[Technology] Owning an EV without a personal charger...

[Brian Potter]

Well here in Norfolk the county council have cottoned onto the fact they can get a few quid ....

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/local-council/norfolk-to-charge-for-electric-car-charge-licences-8383618

£50 quid to run a cable across the pavement.

 

[m@goo]

It's like allowing bikes on trains. Only currently really works with miniscule numbers. Will never gain traction while it relies on a couple of token well-meaning power points in the street

But arguments like this are just excuses, not reasons not to go EV. And where I live in Worthing there are many charge points locally.

The more people that take up EVs the sooner the infrastructure will improve. People keep using excuses like EVs are still bad for the environment. Yes, they are but nowhere near as bad as ICE cars. Most arguments against EVs aren't really valid. The arguments should be switched to improving the practices involved in making EVs and the power they need be it more wind farms or finding an alternative to cobalt.

 

[albionalbino]

I switched to a BMW i3 on the day the fuel shortages started. Never before have I felt so smug.
I haven't had the charge port fitted yet as I've been waiting to make sure I wanted to keep it (I do).
I've been plugging in the mains over night to charge up. It's fine but does take all night so would rather get the charge point installed.
I get 145 miles range plus I've got a range extender that can give you another 50.
It's really good fun to drive and not polluting the planet like my old diesel.

 

[Justice]

It's like allowing bikes on trains. Only currently really works with miniscule numbers. Will never gain traction while it relies on a couple of token well-meaning power points in the street

Also the parts are beyond stupid money, my mechanic was telling me he replaced two sensors in an EV £6000 to just to buy the things.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

But arguments like this are just excuses, not reasons not to go EV. And where I live in Worthing there are many charge points locally.

The more people that take up EVs the sooner the infrastructure will improve. People keep using excuses like EVs are still bad for the environment. Yes, they are but nowhere near as bad as ICE cars. Most arguments against EVs aren't really valid. The arguments should be switched to improving the practices involved in making EVs and the power they need be it more wind farms or finding an alternative to cobalt.

I'd suggest - well certainly in this town anyways - that for most it's plenty hard enough to find a parking spot near your front door. Let alone one with an EV charging point. As things stand it's pure la-la land

 

[m@goo]

Where it all changes is in winter: once temperatures start dropping to the point you need to start using heating, and the days get shorter and your lights are on more frequently, the range will drop. A lot. I did a similar trip December last year (just not into London proper, only as far as Uxbridge). My estimate for range on that trip (it was also wet, so wipers running etc) was closer to 160 miles than 245.

That's a good point. My drive to work starts at 6:20AM and in the dead of winter it can be very cold. Hopefully by then my workplace with have some chargers.

 

[BNthree]

Whilst I don't have an EV loads of the lamp posts in my part of Hove had car chargers built onto them (guessing as it is all terraces and no one has a driveway to charge in). Only part I find odd is the spaces by the charging points aren't specifically for EVs but any car can park there.

 

[Commander]

It's like allowing bikes on trains. Only currently really works with miniscule numbers. Will never gain traction while it relies on a couple of token well-meaning power points in the street

This is exactly what people would say if they brought our petrol cars now. Times change, and technology moves.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

This is exactly what people would say if they brought our petrol cars now. Times change, and technology moves.

Car technology moving WAY faster than the battery charging infrastructure required to support that change tho eh? Well here on Planet Earth anyways

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I switched to a BMW i3 on the day the fuel shortages started. Never before have I felt so smug.
I haven't had the charge port fitted yet as I've been waiting to make sure I wanted to keep it (I do).
I've been plugging in the mains over night to charge up. It's fine but does take all night so would rather get the charge point installed.
I get 145 miles range plus I've got a range extender that can give you another 50.
It's really good fun to drive and not polluting the planet like my old diesel.

I have the i3 and love it. One of my favourtie cars I've driven.

I noticed there are some PodPoints at the Goldstone Park now. A couple of them were being used

 

[Audax]

I'm considering getting an EV but haven't yet done much research ( actually any ! ). So as you have one :

1. How easy is it to get a charging point installed at home ( I have a private drive ) and how much does it cost ? Do all cars use the same ?

