Charging across Europe

[EVsince2016]

I've noticed that charger availability on my route has doubled since my last trip. More chargers at each services, at supermarkets and in isolated places.

Even the France-Spain border gap seems to have better availability developing.

 

[EVsince2016]

I passed 100k on EVs this week!

Just replacing my rear tyres before my next adventure, 39k on them, inner wear to minimum and some side wall cracking, that's it.

Not long for my next trip. What do people want to me to report about on this years trip? Charging, costs, efficiency etc? Anything you want me to try out?

 

[Gomev]

I passed 100k on EVs this week!

Just replacing my rear tyres before my next adventure, 39k on them, inner wear to minimum and some side wall cracking, that's it.

Not long for my next trip. What do people want to me to report about on this years trip? Charging, costs, efficiency etc? Anything you want me to try out?

Are you planning charging stops or winging it like you would in an ICEv ?

 

[EVsince2016]

I'd say that I'm in a hybrid state now.

Across France planning is not required, but if I want to take advantage of the cheaper Tesla chargers it is a bit.

Across Spain into Portugal, I know where the chargers are & prefer Zunder as it is the cheapest / best. A bit of planning is still required.

In Portugal, I have no stay charging so it's find a local charger & try out the McD chargers that failed me in 2022.

Winging it now does work, and I do a bit but charging costs vary by up to 40p/kwh, so that's big. Also activating a charger has very different prices on each card / app.

So, planning is now more about cost than charging. It does mean that I can be a bit more daring on charging options.

 

[Archev]

I passed 100k on EVs this week!

Just replacing my rear tyres before my next adventure, 39k on them, inner wear to minimum and some side wall cracking, that's it.

Not long for my next trip. What do people want to me to report about on this years trip? Charging, costs, efficiency etc? Anything you want me to try out?

Yep, all of the above, you report it we’re all here ready to read your stories. Always good to hear how other folks are faring out in ev land.

 

[Gomev]

I'd say that I'm in a hybrid state now.

Across France planning is not required, but if I want to take advantage of the cheaper Tesla chargers it is a bit.

Across Spain into Portugal, I know where the chargers are & prefer Zunder as it is the cheapest / best. A bit of planning is still required.

In Portugal, I have no stay charging so it's find a local charger & try out the McD chargers that failed me in 2022.

Winging it now does work, and I do a bit but charging costs vary by up to 40p/kwh, so that's big. Also activating a charger has very different prices on each card / app.

So, planning is now more about cost than charging. It does mean that I can be a bit more daring on charging options.

That will be interesting to read, the cost versus convenience choices. Charging has certainly come along in the last few years.
I'm sure you and others will have seen these but MrEV, Andrew Till does regular road trips to Italy and back and last year did the journey in an e-Niro with no planning at all. His videos are long but enjoyable for the whole content not just the EV stuff.

 

[EVsince2016]

Yes I did watch these and yes they are enjoyable to watch, lovely family.

I find his charging process & planning frustrating. I guess at least he has reduced charging up to 100% at rapids!

When I plan, I simply have a list of chargers on route that I could use with a high level plan, that I can change. My spreadsheet has priority chargers highlighted and last resort chargers in red. This is important in Spain and off motorways in the more rural areas.

When I wing it, I just check the route to make sure there's enough options not to plan. So on French, Portuguese & Swiss auto routes I can wing it.

Example - Stage 1 to France. I will charge at Eurotunnel & if not available can use chargers in Calais. I will then need to find 1 rapid as I'm going on rural roads. I have found the local rapids near my stay and a close by fast charger which is cheaper.

Stage 2 is on autoroute with plenty of rapids. Get me to southern France. May check for Tesla chargers for lower costs.

Stage 3 - across Spain, find the Zunder chargers, apparently there's more now so easier. Portugal, it's my regulars. At stay, it's find suitable fast chargers.