Charging NA App Broken? (Not allowing 350KW EA Terminals to be selected)

[LonePalmBJ]

@evanevery For the sake of science, could you take screenshots of your process pretending that you want to start a charge at the Mount Vernon, WA Walmart 350 chargers? That's what my 3 screenshots show. I'm also on Android so we should be seeing the same thing, but it sounds like we aren't.

I did exactly that in my post above describing my email to Porsche. You should be able to see them by scrolling back. In brief; currently selecting 350kW incorrectly displays the 150kW stations instead.

Brent

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[PanameraFrank]

I did exactly that in my post above describing my email to Porsche. You should be able to see them by scrolling back. In brief; currently selecting 350kW incorrectly displays the 150kW stations instead.

Brent

For some reason your images won't load, getting a 400 Bad Request.

 

[Jay]

I've seen the same problem at an EA 350kw charger. Android Charging NA version 1.0.81-na.rc.

When I opened up the station it listed all of the charger types: 50Kw, ChaDemo, 150kw, and 350kw. But when I selected 350kw it only provided a list of the 2 150kw chargers (I confirmed this with charger ID's).

 

[evanevery]

I just got back from another test at a station 15 miles away. I wanted to see if Porsche Connect presented a more reliable (less frustrating) way to start the charging process. It didn't.

After trying to log in countless times to the Porsche Connect App, and requiring the app to be shut down countless times, I finally got logged in. Then having to do THAT entire process over and over to simply get Porsche Connect to successfully load "E-Charge Stations" (without an error), I finally got the App to show me the station I was currently parked at. I finally got a charging session started (I Think) cause I heard the terminal spin up. The car showed BRIEFLY that it was charging and then I got disconnected. Ugh! Another hour wasted...

So, what have I learned from all this screwing around? It looks like Charging NA will give you a more reliable experience as long as you don't care that you can't activate 350KW terminal with it. It also appears that the Porsche Connect App has all kinds of problems getting you logged in, and then even more problems loading the network of E-Charge stations (and it always starts in Germany?). Based on the inability of Porsche Connect to get this process started, its likely a very poor choice regardless of which type of station you would like to use. If I want to TRY and get the "free" service I paid for, I'm going to use the Charging NA app with the full understanding of the fact that it won't activate a 350KW terminal.

So I run the EA App... Boom, connected, charging, no issue. Not free but also no frustration.

Its just not worth the grief trying to use the Porsche Software. I'll PAY for the ability to use a reliable app (EA) rather than all the wasted time and frustration trying to use this crap...

Based on my conversation with Tech Support, Porsche knows about all these issues. They just haven't been able to fix them. Folks may say that Tesla is a Tech Company who is trying to make cars, but clearly Porsche is a Car Company who is trying to make tech.

Very Sad...

 

[evanevery]

My recommendation, if you want full access to the EA chargers, just use the Electrify America App and skip all the unreliability and frustration provided by the Porsche Apps. You paid a lot of money for your car, now all you need to do is continue paying for your charging service.

Its just not worth the grief...

 

[PanameraFrank]

@evanevery Okay! A couple of mysteries solved. My Charging NA app was an older version, hence the differences.

However, with the new app I can still access 350 chargers at my normal spots. But for the location you gave there seem to be errors from both Charging NA & listed on Plugshare. It seems to be specifically that location.

I actually think it might be an EA problem at that location. What other locations have you tried? 4140 W Greenfield is showing no 350s available and numerous errors on Plugshare.

Also yes, the Porsche Connect helpline is staffed very poorly and they have no idea what they're talking about. At all.

 

[evanevery]

@evanevery Okay! A couple of mysteries solved. My Charging NA app was an older version, hence the differences.

However, with the new app I can still access 350 chargers at my normal spots. But for the location you gave there seem to be errors from both Charging NA & listed on Plugshare. It seems to be specifically that location.

I actually think it might be an EA problem at that location. What other locations have you tried? 4140 W Greenfield is showing no 350s available and numerous errors on Plugshare.

Also yes, the Porsche Connect helpline is staffed very poorly and they have no idea what they're talking about. At all.

I have tried one in Madison, WI, Two in Chicago, IL and one in Joliet, IL.

Porsche confirms this is an issue with their Charging NA app, so I'm not sure what you are seeing. Just being able to identify there are 350KW stations (and their current status) is NOT the issue. Actually being able to select one IS. Go ahead and "Select Your Plug Type" and hit the "CCS 350KW" button and tell me you DON'T just see 150KW terminals listed! Take a screen shot.

