EV newb - apps and stuff before I go?
Discussion
Assuming you are not driving a Tesla, get the app, pay the subscription or whatever. Be aware of their location.
If you do, then just use the navigation / google maps thing and let it suggest where you charge. There really is no need to think about it.
[I say that not as Fanboi or groupie (which would be the same thing but older), merely that this isn't the issue that people make it up to be]
If you do, then just use the navigation / google maps thing and let it suggest where you charge. There really is no need to think about it.
[I say that not as Fanboi or groupie (which would be the same thing but older), merely that this isn't the issue that people make it up to be]
Edited by ShortBeardy on Saturday 18th October 17:10
My car, an MG, doesn't have any route planning for chargers. For the few longer trips I do I work out a few places to charge on the route.
I'm with Octopus so I got an Electroverse card. The chargers it supports are pretty expensive but I've used one conveniently located at a supermarket near where I'm visiting and spend more on wine. It charges faster than I can wander around and choose wine.
As above Tesla chargers are cheap, even if you don't subscribe in the app and just pay with a contactless card. A number are open to other cars. It charges faster than I can pee!
I'm with Octopus so I got an Electroverse card. The chargers it supports are pretty expensive but I've used one conveniently located at a supermarket near where I'm visiting and spend more on wine. It charges faster than I can wander around and choose wine.
As above Tesla chargers are cheap, even if you don't subscribe in the app and just pay with a contactless card. A number are open to other cars. It charges faster than I can pee!
I just check a few locations along my route using free ZapMap to see what's available and in what quantities.
A Better Route Planner (ABRP) can do basic route planning or android auto integration with subscription and uses your own cars range and charging performance to plan route and timings.
A Better Route Planner (ABRP) can do basic route planning or android auto integration with subscription and uses your own cars range and charging performance to plan route and timings.
Keep it simple
Google maps will tell you charger locations and you can use a more dedicated app like Zapmap or PlugShare which makes filtering easier eg when looking for rapid chargers if you want to delve deeper. All of them have data mistakes and miss locations.
All new rapid sites take contactless payment. Motorway service stations nearly all have rapids now, with some sites are better than others, but all should be able to keep you moving.
You can delve into the world of 3rd party cards and aggregated accounts etc to save a few pence per kWh, but it’s probably only worth doing if you’re charging a lot. I don’t bother.
If you’re not going to need to do a lot of charging then the above is probably all you need, just work out a few options before you go. Your trip will be a lot more enjoyable if you've identified a couple of go-to locations when needed and don’t need to think about it otherwise.
Complexity comes if you’re driving to somewhere like Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man.. somewhere the options might either be sparse or generally locked in to one supplier. In that case, work out what you need in that area as it can differ,
Google maps will tell you charger locations and you can use a more dedicated app like Zapmap or PlugShare which makes filtering easier eg when looking for rapid chargers if you want to delve deeper. All of them have data mistakes and miss locations.
All new rapid sites take contactless payment. Motorway service stations nearly all have rapids now, with some sites are better than others, but all should be able to keep you moving.
You can delve into the world of 3rd party cards and aggregated accounts etc to save a few pence per kWh, but it’s probably only worth doing if you’re charging a lot. I don’t bother.
If you’re not going to need to do a lot of charging then the above is probably all you need, just work out a few options before you go. Your trip will be a lot more enjoyable if you've identified a couple of go-to locations when needed and don’t need to think about it otherwise.
Complexity comes if you’re driving to somewhere like Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man.. somewhere the options might either be sparse or generally locked in to one supplier. In that case, work out what you need in that area as it can differ,
Gone fishing said:
Complexity comes if you re driving to somewhere like Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man.. somewhere the options might either be sparse or generally locked in to one supplier. In that case, work out what you need in that area as it can differ,
The M4 corridor is absolutely smashed for rapid chargers these days, A55 is passable but could be better, and most mid Wales towns have a couple rapids available. As above, Tesla Superchargers are much less expensive than most other EV chargers, and are cheaper if you take out a subscription (you can take it out for just one month). AFAIK you have to use the app to charge.
Ionity chargers are much less expensive if you take out a subscription (again, you can do it for just one month) and charge using the app.
Arnold Clarke chargers are "reasonably" priced (55p / kWh).
Finding a charger away from home is easy if you don't care what you pay. It requires a bit more planning if you want to keep costs under control!
