Why did my ev only hit 115 kw on a 150 kw charger?

[Savannah78]

I just got my first EV, a used Ioniq 5, and I'm realizing I have no idea how to properly read the public charging station labels. I pulled up to a fast charger yesterday that said 150 kW, but my car's screen only showed a peak of about 115 kW, and it dropped off much sooner than I expected. Is that normal, or was there something wrong with that station, or maybe my battery's condition?

[JosephMG]

Yeah that happens more often than you’d think. The charger might be labeled 150 kW but the car and the battery temp decide what it actually pulls. In my Ioniq 5, at about 20 to 40 percent state of charge I’ve seen roughly 110–120 kW, then it drops fast as it climbs. So 115 kW for a little while sounds normal to me.

[Riley_H]

I’ve run into this too. A 150 kW charger gave me around 125–130 kW for a few minutes, then it slid down to 70–90 kW as the pack filled. It’s mostly the charging curve and the car negotiating with the charger, plus how warm or cold the battery is. Don’t expect a fixed max every time.

[Elizabeth70]

Could the label itself be optimistic? I’ve seen displays that show a peak that doesn’t line up with what the car actually pulls, and I’m never sure which side is being idealistic.

[AmeliaT]

I also found myself overthinking it on a busy charger lot, then just grabbed a coffee and watched the gauge. Sometimes the rate jumps around and you end up with a decent top-off anyway, even if it isn’t what the label promised.