Mercedes eVito Charging at Atlante

Mercedes eVito Van Charger Will Not Start a Session

You have connected the charger to your Mercedes eVito and nothing is happening. No session, no power, no charging light. When you are between jobs or trying to charge at the depot, you need this resolved quickly. Here is how.

Symptoms

• CCS2 or Type 2 connector is plugged in but no session starts
• The MBUX display does not show charging activity
• The charger screen shows an error after plug-in
• The charge port indicator stays off or flashes amber
• The depot wallbox status light does not change when plugged in

What to Do

1. 1

   Authenticate before plugging in

   At public chargers, tap your RFID card or start the session in the app before inserting the connector. Wait for the charger to confirm it is ready.

2. 2

   Clean and reinsert the connector

   Remove the connector, wipe the charge port on the eVito with a dry cloth to remove any dirt, then reinsert the connector firmly until it clicks.

3. 3

   Check MBUX charging settings

   On the MBUX display, navigate to the charging menu. Check if departure time charging is active. Disable it for immediate charging.

4. 4

   Check the depot electrical panel

   If at the depot, check the circuit breaker for the charging circuit. Also check the wallbox status indicator. Report issues to your fleet manager.

5. 5

   Lock and unlock the van

   Use the key to lock the eVito, wait 20 seconds, then unlock. This can reset the charging electronics after a fault state.

6. 6

   Move to a different charger

   If the charger is faulty, do not waste time. Move to another unit or station, especially if you are mid-route.

Mercedes eVito Van Payment Failed at Charging Station

You are at a public charger with your Mercedes eVito and the payment will not go through. Whether it is a fleet card, personal RFID, or an app, payment failures at public chargers waste time between jobs. Here is how to resolve it fast.

Symptoms

• Fleet card does not start a session at the charger
• RFID card tap produces no response
• Charging app shows a payment authorization error
• Contactless bank card is declined
• Charger shows 'payment failed' on the screen

What to Do

1. 1

   Check accepted payment methods

   Look at the charger stickers and screen for accepted networks and cards. If your fleet card logo is not shown, this charger is not on your network.

2. 2

   Try a different payment method

   Switch between fleet card, personal RFID, charging app, and contactless bank card. One may work where others fail.

3. 3

   Verify fleet card status

   Contact your fleet manager or check the fleet card provider app to confirm the card is active and has not hit a spending limit.

4. 4

   Hold the card steadily

   Place the card flat against the reader for 3 seconds. Do not tap and pull away quickly. Gloves can interfere with NFC reading.

5. 5

   Cancel and retry

   Cancel any pending session in the app, wait 60 seconds, and start a fresh attempt.

6. 6

   Move to another charger unit

   If the payment reader on this unit is broken, try the next charger at the station. Do not waste time troubleshooting hardware you cannot fix.

Mercedes eVito Van Charging Slower Than Expected Speed

Your Mercedes eVito is charging slower than the 110 kW DC maximum. Or your depot wallbox is barely delivering power overnight. Without battery preconditioning, the eVito is especially sensitive to cold weather. Here is what to check and how to improve your charging speed.

Symptoms

• DC fast charging well below the 110 kW maximum
• Depot AC charging stuck at 3-4 kW instead of 11 kW
• Charging speed drops quickly after 40-50% state of charge
• Winter charging starts extremely slowly
• Mid-route DC charging takes too long between jobs

What to Do

1. 1

   Drive before charging in cold weather

   Since the eVito lacks preconditioning, drive for at least 20-30 minutes before stopping at a DC charger in winter. This warms the battery through use.

2. 2

   Charge between 20-50% for fastest speeds

   Plan your mid-route charging stops to arrive between 20-50% state of charge. This is where the eVito can approach its 110 kW peak.

3. 3

   Check your depot charger wiring

   Ask your fleet manager or electrician to verify the depot wallbox is wired for three-phase at 16A per phase for 11 kW. Single-phase installations are common but much slower.

4. 4

   Choose unshared DC chargers

   At public stations, check if the charger is sharing power. If another vehicle is on the paired connector, try a different unit.

5. 5

   Use MBUX to check charging status

   The MBUX infotainment system shows current charging power and estimated time. Use this to verify speeds and decide if you should move to a different charger.

6. 6

   Try a different charger

   If speeds remain well below expected at a low state of charge, the charger may be faulty. Move to another unit.

New station with teething problems

Atlante is expanding rapidly, and many stations are brand new. Newly installed chargers sometimes have firmware bugs, incomplete network configuration, or hardware that has not been fully tested under real-world conditions.

Symptoms

• Charger turns on but fails to communicate with your vehicle
• Session starts but drops after a few seconds
• Charger screen shows an error code you have never seen before
• Station appears on the map but the chargers are not yet operational

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Try a different charger at the same station

   New stations often have multiple units and the issue may be limited to one charger. Try another unit before giving up on the location.

2. 2

   Unplug, wait 30 seconds, and retry

   New charger firmware sometimes fails on the first handshake but succeeds on the second attempt. A short wait lets the charger reset its session state.

