One of the things electric vehicle owners do regularly is charge their batteries, especially at public DC Fast Charging stations. While they are in high demand, charging stations provide quick energy delivery to your battery. Across the Metroplex, the number of stations continues to grow as demand for EVs increases. With growth comes some challenges, such as figuring out who gets to charge their vehicle first or how long to keep it on the charger.
Luckily for us, U.S. News and World Report shared some etiquette tips for using these public DC Fast Chargers. They will come in handy when you need to recharge your VinFast VF8 and VF9.
The first tip U.S. News and World Report gives us is to plan your charging session in advance. You do not need to reserve a spot at a charger; simply plan where you will be at the most convenient time for you to charge. Also, know the traffic patterns around the charging station. If you know when it’s less busy, that’s when you should consider going.
When you get to the charging station, don’t take a spot when you are waiting. If you are ready, park in the designated spot by the plug you are going to use and charge up. When you are done, just unplug and move your vehicle so the next EV can take your spot to charge. Also, chargers charge by the hour. The longer you’re there, the more your session will cost.
Take a look at the maximum charging rates for each plug. On the VinFast VF8, that rate is 150-kilowatts. Use that as a guide to choose which station to plug into. Then, make sure your VinFast is positioned so the charging port is closer to the intended plug, without stretching it further than it should.
There is a tendency for us to top off your battery to 100% state of charge. The truth is that recharging slows down after 80-85%. It is best to stop at 80% and wrap up your session at the station. You will have plenty of range at that state of charge. Just as a quick note, the VinFast VF8 can recharge from 10-70% in 31 minutes.
You have probably been waiting to use a charger at the given station. Then, some other person decides to swoop in just when you are about to pull in. That’s cutting in line, and it’s not a good thing. If you see this happen, be courteous and kind to the other person and explain that you’ve been waiting for that charger. Hopefully, they will move for you and wait for the next one. However, if you took someone else’s space before that person was going to that spot, apologize for doing so, let that other person charge up, and wait your turn.
Remember that DC Fast Charging stations are for EVs only. A plug-in hybrid with a J1772 CCS or CHAdeMO plug can be charged at those stations, if available. PHEVs with a J1772 plug can also charge up at a nearby Level 2 station. No one else should be parked at an EV station spot. In Texas, it is illegal for an internal combustion vehicle to park at an EV station spot.
There are a few more things to mention. If there is a time limit at a station, please respect the times posted for each charger. Also, please don’t unplug another EV from the charger for any reason. If a charger is broken, report it to the provider via the app or the phone number posted at the station. Make sure the area around your charger is clean of anything you may have left behind. There should be a garbage and/or recycling bin nearby.
Lastly, if you see someone who is struggling with their charger or has never used one before, be a good fellow EV owner and ask if they need help. If so, help them out.
Hopefully, these tips will help your public charging experience in your VinFast VF8 or VF9. If you have any further questions about your vehicle, contact us at Ewing VinFast of Plano. We’re always here to help you.