Charging across Europe

[EVsince2016]

So my Easter trip 6 in the MG5 or 7th EV trip and about 39th European road trip.

Day 1 was a drive to Reims in France, the home of Champagne.

This time I chose to skip charging at Eurotunnel due to price, using Flexi-plus and EES / border issues and charge in France instead. Travelling on a Monday there were no delays at all, helped I guess by EES not being started yet, whereas the weekend before had delays of up to 3 hours.

This was my 1st charger, a new Izivia unit in Calais, chosen as it was just 28p/kW versus 50p at Eurotunnel. It was in a retail park just off the motorway by a McD, bakery & Route 66. I activated this one using my Electroverse RFID card.

Next was an Ionity unit. Note, I used the basic 50kW unit as the car battery was cold and it's cheaper at 28p/kW. It was at a motorway service station. I activated this one using my Electroverse RFID card.

My last charger was a Tesla unit in Reims, so I was charged for the next day at 41p/kW. It was located at a hotel not far from my stay. I used the Tesla app for this one.

I stayed in the centre of Reims so that I could enjoy the city for the night. Quite a nice city, but there seems to be some anti-British sentiment in this area by people and drivers!

The trip was 289 miles for £26.91.

 

[securespark]

Next year I am driving across France. Another game to learn.

The car is in Lille at the moment. Have not charged yet, currently on 48%. The hotel gave us the address of a local Lidl to try. We are in Brussels. We took a TGV, as parking we were told is a bit of a pig.

 

[EVsince2016]

My day 2 trip was south to Avignon an area of France that was part of Italy until 1791, hence road names being in French & Italian, plus lots of Roman buildings in the area.

My Bip&Go toll tag worked brilliantly on this trip, saving me a lot of time avoiding stopping, in particular on this day going south.

No issues with HGV drivers blockading roads, light traffic and good driving through some stunning scenery.

My 1st charger is considered to be one of the best Tesla chargers in the world. Just off the motorway and wow. 41p/kW activated using the Tesla app. Dozens of chargers, its own facilities, Pizza machine etc and wonderful views.

After this a normal Tesla charger at a Hotel for 41 p/kw on the Tesla app, just off the motorway.

Then a FastNed charger on auto-charge at a services for 46p/kW

Then a new French Zunder off the motorway in an industrial area with no facilities for 48p/kW - just had to try it, on auto-charge.

And finally an Engie unit at motorway services activated by Electroverse RFID for a painful 57p/kW.

En-route, I also stopped off at the Gorge du Nan, one of France's most spectacular balcony roads

Access by a steep narrow road just off the motorway and well worth a deviation

Rue de la Trainière, 38470 Cognin-les-Gorges, France.

You should visit!

510 miles for £58.49

 

[EVsince2016]

So we stayed in Avignon, a wonderful Roman walled city, once the home to the Pope in the Pope's Palace during a period of unrest in Rome. Lots of ancient architecture, a city wall and half a bridge.

We let the MG5 have a rest and took the train instead to visit the Roman city of Nimes, complete with its Colosseum (used to film Gladiator), Temple, Roman fort and water features. The city walls have gone, but so much of the city is Roman. Minimal safety in the Colosseum, but pretty much as built and far more complete than the one in Rome. Wait time to enter = 0 mins, cost low, free to roam anywhere and added value being an international tennis competition going on there being broadcast live. Later this month, full on Roman Gladiator battles are on for a few days

Yes, the Temple is also complete, Roman 1st century

If you want to visit Rome and experience the Colosseum, Temples etc, just go to Nimes, its better.

The next day we went to Arles, another Roman city with a Colosseum, Amphitheatre & various Roman buildings. Not as good, but with a more honest cosy feel and Greek burial chambers (yes ancient Greek as in BC).

Amphitheatre

Greek chamber tunnels with old Roman columns & bits stacked all over the place!

Train there was from the 1970s! Old compartment coaches too.

 

[EVsince2016]

Our next stage was to travel cross country to Grasse, the home of Perfume.

Before leaving Avignon, I used this local supermarket charger from Allegro. I used the Electroverse RFID and it cost 47p/kW. Ideal for a quick shop!