3. 3

   Start the session through the Atlante app

   If the charger's screen or contactless reader is not working properly, the app provides a separate communication path to the charger's backend. This can bypass local hardware issues.

4. 4

   Check the Atlante app for station status notes

   Atlante sometimes posts notices about newly activated stations that are still in testing. The station detail page in the app may show a note about limited functionality.

5. 5

   Report the issue and move to the next station

   Use the Atlante app to report the problem. New station issues are usually fixed quickly once reported. Check the app for the nearest alternative Atlante or competitor station.

App crashes on older phones

The Atlante app can be unstable on older phones or phones running outdated operating systems. The app may crash during login, while loading the map, or in the middle of starting a session.

Symptoms

• App closes unexpectedly when you open the station map
• App freezes during the payment screen
• Login screen loads but the app crashes after entering credentials
• App works briefly but crashes when you try to start a session

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Update the Atlante app to the latest version

   Atlante pushes frequent updates that fix stability issues. Open the App Store or Google Play and check for updates before your trip.

2. 2

   Clear the app cache

   On Android, go to Settings, Apps, Atlante, and clear the cache. On iPhone, delete and reinstall the app. Corrupted cache data is a common cause of crashes.

3. 3

   Check your phone's operating system version

   The Atlante app may require iOS 15+ or Android 10+. If your phone is on an older version, update if possible. If your phone cannot update, you may need a roaming app as a backup.

4. 4

   Use contactless payment as a fallback

   If the app keeps crashing and the station supports contactless, tap your credit or debit card on the charger's payment terminal. Not all Atlante stations have this yet, but it completely bypasses the app.

5. 5

   Try a roaming app

   Apps like Chargemap, Shell Recharge, or Electropass can start sessions at Atlante stations without using the Atlante app. Check roaming coverage before relying on this.

Contactless payment terminal not activated

Atlante is rolling out contactless card payment across its network, but not every charger has an active terminal yet. Some units have the hardware installed but the payment function is not turned on.

Symptoms

• Card reader is visible on the charger but does not respond to a tap
• Screen says 'Use app to start' with no contactless option shown
• Contactless symbol is printed on the charger but the reader light is off
• You see a payment terminal but tapping produces no response

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Download and use the Atlante app

   At stations where contactless is not yet active, the Atlante app is the primary payment method. Download it before your trip and add a payment card in advance.

2. 2

   Check the charger screen for payment instructions

   Some Atlante chargers display which payment methods are currently available. If contactless is not listed, the terminal is not active at that unit.

3. 3

   Try a different charger at the same station

   Contactless activation sometimes rolls out unit by unit. Another charger at the same station may have an active terminal.

4. 4

   Use a roaming RFID card or app

   If you have an RFID card from a roaming provider, try tapping it. Some Atlante stations accept roaming RFID even when the contactless card terminal is not active.

Charger screen hard to read in direct sunlight

Some Atlante charger screens have low brightness levels that make them nearly impossible to read in bright sunlight. This is especially common at stations in Southern Europe during summer.

Symptoms

• Screen content is barely visible outdoors during the day
• You cannot read the price, status, or error messages on the screen
• Screen appears to be off but the charger is actually on
• You have to cup your hands around the screen to read it

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Use your body or hand to shade the screen

   Stand to block direct sunlight from hitting the screen. Even partial shade can make the display readable.

2. 2

   Take a photo of the screen with your phone

   Your phone camera can sometimes capture what your eyes cannot. Take a photo and zoom in to read the text.

3. 3

   Use the Atlante app to monitor your session

   All session information (charging speed, energy delivered, cost, estimated time) is available in the app. You do not need the charger screen to track your session.

4. 4

   Start the session entirely through the app

   If you cannot read the screen at all, use the Atlante app to select the charger, start the session, and stop it when done. This avoids needing to interact with the screen.

Cable connector requires specific angle to lock

Some Atlante charger cables need to be inserted at a particular angle or with extra force for the CCS2 connector to seat properly. If it is not fully locked, the session will not start.

Symptoms

• Connector feels like it is in but the charger does not recognize it
• Charger screen says 'Connect cable' even though the cable is plugged in
• You hear a partial click but the connector is not locked
• Connector slides back out after you let go

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Push the connector straight in, then slightly upward

   Some Atlante CCS2 connectors need a slight upward tilt after the initial push to engage the locking mechanism. You should feel and hear a solid click.

2. 2

   Check for debris in the vehicle's charging port

   Dust, ice, or a small pebble in the port can prevent the connector from seating fully. Inspect the port and brush out anything you find.

3. 3

   Make sure the vehicle is unlocked and ready to charge

   Some vehicles lock the charging port flap or disable the inlet when the car is locked or in drive mode. Ensure the car is in park and unlocked.

4. 4

   Try a different cable if the charger has two

   If the charger has two CCS2 cables, try the other one. One cable may have a slightly worn connector that does not seat as easily.