[North America] - this is getting embarrassing - Porsche nerfing/neutering the PMCC via OTA update?

[AndiL]

Does the Taycan let you reject all updates, some update, or none at all?

You can disable automatic updates in the settings. You can also download new software updates that aren‘t installed yet via the web at https://contact.porsche.com/international/accessoriesandservice/porscheservice/software-update/ (I am not sure if that is the proper URL for North American customers)

Note: The new update released on Friday isn‘t available for download yet.

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[whitex]

Also regarding OTA for the EV itself. The uPdate added OTA abilities to a lot more ECUs in the car. Porsche is also interested in this as it will reduce their costs for updating existings cars as the updates hopefully won‘t need to be done in the shop or would take considerably less time. So they are getting there.

Their OTA module (made by Harman) which I got my hands on had a lot of buses coming out of it, but when I took it apart a bunch of transceivers (CAN and Ethernet, maybe others) parts were not even populated on the PCB, meaning they don't have that many of them connected. The fact that people have to go to the dealership means they don't have the capability to update everything via OTA. That said, I presume they can update the firmwares on the OTA module via OTA (at least 2, one multi-ARM-core NXP SoC and one Renesas automotive microcontroller), so maybe there is more OTA update functionality waiting to be enabled in the future through the few buses they do have connected.

 

[daveo4EV]

@whitex you can only by the PMCC when you have or buy a Porsche, as far as I know. So while it technically it supports the same standards as all EVs in the corresponding markets use and thus can charge other EVs as well (as I do here at home), it is not the same as being sold to anyone.

Also regarding OTA for the EV itself. The uPdate added OTA abilities to a lot more ECUs in the car. Porsche is also interested in this as it will reduce their costs for updating existings cars as the updates hopefully won‘t need to be done in the shop or would take considerably less time. So they are getting there.

when i purchased my Taycan in July of 2020 the provided PMCC charged my wife's Model X and my Taycan jsut fine as well as other EV's - as software updates have been applied - the PMCC has stopped functioning as a compatible EVSE - and for example can not longer charge my Son's 2022 Model Y without it's internal breaker tripping - even when I adjust the in car AMP charging to 30 amps or lower…

the PMCC is a disappointment on many many fronts…customer should not have to own different EVSE's for different cars - in fact the standards are established to avoid that exact issue - but Porsche is punting on this aspect of EV ownership as well…disappointment abounds - my 10 year old $500 Tesla Wall chargers work great for all EV's I've ever owned.

I will continue to rely on my Tesla Wall chargers and Tesla 40 amp Mobile EVSE to charge my Taycan - since it's never let me down.

 

[B61]

Does the Taycan let you reject all updates, some update, or none at all?

I’ve been told that uPdate is needed for further upgrades…in other words, if I’d want to skip uPdate, I’ll have to take it in the future…

 

[whitex]

when i purchased my Taycan in July of 2020 the provided PMCC charged my wife's Model X and my Taycan jsut fine as well as other EV's - as software updates have been applied - the PMCC has stopped functioning as a compatible EVSE - and for example can not longer charge my Son's 2022 Model Y without it's internal breaker tripping - even when I adjust the in car AMP charging to 30 amps or lower…

Wow, that actually sounds potentially dangerous. Breakers are usually meant to be the last line of defense against bad behavior which should have have happened in the first place (such as misconfiguration or one party not following a spec). Out of curiosity, what kind of breaker is it tripping (Amp rating?). I wonder what they could have done to make that happen. At first I thought perhaps they are having PMCC rely purely on Plug-and-charge and ignoring the SAE J1772 spec but you have a 2020 Taycan which does not have Plug-and-charge, so I'm puzzled as how they could possible done something which will trip breakers.

 

[AndiL]

@whitex The MY20 also communicates by default with the PMCC via ISO15118 and not via SAE J1772. Most other vehicles will use SAE J1772 (or IEC61851 in Europe). But you can also force any Taycan to use SAE J1772 by disabling the PLC connection to the EV in the PMCC web interface.

 

[whitex]

@whitex The MY20 also communicates by default with the PMCC via ISO15118 and not via SAE J1772. Most other vehicles will use SAE J1772 (or IEC61851 in Europe). But you can also force any Taycan to use SAE J1772 by disabling the PLC connection to the EV in the PMCC web interface.

