives and you get to keep the PMC+ that comes with the car and it‘s 15 ft cable.

ClipperCreek
ChargePoint
Mustart
GrizzlE

I’ll add a 5th option

JuiceBox - https://smile.amazon.com/JuiceBox-Generation-Electric-Vehicle-Charging/dp/B07ZL2SWXC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2SML8B9R8KB2Z&dchild=1&keywords=juicebox+ev+charger&qid=1627225930&sprefix=juicebox+ev,aps,245&sr=8-5

and Wall Box - https://smile.amazon.com/Pulsar-Level-Electric-Vehicle-Charger/dp/B08H2LYFHX/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2SML8B9R8KB2Z&dchild=1&keywords=juicebox+ev+charger&qid=1627225930&sprefix=juicebox+ev,aps,245&sr=8-6
Juicebox was acquired by EnelX and from what I am hearing the reliability has dropped compared to the original Juicebox that was a workhorse.
Still I would rather have a Juicebox than a PMCC.
 
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Artman

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(you can use up to 48 amps, while the PMCC is limited to 40 amps)
Question: If I'm hardwired for 48 amps, will I charge 20% faster? If so, a bonus!
 

Klepper

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I will throw my $0.02, having owned an EV for just 3 weeks now....

Based on advice from this forum, I did NOT pay the extra $1120 for the PMCC, I just got the std PMC+ for $0 extra dollars as its included. The 15 ft cable is lots long enough for me (you can also buy J1772 extension cables for $190 on Amazon). I am using it as a dumb EVSE, and so far it has worked flawlessly. I use the in car screen or the phone app to adjust the timers in the car.

I also wouldn't worry about the difference between charging at 9.6kW or 11kW - both will easily get the job done with overnight charging.

I agree with daveo4EV, it seems the dumber the better is the way to go with the EVSE.
 


XLR82XS

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Standard PMC is fine. IMO you paying the Porsche tax with the PMCC.
 

daveo4EV

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Question: If I'm hardwired for 48 amps, will I charge 20% faster? If so, a bonus!
this question is meaningless with out specifying which EVSE (EV charger) you are using? The PMC+/PMCC currently sold is documented as a 9.6 kW EVSE - so hardwiring it won’t magically make it provide more than 40 amps (50 amp breaker) - Porsche does have “bare hardwire supply cables” in other regions, but so far does not offer them for sale in North America. Now the Porsche supply cables are “indexed” cable, they have electical connections inside them to “tell” the PCM+/PMCC what type of cable is currently connected - so that the PMC+/PMCC will provide the appropriate Amperage given the type of supply cable (and hence the breaker size) it’s currently connected to. I’m not sure what would happen with a North American PMC+/PMCC if you attached a “bare-wire supply cable” and what set of Amperage would be allowed by the charger.

So for now charging a Taycan in North America at more than 40 amps requires a non-Porsche EVSE - because Porsche does not yet offer a faster charger for purchase - they could, they have it in the parts catalog for other regions, but they do not yet offer it in North America.

the “mythical” 19.2 kW PMCC would charge a normal Taycan at 11 kW - but to date I’ve not spoken to anyone that actually owns one of these in North America nor how it was installed/configured.

in North America you need a few things to benefit from 48 amp charging:
  • 60 amp 240 volt circuit available (circuit breaker + appropriate gauge wire)
  • a 60 amp EVSE (external EV charger) like the ClipperCreek HCS-60 (there are others)
    • it will be hardwired - there is NO plug based EV charger above 50 amps (breaker)
_IF_ you have a 60 amp circuit & you have a 60 amp EVSE - your taycan will charge at approximately 11 kw or 48 amps - the in car charging display reports 10.46 kW during charging on my 100 amp Tesla Gen2 wall chargers. Which is more than the documented 9.6 kW charging rate specified by Porsche on the North American website - and exactly the amount of kW you would expect for the Taycan if it was charging at 48 amps (and matches the charge rate in regions where Porsche documents the 11 kW limit)

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...-charger-48-amps-not-max-9-6-kw-40-amps.1793/

Porsche Taycan Porsche Mobile Charger Connect vs Mobile Charger Plus 257CAE32-B242-4765-AC69-AEAA63C57363
 
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Jhenson29

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Question: If I'm hardwired for 48 amps, will I charge 20% faster? If so, a bonus!
@daveo4EV covered it, but short answer is yes, as long as your EVSE supports it; the PMC+ and PMCC do not. Has to be third party, but lots of options. I use a third party charger. No big deal.

