Woeful electric car charging infrastructure in London
Discussion
I live 60 miles outside London and for two years have had access to a plug-in hybrid which I use periodically to drive in, not least for the current parking and congestion zone perks. It's also nice to waft around town on electric and save the locals from my fumes, but when I get there my electric range is gone, so I really need to plug in.
My failed efforts to do this would have been comical, were they not so irritating. Zap-Map (the 'integrated source' of charging info) is clunky and often has incorrect data on whether charging points are working, or available. The charging points near where I stay over are operated by Ubitricity and Charge Your Car (CYC).
Ubitricity will sell you something called a SmartCable which works out for me at several times more expensive per mile than using the fuel in the car, so they can forget that. Their website also mentions Pay as you Go using your own cable and a credit card but that system apparently isn't working yet.
CYC's App is so poor that the nice people in their Customer Service Centre say don't bother with it. It has never yet worked for me, despite my opening an account with them and providing DD details. In any case, their one local charger is often broken, or worse, shows as free on Zap-Map but when you drive there it is occupied. CYC have been bought out and a new, better App is supposed to be in testing, but there is no sign of that yet either.
Altogether, in two years I have only ever managed to charge once, and that was after pleading on the 'phone with CYC's Customer Service to connect me. I'm hoping to switch to an EV later this year, and have been mulling the options. Because of the above experiences it boils down to Tesla, who have a supercharger en route into town where half an hour would fill any range gap for me. Even then, the forums say that is often full with a queue.
I'm not a fan of lingering at a charger for an hour and a half to get enough juice to get home, so anything else seems much too risky.
Anyone have any better experiences?
My failed efforts to do this would have been comical, were they not so irritating. Zap-Map (the 'integrated source' of charging info) is clunky and often has incorrect data on whether charging points are working, or available. The charging points near where I stay over are operated by Ubitricity and Charge Your Car (CYC).
Ubitricity will sell you something called a SmartCable which works out for me at several times more expensive per mile than using the fuel in the car, so they can forget that. Their website also mentions Pay as you Go using your own cable and a credit card but that system apparently isn't working yet.
CYC's App is so poor that the nice people in their Customer Service Centre say don't bother with it. It has never yet worked for me, despite my opening an account with them and providing DD details. In any case, their one local charger is often broken, or worse, shows as free on Zap-Map but when you drive there it is occupied. CYC have been bought out and a new, better App is supposed to be in testing, but there is no sign of that yet either.
Altogether, in two years I have only ever managed to charge once, and that was after pleading on the 'phone with CYC's Customer Service to connect me. I'm hoping to switch to an EV later this year, and have been mulling the options. Because of the above experiences it boils down to Tesla, who have a supercharger en route into town where half an hour would fill any range gap for me. Even then, the forums say that is often full with a queue.
I'm not a fan of lingering at a charger for an hour and a half to get enough juice to get home, so anything else seems much too risky.
Anyone have any better experiences?
Too funny - the government and the Mayor of London want us all electric in a few years and we can't even provide basic infrastructure for what is essentially a handful of EV's/Hybrids.
Another instance of the government living in their own chauffeur driven bubble with no idea of the real world.
Anyway, sorry to hear you having issues - you have done the decent thing and use a Hybrid when you can, but yet you are limited. Feel your frustration
Another instance of the government living in their own chauffeur driven bubble with no idea of the real world.
Anyway, sorry to hear you having issues - you have done the decent thing and use a Hybrid when you can, but yet you are limited. Feel your frustration
I agree that it's ludicrous that the government is penalising owners of combustion-engined cars, yet has conspiciously failed to do it's part by putting the basic infrastructure in place to support the electric option.
However in your particular case, as above, a 120 mile round trip should be comfortable with a 300-mile-range class EV. If you don't want to shell out for a Tesla, the new Hyundai/Kia electric cars claim ~280 mile range, so charging at home should cover you fairly comfortably without worrying about hyper-miling techniques.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/hyundai/kona-...
