Scheduled Charging Timeblocks

[mharvey7]

It would be great if we could modify the scheduled charging feature, to set the time to include starting charging on the half hour not just the top of the hour. Octopus Energy offer a reduced cost tariff from 12:30-04:30 overnight and I know it frustrates PHEV owners in the UK who have that tariff that they can't fully benefit. Would be a good customer enhancement if we can deliver it easily. 

[Darren]

Hi all, just to give an update on this. We recognise that it is a customer desire and fully support the idea in general. Due to complexities not only in the app, but more fundamentally in the vehicle software  it may not be something that is possible currently. It will be a definite consideration in new generation BEV's but cannot guarantee at this point on the ability the roll back into existing models. I will keep this thread updated with any further updates  

[jcnewman83]

I have to say, this is a little disappointing and to be frank confusing!
As a software developer myself I find it quite simply astonishing that the ability to set a start time for charging is so difficult, and the fact that we might not even get it at all unless we buy another EV.... That stings!! What's going on @Darren, why is this so hard?

[chris200100]

@Darren 

On the Mach e there is a scroll menu for both hours and minutes it just the minutes only have 0 in it. So the facility is there it just needs a software update to enable it. I’m not sure if the kuga is the same as I’ve not seen the charge timer screen for it.

I can understand that with the plug in kuga it would need a dealer visit for the update how ever the Mach e can be done via over the air.

luckly I have a home charger that also has scheduling on it so I use that as it’s way less faff than the one built into the Mach e. 

I have noticed a trend in new ev’s to have over complicated charge scheduler with percentage adjustment and timers that seem to conflict. 
The Nissan Leaf has a simple timer that does just that starts and stops the charge when needed. 
If you want to limit the charge to a certain percentage that should be separate like on Tesla’s where you adjust a slider to set your charge limit and this is separate from their charger scheduler. 

by separating these out would make for a much easier experience especially for people who are new to ev’s 

[jcnewman83]

100% @chris200100 totally agree with what you are saying.

I have seen that scroll menu for picking mins as well and always though oh it must have juat been an oversight and they will fix it in a software update soon. I am just surprised that adding 30 to the option list is going to be a "we need to develop a new car" job! 🙂

[chris200100]

@jcnewman83  

That took my by surprise too, I can understand it if it was a hardware but it’s software the only thing I can think is it only affects the uk market with our cheap rates, I’m not sure if the rest of the world has such tariffs. 
but as I said my home charger has a scheduler so I use that make life so much easier.

Unfortunately it’s not just Ford that seem to have a over complex and weird scheduling system, I’ve read the VW group one is just as odd but I’ve not experienced it myself.

even the Tesla one isn’t great unless they have changed it recently their one only allows start or finsh not both. 

Nissan have the best scheduler it’s basic and starts and finishes as set you can set different times for different days and there two schedulers so you can set two different times per day. 
only downside was if you have it set regardless where you are charging it would only charge at the set times however Nissan had thought of this and put a physical button on the dash to switch off the timer so for example you plug in at tescos open the drivers door press the button and the timer is off charging starts. And the button only stops the scheduler for that charge so when you plug in again the scheduler is active, it’s really easy to use and set.

[Lennox476576]

@Darren @Ikenna is there any update on this - the last post is over 18 months old ? I have a Kuga PHEV and now also a Mach E and certainly for the Mach E this is really important. Having recently charged a friends BMW iX3 at my house they could set to individual hours and minutes as well as setting 1% increments on charge setting.

By not being able to even set the charge to the half hour I am effectively missing out on 1 hour of cheap rate electricity as the Octopus cheap rate runs from 23.30 to 05.30  - If I set the car to charge from 00.00 to 05.00 I will often have to tweak the Max Charge level to make sure the car doesn't start to charge immediately. It was nice to have on the Kuga but to be honest is pretty much essential on the BEV !

I had hoped that having a MY23 Mach E it may have had this kind of update already but sadly not ! 

[paulspin]

Still same on sync3 and assuming sync 4.  As others say plug indoors via extension and use a time switch on the plug?

[Lennox476576]

@paulspinThat fine with the Kuga on the 3 pin granny charger but no good on the Mach E on the 7kw charger and sadly the charger (EV Box installed via Ford!) also only allows you to set the charging on the hour ! 

[paulspin]

Yeah sorry I meant to add that. 

Is infuriating the charge times as departure timing can be set to the minute! Makes no sense. A timer is a timer. The code is clearly there.