Volkswagen drivers pay extra – thanks to the load planning function

Created: 05/20/2022, 06:07

By: Simon Mones

Volkswagen has significantly improved its load planning function.

However, one detail ensures that visits to the charging station can be expensive.

Wolfsburg – If you drive longer distances by car, you probably have often asked yourself whether the tank filling will reach your destination.

If not, it makes sense to know where you can fill up cheaply on the route.

A concern that many electric car users do not have, because many cars automatically plan the charging stop - Volkswagen also offers such a charge planning function.

This calculates the most efficient route to the destination and the optimal charging strategy for long distances.

The system also shows the predicted battery level upon arrival at the charging station and the duration of the charging process.

This means that the loading planning integrated in the navigation system in version 3.0, which is also used in the new VW ID.5, is significantly more powerful than in the previous version.

The Ionity charging stations are apparently preferred by Volkswagen and that can be expensive for the driver.

(Iconic image) © Volkswagen

Volkswagen drivers pay extra – thanks to the load planning function

However, the system has a problem that can be expensive for the owners of electric cars, as "efahrer.com" reports.

Apparently, the route planner from VW not only takes into account the quick charging stations from Ionity, but even prefers them.

However, the driver's charge card cannot be deposited.

In addition, Ionity is considered a particularly expensive provider, even if the competition, such as Tesla with its superchargers, has also become significantly more expensive after the recent price increases.

For example, customers of VW’s own charging service “We Charge” pay 79 cents per kilowatt hour at the Ionity charging stations.

In the "We Charge Go" tariff, customers can charge the competitors' fast DC columns for 30 cents less.

Visiting an Ionity charging station is therefore only worthwhile with the most expensive tariff, “We Charge Plus”, then the price drops to 35 cents per kilowatt hour.

However, a monthly basic fee of 12.99 euros will then also be due.

Volkswagen drivers pay more - Ionity charging stations shine through their location

But why does the Volkswagen software prefer the charging stations from Ionity, after all, the output of up to 350 kWh is actually too high for the electric cars from Wolfsburg.

And VW boss Herbert Diess has already sharply criticized the provider.

The answer to this question should probably be the location of the Ionity stations.

As a rule, these are conveniently located along the freeways.

also read

Duo rents a BMW M8: Two driver's licenses gone, "brand new" rental car scrap

Maserati SUV crashes down Spanish Steps – landmark demolished

You can find even more exciting car topics in the free newsletter from 24auto.de, which you can subscribe to right here.

Accordingly, regardless of the price, you should end up at one of the Ionity charging stations on a longer journey.

However, if you don't want to control them, you should look for an option in the settings before you start your journey to exclude the fast chargers from Ionity.

Otherwise, smartphone apps also help to plan a longer trip with the Stromer.

In this way, money can also be saved with combustion engines.