Membury Services - Is this normal?
Discussion
I stopped this morning for a journey break and to have a coffee whilst relaxing in my car.
I happened to have parked a short distance away from where EV cars can be charged. I think the provider includes Grid in their title.
Could see two large white boxes and each one might be able to charge two cars at a time. It is a busy motorway although only 4 chargers, but there appeared to be two more adjacent boxes under covers, so perhaps soon there will be double the number of charging points at that location.
I only needed to stop for a short time and with the range showing over 750 miles, did not need any fuel.
It was interesting to watch the people wanting to charge their cars. Only one car had a cable attached and there was no one with that vehicle. Another car arrived, but after connecting the cable, the driver stood by the box for some time, but then unplugged the cable and drove off. Not sure why he would want to do that.
Soon afterwards, a car drew up to the same charger and a lady confidently opened her car's charge flap and plugged in the cable. Then holding a mobile phone approached the charger box. After a while she unplugged the cable and I noticed her car's lock lights flash. Then repeated exactly what she had already done, connecting the cable to her car. This happened several times and her procedure by then also included several times going to sit briefly in the drivers seat. She then stood by the charger box, the cable had been unplugged by then and looked around in a rather agitated manner, before holding the phone to her ear (I assume) making a phone call. After about 15 minutes, she got in her car and drove away.
What was going on?
No, not normal.
50kW chargers at a motorway services are a relic from the past.
There are 12x 350kW Gridserve chargers 10mins East at Chievely, or 21x160kW Ionity ones about 10mins to the West.
A car’s mapping system wouldn’t choose to stop at Membury (unless it was a Tesla as there are 6x Tesla-only chargers at each of East /West services), so I suspect it was the driver that made the bizarre choice to go there to entertain you
50kW chargers at a motorway services are a relic from the past.
There are 12x 350kW Gridserve chargers 10mins East at Chievely, or 21x160kW Ionity ones about 10mins to the West.
A car’s mapping system wouldn’t choose to stop at Membury (unless it was a Tesla as there are 6x Tesla-only chargers at each of East /West services), so I suspect it was the driver that made the bizarre choice to go there to entertain you
Jon39 said:
I stopped this morning for a journey break and to have a coffee whilst relaxing in my car.
I happened to have parked a short distance away from where EV cars can be charged. I think the provider includes Grid in their title.
Could see two large white boxes and each one might be able to charge two cars at a time. It is a busy motorway although only 4 chargers, but there appeared to be two more adjacent boxes under covers, so perhaps soon there will be double the number of charging points at that location.
I only needed to stop for a short time and with the range showing over 750 miles, did not need any fuel.
It was interesting to watch the people wanting to charge their cars. Only one car had a cable attached and there was no one with that vehicle. Another car arrived, but after connecting the cable, the driver stood by the box for some time, but then unplugged the cable and drove off. Not sure why he would want to do that.
Soon afterwards, a car drew up to the same charger and a lady confidently opened her car's charge flap and plugged in the cable. Then holding a mobile phone approached the charger box. After a while she unplugged the cable and I noticed her car's lock lights flash. Then repeated exactly what she had already done, connecting the cable to her car. This happened several times and her procedure by then also included several times going to sit briefly in the drivers seat. She then stood by the charger box, the cable had been unplugged by then and looked around in a rather agitated manner, before holding the phone to her ear (I assume) making a phone call. After about 15 minutes, she got in her car and drove away.
What was going on?
Plenty of cars having to drive straight through the Tesco filling station the other day when only one pump was serving diesel. Whoopee doo!
plfrench said:
No, not normal.
50kW chargers at a motorway services are a relic from the past.
There are 12x 350kW Gridserve chargers 10mins East at Chievely, or 21x160kW Ionity ones about 10mins to the West.
A car’s mapping system wouldn’t choose to stop at Membury (unless it was a Tesla as there are 6x Tesla-only chargers at each of East /West services), so I suspect it was the driver that made the bizarre choice to go there to entertain you
and 4 Ionity at the 3 Trees Cafe50kW chargers at a motorway services are a relic from the past.
There are 12x 350kW Gridserve chargers 10mins East at Chievely, or 21x160kW Ionity ones about 10mins to the West.
A car’s mapping system wouldn’t choose to stop at Membury (unless it was a Tesla as there are 6x Tesla-only chargers at each of East /West services), so I suspect it was the driver that made the bizarre choice to go there to entertain you
I've owned an EV for 4.5 years and from my experience of public charging that this is normal.
If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
TSS said:
I've owned an EV for 4.5 years and from my experience of public charging that this is normal.
If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
Have you actually tried it recently though? Your comments were fair 4.5 or even 3 years ago, but things have come on so much in the last couple of years. If you go to outdated places like the OP mention then ok, but the dedicated multi-charger ultra rapid sites that have boomed in volume in the last couple of years, then it's a completely different story.If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
plfrench said:
Have you actually tried it recently though? Your comments were fair 4.5 or even 3 years ago, but things have come on so much in the last couple of years. If you go to outdated places like the OP mention then ok, but the dedicated multi-charger ultra rapid sites that have boomed in volume in the last couple of years, then it's a completely different story.
