Rate Charging Suppliers based on ease of use?

[Gweiloman]

48 minutes ago, Pib said:

@Gweiloman

The PEA app has an "Autocharge" function/setting in the Profile menu which based on the little bit of info I have found on it and one Thai language Youtube video that when you have your EV registered in the app and the Autocharge setting turned on (which I do), when you plug in your EV you don't have to go thru various steps in the app to get a charge session going....it just starts by itself after about 30 seconds of your EV and charger establishing a link.   As far as I know being registered in the app just means you have completed the app registration entries which I have done.

 

Now when doing my very first use of a PEA charger probably around 2 months ago at the very end of that process a pop-up menu displayed asking me if I wanted to setup AutoCharge but since it asked me that question out of the blue on my first use of the app/charger and at that time I didn't know what AutoCharge was so I just hit cancel to make that popup menu/message go away so I could complete the very final step of finishing the charging session.  Plus I still had my red tags so I couldn't even enter my Vehicle Registration License Plates (white) number since I didn't have my white plates yet...still running red plates and I just had 12345 entered in my Profile for a license plate number.  As as far I know entering your license plate number is optional.

 

Now I have used the PEA app a 2nd time about a month ago and the AutoCharge setting was turned on during that 2nd use...and I'm not sure if I still had my red plates at that time....but the Autocharge function don't seem to work for me although I have the Autocharge function turned on and now have white plates license entered.

 

 Maybe the problem is I'm not waiting long enough....maybe the Autocharge will work and I'm just not waiting longer enough...maybe a person has to wait 30 or more seconds as the EV and charger communicate with each other. 

 

On my next PEA charger use I will wait longer...maybe up to a minute to see if the Autocharge kicks in.  But if it does take that long to work "Automatically" I think I would just instead click the app settings manually to get the charging session started sooner versus waiting for the Autocharge communications to kick-in.

 

And maybe the Autocharge only works if you have a RFID card registered in the app....but I don't think this is the situation based on what little info I have found on the subject, that youtube video, etc.

 

Yea, just wondering if Autocharge works for you?  If it does how long does it take to kick-in, any special steps a person must follow, etc.  Thanks.

 

 

Edit:  I found another Thai language video where they talk a little about the Autocharge regristration process and apparently all you need to do is to have your license plate number entered and the Autocharge setting turned on....see last snapshot where they started to enter the car license plate number.  

 

Snapshot from my PEA Volta Profile Menu

 

 

 

 

I’m not sure. All I do is to plug in the charger, scan the QR code, select which charger (AC, CCS or Chademo) and hey presto. At the end of the charging, I just unplug and the payment gets taken out automatically from my wallet. 
 

I didn’t enter my registration number as I have 2 vehicles.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, Gweiloman said:

I’m not sure. All I do is to plug in the charger, scan the QR code, select which charger (AC, CCS or Chademo) and hey presto. At the end of the charging, I just unplug and the payment gets taken out automatically from my wallet. 
 

I didn’t enter my registration number as I have 2 vehicles.

Yea...that's the manual method which is pretty easy/fast in itself.  But with Autocharge the EV and Charger supposedly make an automatic connection/starts charging without doing any/lot fewer manual steps.   In one youtube video it seemed the person just opened the app, plugged the charging cable into the EV, laid the phone on the hood of the car just to emphasize he's not pushing any icons in the app, and after about 30 seconds the charging process automatically started.   

 

Next time I'm out in the provinces I will try to give a PEA charger another try to see if Autocharge kicks in since the best I can figure I have the PEA app setup to Autocharge...give the app about a minute...if nothing happens automatically I will use the manual steps/icon pushing.  I live in Bangkok where according to the PEA app they only have one charger in the north Bangkok.  

[mistral53]

On 1/8/2024 at 2:29 PM, Pib said:

Yea...that's the manual method which is pretty easy/fast in itself.  But with Autocharge the EV and Charger supposedly make an automatic connection/starts charging without doing any/lot fewer manual steps.   In one youtube video it seemed the person just opened the app, plugged the charging cable into the EV, laid the phone on the hood of the car just to emphasize he's not pushing any icons in the app, and after about 30 seconds the charging process automatically started.   

 

Next time I'm out in the provinces I will try to give a PEA charger another try to see if Autocharge kicks in since the best I can figure I have the PEA app setup to Autocharge...give the app about a minute...if nothing happens automatically I will use the manual steps/icon pushing.  I live in Bangkok where according to the PEA app they only have one charger in the north Bangkok.  

 

Maybe that automation process is necessary to solve this problem:

[Pib]

Actually on the PEA app a person does not need to scan QR code to select the specific charger and connector being used as a person can just manually select such within the app.  The QR code just aids in ensuring the person is using the correct charger & connector.

 

Now of course the person needs to ensure he's selected the "correct charger" he's trying to use...and if selecting the wrong one the charging would never start.  But if he manually selects the right charger/connector with his finger pressing on the phone the QR code never needs to be used with the PEA app....but the QR code sure makes selecting the correct charger/connector easier.

 

[Pib]

On 1/8/2024 at 11:37 AM, Pib said:

@Gweiloman

The PEA app has an "Autocharge" function/setting in the Profile menu which based on the little bit of info I have found on it and one Thai language Youtube video that when you have your EV registered in the app and the Autocharge setting turned on (which I do), when you plug in your EV you don't have to go thru various steps in the app to get a charge session going....it just starts by itself after about 30 seconds of your EV and charger establishing a link.   As far as I know being registered in the app just means you have completed the app registration entries which I have done.

