Teslas Will Soon Precondition Batteries for Third-Party DC Fast Chargers
This one is long overdue, but as fans of fast charging we are so happy to finally see Tesla address this issue. Starting with software version 2025.2, Tesla cars in North America will initiate battery preconditioning (heating) when navigating to a non-Supercharger DC fast charger. Although this functionality was already available in Europe when navigating […]
1400 Mile EV Roadtrip – A Test of the Supercharger Network and my own Stamina
I’m well familiar with the Toronto to Miami route, as I’ve done it comfortably in the past over a two day stretch. But this was the first time I’ve done in an EV, and this time I was the sole driver. How often would I need to charge? How much longer does it take than […]
We found the fastest DC charging station in the USA [video]
What do you consider fast charging? Level 3 DC chargers can vary from older 50 kW chargers to ubiquitous V3 Supercharger stations that are rated to 250 kW. Many Electrify America stations began offering 350 kW capable equipment, and the newest Mercedes Benz branded stations can go up to 400 kW! However, the current record […]
The Ioniq 5 is the first non-Tesla EV with a native NACS charging port
Hyundai announced a significant update to their popular Ioniq 5 crossover SUV. The 2025 model year Ioniq 5 is a facelifted mid-cycle refresh that builds on an already capable EV. The batteries are larger (58.0 to 63.0 kWh and 77.4 to 84 kWh), the interiors are updated, there is a new XRT rugged trim, and […]
What is “Yo-Yo’ing” in the Context of EV Charging?
If you’ve ever pulled up to a Level 3 DC fast charger in the winter with a cold EV battery, you’re well familiar with the pain of very slow charging. The internal battery temperature needs to be above freezing to accept any meaningful power, and it must be near room temperature (or warmer) to charge […]
Why Home EV Charging is at 240V and Public Charging is 208V?
Level 2 EV charging is done at 240 volts in North America, using the same high voltage as power-hungry home appliances like air conditioners and laundry dryers. But as a seasoned EV driver, you may have noticed something odd, why does charging voltage hover around only 208 volts on public Level 2 charging stations? Yes, […]
The “Smoke” During Supercharging is Probably just Steam
Newer owners of Teslas (and other EVs) may be concerned about seeing what looks like smoke coming out the front of their cars while DC fast charging. This is especially common during winters when the outside air is cold and dry. But unless you can actually smell something burning, do not panic. Modern Teslas manage […]
PSA: Battery Preconditioning is a MUST Before DC Charging in the Cold
Precondition your battery, or you will make DC charging slower for everyone. January brings bitterly cold temperatures to the northern states and Canada, and this week has been particularly brutal. Freezing temperatures extended well into the southern US states, and temperatures are approaching 0°F (-17°C) in the north. At times like these, there is a […]
Supercharging as Seen Through a Thermal Camera
DC fast charging pumps a lot of electrons into an EV, very quickly. We thought it would be fascinating to bring a thermal camera to a Supercharging session to uncover this invisible thermal activity before our very eyes. It was a cold December day with an ambient temperature of 46°F (8°C), and we arrived at […]
Can you charge a Tesla on the ChargePoint network?
ChargePoint is a large-scale charging network operating in the United States and 13 other countries with over 30,000 EV chargers in total. ChargePoint offers a mix of Level 2 destination chargers, as well as some DC fast chargers for charging stops on road trips. ChargePoint also offers a competitive home charging station product that integrates […]