However in your particular case, as above, a 120 mile round trip should be comfortable with a 300-mile-range class EV. If you don't want to shell out for a Tesla, the new Hyundai/Kia electric cars claim ~280 mile range, so charging at home should cover you fairly comfortably without worrying about hyper-miling techniques.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/hyundai/kona-...
What are you worried about - it's a hybrid - run it on petrol.
Another example of why electric is not the fuel of the future - 120 miles and you're worried about charging points. It's not looking likely is it?
I'm not blaming you OP - if there were tax advantages, that's what I would do, it drives me mad when things like the congestion charge are brought in, but there is no alternative to what we're all already using.
Another example of why electric is not the fuel of the future - 120 miles and you're worried about charging points. It's not looking likely is it?
I'm not blaming you OP - if there were tax advantages, that's what I would do, it drives me mad when things like the congestion charge are brought in, but there is no alternative to what we're all already using.
runnerbean 14 said:
Stuff
Anyone have any better experiences?
Have a root here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-for-tho...Anyone have any better experiences?
Or
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office...
And at the bottom of the page is a contact us page olev.enquiries@olev.gsi.gov.uk
Send them your OP and ask them for their thoughts they may have some "better" ideas
Yeah it's hit and miss in London. If you have flexibility in your schedule and can structure your schedule around charge points then it's not too bad. I live in the suburbs and drive in every day, and I can charge my PHEV once or twice a day quite easily at public points. It's even better when some parts of central London give you free parking whilst charging. There do need to be more charging points though.
Shouldn't this be in the EV forum where everyone can tell you to "think about the kittens"?
Simple thing at the moment is that the EV car isn't ready to go mainstream, there isn't the infrastructure to support it.
It's ok if your travel story fits the profile, short, local journeys, you own a house with a driveway so you have your own charger, but wow betide you if you live in a terrace with on street parking so cant be sure of parking outside your house, cant run a cable because trip hazard, or want to go over 100 miles unless you're rich and can afford the more expensive cars with bigger batteries and range.
Even then, try going places with no infrastructure. Some friends of ours have a Nissan leaf, they say they can trust it for 90-100 miles, so off to their boat in Windsor (70 miles) and it has to sit there charging on the slowest charge point in the marina before they can drive back. Come 160 miles to our place in Pembrokeshire and they can't work out how they can get there without a 4 hour stop at Swansea services, then there's nowhere to charge once there, on street parking, no available public charge points.
So it's probably chicken and egg. Ev cars need more range and infrastructure to make them a suitable replacement for ICE, but with a small market, where the incentive for the manufacturers to push the technology rapidly?
Simple thing at the moment is that the EV car isn't ready to go mainstream, there isn't the infrastructure to support it.
It's ok if your travel story fits the profile, short, local journeys, you own a house with a driveway so you have your own charger, but wow betide you if you live in a terrace with on street parking so cant be sure of parking outside your house, cant run a cable because trip hazard, or want to go over 100 miles unless you're rich and can afford the more expensive cars with bigger batteries and range.
Even then, try going places with no infrastructure. Some friends of ours have a Nissan leaf, they say they can trust it for 90-100 miles, so off to their boat in Windsor (70 miles) and it has to sit there charging on the slowest charge point in the marina before they can drive back. Come 160 miles to our place in Pembrokeshire and they can't work out how they can get there without a 4 hour stop at Swansea services, then there's nowhere to charge once there, on street parking, no available public charge points.
So it's probably chicken and egg. Ev cars need more range and infrastructure to make them a suitable replacement for ICE, but with a small market, where the incentive for the manufacturers to push the technology rapidly?
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-par...
The new i3 will do the distance you require and only need home charging.
I guess one issue what happens if you have a failed home charge (for whatever eeason) say fox knocks the cable kids turn it off etc etc you hop in needing to get to work and fyck I’ve got a problem so need to go down the route of working from home (again...)
The new i3 will do the distance you require and only need home charging.