 

Now when doing my very first use of a PEA charger probably around 2 months ago at the very end of that process a pop-up menu displayed asking me if I wanted to setup AutoCharge but since it asked me that question out of the blue on my first use of the app/charger and at that time I didn't know what AutoCharge was so I just hit cancel to make that popup menu/message go away so I could complete the very final step of finishing the charging session.  Plus I still had my red tags so I couldn't even enter my Vehicle Registration License Plates (white) number since I didn't have my white plates yet...still running red plates and I just had 12345 entered in my Profile for a license plate number.  As as far I know entering your license plate number is optional.

 

Now I have used the PEA app a 2nd time about a month ago and the AutoCharge setting was turned on during that 2nd use...and I'm not sure if I still had my red plates at that time....but the Autocharge function don't seem to work for me although I have the Autocharge function turned on and now have white plates license entered.

 

 Maybe the problem is I'm not waiting long enough....maybe the Autocharge will work and I'm just not waiting longer enough...maybe a person has to wait 30 or more seconds as the EV and charger communicate with each other. 

 

On my next PEA charger use I will wait longer...maybe up to a minute to see if the Autocharge kicks in.  But if it does take that long to work "Automatically" I think I would just instead click the app settings manually to get the charging session started sooner versus waiting for the Autocharge communications to kick-in.

 

And maybe the Autocharge only works if you have a RFID card registered in the app....but I don't think this is the situation based on what little info I have found on the subject, that youtube video, etc.

 

Yea, just wondering if Autocharge works for you?  If it does how long does it take to kick-in, any special steps a person must follow, etc.  Thanks.

 

 

Edit:  I found another Thai language video where they talk a little about the Autocharge regristration process and apparently all you need to do is to have your license plate number entered and the Autocharge setting turned on....see last snapshot where they started to enter the car license plate number.  

 

Snapshot from my PEA Volta Profile Menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE:  I hereby nominate the PEA Volta chargers & app as the easiest to use (and pay) among the 4 other charging apps (PTT EV Station Pluz, EA Anywhere, Elexa by Egat, and Altervim) that I'm registered with and all of which I have used several times each.  Now, none of the apps are hard to use but the PEA Volta app is still the simplest to use especially with Autocharge....repeat, especially with AutoCharge.   Without Autocharge the app works pretty much like other apps where you use your phone app to start, stop, possibly select payment method, etc....etc...etc.

 

Today/14 Jan I was able to get PEA Volta Autocharge working.   Did the weekly visit to the mother-in-laws home and dropped off the wife to visit as I went to play with a nearby PEA Volta DC Fast charger.  The goal to see if Autocharge would work since I had Autocharge turned on in the app but the Autocharge would never work like described in above video...which is pretty much plug the charging cable into your EV, push the Start icon on the charger display and then the charging starts....when you want to stop the charging just push Stop Charging on the charger's display which stops the charging and deducts the payment from your PEA Volta Wallet which you can top-up with either a debit/credit card or QR code.  I've always used the QR payment method to top-up my wallet.   No need to push anything on the app to start and stop charging...make payment...etc.,....Autocharging can all done on the Charger's display with just a couple button pushes on the its display screen.

 

OK, more details. On my first use of the charger today although the PEA Volta Autocharge setting was turned on in my app Profile, my EV did not start to Autocharge.   However, right after hitting Start Charging in the app or right after I hit the Stop charging in the app a window popped-up saying my EV was eligible for Autocharge and I just needed to enter my License Plate number in that pop-up window which I did...and a few seconds later while it said "Verifying" it then said I was now setup for Autocharge.  I already had my license plate number entered in my app Profile but after getting setup for Autocharge the plate number now also appears right under the Autocharge Mode setting.   

 

I was happy to see this Autocharge window pop-up and ask me to register for Autocharge because before today it had only done that on my very first use of PEA Volta a month or so ago at which time I declined Autocharge because I didn't really understand what AutoCharge really detailed.  And on a couple of follow-on uses it didn't ask me again about registering for Autocharge even though I had the Autocharge setting turned on in my app Profile.  But today when it asked again I did accept by entering my license plate number.

 

I complete that charge and hang the cable back on the charger.  Now time to do a 2nd charging session and see if just pressing the Start button on the Charger's Display (not the app, on the Charger) gets the charging session going.   I hook cable to the EV again, press the Start button on the Chargers display, about 5 seconds later I see the display say "Verifying" for a second or two and then the charging starts---I never pushed any buttons on the App....I did not scan the QR code on the charger...etc.  And when I pressed Stop Charging on the Charger's display it stopped and a few seconds later I get a notification on the PEA Volta app the charging had stopped and I got charged/paid X-amount.  I unplug the cable and hang it back on the charger.  Once again,  I never used the app other than having it open...didn't press any icons on the app....the charging was all Automatic...controlled by pressing start and stop on the Charger's display screen.

 

I then turned off Autocharge in the app and tried another charging session....the charging session would not automatically start by simply pressing the Charger's Start Charging button....when pressing start I would see "Verifying" for a second or two but no charging would start.   So, I started the charging session by scanning the charger's QR code, pressing Start in the app, and stopping the session by pressing stop....basically use using the app to control the charging session.

 

I then turn Autocharge back on in the App and tried a new charging session....once again the app is not being used at all....the whole charging process is done by just pressing Start Charging on the Charger's display (you don't even have to select which connector on the charger is being used if it has more than one connector)....the charging will start about 5 to 10 seconds after you press the Charger's Start Charging button. Truly Automatic.

