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Charging Woes

DK1083

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Location
Gloucestershire
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MG5
Just completed our first longish trip in our MG5 Exclusive. Around 400 miles in total from Gloucestershire to Sussex.
Found the charging infrastructure woefully lacking. Very few rapid chargers actually working but plenty of 7.4kwh which were but of little use when on a long journey.
One rapid we found that was working, an InstaVolt was 66pkwh and I worked out that the cost was very nearly the same as it would have been to put the same amount of range on my old ICE diesel..!
I did have a free Bonnet charge that I tried to take advantage of but the only charger I found under their umbrella was an Osprey and you guessed it - it wasn’t working!
Thinking of going back to ICE for long journeys and the EV for local trips for which I can charge at home!
Things can only get better!
 
You will soon get used to rapid charging on long trips. It takes a bit of getting used to but it is a dream now compared to 3 years ago. As Alb implies, it does take a bit of planning for your first few trips.
 
As a matter of interest, to what degree did you plan ahead?
We’re new to EV’ing but I did download numerous apps in addition to Zap Map and had a good idea of where we would find charge points. Whether or not they were working when we got to them was another matter unfortunately.
 
The other key is to calculate the average cost including the 250 ish miles at low cost that you started with - only about 150 miles should have been at the higher cost.
I accept that overall it is cheaper but it’s the reliability of the infrastructure I’m more concerned with.
 
I accept that overall it is cheaper but it’s the reliability of the infrastructure I’m more concerned with.
You will soon learn where the reliable chargers are, and where they are in clusters. For example, within 1 mile of Cribbs Causeway (Bristol) there are 18 CCS chargers. If your favourite does not work or is busy, there is always another one just around the corner.
 
You will soon learn where the reliable chargers are, and where they are in clusters. For example, within 1 mile of Cribbs Causeway (Bristol) there are 18 CCS chargers. If your favourite does not work or is busy, there is always another one just around the corner.
Our problem was that we were away for a few days in an area we didn’t know so were reliant on the apps.
 
We’re new to EV’ing but I did download numerous apps in addition to Zap Map and had a good idea of where we would find charge points. Whether or not they were working when we got to them was another matter unfortunately.

Usually if you tap or click on a charger on Zapmap or Plugshare it will tell you if the charger is working and if it's in use or not.
 
Usually if you tap or click on a charger on Zapmap or Plugshare it will tell you if the charger is working and if it's in use or not.
I think that’s the idea but they aren’t always updated as I found out with two of the rapids I tried.
Another failed to connect on my car but another user came along and tried it in his and after several attempts it worked.
Unfortunately, the whole system is unreliable but as I said in my post: things can only get better!
 
Do you have the podpoint app?
I know it restricts you more relying on 1 network, however at 28ppkwh it works out as good as it gets.
Plus if you don't have the constraint of only charging at a busy time then you stand a better chance of an available charger.
As my previous 12yr old diesel did 30mpg at best around town then charger prices would need to be £1.20 ish to make it dearer.
Obvs 60mpg would drop that to 60ppkwh.

I used an instavolt charger last night on a return leg from Liverpool, so easy and got 47kw from a 50kw charger.
 
Do you have the podpoint app?
I know it restricts you more relying on 1 network, however at 28ppkwh it works out as good as it gets.
Plus if you don't have the constraint of only charging at a busy time then you stand a better chance of an available charger.
As my previous 12yr old diesel did 30mpg at best around town then charger prices would need to be £1.20 ish to make it dearer.
Obvs 60mpg would drop that to 60ppkwh.

I used an instavolt charger last night on a return leg from Liverpool, so easy and got 47kw from a 50kw charger.
Yes I have it. I found 1Pod Point rapid which wouldn’t work. I found an InstaVolt which worked at 66p kWh.
 
Just completed our first longish trip in our MG5 Exclusive. Around 400 miles in total from Gloucestershire to Sussex.
Found the charging infrastructure woefully lacking. Very few rapid chargers actually working but plenty of 7.4kwh which were but of little use when on a long journey.
One rapid we found that was working, an InstaVolt was 66pkwh and I worked out that the cost was very nearly the same as it would have been to put the same amount of range on my old ICE diesel..!
I did have a free Bonnet charge that I tried to take advantage of but the only charger I found under their umbrella was an Osprey and you guessed it - it wasn’t working!
Thinking of going back to ICE for long journeys and the EV for local trips for which I can charge at home!
Things can only get better!
You seem to have had a bad experience, don't let it put you off. Your next long trip and stay away will probably be completely different.
My first long trip was from Leeds was to North Norfolk and I overplanned worrying like mad, especially as I had the Gen1 ZS EV with only a real range of about 140 miles and everyone said, and it was true that Norfolk was a charger desert. As it turned out I managed quite easily by charging whenever I could, more times than I actually needed to and only got really low once.
I have since done long trips and stays covering N. Wales, midlands, London, south coast twice (Brighton and Southampton) all without concern planning the journey to stop and make sure I have a highish SOC on arrival at destination, (opposite of what most app planners work to) which gives me time to find local chargers.
 
You seem to have had a bad experience, don't let it put you off. Your next long trip and stay away will probably be completely different.
My first long trip was from Leeds was to North Norfolk and I overplanned worrying like mad, especially as I had the Gen1 ZS EV with only a real range of about 140 miles and everyone said, and it was true that Norfolk was a charger desert. As it turned out I managed quite easily by charging whenever I could, more times than I actually needed to and only got really low once.
I have since done long trips and stays covering N. Wales, midlands, London, south coast twice (Brighton and Southampton) all without concern planning the journey to stop and make sure I have a highish SOC on arrival at destination, (opposite of what most app planners work to) which gives me time to find local chargers.
Thanks for the encouragement! It wasn’t so much the lack of charge points, although a few more rapids would have been useful, more the fact that they weren’t working!
When I tried to use the Osprey charger to take advantage of Bonnets free first charge, it wasn’t working and the one next to it was also giving problems causing the chap trying to use it to call the help centre.
We eventually found a BP Pulse at Goodwood Hotel which was excellent!
As I said, it can only get better! Thanks for the advice..
 
I think that’s the idea but they aren’t always updated as I found out with two of the rapids I tried.
Another failed to connect on my car but another user came along and tried it in his and after several attempts it worked.
Unfortunately, the whole system is unreliable but as I said in my post: things can only get better!

Come to Scotland, one (major) all encompassing network, one rfid card/app and the app is accurate. :)
 
I spent a month in Scotland in our motorhome in March and April and loved it. Unfortunately, it was our last motorhome holiday as we decided the time had come to sell it! Not sure when / if we might be able to return!
 
Once you have changed your mind set, learnt the ropes it becomes quite easy. The learning curve can be steep but not as bad as in 2016 when I started, everywhere was a desert!

Foe me Spain is my steep learning curve, getting there! 2 return trips, trip 1 out was hell, trip 2 return tricky, trip 3 out fine, one local issue, trip 4 back one big issue. Troubles always in the same area!
 
We’re new to EV’ing but I did download numerous apps in addition to Zap Map and had a good idea of where we would find charge points. Whether or not they were working when we got to them was another matter unfortunately.
I reckon that hits the nail absolutely on the head 😕😧😤😭
 
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