EVgo updates kill SparkEV charging

[msmith99]

I tried to charge at a newer EVgo station today that I had charged at a few months ago and it failed at two different chargers. I called EVgo and after failing a few more times when they tried to initiate for me, I was told that a recent firmware update to newer chargers caused widespread failures with SparkEVs but that older chargers weren't effected. Sure enough, I went a few miles away to an older EVgo station I've always used and it worked fine. Hopefully, they try to fix it and don't just leave us in the past. FWIW, I also had issues at an Electrify America station and eventually got it to work after changing stations and calling in. It wasn't the normal cable issue but an App issue I think.

Every time this happens I think, "This is why people buy Teslas."

 

[tfeledy]

I don't know how to tell which EVGo chargers are newer or older. I have used them without problems on my 2016 Chevy Spark as recently as today.

 

[Lithium]

Thanks for sharing this. Guess I will only be taking the Bolt on longer trips. Wonder if this will become more of the norm as time passes?

 

[thejaredhuang]

This must explain why I was only getting 15KWh last month.

 

[LoveMy2014SparkEV]

I only get 14 kW at EVgo as well. It is not just at EVgo though. Newer Electrify America stations and a new CalTrans charger all only give me 14 kWs. At an older Electrify America ABB charger I kept getting communications errors. I finally found a charging station there that worked and my car charged at 50 kW. Today I did the modification shown in this post https://sparkev.blogspot.com/2015/09/solution-problem-with-dc-fast-charge.html?m=1 I then went back to the older Electrify America and tried one of the ABB chargers that just would work last time and it work on the first try and it charged at 50 kW.

I then drove to an EVgo station making sure I had less than 50%. I was hoping with perhaps better connection it charge at a higher rate. Nope, only go 14 kW as usual. My Spark EV is a 2014. I think she has only lost 2 or 3 miles range thanks to her Lithium Iron Phosphate battery. The last owner said he charged her to 100% everyday and drove her almost everyday. From what I read Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries really require them to be charged on a 120 or 240 volt to 100% at least once a week to balance the cells and that regularly charging to 100% helps the computer to more accurately predict the cars range.

Anyway, if it is a software issue is there a way to get an update for my car? Are other Spark EVs having the same problem of only getting 14 kW at EVgo and other chargers? If so what year are those cars? If it is just the 2014 model then updating the firmware should fix it I hope.

 

[SparkE]

Recent threads / posts on slow DCFC charging for Spark EV :

https://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28560

https://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28561

https://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28562

https://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9270&p=28539#p28539

 

[LoveMy2014SparkEV]

EVgo and Electrify America DC Fast Chargers which were limiting me to about 14 KW have been fixed!

I am not sure when this happened because I been avoiding these particular models of chargers for quite sometime now. The EV go 50 KW charger I am now getting 48 KW and the Electrify America 150 KW charger I got 52 to 55 KW. I am pretty sure it was a software update. I have a Torque app that is using a Chevy Volt profile and I noticed it was saying my Spark EV was requesting just over 14 KW from the DC Fast Charger every time I charged no matter what model of charger I was using. Perhaps my car was requesting 50 KW or 55 KW but just like the Torque app the charger was misidentifying my car as a volt? In any case I am happy they are all now charging at full speed now.

 

[SmokeyPete]

I only get 14 kW at EVgo as well. It is not just at EVgo though. Newer Electrify America stations and a new CalTrans charger all only give me 14 kWs. At an older Electrify America ABB charger I kept getting communications errors. I finally found a charging station there that worked and my car charged at 50 kW. Today I did the modification shown in this post https://sparkev.blogspot.com/2015/09/solution-problem-with-dc-fast-charge.html?m=1 I then went back to the older Electrify America and tried one of the ABB chargers that just would work last time and it work on the first try and it charged at 50 kW.

I then drove to an EVgo station making sure I had less than 50%. I was hoping with perhaps better connection it charge at a higher rate. Nope, only go 14 kW as usual. My Spark EV is a 2014. I think she has only lost 2 or 3 miles range thanks to her Lithium Iron Phosphate battery. The last owner said he charged her to 100% everyday and drove her almost everyday. From what I read Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries really require them to be charged on a 120 or 240 volt to 100% at least once a week to balance the cells and that regularly charging to 100% helps the computer to more accurately predict the cars range.

Anyway, if it is a software issue is there a way to get an update for my car? Are other Spark EVs having the same problem of only getting 14 kW at EVgo and other chargers? If so what year are those cars? If it is just the 2014 model then updating the firmware should fix it I hope.

I think the newer Electrify America Units made by Delta Eleectronics have this issue. At least with my 2015 Spark EV. Its now 2024. Can anyone comment? As usual EvGo support is clueless.

 

[boatbum11]

I've had this issue off and on with other charging networks! It's usually after a software update. I call support tell them what's happening and that I don't have this issue with other networks chargers!! Just keep calling and complaining. Eventually they address the issue.