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So you’ve taken the electric leap and reserved the new Volkswagen ID.4 all-electric vehicle. You’ve made a smart choice. The ID.4 won the World Car of the Year award voted by a panel of 93 distinguished journalists from 28 countries.
You’ve done your part, now let Capistrano Volkswagen do ours. You’ve installed a home charging station, but you still need to charge your ID.4 while you’re traveling around San Juan Capistrano. That’s why we’ve partnered with Chargeway to provide you with an easy-to-use solution to finding charging stations near you. Let’s have a closer look.
Chargeway provides the software, mobile app, and communications solution for the electric car owner that improves your EV ownership experience. The simple classification system uses colors and numbers to identify charge plugs and power levels to help customers understand the charging process. Chargeway wants EV owners to have the same comfort level with recharging as the traditional gas-powered vehicle owners have with pumping gas.
Using the Chargeway Beacon app, dealerships can easily explain the charging process and available stations to EV buyers, eliminating the confusion that exists with this relatively new addition to the automotive world. The results give EV owners confidence in not only understanding charging plugs, speeds, and locations but in how easily they can recharge when they’re away from home.
Once you download the Chargeway app, you enter your vehicle information. Then, the app customizes your output to fit your specific vehicle. This customization eliminates much of the confusion surrounding charging stations, types of plugs, charging times, and more.
You can enter your current range into the app and choose a power level to see your estimated charging time. Then, Chargeway lists the charging stations available for your vehicle, allowing you to fit your recharge into your day or trip.
Some gas engines run on premium fuel, others regular. Consider the plug type to be your recommended fuel. Three colors — Green, Blue, and Red — help you quickly identify your charger plug on the Chargeway app.
The Green color on the app applies to plugs that come in two styles, a J1772 (also called the J plug) and the CCS (Combined Charging System) plug. The J plug is the most common plug type offered for EVs and uses a single-phase alternating current. Due to the J plug’s slow charging speed, the CCS plug was developed to improve charging time. CCS plugs charge using direct current (DC) at public fast-charging stations.
DC charging allows for much faster charging speeds. For instance, a J plug operating on AC power draws 120 volts of power. CCS plugs using DC power draw up to 1,000 volts.
Blue color plugs on the app represent the CHAdeMO plug. The CHAdeMO protocol was developed by the CHAdeMO Association, creating a DC charging standard for electric vehicles. The CHAdeMO plug enables the vehicle and charger to communicate with each other for seamless charging and fast results.
Red color plugs on the app refer to Tesla-specific plugs. Tesla plugs can charge on 110-volt or 220-volt systems. On a 110-volt system, the Tesla plug charges only a few miles per hour of charge time. On the 220-volt system, the Tesla plug can charge up to 40% in an hour. However, after you hit an 80% charge level, it takes another two hours to reach 100%.
Once you install the app and select your vehicle you will see the plug color you will use for your vehicle. For VW vehicles this will be green charging stations. You can then choose a station based on the power level. The range of charging levels goes from Levels 1 through 7; the higher the number, the faster the charge. You can estimate your charge time at any level using the charge time estimator in the app.
At charging Level 1, you can recharge 40 miles in eight hours. Using Level 2, the charge rate for 40 miles drops to 90 minutes. Therefore, if you have a 40-mile one-way commute you’ll need at least a Level 1 charging option at your destination. You can recharge that 40 miles while you are parked at home overnight or while you work an eight-hour shift.
For faster charging away from home, use a Level 3-7 station. For example, if you want to recharge 200 miles on your EV:
As you can see, the higher numbers provide a much quicker charge rate. When you take longer trips, finding a Level 5, 6 or 7 station on the app will get you back on the road much faster. Every EV has a maximum level it can charge, which will be shown in the app. You can then use the trip planner the route your trip and it will automatically select higher powered stations on your route.
Keep in mind that most Americans have a daily commute under 50 miles and most EVs have a driving range of at least 200 miles and sometimes as much as 300 miles. These ranges often allow EV drivers to complete their day without having to stop at a public charging station.
You have two types of home charging stations for EVs. Level 1 (similar to the charging levels on the app) home charging stations use basic wall outlets to provide power. These outlets can add 40 miles of range in an overnight charge. While this might work for those with short commutes, ideally you’d want faster charging capability.
That’s why many EV owners install a Level 2 Charging Station. Level 2 charging enables much faster results. You can add 25 miles of range for every hour of charge using a Level 2 charging station. So, in ten hours you can add 250 miles, which often results in a 100% charge.
Capistrano Volkswagen wants your EV ownership experience to be one you’ll enjoy. That’s why our collaboration with Chargeway makes sense. Using the Chargeway app will take the confusion out of the process, enabling you to quickly identify charging stations around San Juan Capistrano or anywhere else in the country.
If you haven’t reserved your ID.4 yet, but want to, you can start the process online or stop by our Valle Road dealership at any time. One of our friendly, knowledgeable staff will answer all your questions and get your ID.4 ordered today.