 

And you don't even need to have your phone "turned on", repeat, your phone can be powered off....dead as a door nail to have Autocharge work.  As long as you had Autocharge turned on in your Profile in app that information is being maintained on the PEA Volta server in the sky.     I did such a "phone turned off test" where Autocharge was left turned on in the PEA app before closed the app/powered off the phone.  I was able to accomplish  charging session without my phone/PEA app not even being used.  Turn the phone back on, turn off Autocharge in the app, turn the phone off, and try another charging session---Autocharge would not work....would need to turn the phone back on and use the app to start/stop a charging session.

 

I could leave my phone (turned off) here at home....go the nearest PEA charger numerous kilometers away and since I left Autocharge turned on in the PEA app....I could charge my car as the app is not needed at all.   Truly automatic DC Fast Charger charging by just pressing Start and Stop on the charger itself.  About as simple as plugging my EV into my home wallcharger and waving the wallcharger's RFID card in front of it to turn on the charging session....wave the card in front of my wall charger again to turn of off.  

 

Yeap, the PEA Volta system has my vote as clearly the easiest charging app/chargers to use compared to above mentioned other four  charging apps/chargers---not to imply the other four I use are hard to use, it's just the PEA Volta app when setup for Autocharge makes it the clear winner.  Heck, leave your phone at home if desired....almost like Plug-and-Play....just need to ensure you keep your PEA Volta Wallet topped-up with enough baht to pay for charging sessions.  

 

 

[Gweiloman]

58 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

 

UPDATE:  I hereby nominate the PEA Volta chargers & app as the easiest to use (and pay) among the 4 other charging apps (PTT EV Station Pluz, EA Anywhere, Elexa by Egat, and Altervim) that I'm registered with and all of which I have used several times each.  Now, none of the apps are hard to use but the PEA Volta app is still the simplest to use especially with Autocharge....repeat, especially with AutoCharge.   Without Autocharge the app works pretty much like other apps where you use your phone app to start, stop, possibly select payment method, etc....etc...etc.

 

Today/14 Jan I was able to get PEA Volta Autocharge working.   Did the weekly visit to the mother-in-laws home and dropped off the wife to visit as I went to play with a nearby PEA Volta DC Fast charger.  The goal to see if Autocharge would work since I had Autocharge turned on in the app but the Autocharge would never work like described in above video...which is pretty much plug the charging cable into your EV, push the Start icon on the charger display and then the charging starts....when you want to stop the charging just push Stop Charging on the charger's display which stops the charging and deducts the payment from your PEA Volta Wallet which you can top-up with either a debit/credit card or QR code.  I've always used the QR payment method to top-up my wallet.   No need to push anything on the app to start and stop charging...make payment...etc.,....Autocharging can all done on the Charger's display with just a couple button pushes on the its display screen.

 

OK, more details. On my first use of the charger today although the PEA Volta Autocharge setting was turned on in my app Profile, my EV did not start to Autocharge.   However, right after hitting Start Charging in the app or right after I hit the Stop charging in the app a window popped-up saying my EV was eligible for Autocharge and I just needed to enter my License Plate number in that pop-up window which I did...and a few seconds later while it said "Verifying" it then said I was now setup for Autocharge.  I already had my license plate number entered in my app Profile but after getting setup for Autocharge the plate number now also appears right under the Autocharge Mode setting.   

 

I was happy to see this Autocharge window pop-up and ask me to register for Autocharge because before today it had only done that on my very first use of PEA Volta a month or so ago at which time I declined Autocharge because I didn't really understand what AutoCharge really detailed.  And on a couple of follow-on uses it didn't ask me again about registering for Autocharge even though I had the Autocharge setting turned on in my app Profile.  But today when it asked again I did accept by entering my license plate number.

 

I complete that charge and hang the cable back on the charger.  Now time to do a 2nd charging session and see if just pressing the Start button on the Charger's Display (not the app, on the Charger) gets the charging session going.   I hook cable to the EV again, press the Start button on the Chargers display, about 5 seconds later I see the display say "Verifying" for a second or two and then the charging starts---I never pushed any buttons on the App....I did not scan the QR code on the charger...etc.  And when I pressed Stop Charging on the Charger's display it stopped and a few seconds later I get a notification on the PEA Volta app the charging had stopped and I got charged/paid X-amount.  I unplug the cable and hang it back on the charger.  Once again,  I never used the app other than having it open...didn't press any icons on the app....the charging was all Automatic...controlled by pressing start and stop on the Charger's display screen.

 

I then turned off Autocharge in the app and tried another charging session....the charging session would not automatically start by simply pressing the Charger's Start Charging button....when pressing start I would see "Verifying" for a second or two but no charging would start.   So, I started the charging session by scanning the charger's QR code, pressing Start in the app, and stopping the session by pressing stop....basically use using the app to control the charging session.

 

I then turn Autocharge back on in the App and tried a new charging session....once again the app is not being used at all....the whole charging process is done by just pressing Start Charging on the Charger's display (you don't even have to select which connector on the charger is being used if it has more than one connector)....the charging will start about 5 to 10 seconds after you press the Charger's Start Charging button. Truly Automatic.

 

And you don't even need to have your phone "turned on", repeat, your phone can be powered off....dead as a door nail to have Autocharge work.  As long as you had Autocharge turned on in your Profile in app that information is being maintained on the PEA Volta server in the sky.     I did such a "phone turned off test" where Autocharge was left turned on in the PEA app before closed the app/powered off the phone.  I was able to accomplish  charging session without my phone/PEA app not even being used.  Turn the phone back on, turn off Autocharge in the app, turn the phone off, and try another charging session---Autocharge would not work....would need to turn the phone back on and use the app to start/stop a charging session.

