Discussion
General new-to-EV guidance:
Home charging is obviously highly beneficial. Depending on your usage you may be ok with a three-pin charger (£150 or so) or may want to get a hard-wired charger installed (£1k or so), which will charge about 3x faster than the three-pin.
It may be worth going to an 'EV tariff' where you pay slightly more for daytime electricity in exchange for cheap (sub 10p a kWh) during the night.
For local trips you shouldn't have any range worries, just plug in each time you park on the drive at home.
On longer trips, set the dash to display efficiency in miles/kWh and reset at the start of the trip. The whole battery is 49 kWh useable I think, so the remaining range will be the % of charge times 49 times whatever miles/kWh you're doing. Eg at 50% charge if you're averaging 3 miles/kWh, you'd have 24.5 kWh in the battery, times 3 means 73 miles left.
The reason for doing the calculation yourself is that the remaining range display is an estimate and you never quite know how it's worked out, whereas efficiency x charge remaining is pretty reliable.
Get an Octopus Electroverse card as a backup payment method in case a charger won't take contactless, although most will. Use zap-map and/or abetterrouteplanner website to plan charging stops for a longer trip, although you may find the car's sat-nav will do a good enough job.
Get the app on your phone so you can set the car to pre-heat prior to departure - nothing like sheets of ice sliding off all your windows while the neighbours are all scraping away!
Expect lower efficiency, and thus range, at motorway speeds and in cold weather.
After a few longer trips you'll get a feel for range and get confident using the battery capacity to the full.
Enjoy! IMHO a fun petrol car plus an EV is the perfect combo, their strengths being nicely complementary.
Home charging is obviously highly beneficial. Depending on your usage you may be ok with a three-pin charger (£150 or so) or may want to get a hard-wired charger installed (£1k or so), which will charge about 3x faster than the three-pin.
It may be worth going to an 'EV tariff' where you pay slightly more for daytime electricity in exchange for cheap (sub 10p a kWh) during the night.
For local trips you shouldn't have any range worries, just plug in each time you park on the drive at home.
On longer trips, set the dash to display efficiency in miles/kWh and reset at the start of the trip. The whole battery is 49 kWh useable I think, so the remaining range will be the % of charge times 49 times whatever miles/kWh you're doing. Eg at 50% charge if you're averaging 3 miles/kWh, you'd have 24.5 kWh in the battery, times 3 means 73 miles left.
The reason for doing the calculation yourself is that the remaining range display is an estimate and you never quite know how it's worked out, whereas efficiency x charge remaining is pretty reliable.
Get an Octopus Electroverse card as a backup payment method in case a charger won't take contactless, although most will. Use zap-map and/or abetterrouteplanner website to plan charging stops for a longer trip, although you may find the car's sat-nav will do a good enough job.
Get the app on your phone so you can set the car to pre-heat prior to departure - nothing like sheets of ice sliding off all your windows while the neighbours are all scraping away!
Expect lower efficiency, and thus range, at motorway speeds and in cold weather.
After a few longer trips you'll get a feel for range and get confident using the battery capacity to the full.
Enjoy! IMHO a fun petrol car plus an EV is the perfect combo, their strengths being nicely complementary.
I know that Tesla aren't the flavour of the month, but many Tesla Superchargers are open to non-Tesla vehicles and are way cheaper than most other charging networks (and often located in quite nice locations). Download the Tesla app to see which ones you can use. I rarely charge away from home, but when I do I plan my journey around superchargers wherever possible.
Thanks for all the advice, it's collection day today, I'm quite excited!
I've ordered a 3 pin charger cable that should arrive today, as I don't do huge mileage daily that should be all I need. Is it worth contacting my energy supplier (OVO) and asking about a cheaper overnight tariff then only charge it overnight via a timer switch?
I've ordered a 3 pin charger cable that should arrive today, as I don't do huge mileage daily that should be all I need. Is it worth contacting my energy supplier (OVO) and asking about a cheaper overnight tariff then only charge it overnight via a timer switch?
shunt said:
Thanks for all the advice, it's collection day today, I'm quite excited!
