150kW DC-DC converter option

[feye]

I had this specced and am dropping it. I looked at all the non-EA chargers in my vicinity and none support 150 kw charging. Going to bank on the EA network getting more built out than finding a 150kw charger in New Englan.

Don't you think it is a good investment, when you sell the car later on?

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[ron_b]

I was told by my adviser that if I opted out of the 150kW DC-DC option, I could not fast charge at EA and at dealerships and would be permanently limited to 9.6 kW charging everywhere. I’m not sure where to begin on how many things are wrong with that statement.

Anyone know of an official Porsche reference I can point to? I see third party sites and loose marketing material floating about, and he didn’t buy my description of: (A) home 240V / 9.6 kW charging vs (B) 400V / 50kW charging vs (C) 400V / 150 kW charging vs (D) 800V / 350 kW charging and how only (C) was affected by this option being present or not.

I like your description and you are quite correct in that (C) is the only thing affected and even if you do find a 400V charger with >50kW it simply means the car would be limited to charge at only 50kW so would not be a show stopper.
Maybe push him for the reverse, ask him for documentation that states his view.

I have heard from the Porsche North American Taycan Spokesman that many of their press cars did not have the 150kW upgrade and it caused no ill effects. But I do not know a good single doc reference. However this is what I do see:

From the Standard Equipment list on the Configurator:

E-Mobility

• Charge port on driver (AC) and front passenger side (CCS-Combo)
• On-board AC-charger with 9.6kW (AC)
• On-Board DC-Charger with 50 kW/400V (DC)
• 120 Volt supply cable for Mobile Charger
• 240 Volt NEMA 14-50 supply cable for Mobile Charger
• Heat pump

And from the Configurator description of the "On-Board 150 kW/400V DC Charger"

Optional On-Board DC Charger to increase maximum charging capacity when charging at public 400V direct current charging stations. By increasing the charging capacity to 150kW, the charging time is decreased.

 

[epirali]

I guess the way I see it is that I can not predict who will build out what kind of charging network around me and where I may drive. The odds of 400v/150KW is maybe low, but for $500 I am not closing off that option and as others said it may help resale. So a safe bet overall.

But if those are not considerations then its not needed.

 

[thenaimis]

I bought my first EV in 2014 I think, and the second in 2016. My philosophy is that money spent on enhancing charging capability and battery capacity is rarely (if ever) wasted. I added the 150kW charger option to my configuration in spite of the fact that the lion's share of my driving is just around town. Being stuck at a slow charger is something I've done before (public charge point) and never want to have to do again.

 

[ron_b]

I bought my first EV in 2014 I think, and the second in 2016. My philosophy is that money spent on enhancing charging capability and battery capacity is rarely (if ever) wasted. I added the 150kW charger option to my configuration in spite of the fact that the lion's share of my driving is just around town. Being stuck at a slow charger is something I've done before (public charge point) and never want to have to do again.

Well I certainly agree with battery capacity always and charging capacity if it's usable. The question on this channel is if you can find any 400v chargers with more than 50kW that are in places where 800v chargers are plentiful. I see 800v as the future.

 

[MissionC]

Don't you think it is a good investment, when you sell the car later on?

I changed my mind and am going to keep it — you’re right that it’s an added benefit. I was being a bit ruthless about my build and cutting things out that I thought would be of low usage and/or superfluous. My driving radius will mostly be New England and haven’t seen a 150Khw charger on any of my likely routes, but in case EV charging stations get more of a build out as the economy recovers, it’ll be good to have that option onboard.

 

[svp6]

I changed my mind and am going to keep it — you’re right that it’s an added benefit. I was being a bit ruthless about my build and cutting things out that I thought would be of low usage and/or superfluous. My driving radius will mostly be New England and haven’t seen a 150Khw charger on any of my likely routes, but in case EV charging stations get more of a build out as the economy recovers, it’ll be good to have that option onboard.

