Can there ever be enough DC chargers?

[Gomev]

It's going to be a long time before that happens though. The cars we have now are going to be around for a fair few years yet. Maybe a lot of them will be bought by people who only want to do local drives, or as second cars, but some will always want to go out on the road.

And chargers have a lifespan too. If usage declines because range increases, they'll just decomission old charger sites rather than upgrading them with new devices.

600 mile range EVs will happen soon, possibly even starting next year but I reckon definitely by 2025. You are quite right there will be plenty of EVs with lower range still, probably the vast majority even way into the future as the diehard fossil burners eventually finally admit they don't actually need 600 miles in the tank.
But yes they will decommission charging station if not needed, hence demonstrating that there can be enough DC chargers

 

[Tommy]

Interesting thought, how many petrol stations were there when ICEs first came to the market?

1885: The Benz Patent-Motorwagen - often considered to be the first automobile - is built.
1888: The first known filling station in the city pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany.

 

[Rolfe]

Back when the first ICE cars were made, I suspect had they had the internet you'd have had threads reading very similar to this... and 'big horse' naysaying the new technology...

I was thinking the same thing myself.

You missed a trick by the way. Neigh-saying.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Hah, yes! I'm just wondering about the sheer amount of redundancy that might need to be built in so that the infrastructure can cope with peak surges that are likely to be an order of magniture different from the peak surges that hit petrol stations. And even they get overwhelmed sometimes.

Still, next time there's a tanker drivers' strike or a petrol shortage, how smug will we be?

I think I remember correctly? A few years ago there was a solar flare which took out a large part of the electricity grid in Canada for a number of days until the damage was repaired. We should be careful with the smugness nature has a way of restoring balance , and then think of all those youtube warriors gloating at us .

 

[Rolfe]

I think I remember correctly? A few years ago there was a solar flare which took out a large part of the electricity grid in Canada for a number of days until the damage was repaired. We should be careful with the smugness nature has a way of restoring balance , and then think of all those youtube warriors gloating at us .

Oh, sure. But we can dream occasionally!

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Oh, sure. But we can dream occasionally!

Absolutely agree, I think your scenario is more likely than mine , but who knows whats around the next corner?

 

[Tommy]

I think I remember correctly? A few years ago there was a solar flare which took out a large part of the electricity grid in Canada for a number of days until the damage was repaired. We should be careful with the smugness nature has a way of restoring balance , and then think of all those youtube warriors gloating at us .

If the electricity is out you can't pump the fuel, or pay for it ...

 

[OriginalBigAl]

If the electricity is out you can't pump the fuel, or pay for it ...

Tommy, I like the way you are thinking , must admit I missed that one!

 

[Rolfe]

If the electricity is completely out, we have a lot more to worry about than whether our cars will go. However. If the problem is intermittent power outages, which is more common, we should be OK because we can fill the car battery when the power is on.

Then we can use VtL to keep the freezer running, power the lights and the TV and maybe a heater and so on...

EV owners are more likely to have solar and a house battery. While the solar might not help a lot in winter, with a battery there we can smooth over power outages pretty well.

I think we'll cope.

 

[Hairyfool]

Considering almost every company I deal with in the run up to Christmas respond to a request for anything with "not 'till after Christmas" I don't think the grid is that stretched as to be unable to cope with EV charging in that period.

From the Dickensian half day off Christmas day it has grown to 3 or 4 weeks with some people. A cousin wanted to get her Christmas tree set up last weekend.

 

[Rolfe]

I don't think the grid is the problem. I think the distribution network badly needs updating, and motorway and trunk roads in particular need more chargers to cope with peak demand.

 

[FiferMG4]

Would love to see more of these electric charging forecourts around the U.K. Has anyone had the pleasure of using this one? It looks so clean and user-friendly.

 

[Rolfe]

I believe there's one at Norwich where they had the revolutionary idea of having the cars park in parallel, either reversing up to the charger or having their nose to it. I'm told it works better.

There's a Fastned one near where I live, but I've never been in it - beacuse it's near where I live!

 

[FiferMG4]

I believe there's one at Norwich where they had the revolutionary idea of having the cars park in parallel, either reversing up to the charger or having their nose to it. I'm told it works better.

There's a Fastned one near where I live, but I've never been in it - beacuse it's near where I live!

Yes, you’re right. It looks very smart indeed.

 

[siteguru]

It also seems to have a force field around it.

 

[Rolfe]

No, that's just a green X-Power circling the building.

 

[Gomev]

I believe there's one at Norwich where they had the revolutionary idea of having the cars park in parallel, either reversing up to the charger or having their nose to it. I'm told it works better.

There's a Fastned one near where I live, but I've never been in it - beacuse it's near where I live!

Indeed there is one at Norwich and yes they do park nose or rear in. Very good to use. As you approach it you drive past it within spitting distance and then have a half mile drive around the streets to actually get in. Earlier this year on my way to Great Yarmouth.

 

[Rolfe]

That's nice. Here's a screenshot from Google Streetview of one I found on ZapMaps which it's likely I'll be using on Boxing Day. Not so plush as Braintree, but it looks entirely adequate.

 

[Gadget Geek]

The Charge Yard at Slough is a handy little "hub" just off the M4. It has a canopy and a variety of different powered chargers, and there's a Tesco Express and a coffee shop next door.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

Euro Garages (who are now part of Asda) today announced that they're buying a bunch of Tesla v4 Superchargers for installation at their petrol forecourts.
All v4 Superchargers have longer cables, touchscreens & contactless card readers, and can be used by any EV owner.

EG Group to acquire Tesla’s ultra-fast chargers to accelerate the rollout of evpoint charging network across the UK & Europe

www.eg.group

Also, Osprey have announced they plan to install 250 more rapid chargers across the UK by year's end.

Osprey Charging Network on LinkedIn: 🏗 Looking forward to a huge 8 weeks ahead ⚡️ 250 NEW rapid charge points… | 14 comments

🏗 Looking forward to a huge 8 weeks ahead ⚡️ 250 NEW rapid charge points being installed There is no slowing down in the pace of delivery of the Osprey… | 14 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com