In March months I planned a stop at Cambridge Services Ionity and unsurprisingly the only free 350kW charger refused to have anything to do with my car. It was about 17:30 so busy with commuters. I should have realised something was up as there were lots of EVs milling about waiting for the other chargers - they had presumably already tried the available one and found it broken. I was on a schedule so had to keep going and limped to my destination with 2% charge left. It is just not worth the hassle.Sometimes one needs to got to "outdated places" because there are so few ultra rapid sites. ZapMap says the nearest 350kW charger to my house is 40 minutes away. Every petrol station I know of is ultra rapid.
TSS said:
I've owned an EV for 4.5 years and from my experience of public charging that this is normal.
If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
Yeah it’s a shambles. I’m 8 years in EV ownership and still the charging network is broken. Just let me pay with a card ffs. I don’t want an app I don’t want to try and download an app with bad signal.If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
In the past 3 years 3 local supermarkets who all had chargers now have broken chargers. 2 they have been broken for 3 years and the other 2 months now.
Saying that car parking machines are just as bad. Plenty are cash or use and app which again is signal reliant. In the Wyre Forest signal is bad.
Back2theFuji said:
Jon39 said:
I stopped this morning for a journey break and to have a coffee whilst relaxing in my car.
I happened to have parked a short distance away from where EV cars can be charged. I think the provider includes Grid in their title.
Could see two large white boxes and each one might be able to charge two cars at a time. It is a busy motorway although only 4 chargers, but there appeared to be two more adjacent boxes under covers, so perhaps soon there will be double the number of charging points at that location.
I only needed to stop for a short time and with the range showing over 750 miles, did not need any fuel.
It was interesting to watch the people wanting to charge their cars. Only one car had a cable attached and there was no one with that vehicle. Another car arrived, but after connecting the cable, the driver stood by the box for some time, but then unplugged the cable and drove off. Not sure why he would want to do that.
Soon afterwards, a car drew up to the same charger and a lady confidently opened her car's charge flap and plugged in the cable. Then holding a mobile phone approached the charger box. After a while she unplugged the cable and I noticed her car's lock lights flash. Then repeated exactly what she had already done, connecting the cable to her car. This happened several times and her procedure by then also included several times going to sit briefly in the drivers seat. She then stood by the charger box, the cable had been unplugged by then and looked around in a rather agitated manner, before holding the phone to her ear (I assume) making a phone call. After about 15 minutes, she got in her car and drove away.
What was going on?
Plenty of cars having to drive straight through the Tesco filling station the other day when only one pump was serving diesel. Whoopee doo!
Downward said:
TSS said:
I've owned an EV for 4.5 years and from my experience of public charging that this is normal.
If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
Yeah it’s a shambles. I’m 8 years in EV ownership and still the charging network is broken. Just let me pay with a card ffs. I don’t want an app I don’t want to try and download an app with bad signal.If I need to a journey that might involve public charging I normally take an ICE car instead, it's just not worth the roulette game of using public chargers unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands. I've done 28,000 EV miles and lost count of number of times I've tried to charge only to find the charger is broken, or refusing to talk to the car, or starts charging and then gives up after a few minutes, or that all the working chargers are taken and there's a massive queue.
The great thing about petrol stations is that they have this crazy advanced technology where every petrol pump fits every petrol car. Plus they can just pump petrol in really fast without any need for the pump to talk to the car and decide that today it doesn't like the car and refuse to pump. Often they have a revolutionary device called a "printer" which can immediately print you a VAT receipt without any need for you to waste your time going online to download one. And you won't even get charged for overstaying at a petrol pump because there is no need to overstay! You're already gone and on your journey.
In the past 3 years 3 local supermarkets who all had chargers now have broken chargers. 2 they have been broken for 3 years and the other 2 months now.
Saying that car parking machines are just as bad. Plenty are cash or use and app which again is signal reliant. In the Wyre Forest signal is bad.
Only used the Tesla ones in my Skoda, as cheaper & were in nice spots.
TSS said:
plfrench said:
Have you actually tried it recently though? Your comments were fair 4.5 or even 3 years ago, but things have come on so much in the last couple of years. If you go to outdated places like the OP mention then ok, but the dedicated multi-charger ultra rapid sites that have boomed in volume in the last couple of years, then it's a completely different story.
In March months I planned a stop at Cambridge Services Ionity and unsurprisingly the only free 350kW charger refused to have anything to do with my car. It was about 17:30 so busy with commuters. I should have realised something was up as there were lots of EVs milling about waiting for the other chargers - they had presumably already tried the available one and found it broken. I was on a schedule so had to keep going and limped to my destination with 2% charge left. It is just not worth the hassle.Sometimes one needs to got to "outdated places" because there are so few ultra rapid sites. ZapMap says the nearest 350kW charger to my house is 40 minutes away. Every petrol station I know of is ultra rapid.
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