Charging in Edinburgh

[smokie]

I'm coming up for the first week of the Fringe next month. Staying more or less right on the Royal Mile, but down the "far end" such that I can avail myself of the reserved parking at our apartment.

So I would like to leave Edinburgh with 100% charge, and I'm not going to do that by hanging leads from my window to the car.

Can any of you local folk recommend the most reliable charger preferably within walking distance please, for me to leave it on an extended overnight one night (probably for nearly 10 hours as I'm planning to arrive with a fairly empty tank).

There seem to be loads in St James Square but that's a bit of a hilly trot IIRC. The absolute closest appears to be at Our Dynamic Earth, plus there's a few at Waverley Station. What I don't want really is one in a car park where I have to pay the parking fee as well, unless it's free overnight!

Ta!

 

[biffo]

Can’t advise really as I’m based in the West, but assuming you’re coming up the A1, would it be worth rapid charging at one of the Park & Ride areas on the bypass? Is ChargePlace Scotland still free in Edinburgh?

 

[jamesie]

CPS is now chargeable in Edinburgh.

Can't help with the OPs question. Only ever rapid charged in Edinburgh.

 

[smokie]

As I'm doing an overnight stop near Warrington (leaving with 80%) I'm likely to be coming up the A74 then Google tells me (at the moment) to take the A702 to save 4 minutes over the fairly parallel A701.

I'd thought a top up (maybe more of a splash and dash) at Gretna should save me from any range anxiety from my passengers, especially as I prefer to be "making progress" over eking out the range.

Having now had a scout round websites etc - while the Dynamic Earth ones are free it would cost me for the car park, which would be up to £21 for overnight! They also need a CPS card which would be another tenner (due to low signal area). There are 40+ in a car park at St James Sq with limited/no signal but it looks like I'd have to pay the parking too (and experiences reported on ZapMap are varied).

So I suppose I oughtn't be surprised but there appear to be no/very few public chargers near the centre which are not inside paid car parks. Maybe Biffo's plan to rapid charge to 80% somewhere as close as I can to my destination then do the last 20% (is that about 3 hours?) in a fast car park in the centre.

Thanks for the tips so far

 

[Gomev]

As I'm doing an overnight stop near Warrington (leaving with 80%) I'm likely to be coming up the A74 then Google tells me (at the moment) to take the A702 to save 4 minutes over the fairly parallel A701.

I'd thought a top up (maybe more of a splash and dash) at Gretna should save me from any range anxiety from my passengers, especially as I prefer to be "making progress" over eking out the range.

Having now had a scout round websites etc - while the Dynamic Earth ones are free it would cost me for the car park, which would be up to £21 for overnight! They also need a CPS card which would be another tenner (due to low signal area). There are 40+ in a car park at St James Sq with limited/no signal but it looks like I'd have to pay the parking too (and experiences reported on ZapMap are varied).

So I suppose I oughtn't be surprised but there appear to be no/very few public chargers near the centre which are not inside paid car parks. Maybe Biffo's plan to rapid charge to 80% somewhere as close as I can to my destination then do the last 20% (is that about 3 hours?) in a fast car park in the centre.

Thanks for the tips so far

...or do your top up close as you want to Edinburgh on the way up, forget about charging during your stay and then top up again when you have left on your way home.
So long as you can get to a rapid either side of your stay all should be well.

 

[jamesie]

A701 there is an IKEA store with a 50kW Gridserve charger just before the Edinburgh bypass.

 

[5teep]

The guys above have mentioned Charge Place Scotland look them up and sign up. An rfid card costs £10 (for life I think) and you get access to most chargers in Scotland on that one card.

 

[Jomarkh]

Sorry to drag this thread back up but I wanted to Know if the RFID card is for life?
It is now £12 but I have read that it worth having rather then relying on the app in a bad signal area.
We are planning a trip to Arran, Islay and Mull in the summer and don't want to get caught out.

 

[jamesie]

Sorry to drag this thread back up but I wanted to Know if the RFID card is for life?
It is now £12 but I have read that it worth having rather then relying on the app in a bad signal area.
We are planning a trip to Arran, Islay and Mull in the summer and don't want to get caught out.

Had mine for nearly 3 years, still works fine, and I am not aware it needs replacing at any point.

Easy to use and probably required for those areas you are travelling to.

 

[5teep]

Sorry to drag this thread back up but I wanted to Know if the RFID card is for life?
It is now £12 but I have read that it worth having rather then relying on the app in a bad signal area.
We are planning a trip to Arran, Islay and Mull in the summer and don't want to get caught out.

The app now has a webpay option, if you don't have a working rfid card you can use use this on any Chargeplace Scotland charger. Get the app, link your bank account or payment method to the app and follow the instructions.
You will need a phone signal of course...

 

[Rolfe]

A few days ago I saw a big silver car with DK plates charging at our village charge point, and knowing that I was going to take delivery of my MG4 today, I sauntered over for a look. (I've not had an EV before.) The driver was Scottish but indicated that he lived in Denmark. He said he had driven between Denmark and central Scotland in the car several times and had no issues with charging.

I saw him pay contactless by debit card, but he told me that I should get a ChargePlace Scotland card (which he himself wasn't eligible for because he didn't live in Scotland), and this would give me reduced fees at these charging stations. Having just looked this up I'm confused, because I don't think the deal can be what it seems to be on my reading of the web site. I was looking for details of what the reduced cost was for card-holders but could find nothing but this.

They appear to be saying that the majority of charging points are FREE to cardholders (or people with the app). That's well beyond "what's the catch?" and into fantasy-land. I must be reading it wrong. Do they mean that you don't have to pay with your bank card at the time but the cost will be debited to your account? That's a strange use of "charge your EV for free", but I simply cannot believe that this facility gives me free charging.

Anybody know the truth of this? The Denmark guy said there was a price reduction, but if so, why aren't they advertising what the reduced price is? If there's no price reduction then what's the advantage to having the card as opposed to using a debit card?

 

[Archev]

No, the CPS card just gives access to charging. The cost is added to your account for monthly payment by direct debit.
Charging was free at most places until earlier this year but the vast majority are now as above.

 

[Rolfe]

I thought there had to be a catch. So that web page just hasn't been updated? No actual reduction for having the app or the card?

 

[jamesie]

I thought there had to be a catch. So that web page just hasn't been updated? No actual reduction for having the app or the card?

No reduction. The price you pay is determined by the charger owner (mostly local authorities). No discount dependent on use of app or rfid. CPS just does the admin for the owners.

 

[Rolfe]

Oh well. I didn't believe it in the first place. They need to update their web page though.