Summary
- The Chevrolet Equinox EV can only accept up to 150 kW charging despite having a high-capacity battery.
- Testing showed that a 250 kW charger was faster than a 350 kW charger for the Equinox EV.
- The Electrify America charger could not deliver the full 150 kW due to battery voltage limitations.
- The Tesla Supercharger was the fastest of the three chargers tested for the Equinox EV.
- Opting for a DC fast charger over 200 kW is recommended for the Equinox EV to maximize charging speed.
Article
Is a 350 kW DC Fast Charger Worth It for the Chevy Equinox EV?
When comparing different fast chargers to see if there was a difference in charging speeds for the Chevy Equinox EV, it was discovered that the 250 kW charger had the shortest charging session, not the 350 kW stall. Despite the Chevy Equinox EV being described as having a 400-volt pack, it typically operates under 300 V when the state of charge is low and never goes over 400 V when full. This lower voltage translates to longer charging times for the Equinox EV compared to other modern EVs.
Limitations of the Chevy Equinox EV Charging Speeds
The Chevy Equinox EV theoretically can charge at a speed of 150 kilowatts, but in order to reach that speed, it needs to be connected to a DC fast charger that can provide at least 500 amps. However, even if a charger stall is rated for 150 kW, it doesn’t always mean that the Equinox EV will actually receive that power. The goal was to test how fast the Equinox EV could charge from 10% to 80% state of charge on three different DC fast chargers: a 150 kW Electrify America stall, a 250 kW Tesla Supercharger, and a 350 kW EVgo ultra-fast charger.
Comparison of Different Charging Sessions
The 150 kW Electrify America charging session took 44 minutes to go from 10% to 80% state of charge. The charger was limited by the fact that the Equinox EV’s battery pack couldn’t reach the necessary voltage and amperage to deliver the full 150 kW power. The 250 kW Tesla Supercharger was the fastest of the three chargers tested, only taking 40 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% state of charge. The 350 kW EVgo ultra-fast charger started throttling power after 14 minutes and took slightly longer than the Tesla Supercharger to reach 80% charge.
Importance of Higher Amperage for Equinox EV Charging
For the Equinox EV, it’s beneficial to use DC fast chargers that offer over 200 kW, as a higher amperage is needed to take full advantage of the car’s capabilities. The differences in charging times between 150 kW, 250 kW, and 350 kW chargers were minimal, with only a five-minute gap between the slowest and fastest charging times. Despite the Equinox EV’s limitations in terms of maximum charging speed, choosing a higher-amperage charger can still lead to quicker charging sessions overall.
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