 

I could leave my phone (turned off) here at home....go the nearest PEA charger numerous kilometers away and since I left Autocharge turned on in the PEA app....I could charge my car as the app is not needed at all.   Truly automatic DC Fast Charger charging by just pressing Start and Stop on the charger itself.  About as simple as plugging my EV into my home wallcharger and waving the wallcharger's RFID card in front of it to turn on the charging session....wave the card in front of my wall charger again to turn of off.  

 

Yeap, the PEA Volta system has my vote as clearly the easiest charging app/chargers to use compared to above mentioned other four  charging apps/chargers---not to imply the other four I use are hard to use, it's just the PEA Volta app when setup for Autocharge makes it the clear winner.  Heck, leave your phone at home if desired....almost like Plug-and-Play....just need to ensure you keep your PEA Volta Wallet topped-up with enough baht to pay for charging sessions.  

 

 

Excellent. I’m still a little confused how t get Autocharge setu and started. Do I need to do anything on my app?

 

One matter of concern though. Someone could “borrow” your car and charge it automatically until and unless you turn off autocharge on your phone. Would be a bummer if your phone happened to be in the car as well lol.

[Pib]

2 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

Excellent. I’m still a little confused how t get Autocharge setu and started. Do I need to do anything on my app?

 

One matter of concern though. Someone could “borrow” your car and charge it automatically until and unless you turn off autocharge on your phone. Would be a bummer if your phone happened to be in the car as well lol.

 

As to what triggers the PEA app to generate that pop-up window during your charging session is unknown to me.  As mentioned earlier the first time I used the PEA app/charger I'm pretty sure I still had my red tags and in my PEA Volta Profile I can't remember if I had left the Vehicle Registration Number blank or just put 12345 like I had done on some charging apps....or maybe I had left it blank....just can't remember.  

 

Now when I got my white license plate in December I started entering it in all my charging apps profiles if the apps asked for it like the PEA app has a spot for it....right at the bottom of your main Profile info.

 

And today I also had the Autocharge turned on in the Card Management and Autocharge menu.  I had it turned on because I figured it had to be on if Autocharge was ever going to work.  Plus, if I remember right I think Autocharge is turned by default when you first install the app...but really not sure...but I think it was.  

 

So, in today's charging with Autocharge turned on and me starting that first test charging the normal way by scanning the QR code on the charger and pressing icons on the app that Autocharge windowed popped-up and said my car is eligible for Autocharge, enter my license plate number in that pop-up if I wanted to setup Autocharge.  So I entered my license plate number (which was already entered elsewhere in my Profile) and then that pop-up window said "Verifying" for about 2 seconds and then said it was successful...I'm now setup for Autocharge.  And now, my license plate appeared directly under the Autocharge Mode off/on setting in my app.  And it has a little trash can next to it if I ever want to delete it.  When you turn off the Autocharge setting the license plate disappears...turn Autocharge back on and the license plate reappears.   

 

Just enter you license plate number in your main Profile and turn the Autocharge mode on---and hopefully at the next charging session a pop-up window will appear asking to to setup Autocharge which just required me to enter my license plate number in that pop-up window. 

 

What PEA did during the few seconds of Autochagre "Verifying" I don't have a clue....maybe it just bucked the license place number I enter in the popup-up menu against the license plate number in had entered elsewhere in my Profile....or maybe it took a fingerprint so to speak of my EV via communications between my EV and the charger, etc., and that fingerprint is what identifies the car for future Autocharges when I have Autocharge turned on.   Kinda like how you can logon to some sites (like some banking website ) and some offer a setting during the logon to remember your computer/don't challenge it a OTP next time...or maybe the next 24 hours, etc.   What it does is take a "fingerprint" so to speak of your browser/computer.    Maybe that is what the PEA app does although I didn't think anything other than  very basic communications regarding "charging amp and voltage" level occurred between the EV and charger....but I do know there is a more sophisticated EV charging communications that occurs with commercial chargers in being able to communicate with the mothership, the charging app being used, etc....gives me something to research/google. 

 

I too started thinking about should I leave Autocharge on or off....what are the possibilities for fraud, biting me in the butt some way, etc.  But since I keep less than Bt200 in my PEA Wallet and I have no credit card/debit card loaded as I top-up via QR code payment which requires me logging onto my mbanking to pay for that top-up I doubt there are reasons for concern.   If someone does "borrow" my EV without my permission they indeed could drain my PEA Wallet of the entire Bt200 and continue their getaway with a higher charged battery.   But to play it super safe I will leave Autocharge turned off until I do need to charge...only takes a second to open the app and turn on Autocharge.  And if  lose my phone or gets borrowed I have it password protected....and if loss my phone the PEA charger app would be way, way down on my worry list....my biggest worry would be the phone password protection be broken/hacked and the important apps like mbanking apps might get broken into someway although they are protected with different passwords, PINs, fingerprint, face scan, etc.   Who invented these durn smartphones?....nothing but no-good has come from them.  

