Why is my EV charging so slowly?

"Why is my vehicle only charging at X kW?? It MUST be power limited by the charger!”

One of the most common misconceptions in EV charging is assuming slow charging speeds are always the charger's fault.

The reality? Your vehicle is often the one calling the shots.

Why your vehicle might be throttling power

Here are some reasons your that are more common than you think!

1. Battery temperature

If it's too hot or too cold, your BMS might reduce the charging rate to protect the battery. Don't forget to precondition!

2. State of charge

Above 80%, vehicles will often start throttling power to preserve battery health

3. Vehicle-imposed kW limits

Often, the vehicle will only allow a certain kW maximum to be dispensed on DC fast chargers, even if the charger is capable of a higher kW rate

4. Vehicle-imposed amp limits

With single-phase AC charging, your vehicle's onboard charger may have a lower amp limit than your AC charger! Many popular vehicles limit AC charging to as low as 32A (~7.7 kW).

Now, there are definitely some cases where the charger does limit the power dispensed during the session. To clear up the confusion, Flipturn’s platform allows users to see the main limiting factor (vehicle or charger).

If you’re a charging operator and hear these complaints from your drivers all too often, let’s chat!

About Flipturn

Flipturn is a leading EV charging management platform, helping organizations maximize charger uptime, process charging payments, and scale operations efficiently. Backed by leading investors including CRV and Accel, Flipturn serves Fortune 500 companies, commercial property owners, and major fleet operators across North America.