Interesting, I wonder whether they are only testing the PLC connection assuming all Taycans have it, and essentially deprecated J1772.

Out of curiosity, does anyone have a copy of the ISO15118 spec? I'd be curious to learn more about it.

 

[Pozuelo]

I just checked my PMCC settings as it updated yesterday morning, I had not read up about the update in this thread yet. My maximum charging setting is still at 32Amps which equates to 22kw at 400V 3-phase here in Europe. I have the option for the 32 amp industrial 5-pin connector, so no downgrade for me. Makes sense because the input wiring is much thicker and is cool to the touch when charging at 16 amps in 42º degree weather and with the Porsche Charging Dock closed. I do not have 22kw charger in car as it was removed from my order while Porsche resolved issues.

 

[kort]

it's simply a failure of engineering from a leading engineering design company -

IMHO, with zero facts to support my opinion, I believe that porsche subbed out many of the tech parts of the taycan and they probably had little to do with engineering the PMCC.
this is a failure of quality control rather than their engineering. they engineer some great cars but fail on their outsourced tech.

 

[W1NGE]

I just checked my PMCC settings as it updated yesterday morning, I had not read up about the update in this thread yet. My maximum charging setting is still at 32Amps which equates to 22kw at 400V 3-phase here in Europe. I have the option for the 32 amp industrial 5-pin connector, so no downgrade for me. Makes sense because the input wiring is much thicker and is cool to the touch when charging at 16 amps in 42º degree weather and with the Porsche Charging Dock closed. I do not have 22kw charger in car as it was removed from my order while Porsche resolved issues.

Yep - update this morning and no apparent difference and still retains my 32A setting on a single phase supply.

 

[daveo4EV]

Wow, that actually sounds potentially dangerous. Breakers are usually meant to be the last line of defense against bad behavior which should have have happened in the first place (such as misconfiguration or one party not following a spec). Out of curiosity, what kind of breaker is it tripping (Amp rating?). I wonder what they could have done to make that happen. At first I thought perhaps they are having PMCC rely purely on Plug-and-charge and ignoring the SAE J1772 spec but you have a 2020 Taycan which does not have Plug-and-charge, so I'm puzzled as how they could possible done something which will trip breakers.

the breaker that is tripping is the INTERNAL breaker to the PMCC unit itself - NOT the external breaker on the electrical circuit - when charging my son's Tesla (or actually any non-VW/Audi/Porsche EV) the internal breaker on the PMCC trips regardless of how low I set the charging AMP's on the Tesla - it's really really ridiculous.

 

[TomP]

I completed the download and installed the PMCC software update. Post update I cannot adjust charging current on the PMCC touchscreen.

When I select "Adjust Charging Current" on the device The following message appears-
"Connect a vehicle cable to manage settings of the charging equipment"

Once connected to the Taycan, there are no options to adjust the charging current.
Only charges at 20A

updated - after hard reset the charging current can be adjusted on the Touchscreen but it does default to 20A after each charging session

 

[daveo4EV]

I completed the download and installed the PMCC software update. Post update I cannot adjust charging current on the PMCC touchscreen.

When I select "Adjust Charging Current" on the device The following message appears-
"Connect a vehicle cable to manage settings of the charging equipment"

Once connected to the Taycan, there are no options to adjust the charging current.
Only charges at 20A

hmmm - I can adjust mine - software version on your PMCC please? mine is 3014 - perhaps it's different for different hardware versions/variations in the PMCC?

 

[Tooney]

So far I have been using the PMC+ at 50% to avoid overheating. Thinking of getting either Chargepoint home flex or the clippercreek one. I have a 50 amp circuit feeding the NEMA 14-50 outlet. I assume my existing charging timers and profiles would continue to work. Any recommendations on either of the two or another EVSE?

When I was looking at home EVSEs, I found the detailed reviews by Tom Moloughney on YouTube helpful. He compares key features of EVSEs, including feel and size of the cables. I got the Wallbox Pulsar 40 amp EVSE and am happy with it.

 

[TomP]

hmmm - I can adjust mine - software version on your PMCC please? mine is 3014 - perhaps it's different for different hardware versions/variations in the PMCC?

Version 3014. I can adjust after a hard reset. Sorry for false alarm.

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