[Parkwood]

I have a dumb home charger installed by Mercedes as part of the deal when I bought my EQC. So far I have managed to be able to make good use of my cheap rate electricity to charge the car but I have recently changed tariff and now need to charge the car at night to make the best savings.
It is beyond frustrating that a car like the EQC cannot schedule it’s charging on board as many much much cheaper cars can.
Have Mercedes finally realised it is an important function and introduced it in the latest range ie the EQE or EQS? The only option for me currently when the time to change my car comes will be the EQE SUV but it is very expensive enough to make me consider if it is time to change brand and this issue is a big one for me. Alternatively I will have to either see if I can put some sort of after market controller in the existing charger or buy a new charger at great expense which seems silly when my dumb charger is working fine.
Anyone got the Mercedes wallbox and if so how does it work is it just controlled via the Mercedes me app or can it be integrated into another smart home system?

 

[Jeggo]

I just ordered and will receive the new Mercedes wallbox within the next day, which is a branded EVBox Livo (special Mercedes firmware). AFAIK all EQ models are not able to schedule or control the charging process. This is done by the wallbox. I expect a good software integration in to the Mercedes Me app. The unbranded version cost approx. 200€ less than the Mercedes version. It should have the same functions but you have to use a different app.
I choose the version with the socket, as the 6m cable of the other version is too short for my garage.
There is very few information available on the Mercedes wallbox, so I will try out the features as soon as I get mine and return it back, when the features are not available.
At least the unbranded version of the EVBox Livo should offer the following:

• 2 charging profiles could be configured
• Access via RFID or app
• Energy counter

If you want more charging profiles (I think there is no limit), then you have to pay for them, as they are located in the cloud.
Integration in a smart home system should be possible via OCPP 2.0, which is support from both versions. I do not have any experience about this integration, but there should be a lot information available about this topic.

 

[Parkwood]

I just ordered and will receive the new Mercedes wallbox within the next day, which is a branded EVBox Livo (special Mercedes firmware). AFAIK all EQ models are not able to schedule or control the charging process. This is done by the wallbox. I expect a good software integration in to the Mercedes Me app. The unbranded version cost approx. 200€ less than the Mercedes version. It should have the same functions but you have to use a different app.
I choose the version with the socket, as the 6m cable of the other version is too short for my garage.
There is very few information available on the Mercedes wallbox, so I will try out the features as soon as I get mine and return it back, when the features are not available.
At least the unbranded version of the EVBox Livo should offer the following:

• 2 charging profiles could be configured
• Access via RFID or app
• Energy counter

If you want more charging profiles (I think there is no limit), then you have to pay for them, as they are located in the cloud.
Integration in a smart home system should be possible via OCPP 2.0, which is support from both versions. I do not have any experience about this integration, but there should be a lot information available about this topic.

Thanks for responding let us know how you get on. I also have an issue with the tethered 6m cable as I need an 8m cable as the charge port is on the wrong side for the way I prefer to park on my drive.
The location was also an issue recently when using a public charger, makes on realise those in the nose of the car offer a lot of advantages in a lot of public charging situations or else double sides as in the Audi’s.
I do think Mercedes should be taken to task for not including on board control of charging I simply do not understand why it cannot have been included when much cheaper cars manage it.

 

[Jeggo]

It is possible to extend the charging cable. Such a cable is not available for sale. You have to make it. You will need a special plug like this:
Typ 2 Stecker verkürzt (sorry it is german, but you might understand). the problem is, that the two smaller pins are too short for a proper connection. One work around is to use the spring of the ballpoint pen as an extention. You could also shorten the inner plastic part of the plug or print a new insert with a 3D printer.
I made a 10m cable with 32A. It is working since several years. A 7.5m cable from the wallbox should work, as the wallbox will be located in the middle of a double garage.

 

[dBC]

Have Mercedes finally realised it is an important function and introduced it in the latest range ie the EQE or EQS?

The EQS (and presumably EQE) lets you block out time windows as in "don't charge during these hours". You can use that to make it start charging during cheap rates - it will do that natively with no support from the EVSE required.

Also, the EQS manual does a better job of describing what the mysterious Departure Time setting is all about....

The set departure times are used for the vehicle's
pre-entry climate control and for predictions
regarding the approximate state of charge and
range at the time selected. The charging process
always starts immediately, irrespective of the next
departure time.

 

[Parkwood]

The EQS (and presumably EQE) lets you block out time windows as in "don't charge during these hours". You can use that to make it start charging during cheap rates - it will do that natively with no support from the EVSE required.

Also, the EQS manual does a better job of describing what the mysterious Departure Time setting is all about....

The set departure times are used for the vehicle's
pre-entry climate control and for predictions
regarding the approximate state of charge and
range at the time selected. The charging process
always starts immediately, irrespective of the next
departure time.

Thanks for that so it seems as if there is a way to work with my existing dumb charger if I change to the EQE. Would be good if Mercedes had a system for OTA to the MBUX to offer more facilities as they are developed.
My EQC manual makes the departure time function clear.

