Starting-charging processes of many electric cars are still unreliable

Munich-based B2B charging infrastructure technology company EcoG has published its “Charging Reliability Index” (CRI) for the second time, which contains thought-provoking results for electric vehicle charging management. As in the first edition in 2023, the analysis reveals significant weaknesses in the interface between the vehicle and the charging station. According to EcoG, this connection is immature and unreliable in many respects.
The study analyzed ten in-vehicle charging management systems from various electric vehicle platforms. None of the tested solutions fully met customer expectations for a consistently error-free and optimally controlled charging process. The best result received 76 points out of a possible 100 points, while the weakest platform achieved only 39 points. According to EcoG, this points to significant deficiencies in both charging management and the overall charging software architecture.
The study found that repeated and interrupted charging processes were particularly problematic. On three of the ten platforms, the charging process was restarted repeatedly – ​​potentially an unlimited number of times. This may lead to overdischarge of the battery, which accelerates battery degradation and results in wasted time.

The platforms examined were BMW UKL2, Ford GE1, Geely SEA, Hyundai E-GMP, Lucid Air, Mercedes MFA2, SAIC LWB, Stellantis CMP, Tesla Model 3/Y and VW MEB. However, EcoG does not publish detailed results for individual producers. Additionally, the analysis focuses only on the charging software installed on electric vehicles. The software of fixed charging stations has not yet been taken into account. The four areas evaluated are charge initiation, charging process, troubleshooting, and user communication.
EcoG has again identified the 12-volt in-car battery as a common source of error. If its voltage is too low, the charge management system may malfunction. Another problem is charging interruptions due to authorization timeout. According to the study, these are often caused by overly rigid or improperly controlled timeout processes between the vehicle and the charging system.
Despite the criticism, EcoG also acknowledges that it has made progress compared to its initial work. “The stability of the charging processes has improved. The higher signal quality leads to a reduction in unwanted interruptions,” said CEO Jörg Heuer in an interview with Automobilwoche. Evaluation of field and user experiences is increasingly leading to improvements in the software implementation of vehicle-side charging interfaces.
Heuer also evaluates the security development of the systems positively. “We are not aware of any cases where personal injury has occurred during the charging process. This objective has been very well achieved.” Although technical incidents occasionally occur at fixed charging stations, these have not yet had harmful external consequences.
EcoG also sees differences between providers when it comes to cybersecurity. Western manufacturers in particular adopted encryption for data transmission early on. According to Heuer, the Western models examined have “moderate encryption” integrated from the start, while some Chinese providers have a less obvious awareness of cybersecurity. At the same time, it emphasizes that the security of systems is a constant race against potential attackers.

Automobile Magazine-Germany

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