Electrify America Launches 85% Charge Limit Pilot To Reduce EV Charging Congestion

Electrify America has initiated a new pilot program focused on cutting down wait times and congestion at its electric vehicle (EV) charging station, where Interestingly limits EV charging to 85% state of charge (SoC).

The “Congestion Reduction Pilot” program, which was founded in early July, is currently being tested at nine stations in and around Los Angeles and one in San Diego. These high-traffic locations were selected specifically to observe the effects of the new policy on reducing queue times and serving more customers efficiently.

Under the new charging system, the charging sessions will automatically end once an EV’s battery reaches 85% SoC. EV owners will then have a 10-minute grace period to unplug and move their EVs before incurring idle fees. Notably, customers will not be able to restart charging or move to another plug to continue above the 85% limit.

According to Electrify America, its decision to cap charging at 85% levels is based on the charging characteristics of most current EVs. As EV batteries approach full charge, the charging speed significantly declines to protect battery longevity and safety. By stopping at 85%, the company aims to free up chargers more quickly for other EV owners, as the final 15% to 20% of charging is commonly the slowest.

“The goal of the Congestion Reduction Pilot is to reduce queuing at select high utilization charging stations – thereby allowing more people to charge in a timely manner,” stated Electrify America in their announcement.

While this charging limit may inconvenience some EV owners, particularly those on long trips requiring a full charge, Electrify America has strategically chosen pilot locations that are within range of other charging stations where EV owners can fully charge if necessary.

Furthermore, Electrify America acknowledges that there are situations where charging beyond 85% is necessary and has emphasized that the pilot stations are located in areas with ample alternative charging options. They will be closely monitoring the program’s impact and customer feedback, making adjustments as necessary.

While Electrify America aiming to expand its charging network to 5,000 DC fast-chargers by the end of 2024, this pilot program arrives in response to growing concerns about congestion at EV charging stations for now.

Read More: Electrify America Aims For 5,000 DC Fast-Chargers End of 2024

In response, Electrify America aims to improve the overall charging experience for its customers and address one of the key aspects in EV ownership. As of now, Electrify America has not specified an end date for the pilot. Click Here to view the locations of the 10 Southern California EV charging stations.

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