 

[dBC]

Another option would be to get your sparky to fit a timer+contactor to your EVSE supply. That's effectively what I've done - although in my case the timer setting is controlled by others. It's a regulatory requirement in these parts if you want to charge at 32A. I typically plug mine into a dead EVSE when I get home in the evening and some time later in the night, as determined by my energy provider, it will come to life. In the interim, it displays as plugged-in but paused:

My EQC manual makes the departure time function clear.

Interesting. My manual doesn't mention that you can use it to get a forecast of charge+range at your desired departure time - it only talks about pre-climate stuff which was never of much interest to me. I vaguely recall your EQC is newer than mine, so maybe you got the updated text that they later copy-n-pasted into the EQS manual.

 

[LAZARU5]

If you set up a no charge window in your EQE or EQS you must remember to turn off the feature when you are at a shopping center or hotel L2 charger. Otherwise you may wake up to an undercharged car.

 

[pinguhk]

MB wall charger is crap and not worth it HONG KONG, It cost over $1200usd to buy and it is an option and does not come with the car.
What I hate about the MB wall charger is that there is no app to control it on my phone, which I would like to set a time to charge when plugged in.
I just put down a deposit on an NTT wall and portable charger, a lot cheaper and has an app to control, and better security for the box.

 

[Parkwood]

MB wall charger is crap and not worth it HONG KONG, It cost over $1200usd to buy and it is an option and does not come with the car.
What I hate about the MB wall charger is that there is no app to control it on my phone, which I would like to set a time to charge when plugged in.
I just put down a deposit on an NTT wall and portable charger, a lot cheaper and has an app to control, and better security for the box.

Can you not control the wallbox through the Mercedes me app? I know have the Icon for the wallbox in my app hence I became aware they had a new model out that was smart and connected to your home wifi.

Another option would be to get your sparky to fit a timer+contactor to your EVSE supply. That's effectively what I've done - although in my case the timer setting is controlled by others. It's a regulatory requirement in these parts if you want to charge at 32A. I typically plug mine into a dead EVSE when I get home in the evening and some time later in the night, as determined by my energy provider, it will come to life. In the interim, it displays as plugged-in but paused:

View attachment 1972

Interesting. My manual doesn't mention that you can use it to get a forecast of charge+range at your desired departure time - it only talks about pre-climate stuff which was never of much interest to me. I vaguely recall your EQC is newer than mine, so maybe you got the updated text that they later copy-n-pasted into the EQS manual.

I often look at the on line guide for simplicity. My car paper manual is french but English is my first language so if I am in the house and the manual is in the car I will use the on line guide and go to english. So your theory re cut and paste is probably sound and it may be that on line version I looked up rather than the paper one.
Re your time system we have the same here for our water heating systems but I have yet to find a disjunction and contacteur which are rated at the 32amp the water heaters are only rated at 2.4kw so all the sets I have seen are 40a with a 20a contacteur. Our voltage is 230 but it varies a bit especially when all the diary farmers are milking (I live in Normandie home of Camembert). What is very informative is your posting of what the car sees when plugged in but the wallbox is not powered thank you that makes me want to investigate this further as getting my electrician to install a controller like that would be a permanent whatever car/wallbox solution And probably cheaper than the installation of a new wallbox which sell here for 900 euro. Thank you for taking the trouble to respond it is appreciated.

 

[pinguhk]

Can you not control the wallbox through the Mercedes me app? I know have the Icon for the wallbox in my app hence I became aware they had a new model out that was smart and connected to your home wifi.

I often look at the on line guide for simplicity. My car paper manual is french but English is my first language so if I am in the house and the manual is in the car I will use the on line guide and go to english. So your theory re cut and paste is probably sound and it may be that on line version I looked up rather than the paper one.
Re your time system we have the same here for our water heating systems but I have yet to find a disjunction and contacteur which are rated at the 32amp the water heaters are only rated at 2.4kw so all the sets I have seen are 40a with a 20a contacteur. Our voltage is 230 but it varies a bit especially when all the diary farmers are milking (I live in Normandie home of Camembert). What is very informative is your posting of what the car sees when plugged in but the wallbox is not powered thank you that makes me want to investigate this further as getting my electrician to install a controller like that would be a permanent whatever car/wallbox solution And probably cheaper than the installation of a new wallbox which sell here for 900 euro. Thank you for taking the trouble to respond it is appreciated.

The 1 in Hong Kong is out dated no wifi.

 

[Parkwood]

The 1 in Hong Kong is out dated no wifi.

Hopefully the new one will become available in your market soon. Watch for the icon to appear in Mercedes me.
Interestingly despite only having a non Mercedes dumb charger I am now getting the home charging details in the transaction section of the charging dashboard I assume from data collected by the car. I have just signed up to Mercedes me charge L programme as I will be using public charging more this year than last (my 12mths free had expired) so I cannot say for sure if it is related to that or not but the data goes back to Feb and my subscription started this month.

New Mercedes-Benz Wallbox charges electric vehicles connected and intelligently | marsMediaSite

New Mercedes-Benz Wallbox charges electric vehicles connected and intelligently

group-media.mercedes-benz.com

 

[dBC]

40A contactors are quite common, your sparky should know where to source them.
ESC240 | Hager Australia