NACS or CCS Varg charging

[motocrossmann]

Alright, so I'm following up on my j1772 thread. I now understand that the Varg has no ability to convert AC to DC onboard. So, that brings me to a new question... DC Fast Charging. Is it possible to create a connector that can negotiate with either CCS or NACS to provide the proper charge to the Varg?

 

[Erwin P]

That would be amazing. Will follow this tread.

 

[Philip]

It should be possible. Someone just needs to add the proper CAN communication.

The Stark's 400V rating is almost the industry standard. The bike's battery is about 10 times smaller a car battery, but a low-current control should not be an issue because H-D bikes can use J1772 chargers just fine.

DC fast charging for Zero bikes is not possible because their 72V(?) voltage is too low, but the H-D LiveWire bikes can be charged "at any compatible public fast charger that uses the standard J1772 charging connector".

 

[Marko_Flux]

Alright, so I'm following up on my j1772 thread. I now understand that the Varg has no ability to convert AC to DC onboard. So, that brings me to a new question... DC Fast Charging. Is it possible to create a connector that can negotiate with either CCS or NACS to provide the proper charge to the Varg?

As a curiosity, could you paint me a picture of use cases? DC charge stations aren't usually available where dirtbikes are ridden.

 

[Erwin P]

Lots of MX tracks out here have fast chargers around the corner.

 

[motocrossmann]

As a curiosity, could you paint me a picture of use cases? DC charge stations aren't usually available where dirtbikes are ridden.

I live near a National Forest. If I ride to the other end it takes about 2 hours. There is charge station available there, which would allow me to easily complete the ride home. I can probably make it, if I dial the power down, but that's no fun!

 

[fsfs]

Alright, so I'm following up on my j1772 thread. I now understand that the Varg has no ability to convert AC to DC onboard. So, that brings me to a new question... DC Fast Charging. Is it possible to create a connector that can negotiate with either CCS or NACS to provide the proper charge to the Varg?

Those connectors are huge, especially CCS. They take up a lot of space and weight even on a "large" street bike. Nobody was thinking about motorcycles when deciding for DC charging standards. That said, just like Philip said, it wouldn't be difficult to make an adapter cable with comms translation from CAN to the appropriate standard.

Another interesting product would be a charger to charge the bike straight from the DC charge port of and EV car/truck:

Some people are using the 230VAC port on Cyber Trucks to charge Vargs. Here we have the following path DC (car’s battery)→ Inverter→ 230VAC → Charger → DC (bike’s battery). Here you would do well to have 70% efficiency. We could go like this: DC (car’s battery)→ DC-DC-buck-boost→ DC (bike’s battery) which will give efficiency of 95% or better.

I just don't know if there is enough of a potential market for this. My guess is no but I could be wrong. I didn't think of the CCS to Varg before; it is an interesting idea. Still, not sure how many units could be sold... and what Stark would think of someone external to the company doing that.

 

[Philip]

Another interesting product would be a charger to charge the bike straight from the DC charge port of and EV car/truck:

Teslas are still more than 50% of the EVs on the roads today. I am sticking with Teslas for now. But Elon is not allowing V2G yet, calling it "inconvenient". Maybe in 2025 (in Elon's years) we will have V2G and autonomous robotaxis.

 

[Theo]

A. Wass talked about fast charging back in this interview released in February; in short, he said that it's possible to safely recharge the Varg more than twice as fast as with the current charger used at 240 V but that they thought that most of the people would use their existing power outlet at home with the current charger anyways and that it's more a potential solution for trakcs:
@ 24:40

There is a supercharger for the Flux Primo, too:
@6:28

 

[Marko_Flux]

A. Wass talked about fast charging back in this interview released in February; in short, he said that it's possible to safely recharge the Varg more than twice as fast as with the current charger used at 240 V but that they thought that most of the people would use their existing power outlet at home with the current charger anyways and that it's more a potential solution for trakcs:
@ 24:40

There is a supercharger for the Flux Primo, too:
@6:28

Our supercharger featured here is essentially a DC charge station (plugs into AC, deliveres DC to the bike). If you have an adapter, you can use the public DC stations, I don't know how happy they'd be for a 11kW charge on a 250kW charger for instance. I do agree CCS is too big for a bike + the standard is quite complicated if you don't wanna buy an expensive module. Long story short there could be an optional DC charging dongle.

The limiting factor is heat. On our ECR test it wasn't a hot day and enduro isn't demanding on the battery, so no problem charging at full speed. You wouldn't be able to do it between hard hot MX motos without somehow cooling the battery. But for @motocrossmann 's use case, no problem. A bone to chew on for us it seems.

 

[Erwin P]

Our supercharger featured here is essentially a DC charge station (plugs into AC, deliveres DC to the bike). If you have an adapter, you can use the public DC stations, I don't know how happy they'd be for a 11kW charge on a 250kW charger for instance. I do agree CCS is too big for a bike + the standard is quite complicated if you don't wanna buy an expensive module. Long story short there could be an optional DC charging dongle.

The limiting factor is heat. On our ECR test it wasn't a hot day and enduro isn't demanding on the battery, so no problem charging at full speed. You wouldn't be able to do it between hard hot MX motos without somehow cooling the battery. But for @motocrossmann 's use case, no problem. A bone to chew on for us it seems.

Isn't that exactly what the Stark stock Charger does, but just more?

Again, just learned of your company a few days ago and i'm really impressed by what i'm seeing so far!

 

[Marko_Flux]

Isn't that exactly what the Stark stock Charger does, but just more?

Again, just learned of your company a few days ago and i'm really impressed by what i'm seeing so far!

It is, it's what any charger does - from your laptop charger to the 350kW superchargers. Thank you!