 

 

 

  

[digbeth]

I think the CCS conector has MAC address like a computer, so it probably uses that to identify your vehicle

 

some recent report in thai EV facebook groups about PEA auto charging malfunctioning and people have their account showing charging in ocations where they couldn't have and being deducted, might better keep an eye on charge history if you have autocharge turned on

 

 

[Pib]

Just last night when I started googling "Electric Vehicle Autocharge,"   EV Plug and Charge, etc., I came across quite a few weblinks and Youtubes that talked the automatic charging processes.   EV Autocharge and EV Plug & Charge are somewhat different with EV Plug & Charge being more secure since it uses authentication certificates  but apparently it's not in use much yet since manufacturers can't seem to agree with each other on the final standard.  But the EV Autocharge standard seems to be more agreed to and easier to implement so a fair amount of EV Charging companies across the world are now using EV Autocharge like PEA Volta.

 

As digbeth mentioned in his post above  EV Autocharge does use your EV's "MAC address" to fingerprint  your EV so to speak.  See below weblinks for more info:

 

Overview/Differences Between Plug & Charge and Autocharge

https://cloudics.com/difference-between-autocharge-and-plug-charge/#:~:text=The EV sends its MAC,found%2C authorizes the charging session.

 

A PEA Volta webpages showing which EVs will work with the PEA Autocharge

https://peavoltaev.pea.co.th/cars-autocharge/

 

 

And finally a Bjorn Nyland Youtube on Autocharge.   As many of you know Bjorn Nyland does a LOT of videos on EVs in Europe and Thailand (plus other countries) and has family roots to Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

[mistral53]

Tesla prices on their super chargers - not cheaper than other chargers, albeit faster at 250 kW.

[Gweiloman]

6 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

Tesla prices on their super chargers - not cheaper than other chargers, albeit faster at 250 kW.

One of the main reasons why Teslas are popular in the west is because the charging rates are lower than other competing charge point operators. Doesn’t seem to be the case here in Thailand. Another thumbs down for Tesla in my book.

[motdaeng]

32 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

Tesla prices on their super chargers - not cheaper than other chargers, albeit faster at 250 kW.

super charger at a shopping centre don't make sense for me ... super charger should be on the highway ... but maybe I miss something ...

[Pib]

On 1/14/2024 at 4:58 PM, Pib said:

 

 

UPDATE:  I hereby nominate the PEA Volta chargers & app as the easiest to use (and pay) among the 4 other charging apps (PTT EV Station Pluz, EA Anywhere, Elexa by Egat, and Altervim) that I'm registered with and all of which I have used several times each.  Now, none of the apps are hard to use but the PEA Volta app is still the simplest to use especially with Autocharge....repeat, especially with AutoCharge.   Without Autocharge the app works pretty much like other apps where you use your phone app to start, stop, possibly select payment method, etc....etc...etc.

 

Today/14 Jan I was able to get PEA Volta Autocharge working.   Did the weekly visit to the mother-in-laws home and dropped off the wife to visit as I went to play with a nearby PEA Volta DC Fast charger.  The goal to see if Autocharge would work since I had Autocharge turned on in the app but the Autocharge would never work like described in above video...which is pretty much plug the charging cable into your EV, push the Start icon on the charger display and then the charging starts....when you want to stop the charging just push Stop Charging on the charger's display which stops the charging and deducts the payment from your PEA Volta Wallet which you can top-up with either a debit/credit card or QR code.  I've always used the QR payment method to top-up my wallet.   No need to push anything on the app to start and stop charging...make payment...etc.,....Autocharging can all done on the Charger's display with just a couple button pushes on the its display screen.

 

OK, more details. On my first use of the charger today although the PEA Volta Autocharge setting was turned on in my app Profile, my EV did not start to Autocharge.   However, right after hitting Start Charging in the app or right after I hit the Stop charging in the app a window popped-up saying my EV was eligible for Autocharge and I just needed to enter my License Plate number in that pop-up window which I did...and a few seconds later while it said "Verifying" it then said I was now setup for Autocharge.  I already had my license plate number entered in my app Profile but after getting setup for Autocharge the plate number now also appears right under the Autocharge Mode setting.   

 

I was happy to see this Autocharge window pop-up and ask me to register for Autocharge because before today it had only done that on my very first use of PEA Volta a month or so ago at which time I declined Autocharge because I didn't really understand what AutoCharge really detailed.  And on a couple of follow-on uses it didn't ask me again about registering for Autocharge even though I had the Autocharge setting turned on in my app Profile.  But today when it asked again I did accept by entering my license plate number.

 

I complete that charge and hang the cable back on the charger.  Now time to do a 2nd charging session and see if just pressing the Start button on the Charger's Display (not the app, on the Charger) gets the charging session going.   I hook cable to the EV again, press the Start button on the Chargers display, about 5 seconds later I see the display say "Verifying" for a second or two and then the charging starts---I never pushed any buttons on the App....I did not scan the QR code on the charger...etc.  And when I pressed Stop Charging on the Charger's display it stopped and a few seconds later I get a notification on the PEA Volta app the charging had stopped and I got charged/paid X-amount.  I unplug the cable and hang it back on the charger.  Once again,  I never used the app other than having it open...didn't press any icons on the app....the charging was all Automatic...controlled by pressing start and stop on the Charger's display screen.

 

I then turned off Autocharge in the app and tried another charging session....the charging session would not automatically start by simply pressing the Charger's Start Charging button....when pressing start I would see "Verifying" for a second or two but no charging would start.   So, I started the charging session by scanning the charger's QR code, pressing Start in the app, and stopping the session by pressing stop....basically use using the app to control the charging session.

