My First Public Charge @ Electrify America (EA) - Massive Fail!

[evanevery]

Hmm, odd. My screenshots were directly from the latest version of Android Charging NA and the exact process I use to initiate charging. I don't use the EA or Connect app.

I agree that there are problems with some combination of the apps and communication to the chargers.

However, I think it's important we distinguish between a "Charging Failure" and an "App Failure". It sounds like you had an app failure but the chargers functioned fine. So you would have had to call the EA number but otherwise been A-Okay on a road trip.

They need to fix the apps and the connectivity, but so far I've found the actual chargers to be pretty reliable.

There is no big green "Start Charging" button on the Charging NA app. but there is one on the Porsche Connect App...

Yeah, the chargers work. Its just that the Porsche Software doesn't...

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[evanevery]

If you know the charger number you can start the charge no matter what it says.

No, you CAN'T. There is no way to select the charger if the app doesn't present it to you. If you can't click on it, you can't start it.

If you know of some way to use the Charging NA app to SPECIFY a charger by name, then by all means, please share this with us...

 

[Brassfactory]

As I posted before, not everyone’s app looks like yours. There is a big green start charging button on mine. iPhone.

 

[Brassfactory]

For instance, there is a charger in Burbank , California that shows 350 on both the EA app and the Charging America app (which has a big green button of the sort I cannot find on the Connect app).

 

[PanameraFrank]

There is no big green "Start Charging" button on the Charging NA app. but there is one on the Porsche Connect App...

Yeah, the chargers work. Its just that the Porsche Software doesn't...

Can you take screenshots of your app? Again, those were screenshots from my Android "Charging NA" app. I don't use Porsche Connect. I'm wondering if somehow we're getting different apps with the same name or different versions of the same app, which might be a factor. I know when I downloaded mine there were a bunch of weird options that showed up in the Play store.

The one time my charge didn't work was a connection issue. I've never had any issues whatsoever with the app showing or loading chargers, only the one time the Porsche servers were not communicating with EA. The app itself has been bug/glitch free for me. It makes me wonder if there is something fishy going on with what apps or versions of the app we're getting, which would explain some of the discrepancies.

 

[GreggT]

Spent an hour yesterday (in the hot sun) at a Madison, WI E.America charger.
Only my 2nd time trying to charge....both unsuccessful.
PorscheConnect Support says my account is good for free charging....not.

Again I was using the ChargingAmerica app......no go.
800# support from E.America again had to initiate the charge.

 

[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]

Can you take screenshots of your app? Again, those were screenshots from my Android "Charging NA" app. I don't use Porsche Connect. I'm wondering if somehow we're getting different apps with the same name or different versions of the same app, which might be a factor. I know when I downloaded mine there were a bunch of weird options that showed up in the Play store.

The one time my charge didn't work was a connection issue. I've never had any issues whatsoever with the app showing or loading chargers, only the one time the Porsche servers were not communicating with EA. The app itself has been bug/glitch free for me. It makes me wonder if there is something fishy going on with what apps or versions of the app we're getting, which would explain some of the discrepancies.

The Charging NA app I am using is "v1.0.81-na.rc". It doesn't listed it in a help or about screen but the Tech Support guy showed me that it was listed directly in the menu pull down itself.

The Tech Guy also said he thought your screen shots were from the Porsche Connect App. Give me a couple of minutes to work up some screen shots for you. Thanks for helping...

 

[evanevery]

Spent an hour yesterday (in the hot sun) at a Madison, WI E.America charger.
Only my 2nd time trying to charge....both unsuccessful.
PorscheConnect Support says my account is good for free charging....not.

Again I was using the ChargingAmerica app......no go.
800# support from E.America again had to initiate the charge.

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]

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...

Charging is always free if you call the EA number. They'll get a free session started for you within 60 seconds of dialing the number, FWIW. They're very nice.

I'm not excusing the poor apps, just mentioning the quickest & easiest way to get a free charge going if you do have app issues.

 

[evanevery]

Here is my workflow using the Android Charging NA App. Note that there is no big green "Start Charging" Button.

Here is the screen where I scrolled the map to find a nearby charger:

Then Here is the screen where I select that station. Note the station popup at the bottom of the screen:

Then, when I pull up on that screen, you can see all the details about that station (sorry about the volume indicator):

Then, when you "Choose your Plug Type" of 350KW, this is what you see:

Note that this list is for 150KW terminals NOT 350KW Terminals. (Yes, I know the previous screen shows 0/1 350KW Terminals available, but yesterday when there was 2/2 terminals available, it showed exactly the same screen. Its not being helpful. It just has the wrong terminal list linked to the button... and it didn't matter if I was physically located at the station or not...)

 

[evanevery]

Charging is always free if you call the EA number. They'll get a free session started for you within 60 seconds of dialing the number, FWIW. They're very nice.

I'm not excusing the poor apps, just mentioning the quickest & easiest way to get a free charge going if you do have app issues.

Yeah, I get that. Yes they are very nice. I just don't want to have to call somebody and explain this situation every time I want to charge. I'll just pay to use the EA app before I do that...

 

[evanevery]

I think we should be having this discussion in the other thread so we don't have to cross post information:

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...owing-350kw-ea-terminals-to-be-selected.2174/

The title of that thread more clearly identifies the issue so I think we might get more focused participation over there.

 

[GreggT]

Yeah, I get that. Yes they are very nice. I just don't want to have to call somebody and explain this situation every time I want to charge. I'll just pay to use the EA app before I do that...

I just share this ....from 5 minutes ago....Atlanta says....use the PorscheConnect app for charging, at least for now......apparently Charging America is doing 'updates'.....or so they say.

 

[evanevery]

I just share this ....from 5 minutes ago....Atlanta says....use the PorscheConnect app for charging, at least for now......apparently Charging America is doing 'updates'.....or so they say.

Yeah, OK. (Both their apps are horrible and unreliable, and that has nothing to do with the Charging Networks).

But lets use the other thread to document failures with the Porsche Charging Apps so we keep it all in one place...

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