Eurotunnel for EV’s

Author
Discussion

leyorkie

Original Poster:

1,683 posts

183 months

Saturday 25th May
quotequote all
Just gone through and noticed that all EV’S were loaded into the high bay carriages. Any thoughts as to why? Fire Risk following on from the ban at some car parks?
Not noticed this before but I’m usually in the high bay due to roof box and I’ve not see any EV’S in there before.

sahajesh

416 posts

160 months

Saturday 25th May
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I’ve got three Tunnel trips coming up - if that’s the case, it suits me, regardless of the reason.

raspy

1,798 posts

101 months

Saturday 25th May
quotequote all
My EV gets put in the high rise trains as it's very wide

leyorkie

Original Poster:

1,683 posts

183 months

Saturday 25th May
quotequote all
Mainly standard cars lots of Tesla’s

HoHoHo

15,161 posts

257 months

Sunday 26th May
quotequote all
My car goes in there automatically because of its width (it’s Taycan).

I don’t think it has anything to do with fire risk, if the risk was that severe I’m sure they wouldn’t allow them in the tunnel!

mikey_b

2,145 posts

52 months

Sunday 26th May
quotequote all
HoHoHo said:
My car goes in there automatically because of its width (it’s Taycan).

I don’t think it has anything to do with fire risk, if the risk was that severe I’m sure they wouldn’t allow them in the tunnel!
Agreed. They don't let LPG cars in there for that reason, so the same would apply to EVs if they were concerned.

Michael_B

680 posts

107 months

Sunday 26th May
quotequote all
I drove my Tesla Y from Geneva to the UK on Dec 18th last year; as soon as I typed in the make/model the Eurotunnel website classified it as a ‘large’ vehicle.

We were of course then delayed by 1.5hrs (‘technical issues’) so could have taken a boat for less than half the price[1] for the same journey time. The whole experience reminded me of why I travel there so rarely!

[1] Mrs B had insisted I pay the extortionate tunnel price, in case there was “bad weather and the ferries were delayed or cancelled.”
Luckily I resisted mentioning that we could have got the boat far more cheaply, as we waited in queue at Calais.. or perhaps I didn’t! rofl

delta0

2,397 posts

113 months

Sunday 26th May
quotequote all
Width of the vehicle. Too many insurance claims with people taking out their wheels on the double decker carriage. It can be very tricky to drive on that carriage but the single deck one is a doddle.

raspy

1,798 posts

101 months

Sunday 26th May
quotequote all
Michael_B said:
I drove my Tesla Y from Geneva to the UK on Dec 18th last year; as soon as I typed in the make/model the Eurotunnel website classified it as a ‘large’ vehicle.

We were of course then delayed by 1.5hrs (‘technical issues’) so could have taken a boat for less than half the price[1] for the same journey time. The whole experience reminded me of why I travel there so rarely!

[1] Mrs B had insisted I pay the extortionate tunnel price, in case there was “bad weather and the ferries were delayed or cancelled.”
Luckily I resisted mentioning that we could have got the boat far more cheaply, as we waited in queue at Calais.. or perhaps I didn’t! rofl
"In fact, when compared with ferry travel, crossing the channel on LeShuttle emits 73 times less carbon dioxide"

Just saying.

Michael_B

680 posts

107 months

Sunday 26th May
quotequote all
raspy said:
"In fact, when compared with ferry travel, crossing the channel on LeShuttle emits 73 times less carbon dioxide"

Just saying.
Not going to the UK by either method for the next 72 years wouldn’t be a problem for me.

Just saying wink

TheDeuce

25,227 posts

73 months

Monday 27th May
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The trains themselves have very large li-ion batteries..

Michael_B

680 posts

107 months

Monday 27th May
quotequote all
TheDeuce said:
The trains themselves have very large li-ion batteries..
Which were both (the trains and their batteries) remarkably static[1] for >1.5hrs that December afternoon wink

[1] As was of course the much more modest battery in my immobile EV.

Mikehig

825 posts

68 months

Monday 27th May
quotequote all
Michael_B said:
I drove my Tesla Y from Geneva to the UK on Dec 18th last year; as soon as I typed in the make/model the Eurotunnel website classified it as a ‘large’ vehicle.

We were of course then delayed by 1.5hrs (‘technical issues’) so could have taken a boat for less than half the price[1] for the same journey time. The whole experience reminded me of why I travel there so rarely!

[1] Mrs B had insisted I pay the extortionate tunnel price, in case there was “bad weather and the ferries were delayed or cancelled.”
Luckily I resisted mentioning that we could have got the boat far more cheaply, as we waited in queue at Calais.. or perhaps I didn’t! rofl
Was the Tunnel relatively quiet that day?
I ask because I have been caught a few times by "technical issues" when there's not much traffic. I suspect it's just an excuse to cancel a train or two and save some cost. Others I have spoken to have had similar experiences.
That said, I have also had the odd crossing where I picked up any earlier train at no cost and arrived on the other side little more than an hour after checking in. It's a lottery.

JonnyVTEC

3,082 posts

182 months

Monday 27th May
quotequote all
Tesla had issues with grounding out in the tunnel so to avoid owners making claims they tend to get directed to the larger carriages. Seems this has spread to other EVs as a matter of course.

Michael_B

680 posts

107 months

Monday 27th May
quotequote all
Mikehig said:
Was the Tunnel relatively quiet that day?
I ask because I have been caught a few times by "technical issues" when there's not much traffic. I suspect it's just an excuse to cancel a train or two and save some cost. Others I have spoken to have had similar experiences.
That said, I have also had the odd crossing where I picked up any earlier train at no cost and arrived on the other side little more than an hour after checking in. It's a lottery.
It was a very quiet day, 3 in the afternoon on the Monday 7 days before Christmas, deliberately chosen as I did *not* want to be doing anything Calais-Dover any closer to the peak holiday period. Return was Dec 27th, which was busier but on time.

