In simplest terms, you scan the station, then plug in and walk away. It’s that simple!
In more detail:
NOTE: Almost immediately after you plug in your vehicle, listen for an audible “click” sound from the charger itself. This click is from what is known as the “contactor” and indicates that a clean connection has been made and charging can begin. If you do not hear the contactor click, unplug, wait approximately 20 seconds, then start the process over by scanning the station again.
When charging on a PowerFlex Level 2 charger, the length of your charge session is determined by the Charging Preferences you specify in your App Settings. You may adjust these settings during a charging session by tapping the Settings icon on the Session Screen and pressing Submit. You may change your settings for all future sessions by tapping the Settings icon on the bottom navigation bar and selecting “Charging Preferences.”
When charging on a PowerFlex Level 3 DC Fast Charger, your car will continue to charge until it is unplugged, the battery reaches its capacity, or reaches the capacity level determined by the vehicle’s internal settings. The Charging Preferences set in the PowerFlex app will not apply during a Level 3 session.
Simply press the button to release the charger from your vehicle, remove it, and return the plug to its holster. Your transaction details will show in the PowerFlex app under Settings->Transaction History.
Level 1 Charging is the slowest EV Charging speed and it is commonly achieved by plugging your EV into a standard wall outlet that you’d find in your home. Level 1 charging delivers only 3-5 miles per hour and is not a service PowerFlex provides.
At PowerFlex, we are committed to charging as many vehicles as possible as efficiently as we can, resulting in EV charging that is both accessible and healthy for the grid. To accomplish our goal, we ask for partnership with our drivers to help us schedule each charging session to maximize the potential of a charging site.
Having information about the vehicle make, model, and year, along with a plan from the driver for how much energy they need and how long they are willing to stay plugged in, can help PowerFlex create a charging schedule that can ensure that each vehicle gets the energy it needs in time to head off to its next destination. This schedule is constantly updated throughout the day as vehicles come and go from each charging site.
PowerFlex uses U.S. Department of Energy data to learn the battery size and estimated efficiency of each vehicle to help make its energy calculations. As always, your actual mileage may vary from your mileage request based on your individual driving behavior.
Should you need your charging as fast as possible, set your time duration to as short as the app will require to deliver the energy you need. But if you’re able to stay longer, your car will simply charge at slower rate of speed as the station delivers you the energy you request, saving more energy for others who may need it.
Once your original energy request has been delivered, you can elect to continue charging if you like by turning on “Keep Charging” (found on the “Charging Preferences” page). By setting a maximum price you are willing to pay to enable Keep Charging, the charger will continue to deliver energy for as long as the station price stays at or below the level you set, until it is full or reaches its own internal battery limit.
NOTE: Keep Charging will only engage after the full amount of your requested energy has been delivered.
Stations are priced differently depending on where they are located. You can view the pricing schedule at any station where you have privileges to charge by using the PowerFlex app to scan the QR code on the front of it.
In many locations, electricity prices vary based on the time of day based on the differing demands for energy. With EV charging, it is no different. Such a pricing schedule is called “Time of Use” (TOU) pricing, and typically the prices in the late afternoon and early evening are the highest, knowns as “peak” charging hours.
A charger may assess idle fees if a car is left plugged in but not actively charging. Idle fees are meant as a deterrent for “stall-napping” and are enforced to encourage drivers to move their vehicles when done so that others may charge.
The idle fee pricing and terms are described on the pricing screen that appears immediately after scanning the QR code on a station.
Here are some potential causes for why a charge session may not go as planned:
Occasionally, due to the quality of the available signal, state of the mobile device, or other factors, the PowerFlex app may not scan the QR code successfully. Things to try in this case:
If after completing all of these steps you’re still unable to start your charging session, contact us at 833-4-PWRFLX or support@powerflex.com for assistance.
Many vehicles have security mechanisms to keep the plug locked into the charge port to prohibit others from unplugging it. Each vehicle is different, but things to try include:
Additional actions to try when using a DC Fast Charger:
Some vehicle models have charger lock controls located on the dashboard or driver door. Most vehicles also have an emergency mechanical release to eject the charger plug. Please consult your owner’s manual for more assistance should the plug become stuck.
Most PowerFlex chargers are not free to use. Drivers are required to maintain a sufficient wallet balance to cover the cost of their energy, plus an extra amount to cover any possible idle fees (assessed at some sites when the driver overstays the duration of their charge).
If you see the “Low Funds Balance” warning, you have a few options:
A site with time-of-use (TOU) charging rates may start free but may not stay free during the course of your session. Pay attention to the rate schedule at your charger when calculating your needed wallet amount.
If you are charging at a free site with idle fees, you may be asked to make a wallet deposit in the event your car is left in its space and not charging.
In each case, your wallet will only be debited if you charge when the cost of charging is greater than zero or if you incur idle fees.
Most PowerFlex Level 2 chargers utilize the most-commonly found J1772 charger plug. To charge a Tesla on these stations requires the use of the Tesla/J1772 adapter which can be purchased from Tesla (most Tesla dealers include the Tesla/J1772 adapter with the purchase of a new car).
The Tesla/J1772 adapter will click into place on the end of the charger plug. It does not matter if you attach the adapter to the charger plug or the vehicle first.
PowerFlex stations are unique in that they smartly charge vehicles within the electricity capacity of the location they are installed. We call this Adaptive Load Management, and it enables us to charge many more vehicles simultaneously than may otherwise be possible. This means that if the site is full of charging EVs, it is possible that not every vehicle will receive full power for the entire duration of their session. This is precisely the reason why the PowerFlex app prompts you for how long you plan to stay parked and how much energy you need: that information is used to schedule the charging of your session along with the sessions of all the other vehicles plugged in, to make sure every vehicle gets what it needs.
If you discover you need a faster charge than the station is delivering, there are a couple things you can try:
Many PowerFlex chargers are located at workplaces, schools, or other locations where discounted or even free charging is offered. There are three common reasons why drivers would not see a discounted price they expect:
The PowerFlex app can claim a session even if it cannot connect to the internet at the station.
Email verification is only required in the case when certain additional privileges, such as access to a private charger or discounted charging rates, are granted via a specific email address.
Verification is also useful to ensure you’ve entered it correctly in the event you need to change your password or if PowerFlex Support needed to contact you if we detect an issue with your charging session.
Check your Spam or Junk folders for the email with your verification code, as some email filters will block such messages. If the code does not arrive after 5 minutes, you can restart the verification process to request another code. If the issue persists, contact us at 833-4-PWRFLX or support@powerflex.com for assistance.
Go to Settings->My Profile->Change Email and enter your new email address.
NOTE: You must verify your new email address before your next charge session if the email address grants you access to a private charger.
Tap the first navigation tab at the bottom of the PowerFlex app screen to view our map of PowerFlex charging stations near you.
To request a refund, please email support@powerflex.com.