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Charging Advice - New EV Owner

Theonlydavo

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MG ZS EV
Hi Everyone,

I'm a new EV owner with my Trophy long range I picked up last week. I'm just getting into the 30% charge left range from 100% in the week I've had it.

I was just wondering what the general consensus is do I:

Let I run down to 10% then back to 80% at home.

Or

Just top it up regularly to 80% using free public charging opportunities where available?

Just thinking it terms of battery maintenance vs free charging and just wanted to see how EV veterans go about it.

Apologies if this has been discussed before.

Thanks,

Theonlydavo
 
I think people will have their own preferences based on their use case. If my car ever turns up, I'll likely keep it between 30-70% initially and adjust from there depending on how my mileage goes. I also plan to use any free charging opportunities I come across.

Have a read of these, there are some useful comments there:


 
I go for 80-90% depending on summer or winter, then if I get a charge fail I can still do my commute. I only use my four hour night slot.
If you use the 'granny' then thats a few hours from 10-90%.
 
I go for 80-90% depending on summer or winter, then if I get a charge fail I can still do my commute. I only use my four hour night slot.
If you use the 'granny' then thats a few hours from 10-90%.
When you have a larger pack and are running with a limited "Off Peak" tariff of around 4 hours, then this where having a wall box can really pay off.
A 7 kw wall box will supply you with roughly 25 miles of extra range, for every hour you are on charge.
So, with a 4 hour limited "Off - Peak" tariff, you are only able to grab about 100 miles of extra range, even on a wallbox.
With the much slower "Granny" you are talking less than half of that figure ........... about 45 ( ish ) miles of range ?.
You usage needs to be really low to suit it, or you will charging on multiply "Off Peak" nights ?.
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I have got a wallbox (Zappi V2) installed but currently in a 2 year fix at 18p a unit so haven't been able to look at the cheap overnight charging options yet. Its still around £13 for the full charge so still good value for money.

But it will be something to look at for the future with things the way they are.

Thanks again for all the inputs,

Theonlydavo
 
ABC Always Be Charging. The only reason why we wait with petrol till it gets low is because the wait at petrol station is a pain with EV it isn't a case. Plug your car whenever you can.

Nipping to tesco for 45 shopping? Charge it.

Went for coffee and there is free charger? Plug it.

Etc any time you have access to free charger use it. Battery will be fine
 
ABC Always Be Charging. The only reason why we wait with petrol till it gets low is because the wait at petrol station is a pain with EV it isn't a case. Plug your car whenever you can.

Nipping to tesco for 45 shopping? Charge it.

Went for coffee and there is free charger? Plug it.

Etc any time you have access to free charger use it. Battery will be fine

When EVs had a range of less that 100 miles, ABC was advised. With the new ZS EV having over 250 miles of range this is no longer something to be adhered to - IMHO.

Of course, free charging is always a bonus worth having while you can still find it :)
 
When EVs had a range of less that 100 miles, ABC was advised. With the new ZS EV having over 250 miles of range this is no longer something to be adhered to - IMHO.

Of course, free charging is always a bonus worth having while you can still find it :)
My local super market ( Tesco's ) has a couple of 7 kw Pod Point chargers, that are free to use.
Our weekly shop takes about 30 minutes to complete, I really can not see the point of plugging in here to collect roughly about 12 extra miles of range ( at best ) in that time scale ????.
Yes - It's free, but to be honest is that really that important ???.
Hey - Not for me at least !.
Another free to use single 7 kw Pod point is at our local M&S store.
The two EV bay's are very tight spaces, do I use them ?.
No - Why, because these bays are SO tight, I am likely to collect a few miles of free Ev range, it exchange for a bill to PDR the dents out of my car !.
It appears like false economy to me somehow.
 
Like many things, it's the cumulative effect. For me that trip to Tesco's may only be 12 miles added each week, but over the year it is 100's of miles that I won't have to pay for. Not everyone is/will be on a cheap night rate.
 