Quite a few of the Tesla chargers are at pleasant enough hotels (certainly better than a service station), so not bad places to take a break.
Ionity chargers are much less expensive if you take out a subscription (again, you can do it for just one month) and charge using the app.
Arnold Clarke chargers are "reasonably" priced (55p / kWh).
Finding a charger away from home is easy if you don't care what you pay. It requires a bit more planning if you want to keep costs under control!
Quite a few of the Tesla chargers are at pleasant enough hotels (certainly better than a service station), so not bad places to take a break.
this is my username said:
As above, Tesla Superchargers are much less expensive than most other EV chargers, and are cheaper if you take out a subscription (you can take it out for just one month). AFAIK you have to use the app to charge.
.
But but not all are open to non Teslas. At J36 M4 services often see people on the Tesla-only chargers. But the public access ones are other side of motorway at designer outlet. .
Thanks all. First go we had we followed the car nav to some 300kw allego chargers in a small town in Cheshire. The map was wrong by about 150m.
First charger did this. Second charger is the same. I phoned the helpline and the ctrl+alt+deleted it remotely and the it worked. 20% to 92% was 38 mins. Think it was very expensive per kWh.
Possibly ticket for overstaying the 45 min limit. So. Yep. Electric cars and really not as good as petrol on a long journey.
First charger did this. Second charger is the same. I phoned the helpline and the ctrl+alt+deleted it remotely and the it worked. 20% to 92% was 38 mins. Think it was very expensive per kWh.
Possibly ticket for overstaying the 45 min limit. So. Yep. Electric cars and really not as good as petrol on a long journey.
Austin_Metro said:
Thanks all. First go we had we followed the car nav to some 300kw allego chargers in a small town in Cheshire. The map was wrong by about 150m.
First charger did this. Second charger is the same. I phoned the helpline and the ctrl+alt+deleted it remotely and the it worked. 20% to 92% was 38 mins. Think it was very expensive per kWh.
Possibly ticket for overstaying the 45 min limit. So. Yep. Electric cars and really not as good as petrol on a long journey.
I bet you passed Tesla ones @ 40p Kwh First charger did this. Second charger is the same. I phoned the helpline and the ctrl+alt+deleted it remotely and the it worked. 20% to 92% was 38 mins. Think it was very expensive per kWh.
Possibly ticket for overstaying the 45 min limit. So. Yep. Electric cars and really not as good as petrol on a long journey.
Charging above 80% is always slow, 80% to 100% takes as long as 20% to 80%.
It’s a learning experience.
Evanivitch said:
Gone fishing said:
Complexity comes if you re driving to somewhere like Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man.. somewhere the options might either be sparse or generally locked in to one supplier. In that case, work out what you need in that area as it can differ,
The M4 corridor is absolutely smashed for rapid chargers these days, A55 is passable but could be better, and most mid Wales towns have a couple rapids available. Skodillac said:
Evanivitch said:
Gone fishing said:
Complexity comes if you re driving to somewhere like Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man.. somewhere the options might either be sparse or generally locked in to one supplier. In that case, work out what you need in that area as it can differ,
The M4 corridor is absolutely smashed for rapid chargers these days, A55 is passable but could be better, and most mid Wales towns have a couple rapids available. RotorRambler said:
Austin_Metro said:
Thanks all. First go we had we followed the car nav to some 300kw allego chargers in a small town in Cheshire. The map was wrong by about 150m.
First charger did this. Second charger is the same. I phoned the helpline and the ctrl+alt+deleted it remotely and the it worked. 20% to 92% was 38 mins. Think it was very expensive per kWh.
Possibly ticket for overstaying the 45 min limit. So. Yep. Electric cars and really not as good as petrol on a long journey.
I bet you passed Tesla ones @ 40p Kwh First charger did this. Second charger is the same. I phoned the helpline and the ctrl+alt+deleted it remotely and the it worked. 20% to 92% was 38 mins. Think it was very expensive per kWh.
Possibly ticket for overstaying the 45 min limit. So. Yep. Electric cars and really not as good as petrol on a long journey.
Charging above 80% is always slow, 80% to 100% takes as long as 20% to 80%.
It s a learning experience.
Also, avoid BP chargers, they are rubbish, I would think I'm on a 50% failure rate with those
On a long trip, I always look for Tesla chargers open to all on the route. It can save a fortune, and you can pay a one-off fee for the month to get the cost even lower.
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