The route was stunning, with traditional tree lined roads, snow capped Alps in view and mile of fields used to grow Lavender, flowers and herbs for perfume. We also found a perfect little village for lunch, complete with old buildings and stunning views across to the Alps.

Just after we left, we used a Tesla charger to get to Grasse, 42 p/kW this time.

I love hairpin bends. We finished the way the on the Route de Napoleon.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

We are around 300km to your NW, if you could chuck some of that blue sky in this direction , much appreciated.

 

[EVsince2016]

So, whilst staying in the south of France, amongst other places I visited Monaco and popped across into Italy for a pizza. That was the only drive I did, the rest I enjoyed train travel.

My Bip&Go worked very well in Italy too. The best was flying past French divers at the Italian toll booths!

In Monaco the parking was full of supercars, I parked between a Bentley and an Aston Martin. I drove part of the race track and go photographed! Well, there are few MG5s in France and no pre-facelifted versions, so a British MG5 stood out like a sore thumb. Car fans everywhere snapping unusual cars on the track and at top hotels.

We had tea / coffee there sitting under £million chandeliers, walking on marble and holding gold handrails, but a meal at over £200 a head was a bit too much, well ridiculously too much especially as you had to pay a £50 a head deposit to walk in the door!

That's why we popped to Italy for a pizza.

Anyone want to know my return trip?

 

[EVsince2016]

Forgot to say, whilst staying in Grasse I found this cheap Izivia unit at McDs. The entrance was very tight & narrow plus the cables were a pain hence the dodgy parking!

28p/kW or 24p/kw= during happy hour. Yes, they had happy hour for cheaper power!

Activated on Electroverse RFID

 

[EVsince2016]

My trip north was all on motorway up to Dijon. We'd run out of mustard at home.

Stop 1 was at an Ionity unit at a service station. Ionity has really gone down hill over time. The first charger I tried had lost comms, the second had issues and I got locked on. Couldn't get it to start or disconnect. Tried the emergency stop and release on the car to no avail, so had to wait a few mins for it to auto-disconnect. Tried backing in to use the front connectors but they wouldn't reach, so had to park across 2 bays. French chap arrived, looked annoyed at my parking, he couldn't get his charger to work. I pointed at each one I tried & said 'non'. He grimaced and worked his away along until he struck lucky.

Also at 47p/kW, a charging rate of 28kW, I was not a happy bunny!

Awful cables too, I think its a new sort of anti-theft addition

My 2nd charger was also Ionity. I chose the bargain basement charger this time. It refused my RFID card so I had to use the app, but 31p/kW was more palatable. Again at a service station but here there were 2 totally separate charging areas. This one by the petrol station, the other up by the main service area. same setup but less busy.

My 3rd was another Ionity, again the basic charger at 31p/kW. This service station had no mobile signal, despite a mast in sight. It refused the RFID, but after changing the language to English and using the menu, was able to find the RFID option. Again 2 separate Ionity setups here.

I finished the day at a Tesla unit that I'd used going south at an Ibis Style hotel. Tesla chargers are so easy via the app. 41p/kW

Bought Dijon Mustard!

 

[EVsince2016]

So, the final leg home to blighty via Eurotunnel.

The weather going north dropped from the 20 something blue sky of the south to cloudy & cool.

I decided to do a Total Energies as stop 1, I like a bit of variety & Ionity had annoyed me so much. Found a typically nice unit, super easy to use and find. Electroverse RFID and 52p/kW, so just the one! There services seem to be a bit better too.

Next was a Powerdot, my 1st outside of the Casino one in Portugal. Chosen as it was just of the motorway near Reims at a large Carrefour, perfect for shopping, you know the usual, wine (at half UK price), Core D'Or, French products etc to fill up the boot! Much cheaper than the UK.

So with my boot full, the UK beckoned!

 

[Archev]

L

My trip north was all on motorway up to Dijon. We'd run out of mustard at home.