Like many things, it's the cumulative effect. For me that trip to Tesco's may only be 12 miles added each week, but over the year it is 100's of miles that I won't have to pay for. Not everyone is/will be on a cheap night rate.
Let’s not kid ourselves folks !.
There is no such thing as a cheap “Off Peak” rate really, that does not mean you will be paying a big increased price on your day rate tariff now !.
The days of cheap energy have now long gone forever.
Tesco’s can offer a bit of free juice in exchange for your dedication to shop in their stores, and in all fairness, not many are offering this FOC service.
Our local ( almost brand new Aldi store ) recently opened with two ( free to use ) 7 kw posts.
Why is nobody using them at the moment ?.
Because the store has switched them OFF !.
One because of the cost to the store and secondly, it appears that Aldi do not directly own the car park, itself !.
It is overseen by one of these private companies who are likely to automatically issue tickets for customers who overstay there welcome, regardless if they are doing their shopping in store or not !.
Some customers of the store, have received fines for over staying their welcome, while waiting for a slot, to charge up their EV’s !.
The store has been taking a lot of flack from EV store customers, who have been shaking a fine demand for £100 ( but if you are a good boy and pay in two weeks, they reduce the fine to £60) at the store manager.
So, as a result the brand new chargers have been disabled and hooded !.
What a complete waste of time and money installing these units.
You have got to love progress !.
 
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This is something I'm going to miss as and when my MG arrives. My Zoe ZE 40 can charge at 22kW on the Tesla destination chargers at a nearby shopping center, 3x faster than most EVs can charge on AC. Nearly all shopping trips mean we leave with a full "tank" :cool:

Of course, rapid DC charging on the MG is going to be a great bonus (as long as it doesn't brick the car!)
 
This is something I'm going to miss as and when my MG arrives. My Zoe ZE 40 can charge at 22kW on the Tesla destination chargers at a nearby shopping center, 3x faster than most EVs can charge on AC. Nearly all shopping trips mean we leave with a full "tank" :cool:

Of course, rapid DC charging on the MG is going to be a great bonus (as long as it doesn't brick the car!)
Just don't go over 90% on a Rapid
 
My car is due to me in November (fingers crossed )
I'm having a home charger fitted but am on British gas's standard electricity rate of 29 pence per kWh.
I travel 54 miles per day commuting into East London along the A13 with a mix of Dual carriage way driving at around 50mph and stop start traffic for the last 6 or 7 miles.
So should still be better off compared to my ICE Seat Arona (I hope)
Is it still worth shopping around ?
 
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When EVs had a range of less that 100 miles, ABC was advised. With the new ZS EV having over 250 miles of range this is no longer something to be adhered to - IMHO.

Of course, free charging is always a bonus worth having while you can still find it :)
I still charge every day when the sun is out, because of the solar panels.

But it is nice to know that i can do back and forth to work for a whole week, and still have 50% battery left, down from 80%, and if it is then a sunny saturday or sunday, i can recharge it to 80% in one day at the "slow charger".

But today is a sunny day, so i have it charging, to recharge the power i used to go to work today, because sometimes the weekend is cloudy :)
 
My car is due to me in November (fingers crossed )
I'm having a home charger fitted but am on British gas's standard electricity rate of 29 pence per KW/hr
I travel 54 miles per day commuting into East London along the A13 with a mix of Dual carriage way driving at around 50mph and stop start traffic for the last 6 or 7 miles.
So should still be better off compared to my ICE Seat Arona (I hope)
Is it still worth shopping around ?
Yes

My octopus go is currently 5p per kWh between 12.30 & 4.30 (and I run the dishwasher, washing machine, tumble drier, breadmaking machine and all and sundry as well). this gives me 28 kWh for approx £1.40 (about 100 miles for my 30kw leaf, (waiting for my MG). This is due to go up a bit I think once my deal ends (7.5p approx). So should cover your journey.
Better still if you have a Tesco near your work, in which case it will cost you even less... Every little helps :).
 
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My car is due to me in November (fingers crossed )
I'm having a home charger fitted but am on British gas's standard electricity rate of 29 pence per KWh
I travel 54 miles per day commuting into East London along the A13 with a mix of Dual carriage way driving at around 50mph and stop start traffic for the last 6 or 7 miles.
So should still be better off compared to my ICE Seat Arona (I hope)
Is it still worth shopping around ?
I would defiantly have a look at overnight tariffs.

Do you have solar or might get it in the future then consider the Zappi for your EVSE
 
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