I guess one issue what happens if you have a failed home charge (for whatever eeason) say fox knocks the cable kids turn it off etc etc you hop in needing to get to work and fyck I’ve got a problem so need to go down the route of working from home (again...)
Op. I would enjoy this time while you can.
When charging bays do become popular on every corner, you will only find that you cannot charge there anyway as they will quickly become the new P&C and Disabled spaces.
Its already happening, as they are typically bigger spaces close to the store or motorway services entrance.
Here is example of how the implementation of EV charging bays in car parks isn't helpful. This is Minories car park in London which has quite a few bays, and the two occasions I've driven in during the day, I've managed to find an empty bay. However, many of the bays are occupied by ICE cars, which the rules allow. I can see the car park's perspective that empty bays don't generate income, but from a customer with a vehicle to charge, it can be frustrating not knowing if the charging bays would be occupied before driving into the car park.
raspy said:
Here is example of how the implementation of EV charging bays in car parks isn't helpful. This is Minories car park in London which has quite a few bays, and the two occasions I've driven in during the day, I've managed to find an empty bay. However, many of the bays are occupied by ICE cars, which the rules allow. I can see the car park's perspective that empty bays don't generate income, but from a customer with a vehicle to charge, it can be frustrating not knowing if the charging bays would be occupied before driving into the car park.
Spot on and I've seen EV users just park in a bay and Fook off as it's free rather than needed selfish 
s not the warm friendly fluffy planet huggers they pretend to be. On another note the competition finished 6 months ago but how would you technical rabble have "fixed" the inductive charging 'problem'?
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/creative-new-wa...
raspy said:
Here is example of how the implementation of EV charging bays in car parks isn't helpful. This is Minories car park in London which has quite a few bays, and the two occasions I've driven in during the day, I've managed to find an empty bay. However, many of the bays are occupied by ICE cars, which the rules allow. I can see the car park's perspective that empty bays don't generate income, but from a customer with a vehicle to charge, it can be frustrating not knowing if the charging bays would be occupied before driving into the car park.
No doubt sometimes an EV owner will turn up and ICE are parked in all the EV charge points but other empty spaces - however when they arrived (IcE driver) the car park was full OR of course there there will be Twonks who do it on purpose or those who don’t realise / don’t read it and park up anyway. I don't know the ins and outs of the provider/what their charges are, but Siemens have been installing a lot of lamp-post charging points around Richmond/SW London area. Looks like someone has just drilled a socket into the side of a lamp-post and stuck a little blue LED above it; neat solution though (costs aside).
ETA looks like it's Ubitricity: https://www.electrive.com/2018/08/16/london-siemen...
ETA looks like it's Ubitricity: https://www.electrive.com/2018/08/16/london-siemen...
runnerbean 14 said:
Anyone have any better experiences?
Yes, vastly better, though we are lucky (?) enough to live near Milton Keynes, which is very well served for chargers. Turn up, scan polar card (seperate debate - needs to be contactless bank card in future), start charging. There's only one local rapid that doesn't work vs loads of others that do, though we tend to use 7kW destination chargers if visiting the shopping centre.On long journeys, we've even been OK with ecotricity - the odd charger has been offline, which is a bonus becuase it's free (downside being that you don't know if it's OK until you get there). Only one near miss with one of the old style cables getting stuck, but got it free eventually.
It's far from perfect though.
I do see plenty of ICEing though, which could be a pain in the arse when you really need a charge.
As a whole, there needs to be a reform of payment methods (I.e. no reason why contactless cannot be used everywhere) rather than needing this, that, or the other app, or RFID card.
Plus there need to be more charging hubs deployed on the motorway network as 2 chargers isn't going to be enough to give reliability. Ecotricity's monopoly needs to be challenged too as they don't seem to be doing anything to develop the network and yet no one else can get a look in. Polar at least, are starting to tackle this with some just-off-motorway chargers (and hubs such as at M1 J14).
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