Walmart Plans 400 kW EV Fast Charging Expansion

[DonTom]

WallyMart is going to install a bunch of 400,000 watt DCFCs. That is more than what most EVs cars can handle (250KW max for my 2018 Tesla M3--55KW max for my 2022 Chevy Bolt). The CYberTruck can handle 325KW on a DCFC.

Anything above 350KW is what is sometimes referred to as level four charging. Not even Teslas cars or the Cybertruck can do level four . OTOH, their semis can do 1.2 million watts but they have a different and much larger (MCS--stands for "Megawatt Charging System") connector that no EV cars can use.

It looks like WallyMart sees what is coming in the near future.

See here for more info.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[LarsMac]

I would expect them to be able to sense the connected device capacity, and provide what is required up to their maximum output.

 

[DonTom]

I would expect them to be able to sense the connected device capacity, and provide what is required up to their maximum output.

Yes, all EV chargers have the capability to lower their rate. I was saying they had the capacity to do more than most cars can handle, any EV can still charge that can only handle a much lower rate.

I often charge my 14 KWH motorcycle battery, which can do 24 KW max on a DCFC (DC Fast Charger) that can do up to 180KW or even 350 KW. No problem at all. Still will be not problem to charge below 20KW on WallyMart's 400 KW chargers.

J-1772 and Tesla Destination charge stations (both AC charging--not DCFC) use a one KHZ PWM Pilot Signal where the car tells the charger to reduce the power to whatever the car can safely handle. Or motorcycle.

With DCFC, there are all types of communications between the car and the DCFC. Checks battery temp, max capacity, state of charge and much more--even your VIN number and then sets the charge rate automatically. Most DCFCs send this over the internet so you can check the charge progress on a Smartphone from anywhere you can get a web connection. And you can stop the charge too, if you want, all remotely.

When first plugged in the DCFC does NOT start for around 15 seconds. That first 15 seconds is doing safety checks, checking battery info and much more before the charge starts. Communication's continue after the charge starts too.

Always wait until after the 15 seconds before walking away. Any little minor issue during that 15 seconds will shut the charger down. Things must be perfect for the charging to start. After that 15 seconds, any problem is very unlikely.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Mr Lars]

Watch for Wallyworld to install meters(if they haven’t already) at their charging stations. Most Wallyworld stores around here also have a stand alone gas station ️ in the parking lot. That does not influence my decision to avoid WM as much as possible.

 

[DonTom]

Watch for Wallyworld to install meters(if they haven’t already) at their charging stations. Most Wallyworld stores around here also have a stand alone gas station ️ in the parking lot. That does not influence my decision to avoid WM as much as possible.

Until the year 2020, DCFCs had two ways to take people's money. One was the KWH used; the other was the time at the charge station (IOW, the time parked).

Wasn't that big of a deal for an EV car, but it was for an electric motorcycle. The very first time I used a DCFC on a motorcycle was at the Electrify America at the WallyMart in Fernley, NV. A motorcycle must charge at no more than around 20 KW, unlike some EV cars that can do a 350 KW charge. This means the motorcycle has to stay parked for a long time to only get a few KWHs of charge. Way more expensive than gasoline for a motorcycle. About three times the cost of gasoline for the same distance.

Thanks go to the State of CA for first making that illegal. A CA court said it is unreasonable to charge for time parked because the charge company can control the charge rate and make you stay longer for less KWHs added. IOW, rip off the customers. Make them charge longer so the charge company can make more money. As soon as CA made that change, NV did the same with no arguments. Now, as far as I know, nobody charges for time parked at a charge station, even if still legal to do so in some states.

Since then, I have even seen places (such as downtown Truckee, CA, in the tourist trap area) where it was cheaper to charge than not to charge because the parking was so expensive and there were no parking charges for EV charging, and the KWH rate was a little less than for parking on the street for the same amount of time.

But a parking lot or whatever can still have an entrance fee that all must pay even if there is a DCFC there. IOW, it's only the DCFC that cannot charge for parking time.

-Don- Reno, NV