150kW on-board DC-DC converter - do I need to order this in UK?

[W1NGE]

And I went for folding mirrors over the 150kw charger. Damn...

Look on the bright side - you'll get daily usage and value from that option!

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[DynamoCappo]

The 22kW option is plagued with issues, if I recall correctly.

It's only useful if you have 3phase at work / home, or travel a lot in Scotland, where 22kW chargers are a bit more prevalent.

I would give the 22kW option a miss.

Interesting you mention Scotland.

First guy we spoke to said it wasn't required (I'll be charging at home in the main) but when we saw another salesman he mentioned it's worth adding for future proofing / giving you the most options.

After that, I saw the thread in here about the 22kW option crashing charging points at home due to some technical issue from 2021. I'm not sure if that's been resolved now completely?

I need to make a call on it before I get a confirmed build slot and the design is locked in.

Dunno how often I'd use it up here if I'm only doing Glasgow to Edinburgh journies in the main and will be leaving the house with a full charge then anyway.

 

[Porsche-Guru]

Interesting you mention Scotland.

First guy we spoke to said it wasn't required (I'll be charging at home in the main) but when we saw another salesman he mentioned it's worth adding for future proofing / giving you the most options.

After that, I saw the thread in here about the 22kW option crashing charging points at home due to some technical issue from 2021. I'm not sure if that's been resolved now completely?

I need to make a call on it before I get a confirmed build slot and the design is locked in.

Dunno how often I'd use it up here if I'm only doing Glasgow to Edinburgh journies in the main and will be leaving the house with a full charge then anyway.

At £294..... add it for peace of mind.

And if the Tesla supercharges open up in the UK (which as I read, it will very likely happen) - then you would regret not having one.

 

[DynamoCappo]

Sounds like sense. It was just that glitch causing issues with the single phase home charging that was the concern.

By the time mine gets delivered anyway I'd have hoped they've long solved any problems.

 

[BigBob]

Sounds like sense. It was just that glitch causing issues with the single phase home charging that was the concern.

By the time mine gets delivered anyway I'd have hoped they've long solved any problems.

Supposedly a fix being released in next few weeks.

 

[W1NGE]

Interesting you mention Scotland.

First guy we spoke to said it wasn't required (I'll be charging at home in the main) but when we saw another salesman he mentioned it's worth adding for future proofing / giving you the most options.

After that, I saw the thread in here about the 22kW option crashing charging points at home due to some technical issue from 2021. I'm not sure if that's been resolved now completely?

I need to make a call on it before I get a confirmed build slot and the design is locked in.

Dunno how often I'd use it up here if I'm only doing Glasgow to Edinburgh journies in the main and will be leaving the house with a full charge then anyway.

You won't need the 22kW option and besides you have ultra fast charging (BP) at Harthill services and many fast (50kW) options in either of Glasgow or Edinburgh should you need it.

Future proofing is just hogwash IMHO as DC is the way forward.

AC is least desirable except for the home otherwise too slow whilst on the move.

 

[gdavison]

Future proofing is just hogwash IMHO as DC is the way forward.

This ^^

 

[Boss Hogg]

Interesting you mention Scotland.

First guy we spoke to said it wasn't required (I'll be charging at home in the main) but when we saw another salesman he mentioned it's worth adding for future proofing / giving you the most options.

After that, I saw the thread in here about the 22kW option crashing charging points at home due to some technical issue from 2021. I'm not sure if that's been resolved now completely?

I need to make a call on it before I get a confirmed build slot and the design is locked in.

Dunno how often I'd use it up here if I'm only doing Glasgow to Edinburgh journies in the main and will be leaving the house with a full charge then anyway.

I have 150kW DC-DC, it's a no brainer for the price.

I also have 22kW and would specifiy it again. Depends on your usage and your patience - I cover around 20k miles per year, drive fast and am impatient, key factors for me:

• 22kW chargers in work. I am often in and out of the office at short notice during a typical day so fast charging is helpful.
• When walking my dogs at the weekend I can get a decent amount of free charge as there are still many free 22kW chargers in Scotland (I'm based in Glasgow)
• When in remote areas there are a lot more 22kW chargers than DC and I cannot see this changing in the short term. I often holiday up the west coast.
• Most older/remote 50kW DC chargers in Scotland only have 1x DC connection but can supply AC charge at the same time, so if you pull up and DC is taken (or more often the connector broken) you can charge on AC at a reasonable 22kW rate.
• There won't be a nearby Starbucks or decent phone signal to wile away the charging time in remote locations.
• As EVs continue to appear on the road faster than the charging network is rolled out, the more charging options the better.

I have a single phase 7kW home charger but hardly use it so have not encountered any reliability issues.

If you have a predicable car use, can charge at home, don't go to remote locations often and are patient on occasions you cannot get onto a fast DC then the saving is well worth considering.