I went the other way around. I had it and then I dropped it together with the Porsche Range Manager after seeing this thread and Don's experience. In 5 years of electric ownership I did perhaps 8 long road trips. Each time I planned around the superchargers and one single time I used the destination charger at the hotel. If I take the Taycan on a long trip I will look for EA stations - or if unavailable take the Tesla (the superchargers are ubiquitous and highly reliable).

I agree with all was said here about the hypothetical 150 kW chargers, but I cannot imagine a situation where that would be my case. I am putting the mony towards other options.

 

[charliemathilde]

This seems like one of the options people might care, rightly or wrongly, about for resale even if it’s not a huge benefit.

 

[ThomasDK]

I vent for the standard 50 kw charger @400V. All new chargers support 800v, so waste of money to buy it here in Denmark

 

[ron_b]

I don’t actually know the answer.

If the EA stations are all 800v capable* Regardless of their 150 vs 350kW rating, then it wouldn’t matter.

I looked at my charging spreadsheet... There are 150kW stations out there by "Flo", "EVgo", and PetroCanada. I suspect that the PetroCanada are all the same manufacturer as one of EA's station manufacturer (they source from 4 companies). I would guess that the Flo and EVgo are older, and *might* be only 400V. My car has the 400v 150kW option. So the fact that I've seen over 50kW on those 150kW stations doesn't provide proof.

PetroCanada also has many 200kW stations. (I used 14 of them). Again, I don't know their voltage capacity, and my car pulled more than 50kW from almost all of them.


My Conclusion:
I don't have a definitive answer, but in my opinion you always want to be able to charge AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. (Unless you are parked in your own driveway, overnight, and then it doesn't matter). So, having "all the options" for charging is a good idea.


*EA & PetroCanada stations that can charge the Taycan at 800v are actually rated at 1000v. I've got a photo of the label on the side of those stations somewhere... probably back in my RoadTrip Thread. Just tossing that out there... to whet your appetite for the future.

Don, do you have a collection of screen shots from the Petrol Canada charger displays when you used them? It would usually show the voltage/amperage.

 

[louv]

Don, do you have a collection of screen shots from the Petrol Canada charger displays when you used them? It would usually show the voltage/amperage.

No. I rarely took pictures of the screen... unless something was going wrong.

 

[Snowbird]

No. I rarely took pictures of the screen... unless something was going wrong.

for your info
https://www.petro-canada.ca/en/pers...VQQiICR0PAA4zEAAYASAAEgJ5lPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[ron_b]

for your info
https://www.petro-canada.ca/en/pers...VQQiICR0PAA4zEAAYASAAEgJ5lPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yes, I had read their web site some time ago and saw they market as 350kW (which as far as I know always means 800v, really 1000v as the charges say 350A and 1000v so as the Taycan can only take ~800v they are limited to ~270kW anyway) so I assumed all their stations were 800v capable.

Maybe if you @Snowbird want to give them a call some time and ask if they have any 400v ONLY stations >50kW, that would be great.

 

[Snowbird]

Yes, I had read their web site some time ago and saw they market as 350kW (which as far as I know always means 800v, really 1000v as the charges say 350A and 1000v so as the Taycan can only take ~800v they are limited to ~270kW anyway) so I assumed all their stations were 800v capable.

Maybe if you @Snowbird want to give them a call some time and ask if they have any 400v ONLY stations >50kW, that would be great.

https://lecircuitelectrique.com/find-a-station
for Québec and Ontario, you will be able to see. 350 kw dc.
just put option for dc A lot are available

 

[wmras]

I changed my mind and am going to keep it — you’re right that it’s an added benefit. I was being a bit ruthless about my build and cutting things out that I thought would be of low usage and/or superfluous. My driving radius will mostly be New England and haven’t seen a 150Khw charger on any of my likely routes, but in case EV charging stations get more of a build out as the economy recovers, it’ll be good to have that option onboard.

As an electronic engineer, my decision to add the 150-kW charger option was influenced by: likely to be more reliable and less loss (lower on resistance with lower heat loss). Covering my butt also affected my decision.

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