Any familiar with London to Devon/Cornwall journey?

[GE90]

Hi

I’m hoping someone does this route often enough and is willing to share their experiences on sites to charge at.

Very much appreciated.

[Discombobulate]

GE90 said:

Hi

I’m hoping someone does this route often enough and is willing to share their experiences on sites to charge at.

Very much appreciated.

Gridserve at Exeter Services is your friend - out of the busy season anyway.

[TheDrownedApe]

Discombobulate said:

Gridserve at Exeter Services is your friend - out of the busy season anyway.

This, seems like someone actually thought about customers going from London to the SW and built a suitable hub. Cullompton has been pretty quiet since this installation went live and still ideal for M5 users

[johnnyreggae]

Also near Exeter just off the M5 is a very good farm shop with a load of chargers: Darts Farm - dyor if its suitable for your car etc

[JonnyVTEC]

The Osprey 16x 150kW units at Salmons leap on the A38 also starting build.

https://www.smarttransport.org.uk/amp/news/latest-...

Edited by JonnyVTEC on Saturday 21st January 10:35

[Diderot]

TheDrownedApe said:

Discombobulate said:

Gridserve at Exeter Services is your friend - out of the busy season anyway.

This, seems like someone actually thought about customers going from London to the SW and built a suitable hub. Cullompton has been pretty quiet since this installation went live and still ideal for M5 users

+1. When I was there at the beginning of September, they were also installing banks of Tesla chargers.

[Blue62]

Discombobulate said:

Gridserve at Exeter Services is your friend - out of the busy season anyway.

Bit of a nightmare during school holidays and Darts Farm (someone else mentioned) is Tesla only, but lots of chargers and a good place to chill. Waitrose in Exeter has a few 50kw, but why not download ABRP, or Zap-Map?

[somouk]

There is a new charging center at the cornwall services apparently. It's apparently a bit up and down at the moment as it's in testing.

[dmsims]

I would avoid Gridserve at Exeter: Mostly very slow charging speeds

Cullompton is better

The Instalvolt chargers at Route 303 are convenient and have always been good

[OutInTheShed]

If you're driving to Devon, you've driven through a fair chunk of it by the time to get to Exeter.
Detouring for any of those chargers at the services or Dart Farm will add a significant delay sometimes.
Exeter thinks it is an important city and has the traffic problems to match.

I'd be looking for a charger where you can just nip off the M5 (or A303/A30) and be charging in 2 minutes.

[MrB.]

As has been mentioned Darts Farm is purely Tesla (really silly in my opinion as its a great place to chill on the journey down, so Instavolt/Ionity would do well here).

I haven't been in an EV for a couple of years, but I know that Gridserve did a big upgrade at Exeter Services from the three they had the last time I was there, and I have a friend who takes his Merc EQC down to St Ives a lot and he uses a place just off the M5 near Exeter. Also, Cornwall Services have had new ones fitted last time I was there.

Once down there (and depending on where you are going, of course!) I have used the ones at St Erth station and took the train into St Ives.

[JonnyVTEC]

The shell units at penhale where there’s a shopping centre are good, or the Swarco units at Jamiaca inn. Both decent places to stop.

[GE90]

Thanks so much for all the input. A few good suggestions to check out.

Much appreciated.

[NDA]

I used this place - Moto Exeter - 30 Sandygate Roundabout, Exeter EX2 7HF - which had loads of Tesla and non-Tesla chargers.

I went there rather than Darts Farm because everyone goes to Darts Farm

[AstonZagato]

If you are going on to Cornwall the Arundell Arms (just off the A30 at Launceston/Lifton) has some Tesla superchargers (not open to other marques though). They have a deli and the pub serves excellent food.

https://goo.gl/maps/oMCAry9JcHmaQkxj6

They have a couple of tethered Tesla destination wall chargers (these didn't work on my PHEV on my visit) and a domestic charge point (bring your own Type 2 cable or plug your granny charger into the 3 pin plug). However, none of those are any use except if you are desperate or staying overnight.

[teambeer]

dmsims said:

I would avoid Gridserve at Exeter: Mostly very slow charging speeds

Cullompton is better

The Instalvolt chargers at Route 303 are convenient and have always been good

Drove past Route 303 over the Christmas period and it had been demolished! Looks like something new will be there soon. Chargers still available at least.

I tend to avoid Exeter as it always seems to involve a 3 or 4 car queue now. Cullompton always good and no complaints with the Instavolt units at Solstice Park services (also 16 Tesla units there).

[Ross_T_Boss]

NDA said:

I used this place - Moto Exeter - 30 Sandygate Roundabout, Exeter EX2 7HF - which had loads of Tesla and non-Tesla chargers.

I went there rather than Darts Farm because everyone goes to Darts Farm

This - still not showing as active on the Tesla app for some reason, but the car nav picked it up. Exeter Moto has recently added 16x SC's making Darts Farm obsolete unless you want a damn good full english whilst you wait, and Gridserve have expanded from 3 to 18 chargers. I was there midweek afternoon this month with 2 Teslas and 10 other cars charging, and made do with a double whopper with cheese. On the return journey late evening even the gridserve was quiet, maybe 3-4.