As WINGE says the Harthill 150kW BP chargers are great. Ionity at Polmadie just off the M74 also convenient and even faster with a new Starbucks on site.

 

[pauloamore]

Boss Hogg is spot on.
- Charge Scotland has a lot of (free) 43 kw AC chargers around. Especially in or off the a9. Check if they suit you. It’s a lot of money to ask (for ac upgrade) and imho won’t add to residuals. But you might get value out of it.

I did the dc upgrade for potential supercharger compatibility.
- didn’t do the ac upgrade.

Funny thing is, I can’t find a car that can take advantage of 43 kw AC. Mostly 7 to 10 kWh. Even PHEV cayennes have an option to go from standard 3! To 7.

 

[W1NGE]

Boss Hogg is spot on.
- Charge Scotland has a lot of (free) 43 kw AC chargers around. Especially in or off the a9. Check if they suit you. It’s a lot of money to ask (for ac upgrade) and imho won’t add to residuals. But you might get value out of it.

I did the dc upgrade for potential supercharger compatibility.
- didn’t do the ac upgrade.

Funny thing is, I can’t find a car that can take advantage of 43 kw AC. Mostly 7 to 10 kWh. Even PHEV cayennes have an option to go from standard 3! To 7.

Renault Zoe is the only car in UK which can use 43kW AC.

You can use a 22kW AC to get 11kW into your Taycan and I assume that connecting to a 43kW AC unit you would also get 11kW or 22kW if you had the AC upgrade option.

I've not seen many but never go looking for public AC charging. Mind you I image where there is 43kW available ChargePlace Scotland will have 50kW DC adjacent and so DC would be the first preference for speed.

 

[grahamsimmonds]

Yes to 150 kW. However, I’m not convinced that the Tesla network opening up is quite the panacea it seems.

1. Even with the 150 kW option I’m not convinced that the Taycan will charge as fast it does at a true 800v 150 kW and may tail off quicker.

2. UK RHD Taycans possibly have the worst port set up when trying to use a Tesla Supercharger, especially those with chargers based at the rear of the bay. In virtually all cases you would have to park your car across two bays and place it very close to get the cable to reach. There are some side ones that might work OK but you will have to park in adjacent bay in order to reach.

 

[Nachyomama]

Elon mentioned a few days ago that the Tesla network here in the US will be opening. Monthly membership gets close to Tesla pricing otherwise it will be a larger cost w/out membership. I would bet the UK wouldn’t be too far behind.

 

[Ross]

Renault Zoe is the only car in UK which can use 43kW AC.

You can use a 22kW AC to get 11kW into your Taycan and I assume that connecting to a 43kW AC unit you would also get 11kW or 22kW if you had the AC upgrade option.

I've not seen many but never go looking for public AC charging. Mind you I image where there is 43kW available ChargePlace Scotland will have 50kW DC adjacent and so DC would be the first preference for speed.

I know you will know this!
I see people are getting the DC 150kw upgrade to potentially take advantage of the Tesla network.
I thought that without the 150 upgrade the ONLY place you could charge at over 50kw
was at 800v Ionity.

I got the 150 upgrade to charge at all the other chargers over 50kw
I assumed you needed it for Shell 175 , BP 150, Instavolt 125/150
Do you NEED the 150 upgrade for Shell, BP and Instavolt?

Cheers

 

[Beardo]

I know you will know this!
I see people are getting the DC 150kw upgrade to potentially take advantage of the Tesla network.
I thought that without the 150 upgrade the ONLY place you could charge at over 50kw
was at 800v Ionity.

I got the 150 upgrade to charge at all the other chargers over 50kw
I assumed you needed it for Shell 175 , BP 150, Instavolt 125/150
Do you NEED the 150 upgrade for Shell, BP and Instavolt?

Cheers

Nope, virtually every UK (in fact all has been stated....) > 50Kw chargers are 960v I think so the 150Kw/400v option is completely redundant. A standard Taycan can use the faster chargers with no issue.

The only reason to spec it in the UK is for Tesla chargers which are 400v.

 

[Ross]

Nope, virtually every UK (in fact all has been stated....) > 50Kw chargers are 960v I think so the 150Kw/400v option is completely redundant. A standard Taycan can use the faster chargers with no issue.

The only reason to spec it in the UK is for Tesla chargers which are 400v.

Thank you,
I was suspecting this as it seemed to be the tech chat on this forum!
Everything I read and was told 2 years ago implied that 800v was unique to Taycan/Ionity.
I was thoroughly mis-sold this as many seem to have been but to be fair back in 2020 no-one had a clue.
I was told that to charge a Taycan ANYWHERE over 50Kw EXCEPT Ionity
you needed the 150Kw DC charge upgrade.
At least I know for the NEXT (third!) Taycan I dont need this useless bit of tech.
At least it's a £300 waste of F****** time instead of a
£1100 waste of F******* time like the 22kw AC upgrade

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