I've ordered a 3 pin charger cable that should arrive today, as I don't do huge mileage daily that should be all I need. Is it worth contacting my energy supplier (OVO) and asking about a cheaper overnight tariff then only charge it overnight via a timer switch?
If you aren't doing big daily miles and your 3 pin charger supports it I'd suggest turning down the charge ampage to < 10 rather than running at 13. Far less heat generated at the plug so less associated risk of damage to the socket etc.I've ordered a 3 pin charger cable that should arrive today, as I don't do huge mileage daily that should be all I need. Is it worth contacting my energy supplier (OVO) and asking about a cheaper overnight tariff then only charge it overnight via a timer switch?
With regards to the cheap overnight tariffs, you need to check the difference in standard rate and standing charges and ensure you will actually be saving money if your charging needs are limited.
Not sure how you can do that!? As it happens, my EVs charging cable (came with the car) only draws a max 10A. It's not user adjustable.
You'll be charging at about 6 - 8 mph depending on usage efficiency. Its DEFINITELY worth a night time EV tariff. Mine is 1/3 of the standard price 5 hrs per night, and the daytime rate is still below the cap (Octopus).
You'll be charging at about 6 - 8 mph depending on usage efficiency. Its DEFINITELY worth a night time EV tariff. Mine is 1/3 of the standard price 5 hrs per night, and the daytime rate is still below the cap (Octopus).
Edited by sixor8 on Monday 10th March 14:42
In principle I think you could go for the OVO Anytime option. Your domestic electricity rates are unchanged, but if you give them a window in which you want the car charged, they'll have it ready for the end of the time window for 7p/kWh or so.
I always charge my EV at 10A and it's been fine for 9k miles and over a year, depends on your sockets and circuits though.
I've recently got a Mini ES too - it's a fun addition to the fleet. FWIW I got it via work scheme and quite glad I did too given the astonishing depreciation (according to Motorway valuation it's dropped £15k in a month!). Our scheme comes with the option for "free" home charger via ChargedEV however they are simply awful to deal with. I've had to get an electrician to run a cable and am now facing a wait until May before they'll install the wall charger (I had to pay an additional £320 for).
I do have a Mini related question though - it has two run modes - the B option presumably does regen braking (which, once you're used to it is quite useful) but does anyone know if the brake lights illuminate when you "off-gas"?
I do have a Mini related question though - it has two run modes - the B option presumably does regen braking (which, once you're used to it is quite useful) but does anyone know if the brake lights illuminate when you "off-gas"?
sixor8 said:
Not sure how you can do that!? As it happens, my EVs charging cable (came with the car) only draws a max 10A. It's not user adjustable.
Ourcurrent charger allows you to change the ampage from 8 to 13 in multiple increments. Been known to ramp it up to 13 amps for short periods if more range needed as will pull 3kW, but usually have it set to 8 amps pulling around 1.7kW.samoht said:
In principle I think you could go for the OVO Anytime option. Your domestic electricity rates are unchanged, but if you give them a window in which you want the car charged, they'll have it ready for the end of the time window for 7p/kWh or so.
I always charge my EV at 10A and it's been fine for 9k miles and over a year, depends on your sockets and circuits though.
Been using a 3 pin for 6 years and about 75k miles. Having had a couple of sockets crack and plugs melt in that time I thought it was worth mentioning.I always charge my EV at 10A and it's been fine for 9k miles and over a year, depends on your sockets and circuits though.
SWoll said:
Been using a 3 pin for 6 years and about 75k miles. Having had a couple of sockets crack and plugs melt in that time I thought it was worth mentioning.
Indeed, worth people being aware that not all sockets will take it.bridggar1 said:
I do have a Mini related question though - it has two run modes - the B option presumably does regen braking (which, once you're used to it is quite useful) but does anyone know if the brake lights illuminate when you "off-gas"?
I don't know, but above a certain rate of deceleration it will be required toGassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff