Switzerland

[tigerbalm]

I'm doing a road trip next week and I'll be spending a week in Switzerland. I'd appreciate guidance from any Swiss members or frequent drivers in Switzerland:

• I'm planning on mostly getting overnight charges at my hotels, but as a backup – can you in practice actually use the chargers at Porsche Centre's like the ones at Lausanne? I notice they are showing up as available on the Porsche Charing app.
• Outside of Ionity, is there any particular network (especially in more southern Switzerland) that generally is reliable ? And are they on the Porsche Charging Service card?
• Is the in-car Porsche Charging Planner reasonably accurate on routes that take you over mountain passes (i.e. the scenic/tourist routes). I find it generally excellent, but I've never relied on it with very mountainous terrain.

Thank you!

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[Swissbob]

I'm doing a road trip next week and I'll be spending a week in Switzerland. I'd appreciate guidance from any Swiss members or frequent drivers in Switzerland:

• I'm planning on mostly getting overnight charges at my hotels, but as a backup – can you in practice actually use the chargers at Porsche Centre's like the ones at Lausanne? I notice they are showing up as available on the Porsche Charing app.
• Outside of Ionity, is there any particular network (especially in more southern Switzerland) that generally is reliable ? And are they on the Porsche Charging Service card?
• Is the in-car Porsche Charging Planner reasonably accurate on routes that take you over mountain passes (i.e. the scenic/tourist routes). I find it generally excellent, but I've never relied on it with very mountainous terrain.

Thank you!

Yes you can use the charger at the Lausanne dealer (and Geneva, Sierre etc I think). It’s not quite as quick as the Ionity’s but not bad. Not sure re your other questions. Where are you going?

 

[tigerbalm]

Roughly: Lausanne -> Täsch (Zermatt) -> Andermatt -> Locarno. With some driving around days in between moving hotels.

All the hotels I've chosen have charging and have been pretty responsive about saying they are working and they'll make sure I do get a charge overnight or mid-stay. Which is great, out of all of the wider trip (in France, Italy, Austria and Germany) the Swiss hotels have been the most responsive.

 

[ElectricSoul]

• I'm planning on mostly getting overnight charges at my hotels, but as a backup – can you in practice actually use the chargers at Porsche Centre's like the ones at Lausanne? I notice they are showing up as available on the Porsche Charing app.

As @Swissbob mentioned, the charger at Porsche Centre's are usually available.
(Only one I have experience with is Lausanne/Crissier)

• Outside of Ionity, is there any particular network (especially in more southern Switzerland) that generally is reliable ? And are they on the Porsche Charging Service card?

Switzerland has also some other chargers (eg. EVPass) which show up in the Porsche Charging app and roaming is typically supported. That said, I recommend sticking to IONITY as much as possible for the higher charging speeds / preferred prices. Relais du St-Bernard is on your way and I strongly recommend that location. I'm not too experienced with chargers in Ticino.

 

[kort]

do you have a teslatap adaptor? if no try to get one
http://www.umc-j1772.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=146

with that adaptor you can access the L2 destination chargers tesla has installed at many hotels

 

[tigerbalm]

That doesn't work in Europe because all L2 chargers, including Tesla have a Type 2 socket. This doesn't unfortunately mean the Tesla chargers always work – that depends on a DIP switch inside the charger. But I find that the one's that have been installed a while tend to have it switched to "All Cars" mode and work!

 

[kort]

That doesn't work in Europe because all L2 chargers, including Tesla have a Type 2 socket. This doesn't unfortunately mean the Tesla chargers always work – that depends on a DIP switch inside the charger. But I find that the one's that have been installed a while tend to have it switched to "All Cars" mode and work!

thanks, I keep forgetting that the hardware is different

 

[tigerbalm]

thanks, I keep forgetting that the hardware is different

Yes, over here, if they ever did open their supercharger network, we wouldn't have the "incompatible plug/need adapter" challenge. Makes it slightly more possible.

 

[tigerbalm]

In the US I assume the Tesla tap doesn't just convert the plug but also tricks the charger into thinking its a Tesla. There would be a market here in Europe for a Type 2-to-Type 2 adaptor that just tricked the chargers. But that doesn't appear to exist.

 

[kort]

In the US I assume the Tesla tap doesn't just convert the plug but also tricks the charger into thinking its a Tesla. There would be a market here in Europe for a Type 2-to-Type 2 adaptor that just tricked the chargers. But that doesn't appear to exist.

I don't believe that much "tricking" is needed on the L2 units

 

[tigerbalm]

I don't believe that much "tricking" is needed on the L2 units

Okay, maybe the proprietary Tesla connector is enough to "protect" the charger - hence the TeslaTap product.

In Europe – the Tesla L2 chargers definitely can tell its not a Tesla plugged in and decide depending on its internal DIP switch settings to charge or not.

The default hotel install is generally three Tesla branded chargers, with one set to allow all EV's and two reserved for Tesla's. And as I said, over time those dedicated ones tend to get re-configured (if you're lucky).

Here is me charging on one such "dedicated to Tesla" unit in Andorra recently:

 

[Swissbob]

Roughly: Lausanne -> Täsch (Zermatt) -> Andermatt -> Locarno. With some driving around days in between moving hotels.

All the hotels I've chosen have charging and have been pretty responsive about saying they are working and they'll make sure I do get a charge overnight or mid-stay. Which is great, out of all of the wider trip (in France, Italy, Austria and Germany) the Swiss hotels have been the most responsive.

Ionity at Grand st Bernard service station before Martigny or Porsche Sierre will get you to Zermatt. In Andermatt the Chedi has loads of chargers. Alas never been to Locarno.

 

[kort]

Me and the Matterhorn

 

[tigerbalm]

In Andermatt the Chedi has loads of chargers. Alas never been to Locarno.

That's good to hear – as its where I'm staying for a few days. In Täsch/Zermatt, I hope I'll be able to get a charge overnight in the parking garage there:

https://www.matterhorngotthardbahn.ch/de/winter/anreise/matterhorn-terminal-taesch/

 

[tigerbalm]

And yes, through various and complex EU/Swiss treaties – speeding fines/points on your license will follow me home to Dublin (eventually), so will be sticking to the limits.

Its always been one of the things I've liked about a Porsche – on a nice twisty road, it can be enjoyed while sticking to limits. Its like a great stereo in that way - the warmth and detail of the music on a fantastic hi-fi can be enjoyed at low volumes.

Yeah, the speed on the autobahn in Germany is also very exciting, but the way a Porsche corners on a twisty road at 80 km/h – at least here in Ireland – is among my most favourite aspects of driving one.

Straight line sprinting holds no interest to me. Sure, in Ireland, there isn't any straight roads to begin with!

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