2. What's the deal on the batteries ? I've read that you effectively lease them and then have to pay for new ones after x amount of time ?

1. Depends. Mine cost a little over £600 fully installed, even after the govt grant. But in my case there was extra hardware required, and I went for a super smart one that works well with my solar panels. However, if all you need is something basic ... some EVs come with a free charge point (eg Renault were providing BP Chargemaster installations free with a Zoe - but only if you obtained the Zoe direct from Renault). Beware the cheaper ones, though - they need to be grounded, and if the grounding isn't good enough your car might object. IIRC the Zoe is really picky about it, it's one of the reasons I went for the pricier option.

2. Depends on manufacturer. I *think* Renault are the only ones who still do this, although I've not done my research to confirm. You'll need to look it up for whichever car you want to go for. But I'm pretty sure most are now done where you own the battery along with the car.

 

[Happy Exile]

Thanks! I'm leaning towards thinking that and by the time I get one there will be hundreds more chargers.

If you look at ZapMap that gives a good idea of the chargers that are available. The only time we've ever had pause for thought is wondering about a driving holiday in the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales just because hills can take it out of the battery - I reckon our 100 mile realistic range in East Sussex would drop another 10-15% round there, but even then there's enough chargers around. Ours is an old model now in EV terms (hence lower range), but we got it used from a dealership that includes RAC cover, including into Europe which also helps mitigate any anxiety over the range you'll get.

I was a bit nervous about taking the plunge, and I'm looking forward to getting one with more range on it, but for the driving we do and the mileage we do it makes economic sense. I totally appreciate that won't be true for everyone though.

 

[beorhthelm]

Car technology moving WAY faster than the battery charging infrastructure required to support that change tho eh? Well here on Planet Earth anyways

not least the large increase in electricity supply required.

 

[Audax]

Whilst I don't have an EV loads of the lamp posts in my part of Hove had car chargers built onto them (guessing as it is all terraces and no one has a driveway to charge in). Only part I find odd is the spaces by the charging points aren't specifically for EVs but any car can park there.

They've done this in London as well. When I was up there in my Zoe, it was very apparent that a) there were a lot of EVs on the road, b) a lot of charging points, with plenty of them not currently (*ahem) occupied, and c) lots of lamp posts with charging infrastructure added, enabling residents to charge while using standard on-street parking.

As the uptake of EVs accelerates, so will the roll out of charging infrastructure.

Have to admit to smiling to myself quietly during the fuel panic buying, knowing I could quite happily carry on without ever needing to go near a fuel pump.

 

[Commander]

Car technology moving WAY faster than the battery charging infrastructure required to support that change tho eh? Well here on Planet Earth anyways

So what's your solution?

 

[m@goo]

So what's your solution?

Knew this would happen

 

[m@goo]

not least the large increase in electricity supply required.

Then we must increase renewable energy yes? Not stop buying EVs.

 

[Live by the sea]

Nope, you're going to have to explain that one.



And definitely a no no - why would anybody purposely use one of the most polluting vehicles around ?

The electric car I was in stopped after about 10 miles , the owner a friend , didn’t know why but it was a big pain . We had to get towed to a charging point !

The remark about a 4x4 was tongue in cheek …

 

[Audax]

not least the large increase in electricity supply required.

There's been a bit of talk that EVs could actually end up being beneficial to the network. If they're charged smartly, then they can be drawing power during low-use periods. There's also talk of allowing the grid to draw power *out* of an EV that's parked and unused. The tech to support that is already in place. For example, the home charger I have allows me to tell it when I need my car to have a full charge and it will then automatically make decisions about when and how to charge - from solar only, or topping up from the grid. When I switch to Octopus next year it'll also be able to decide to pull power when prices are best suited etc. It would be relatively trivial for the programming to be updated to allow for a two-way flow as well, where it would only draw from the car if it made sense and didn't compromise my "I need full charge at blah time" setting.

 

[pb21]

Then we must increase renewable energy yes? Not stop buying EVs.

Lots of new battery storage facilities in the pipeline too.