 

I then turn Autocharge back on in the App and tried a new charging session....once again the app is not being used at all....the whole charging process is done by just pressing Start Charging on the Charger's display (you don't even have to select which connector on the charger is being used if it has more than one connector)....the charging will start about 5 to 10 seconds after you press the Charger's Start Charging button. Truly Automatic.

 

And you don't even need to have your phone "turned on", repeat, your phone can be powered off....dead as a door nail to have Autocharge work.  As long as you had Autocharge turned on in your Profile in app that information is being maintained on the PEA Volta server in the sky.     I did such a "phone turned off test" where Autocharge was left turned on in the PEA app before closed the app/powered off the phone.  I was able to accomplish  charging session without my phone/PEA app not even being used.  Turn the phone back on, turn off Autocharge in the app, turn the phone off, and try another charging session---Autocharge would not work....would need to turn the phone back on and use the app to start/stop a charging session.

 

I could leave my phone (turned off) here at home....go the nearest PEA charger numerous kilometers away and since I left Autocharge turned on in the PEA app....I could charge my car as the app is not needed at all.   Truly automatic DC Fast Charger charging by just pressing Start and Stop on the charger itself.  About as simple as plugging my EV into my home wallcharger and waving the wallcharger's RFID card in front of it to turn on the charging session....wave the card in front of my wall charger again to turn of off.  

 

Yeap, the PEA Volta system has my vote as clearly the easiest charging app/chargers to use compared to above mentioned other four  charging apps/chargers---not to imply the other four I use are hard to use, it's just the PEA Volta app when setup for Autocharge makes it the clear winner.  Heck, leave your phone at home if desired....almost like Plug-and-Play....just need to ensure you keep your PEA Volta Wallet topped-up with enough baht to pay for charging sessions.  

 

 

25 Jan 2024 Update:  Today I got the chance to test "Autocharger" again on a PEA DC Fast Charger again....and it was done at the exact same charger I used before/as talked in above post.  In above you'll see where all I had to do to Start and Stop a charge was to push the Start Charging icon on the charger to start charging and then push the Stop Charging icon on the charger to stop charging.   Absolutely no use of the PEA charging app required.   The key thing I want to point out is I still had to push the Start and Stop Charging icons on the charger. 

 

In my earlier tests I had to push the Start Charging icon on the charger display....although I waited for around a minute hoping it would start "automatically" without needing to push the Start Charging icon but the charging simply would not start without pushing the Start Charging icon. 

 

BUT TODAY, after I plugged-in my BYD Atto 3 I had decided I would wait longer than one minute to see if charging would start automatically without needed to press Start Charging.  Well, I didn't even need to wait one minute because after about 30 seconds the charging did start automatically...I didn't need to push any icon on the charger or app....charging simply started.   Summary: the charging started automatically.

 

I only planned to charge for a few minutes as the purpose of this test was to see if charging would start automatically....plug-and-charge so to say....and it did.    After a few minutes I pressed the Stop Charging icon...the charging stopped and payment deducted from my PEA Wallet.   

 

So, if your EV is Autocharge capable and you have Autocharge setup/turned on in the PEA app Profile settings, you could leave your phone at home, leave it turn off or on, let someone else take your EV to a PEA charger, etc., plug the EV into a PEA charger and it would start charging automatically.  The only involvement you will have in the complete charging process is plugging the cable into you EV, pushing the Stop Charging icon on the charger if you don't want to charge to 100%, and then unhooking the cable from your EV.   Super easy. 

 

And during this test today a GWM Good Cat pulled up to the 2nd Charger as I pulled into the 1st Charger.  The guy actually got out of his Ora and plugged in around 15 seconds before me...and then he started the PEA app process, Scan the QR code, etc....etc...etc.   While I just plugged in my Atto and the charging automatically started in about 30 seconds while the guy was still going thru the app button pushing process.  I got back into my Atto and watched as he took about another minute to get his charging session going....and several times he glanced over at the display on my charging seeing the charging was underway and he was probably thinking how in the heck did that guy get his charging going so fast1!!!!   

 

Yeap, the PEA Autocharge process is great if your EV support Autocharge. 

 

[Pib]

On 1/5/2024 at 8:17 PM, Pib said:

 

Another Update:  Last night I successfully registered with the Lotus's Altervim Charger app and which has 204 DC Fast Chargers around the country at "many" Lotus's Malls....see above snapshot in my previous post.   I used my Bangkok Bank Mastercard debit card as a payment option.  There was no verification of the card while loading it as a payment option....by verification I mean like debiting a small amount from my acct, getting a OTP code to verify the online charge, etc....the app just accepted it.  

 

OK, today I do a real world test at my nearby Lotus's Mall here in Bangkok.  Using the DC Fast Charger and App is VERY EASY....the easiest of the various charging apps and chargers I'm registered with/have used.

 

When starting the DC Fast Charger charging session you have to enter "X-amount of minutes" you want to use the charger" and the minimum amount you can select is 10 minutes.  Since I just wanted to do a test to ensure the charger and my BYD Atto would get along AND my payment option really worked, I only entered 10 minutes.  After entering this info the app continued by automatically charging my debit card a Bt100 fee....I thought OK as a 10 minute charge would probably cost me around Bt78 and hopefully I will get refunded around Bt22 after the charging completes in 10 minutes.  

