Heavy charging cords

[Old man]

I am a little unusual for a Taycan user but at the age of 89 I have found the ElectrifyAmerica cords so stiff and heavy that it is nearly impossible to for me to charge my car. Are all other fast charging stations equally difficult? Any suggestions as to
how to make them more manageable For a old or weak person? Is it easier to use one from the left or right side of
the charger?

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[daveo4EV]

I am a little unusual for a Taycan user but at the age of 89 I have found the ElectrifyAmerica cords so stiff and heavy that it is nearly impossible to for me to charge my car. Are all other fast charging stations equally difficult? Any suggestions as to
how to make them more manageable For a old or weak person? Is it easier to use one from the left or right side of
the charger?

I'm sure there is variation in cord 'gauge' (weight/density) - but the fact is we're dealing with 400/800V @ 400-800 amps - this sort of power simply requires thick gauge wire to carry that much electrical current…also some of the cables are also water cooled to keep them from melting during 350 kW charging sessions…

it's unlikely these cables will get better for anyone that has to weild them

also current EV's are mostly CCS1 vehicle's - and I'm 100% confident the bad design of the CCS1 cable connector is contributing to the cable's ergonomic difficulties for you and all other humans…

at the moment all the North American EV vendors are in the midst of transitioning to NACS style cables and plugs - and NACS is a better design for cable insertion and requires different mechanics. Future NACS EV's might be easier for individuals to manage and insert.

it's an unfortunate truth that I'm fairly certain there is no improvement in terms of cable design in the near future - and any variation will be difficult to predict or rely on.

left or right should not matter and you frankly don't have much choice, since there is only one fast charging port on most EV's you have to use the charging port provided on the correct side of the car where it will work - and your choice will ultimately be limited by cord length to reach the charging port on the vehicle.

 

[mlherman]

Good for you to be driving an EV at your age. I couldn’t convince my in-laws to try it. Hopefully you have a level 2 charger installed at home for daily use, so the challenge with stiff/heavy EA cables is not an everyday problem for you? I have been driving EV’s for 4+ years and I’ve only used a DC fast charger twice, so they have pretty much no effect on my EV experience.

 

[daveo4EV]

Good for you to be driving an EV at your age. I couldn’t convince my in-laws to try it. Hopefully you have a level 2 charger installed at home for daily use, so the challenge with stiff/heavy EA cables is not an everyday problem for you? I have been driving EV’s for 4+ years and I’ve only used a DC fast charger twice, so they have pretty much no effect on my EV experience.

the best use case for an EV is at home charging and not relying on public charging - residential chargers are far easier to deal with on a daily basis. The fast chargers should only be used when road tripping and therefore infrequent.

Daily use can easily be handled overnight by an at home charger, which will be easier to deal with - and you'll rarely if ever use public chargers with big heavy cables.

EV's are best owned when combined with at home charging - it's easy/simple/cheaper and your EV is full every morning when you get in it.

 

[FlyingPoint]

The fact that at 89, you an even get in or out of the Taycan is a small miracle. The charging cords are a real PIA for many folks, myself included.

 

[Dabz]

My parents have just bought an EV and the heavy DC charging cables is something I’ve warned them about. It’s hard work at times

 

[tycanmt]

Presumably the cables also need to be armored to mitigate vandal attacks.

 

[Old man]

I have been charging at home for over 3 years with no trouble and have taken a couple of road trips but I don’t think I can handle the heavy new EA cables. Are chargepoint, EV go or Tesla any easier to deal with. And thanks to all who have replied.

 

[daveo4EV]

I have been charging at home for over 3 years with no trouble and have taken a couple of road trips but I don’t think I can handle the heavy new EA cables. Are chargepoint, EV go or Tesla any easier to deal with. And thanks to all who have replied.

maybe but not assured

 

[Old man]

I guess what I need is an attendant—like gas stations used to have??

 

[RBGtaycan]

I guess what I need is an attendant—like gas stations used to have??

I find people at charging locales such as EA are usually friendly and I betcha you could ask for help if all else fails. I have found that positioning the car as close as possible to the charger is pretty helpful: it makes using that heavy cable somewhat easier. And, of course, Telsa magic docks with their lighter cable are an option. And (by the end of the year?) most Tesla superchargers should be available (by using an adapter).

 

[Old man]

Good advice..thanks!

 

[penfold]

Yeah I think everyone struggles with these current gen CCS plugs - getting them to twist enough to plug into the Taycan is always my biggest struggle.

I seriously hate asking for help too but waving down a fellow EV driver in the next stall might be your only solution until better charging options show up

 

[whitex]

How many EV owners does it take to plug in a single CCS cable?

 

[Old man]

And it would take twice as many ladies??

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