As you say, it was most likely complete bks and there just weren’t enough of us for Eurotunnel to consider it worth honouring the time marked on the ticket. Which was a bit galling as I had paid 394 fking euros return[1]!

If I ever go to the UK by car again, I will get a boat (fk the carbon cost) rather than put any more extortionate ticket money into Eurotunnel’s cynical and/or incompetent grubby little hands.

[1] Booking requires country of residence and vehicle registration. As soon the system sees Switzerland, ticket prices rocket. I tested the same itinerary with a French-registration plate and my Burgundy address and it was less than €300. Unfortunately the only FR registered vehicle I actually own is a 2.33m long trailer I use for tip runs biggrin

Mikehig

825 posts

68 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
Michael_B said:
Mikehig said:
Was the Tunnel relatively quiet that day?
I ask because I have been caught a few times by "technical issues" when there's not much traffic. I suspect it's just an excuse to cancel a train or two and save some cost. Others I have spoken to have had similar experiences.
That said, I have also had the odd crossing where I picked up any earlier train at no cost and arrived on the other side little more than an hour after checking in. It's a lottery.
It was a very quiet day, 3 in the afternoon on the Monday 7 days before Christmas, deliberately chosen as I did *not* want to be doing anything Calais-Dover any closer to the peak holiday period. Return was Dec 27th, which was busier but on time.

As you say, it was most likely complete bks and there just weren’t enough of us for Eurotunnel to consider it worth honouring the time marked on the ticket. Which was a bit galling as I had paid 394 fking euros return[1]!

If I ever go to the UK by car again, I will get a boat (fk the carbon cost) rather than put any more extortionate ticket money into Eurotunnel’s cynical and/or incompetent grubby little hands.

[1] Booking requires country of residence and vehicle registration. As soon the system sees Switzerland, ticket prices rocket. I tested the same itinerary with a French-registration plate and my Burgundy address and it was less than €300. Unfortunately the only FR registered vehicle I actually own is a 2.33m long trailer I use for tip runs biggrin
Their prices have become really aggressive since covid. They used to offer very reaonable day and overnight return deals which made short trips attractive. Now they are 3 - 4 times the previous level so I won't be doing that again.
For my next major trip I'm going to look at the ferries for the return leg to see if there's any saving.


Murph7355

38,937 posts

263 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
Michael_B said:
Not going to the UK by either method for the next 72 years wouldn’t be a problem for me.

Just saying wink
You came from Geneva - the world's largest residential care village biggrin

vikingaero

11,245 posts

176 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
Mikehig said:
Michael_B said:
Mikehig said:
Was the Tunnel relatively quiet that day?
I ask because I have been caught a few times by "technical issues" when there's not much traffic. I suspect it's just an excuse to cancel a train or two and save some cost. Others I have spoken to have had similar experiences.
That said, I have also had the odd crossing where I picked up any earlier train at no cost and arrived on the other side little more than an hour after checking in. It's a lottery.
It was a very quiet day, 3 in the afternoon on the Monday 7 days before Christmas, deliberately chosen as I did *not* want to be doing anything Calais-Dover any closer to the peak holiday period. Return was Dec 27th, which was busier but on time.

As you say, it was most likely complete bks and there just weren’t enough of us for Eurotunnel to consider it worth honouring the time marked on the ticket. Which was a bit galling as I had paid 394 fking euros return[1]!

If I ever go to the UK by car again, I will get a boat (fk the carbon cost) rather than put any more extortionate ticket money into Eurotunnel’s cynical and/or incompetent grubby little hands.

[1] Booking requires country of residence and vehicle registration. As soon the system sees Switzerland, ticket prices rocket. I tested the same itinerary with a French-registration plate and my Burgundy address and it was less than €300. Unfortunately the only FR registered vehicle I actually own is a 2.33m long trailer I use for tip runs biggrin
Their prices have become really aggressive since covid. They used to offer very reaonable day and overnight return deals which made short trips attractive. Now they are 3 - 4 times the previous level so I won't be doing that again.
For my next major trip I'm going to look at the ferries for the return leg to see if there's any saving.
I live 30 mins from the Tunnel and I probably travel about 6 times a years across the Channel. Maybe it's because I travel off -peak/mid season that I endure constant delays, cancellations and curtailments. I'm one of the unlucky ones that seem to be shafted by Le Shuttle. And my response is to fk 'm and the last 3 trips I've done Newhaven-Dieppe which is fantastic.


RazerSauber

2,548 posts

67 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
I was speaking to a mechanic the other day who told me that the Chunnel was meant to be banning the transport of crash damaged EVs until the batteries were removed and stowed in special containers. Quite how much nonsense he was chatting I don't know. He also told me a plethora of manufacturers including Ford, VW and Toyota were not going to be producing any more EVs. I have done zero research into it but find it hard to believe.

TheDeuce

25,227 posts

73 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
RazerSauber said:
I was speaking to a mechanic the other day who told me that the Chunnel was meant to be banning the transport of crash damaged EVs until the batteries were removed and stowed in special containers. Quite how much nonsense he was chatting I don't know. He also told me a plethora of manufacturers including Ford, VW and Toyota were not going to be producing any more EVs. I have done zero research into it but find it hard to believe.
Sounds like a fountain of bullst to me yes