 

At exactly 10 minutes the charging stopped....a charge of little over Bt78 was automatically sent to my bank and it appeared to be successful based on the SMS I got from Bangkok Bank.  And when I looked at my Bangkok Bank acct there was no Bt100 charge but that little over Bt78 charge.  Things are still looking like a successful test.  BUT then I look in the Altervim app History section and it shows the transaction/payment failed and was asking me to Pay again...it even had a little Pay icon in the History area next to the failed payment transaction.  So, I hit that Pay icon and once again it charged a little over Bt78 to my Bangkok Bank acct and the History section said it was a successful payment this time.  But now my Bangkok Bank acct shows two charges for Bt78 like I had been double charged....that first charge had not fallen off (or at least not yet).

 

I contacted Altervim Customer Service via their LINE address (no phone number to call...only a LINE acct or an email address).  Over the last hours my LINE chat session has went back and forth regarding the apparent double charge although they sent me a copy of one of their docs saying the 1st payment failed on their end so they didn't get paid.  However, as mentioned, two Bt78 charges are still showing in my Bangkok Bank acct.    Altervim wants me to check with my bank regarding the first charge....see if the bank system shows it as a failed charge that will fail off my acct in the coming days/weeks, etc.   I did have a similar issue with the Elexa by Egat app when registering/loading a payment option with them where they said a payment had been refunded same day but it did not appear as a credit on my bank acct until around 18 days later.  Summary: hopefully this double charge issue will automatically clear up over the coming weeks.

 

But as mentioned Altervim registration was easy....no ID card/passport of any kind required.  My Thai bank debit card was accepted as payment option in the app.  And actual use of the Altervim DC Fast Charger is VERY EASY.   So, I now have many more DC Fast Chargers around the country available for my "infrequent" use....just when I do a   l...o....n....g   trip from home that will require me to charge up in order to get back home.   

 

I now have access to 5 charger apps (with payment options loaded) offered by PTT EV Station Pluz, PEA Volta, Elexa by Egat, EA Anywhere, and now Altervim....totals up 3,293 Fast Chargers around Thailand (93%)  out of a total of 3,540 Fast Chargers in Thailand right now.    I have done real world tests on all 5 apps. 

 

And although I'm also registered with ReverSharger which has 103 DC Fast Chargers mostly at BYD Dealerships that app will not accept my Bangkok Bank Mastercard debit card...nor does it accept the bank UnionPay debit card....I "may" attempt to see if it will accept one of my US credit cards or my Krungsri debit card, but since it seems the great, great majority all of the ReverSharger DC Fast chargers are in the greater Bangkok area where I live I really don't need to sign up with them as the location where I would need to use a charger is "far away from Bangkok" during any long trips from my Bangkok home.

 

Yea....I think I'm pretty well covered by the 5 apps/chargers (PTT EV Station Pluz, PEA Volta, Elexa by Egat, EA Anywhere, and Altervim) I have successfully registered with, loaded a payment option, and done real world charging tests.

 

25 Jan 2024 Update:  Above where I talk some double charges to my Bangkok Bank debit card while registering for the Elexa by Egat app and when doing my first charging session with Altervim in both cases in exactly "17 calendar days" the double charge was corrected by funds being credited back to my bank account.   

 

In both cases when I contacted Elexa and Altervim Customer Services the same day of the double charges each provided me proof/docs that a credit had been provided immediately (in Elexa's case) and in Altervim's case they confirmed the first attempted charge had failed which I also noticed in the app.  However, in each case Bangkok Bank had debited my account twice for each of transactions...just the nature of how the debit/credit system works here in Thailand when paying for something online and an electronic glitch/payment failure occurs.   That debit card payment failure may still deduct funds from your bank account and correction/funds credited back will take around 17 days.  Maybe if using a "credit" card vs a debit card the double charge correction happens faster....I don't know as I don't have a Thai credit card and have been using my Bangkok Bank debit card as the payment option on the charging apps.

 

So, while registering for a charging app or paying for a charging session if the registration/payment don't go exactly as planned and you end up with a double charge using your Bangkok Bank debit card that double charge should correct itself after approx 17 calendar days....or at least with the Bangkok Bank debit card it has worked that way twice for me as I dipped my toes into the EV charging world.

 

[Pib]

On 1/25/2024 at 2:49 PM, Pib said:

25 Jan 2024 Update:  Today I got the chance to test "Autocharger" again on a PEA DC Fast Charger again....and it was done at the exact same charger I used before/as talked in above post.  In above you'll see where all I had to do to Start and Stop a charge was to push the Start Charging icon on the charger to start charging and then push the Stop Charging icon on the charger to stop charging.   Absolutely no use of the PEA charging app required.   The key thing I want to point out is I still had to push the Start and Stop Charging icons on the charger. 

 

In my earlier tests I had to push the Start Charging icon on the charger display....although I waited for around a minute hoping it would start "automatically" without needing to push the Start Charging icon but the charging simply would not start without pushing the Start Charging icon. 

 

BUT TODAY, after I plugged-in my BYD Atto 3 I had decided I would wait longer than one minute to see if charging would start automatically without needed to press Start Charging.  Well, I didn't even need to wait one minute because after about 30 seconds the charging did start automatically...I didn't need to push any icon on the charger or app....charging simply started.   Summary: the charging started automatically.

 

I only planned to charge for a few minutes as the purpose of this test was to see if charging would start automatically....plug-and-charge so to say....and it did.    After a few minutes I pressed the Stop Charging icon...the charging stopped and payment deducted from my PEA Wallet.   