But I do have to correct myself. 11kW should be 45.8 amps @ 240VAC, not 48 amps. So, it’s 14.5% faster vs 9.6kW@40 amps, not 20%. Sorry.
 

daveo4EV

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seems the dumber the better is the way to go with the EVSE.
it’s been my experience this is true - why?
  • well the J-1772 protocol in North America is “dumb” - it’s a minimal service very very simple specification
  • _IF_ you attempt to make a J-1772 EVSE “smart” you as the EVSE vendor are going ”beyond” the specification and there is no way to do that in a standard manner
  • the vehicle manufactures have to have their EV work with “dumb” EVSE’s - so if they want any features they have to make the vehicle smart cause they know the EVSE will be dumb
  • there is no standard “smart” version of J-1772 documented, so no vehicle manufactures support anything in this space since there is no specification to test against
  • now if your J-1772 EVSE is “smart” and your EV is “smart” - that means you have two smart things trying to accomplish/fix/solve the same problem
    • if you’ve ever seen two smart people trying to solve the same problem you’ll know where I’m going with this
    • when ever I’ve encountered “smart” EVSE’s - all that has happend is the two devcices “argue” with each other in trying to arrange the charging schedule - the car is trying to schedule the charge, the EVSE is trying to schedule the charge and both end up thinking the other isn’t working and disconnect - leaving you with 12% battery in the morning
the dumbest of the dumb EVSE’s is what you want for North America - something that will just always work - let the car’s software control the charging - it’s what it’s supposed to do and the only thing that “knows” the state of the battery.

ClipperCreek makes super reliable and super-stupid EVSE’s - they are in fact so brain dead stupid and mind numbingly dumb that they seem to always just work - because there is no alternative - they have to work cause there is no way they can not work.

Reliable and Stupid EVSE is the way to go - and ClipperCreek makes the dumbest on the market.
 
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Klepper

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I also wouldn't worry about the difference between charging at 9.6kW or 11kW - both will easily get the job done with overnight charging.
Let’s put this into perspective.

Let’s say you have the larger battery, so useable capacity is about 84 kWH.

Now let’s say you were down pretty low in SOC, at 20%, and wanted to charge overnight up to 80%. That’s 60% needed to be added to the battery, or 50.4 kWH.

With a 9.6kW charge rate, that would take 5.25 hours (not accounting for losses).

With an 11kw charge rate, that would take 4.58 hours (not accounting for losses).

The “slower” charger would take 40 min longer.

But what it really means is that if you have a timer set to have your car ready at 80% for 6:00am, the car would start charging at 12:45am with the 9.6kW charger, and 1:25am with the 11kW charger. I am long asleep at those times, so it makes no difference to me.
 

Artman

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Let’s put this into perspective.

Let’s say you have the larger battery, so useable capacity is about 84 kWH.

Now let’s say you were down pretty low in SOC, at 20%, and wanted to charge overnight up to 80%. That’s 60% needed to be added to the battery, or 50.4 kWH.

With a 9.6kW charge rate, that would take 5.25 hours (not accounting for losses).

With an 11kw charge rate, that would take 4.58 hours (not accounting for losses).

The “slower” charger would take 40 min longer.

But what it really means is that if you have a timer set to have your car ready at 80% for 6:00am, the car would start charging at 12:45am with the 9.6kW charger, and 1:25am with the 11kW charger. I am long asleep at those times, so it makes no difference to me.
Very good point but if it is a negligible difference in price (cable feed and breaker size) and nothing is installed yet, I might as well go with the better option.

Dave and Jeramy - You have me convinced to go aftermarket and keep the standard Porsche charger in my frunk .
 

jlee504

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Very good point but if it is a negligible difference in price (cable feed and breaker size) and nothing is installed yet, I might as well go with the better option.

Dave and Jeramy - You have me convinced to go aftermarket and keep the standard Porsche charger in my frunk .
Same here. I just ordered a charge point home charger. Though many of these are back ordered for a month or two.
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