Stop 1 was at an Ionity unit at a service station. Ionity has really gone down hill over time. The first charger I tried had lost comms, the second had issues and I got locked on. Couldn't get it to start or disconnect. Tried the emergency stop and release on the car to no avail, so had to wait a few mins for it to auto-disconnect. Tried backing in to use the front connectors but they wouldn't reach, so had to park across 2 bays. French chap arrived, looked annoyed at my parking, he couldn't get his charger to work. I pointed at each one I tried & said 'non'. He grimaced and worked his away along until he struck lucky.

Also at 47p/kW, a charging rate of 28kW, I was not a happy bunny!

View attachment 45412

Awful cables too, I think its a new sort of anti-theft addition

View attachment 45413


My 2nd charger was also Ionity. I chose the bargain basement charger this time. It refused my RFID card so I had to use the app, but 31p/kW was more palatable. Again at a service station but here there were 2 totally separate charging areas. This one by the petrol station, the other up by the main service area. same setup but less busy.


View attachment 45414


My 3rd was another Ionity, again the basic charger at 31p/kW. This service station had no mobile signal, despite a mast in sight. It refused the RFID, but after changing the language to English and using the menu, was able to find the RFID option. Again 2 separate Ionity setups here.


View attachment 45415

I finished the day at a Tesla unit that I'd used going south at an Ibis Style hotel. Tesla chargers are so easy via the app. 41p/kW

View attachment 45416

Bought Dijon Mustard!

a Tesla serving mustard ? That IS a supercharger

 

[EVsince2016]

My penultimate stop was at another Fastned. I just love the simple auto-charge and unmissable canopies! 48p/kW via auto-charge as I have an account. Probably cheaper on Electroverse, maybe?

My last charge was at Eurotunnel Flexiplus on a Tesla unit. As it was the first time I'd arrived there in daylight and without a queue, I could get my first pics there too. 45p/kW via their app, so simple.

Behind are the old Engie units - both broken for some reason and dead, no longer advertised as there.

After 1700 miles across Europe, with no potholes, no traffic jams, good weather, everything working I arrived in the UK.

6 crashes on the M25, 1 hour of traffic jams, cold, dull and tired, so I headed for Clackett Lane just before the jams started. I asked my family if we'd find out 1st pothole, and in front a sign said "uneven road surface", English for pothole ridden road and it was. Of course things were broken, dirty, expensive. I miss France already.

 

[Rolfe]

I would love the Fastned canopies a lot more if they actually kept the rain off.

 

[EVsince2016]

So, to ABRP.

I took out subs before going as it had been upgraded a lot, so how did it go?

On the positive side it planned my route to Reims then Avignon impeccably, great chargers, good prices. I selected preferred chargers, added stops, fixed chargers, avoid chargers etc. It avoided poorly rated chargers, chose those best for my car and the lower prices. Absolute result. Even gives you multiple route & charger options plus ability to swap out chargers.

It is however, rubbish at navigation in a city, so I used Google maps for the last leg each time. I knew that.

For the drive from Avignon to Grasse, with some work it planned a good route for me too, then I finished the route on Google maps. I also used Google maps to go to/from Monaco & Italy and Electroverse to find the charger in Grasse.

On the way back I used it to plan Grasse to Dijon and onto Eurotunnel and again it planed well. It was a disaster in Dijon though, so I needed Google maps.

My return journey did however expose some of its flaws.

If you switch from ABRP to Google maps on Android Auto to check the route, when you switch back its cancelled the route.

If you pre-plan a route from my position, it doesn't update your position if you move and has a hissy fit if you plan away from the parking location.

If you charge to a different %age and update it on the app before plugging it back in, it sometimes ignores your update, then doesn't allow you to correct you actual charge.

After charging to 98% whilst shopping in Reims and it expecting 75%, it would not accept my input and had a strop, sulking from then onwards. I switched to Electroverse + google maps linked navigation.

Also, it sticks to a fixed zoom level preventing you looking around for traffic & routes.

Such a good app & system with just a few very silly flaws!

My conclusion?

Great for route planning and chargers to a degree I no longer bother planning at all but be prepared to switch to Google maps in cities or more complex routes.

 

[EVsince2016]

I would love the Fastned canopies a lot more if they actually kept the rain off.

There was no rain in the south of France, just blue skys.

Just saying . . . . . lol

 

[Rolfe]

Where is the "dislike" button when you need it...?