 

So, if your EV is Autocharge capable and you have Autocharge setup/turned on in the PEA app Profile settings, you could leave your phone at home, leave it turn off or on, let someone else take your EV to a PEA charger, etc., plug the EV into a PEA charger and it would start charging automatically.  The only involvement you will have in the complete charging process is plugging the cable into you EV, pushing the Stop Charging icon on the charger if you don't want to charge to 100%, and then unhooking the cable from your EV.   Super easy. 

 

And during this test today a GWM Good Cat pulled up to the 2nd Charger as I pulled into the 1st Charger.  The guy actually got out of his Ora and plugged in around 15 seconds before me...and then he started the PEA app process, Scan the QR code, etc....etc...etc.   While I just plugged in my Atto and the charging automatically started in about 30 seconds while the guy was still going thru the app button pushing process.  I got back into my Atto and watched as he took about another minute to get his charging session going....and several times he glanced over at the display on my charging seeing the charging was underway and he was probably thinking how in the heck did that guy get his charging going so fast1!!!!   

 

Yeap, the PEA Autocharge process is great if your EV support Autocharge. 

 

 

28 Jan 2024:  Gave PEA Autocharge another test today with my BYD Atto 3...did the test at the same 50KW PEA charger I've been testing on.   But this time instead of "guesstimating"" how long it took to start charging "from CCS2 cable being plugged into the EV and charging beginning on my EV display" I used my phone stopwatch watch function.   

 

I pulled up to the charger, got my stopwatch ready to go, and as soon as I plugged in I started the stopwatch.  Got into my car to watch the car display (instead of watching the charger display like I had done before).   The car display immediately showed the EV was plugged in...but charging had not begun yet.  Then at approx 30 seconds (according to the stopwatch ticking along) the display changed to show communication going on between the car and charger....and then just a hair under 50 seconds charging began....I pressed the stopwatch Stop icon and then took a screenshot.   See screenshot at bottom.

 

As this was only a test to more accurately time how long it takes for PEA Autocharge to start pumping juice into the battery I only charged for a few minutes.   I never used the PEA app to Start or Stop charging....I just pressed Stop on the Charger although I could have used the app to stop the charging as I did in earlier tests.  Unplugged the charging cable and hung it back on the charger.   I then fired-up the app only to check how much PEA had charged my PEA app wallet...the amount charged was correct.    

 

Yeap, PEA Autocharge is so, so easy if your EV supports Autocharge.   

 

 

Snapshot: time it took for PEA Autocharge to begin charging my EV...a hair under 50 seconds.

 

[Pib]

According to below PEA webpage talking Autocharge (google translate is your friend at this page) here's the list of EVs that work with  PEA Autocharge.  How up to date the webpage/list is I couldn't say as I expect other EVs which have been coming to the Thai market might work with Autocharge also.   

 

But if your EV is Autocharge capable the PEA app will ask you during a charging session if you want to setup/verify your EV for Autocharge which only requires you to enter your license plate number when asked to verify....the app will then spend a few seconds "verifying" and then if all goes well your EV is now registered with the PEA charging system/app to use Autocharge starting your next charging session.

 

 

https://peavoltaev.pea.co.th/cars-autocharge/

 

AUDI

• E-TRON GT quattro
• E-TRON 55 quattro

BMW

• i3
• iX
• iX3

BYD

• ATTO 3
• Dolphin
• E6 2021
• M3
• Seal

FORD

• Mustang March-E

HYUNDAI

• KONA
• IONIQ

JAGUAR

• I-PACE

KIA

• EV6
• SOUL-EV

LEXUS

• UX 300e
• RZ 450e

MERCEDES-BENZ

• EQS
• EQS 450+

 

 

MINI

• Cooper SE
• Electric

PORSCHE

• TAYCAN
• Taycan x Naraya
• Taycan 4s

MG

• EP
• EP Plus
• ES
• MAXUS 9
• MG4 Electric
• ZS

VOLVO

• C40 Recharge
• CX40 Recharge
• XC40 Pure Electric

TESLA

• MODEL S
• MODEL 3
• MODEL X
• MODEL Y

 

[KhunLA]

Give this a bump ...  we're O&A now, and slow ride back home, after going as far south as possible.  Checking off the remaining provinces we haven't visited.  NO ISSUES CHARGING THE EV THE WHOLE WAY DOWN OR START OF RETURN

 

Southward route:

 

Returning, and in Trang now for couple nights, then up through Krabi, Phang Nga, and Surat Thani again, before Chumphon & back to PKK.   Have done that a few times, so no surprises expected.

 

Happy Motoring

[Pib]

Number of commercial EV Chargers in Thailand as of 30 Sep 2023 and 31 Dec 2023.   Note the healthy increase.  

https://evat.or.th/ev-information/current-status/index

 

As DC Fast Chargers (DC CCS2 connector) is what the great majority of EV drivers are looking for when going on trips please note the number of DC Fast Chargers (CCS2) has increased from 3,540 to 4,173 (an 18% increase) in just three months with the majority if this increase occurring at PTT EV Station Pluz and PEA charger locations.  Yeap, more and more PTT stations are displaying the blue "EV" sign on their main entrance sign.

 

And the number of locations with a EV charger (DC or AC) has increased from 2,222 to 2,658....a 20% increase.   Now does this mean a charger is close to where you live?  Well, it depends on where you live.  But if you live in or close to any city or travelling on major highways then there is probably a charger(s) not too far away.   And yes, more chargers are needed in rural Thailand, small towns, etc....and the charts below show chargers numbers are growing at a healthy pace.

 

See below charts for 30 Sep 2023 and 31 Dec 2023.

 

As of 30 Sep 2023

 

 

 

As of 31 Dec 2023