...and Yeah, I'm probably the guy who "broke" them at my local location by trying over and over to use them. But the current status is NOT the issue, the ability to select an individual 350KW charger is. 2 of 2 were fine yesterday and I still could list them to select one.

YOU pick a station where YOU can get a list of the 350KW charger terminal ID's (as you would to activate one) and I will try it as well... You don't actually need to activate a terminal, just display the 350KW terminals by station ID... You know, the step RIGHT BEFORE you would actually select a specific station... Make sure it doesn't say 150KW at the top of the select screen!

 

[PanameraFrank]

@evanevery I'm just trying to gather data with you. We're on the same side here.

From Joilet:

Obviously I'm not there so can't confirm further. Are you saying your app won't get this far?

Porsche Connect support has no idea what they're talking about, I've spent a couple hours on the phone with them. I wouldn't trust anything they say. Obviously that's a big issue.

 

[evanevery]

Nice try but no cigar.

The Joliet 100294-04 terminal is a 150KW terminal. (For those playing along, feel free to check for yourself).

Why didn't you show a copy of the screen which appears right between the last two you posted? Cause that is where you will see that Charging NA is only showing you 150KW stations even though you requested 350KW stations. (Look at the header at the top of the screen) I have also confirmed this by terminal ID in person (its not just the header that is wrong)

 

[PanameraFrank]

Nice try but no cigar.

The Joliet 100294-04 terminal is a 150KW terminal. (For those playing along, feel free to check for yourself).

Why didn't you show a copy of the screen which appears right between the last two you posted? Cause that is where you will see that Charging NA is only showing you 150KW stations.

Ahh, I see now.

Yes, the updated version of Charging NA seems to have broken it. My previous version worked fine. As mentioned earlier, someone doing the coding fucked up this latest version. Funny.

The previous version worked fine so I imagine we'll get a fixed version soon here.

In the meantime just call EA and they'll start a free session.

 

[evanevery]

Ahh, I see now.

Yes, the updated version of Charging NA seems to have broken it. My previous version worked fine. As mentioned earlier, someone doing the coding fucked up this latest version. Funny.

The previous version worked fine so I imagine we'll get a fixed version soon here.

In the meantime just call EA and they'll start a free session.

YES! BROKEN!

FUNNY? NOT!

...I'm not hopping on the phone and explaining the problem every time I need a charge. I'll just skip the BS and pay using the EA app until Porsche gets their $hit together...

 

[PanameraFrank]

YES! BROKEN!

FUNNY? NOT!

If you can't have a sense of humor about the charging, you're going to have a rough time with the Taycan.

It's the first EV by Porsche and the first big test of EAs network. It was always going to be bumpy.

Look on the bright side, it's a simple bug and a simple fix and in the mean time charging is still free & available. Could be worse!

 

[evanevery]

If you can't have a sense of humor about the charging, you're going to have a rough time with the Taycan.

It's the first EV by Porsche and the first big test of EAs network. It was always going to be bumpy.

Look on the bright side, it's a simple bug and a simple fix and in the mean time charging is still free & available. Could be worse!

For the price I paid for the car, I would rather find humor in other things (that are actually SUPPOSED to be funny)... I'm coming up short because I don't find it "Funny"?

Its all the REST of the crap that comes along with this. For my first Porsche, I was expecting a much more refined (and functional) experience... NEITHER of the phone apps work properly...

 

[PanameraFrank]

@evanevery I get it, but the Porsche apps have always been terrible. Just try not to sweat it, call EA, and they'll hook you up.

I talked to a supervisor at Porsche Connect and made sure they know exactly what's going on and asked them to have someone higher up call me back. The more reports on this the better. It's interesting that the .75 version worked fine so hopefully that info helps them expedite a fix.

For anyone reading, if you have Charging NA version 1.0.75 do NOT update. 1.0.81 is broken!

 

[evanevery]

@evanevery I get it, but the Porsche apps have always been terrible. Just try not to sweat it, call EA, and they'll hook you up.

I talked to a supervisor at Porsche Connect and made sure they know exactly what's going on and asked them to have someone higher up call me back. The more reports on this the better. It's interesting that the .75 version worked fine so hopefully that info helps them expedite a fix.

Yup, I get it. Yes, it should be an easy fix but only because it was such a simple error. Not only is their coding coming up short, they also don't appear to have adequate testing. WE, apparently, ARE the testers...

I'll just use the EA App and pay for the charge. Otherwise I'm going to have to explain all the details to the EA rep, and then they are likely going to want to reset the station (just in case), etc, etc, etc... More wasted time...

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