Cobham M25 services for EV charging

[Loveclose]

A very good afternoon to everyone.
Just after a bit of general advice - but if anyone has specific experience of the Cobham M25 services just past the A3 intersection towards Gatwick, do let me know!!!

Having had my MG4 (first EV) for over a month now, I'm flexing the muscles and doing a longer journey of 215 odd miles to Basildon from Andover. I have not doubt that I will get there in one go without a charge (108 miles), but given my winter range, I might just need a top up on the way back. I've not yet had anything greater than a 215 miles range at around 90% , so am bumping the charge up overnight, and we'll see how it goes.
Now, Zapmap is my friend, and it tells me that there are two sets of EV chargers. One set of three that provides 50kw charging. There is a second set of 18 chargers by Ionity that provide 350kw fast charging.
Now the 50kw chargers (it says) have contactless capability - by that I'm hoping that it means payment by credit card.
The Ionity ones state that payment is by Allstar RFID.
Now I've checked out the Allstar card - I won't get one by tomorrow if I want one, but it does seem to suit regular driving businesses as a payment card rather than one for Joe Public.
So my questions are:
1) Am I correct in assuming the 50kw chargers can be paid for by credit card?
2) Is there any way of paying for the fast 350 chargers without an Allstar card?
3) I read in the comments that there is a paystation for the Ionity Chargers - is this the case?

Any help greatly appreciated.....
Especially as my next long trip is to Harrogate.......where there may be some non-Telsar charging stations by Tesla......

 

[webhiker]

A very good afternoon to everyone.
Just after a bit of general advice - but if anyone has specific experience of the Cobham M25 services just past the A3 intersection towards Gatwick, do let me know!!!

Having had my MG4 (first EV) for over a month now, I'm flexing the muscles and doing a longer journey of 215 odd miles to Basildon from Andover. I have not doubt that I will get there in one go without a charge (108 miles), but given my winter range, I might just need a top up on the way back. I've not yet had anything greater than a 215 miles range at around 90% , so am bumping the charge up overnight, and we'll see how it goes.
Now, Zapmap is my friend, and it tells me that there are two sets of EV chargers. One set of three that provides 50kw charging. There is a second set of 18 chargers by Ionity that provide 350kw fast charging.
Now the 50kw chargers (it says) have contactless capability - by that I'm hoping that it means payment by credit card.
The Ionity ones state that payment is by Allstar RFID.
Now I've checked out the Allstar card - I won't get one by tomorrow if I want one, but it does seem to suit regular driving businesses as a payment card rather than one for Joe Public.
So my questions are:
1) Am I correct in assuming the 50kw chargers can be paid for by credit card?
2) Is there any way of paying for the fast 350 chargers without an Allstar card?
3) I read in the comments that there is a paystation for the Ionity Chargers - is this the case?

Any help greatly appreciated.....
Especially as my next long trip is to Harrogate.......where there may be some non-Telsar charging stations by Tesla......

I'm afraid I can't comment on the specific charge station. But I usually charge Ionity via their app, which means by credit card.
I have no information if that is any different in the UK. I'm in EU

 

[siteguru]

1) You can't be certain that any charger will accept contactless payments, but if Zap Map says they will then it is probable.

2) In my experience Ionity chargers tend to accept contactless. They also usually accept the Electroverse card, but as said above will almost certainly work via the Ionity app.

3) No idea - I've never heard of that methodology in respect of chargers.

 

[Loveclose]

I'm afraid I can't comment on the specific charge station. But I usually charge Ionity via their app, which means by credit card.
I have no information if that is any different in the UK. I'm in EU

Thank you for this....
I have now just downloaded the Ionity App on my phone.
I have already seen the Cobham station and the 18 chargers online.
In your experience, have you pre-entered a credit card, or do you enter the details after charging and authorise? I've seen the credit card page, but don't want to enter any details unnecessarily.....

Thank you once again.

 

[Loveclose]

1) You can't be certain that any charger will accept contactless payments, but if Zap Map says they will then it is probable.

2) In my experience Ionity chargers tend to accept contactless. They also usually accept the Electroverse card, but as said above will almost certainly work via the Ionity app.

3) No idea - I've never heard of that methodology in respect of chargers.

Thank you for this - I shall be dropping by on my outward journey to have a little nosey around, as they say. I have downloaded the Ionity app, but contactless feels a lot easier....
Having said that, the Ionity app seemed fairly straightforward just now.

Thanks again.

 

[siteguru]

Just add a payment method to the app and you're good to go.

 

[webhiker]

Thank you for this....
I have now just downloaded the Ionity App on my phone.
I have already seen the Cobham station and the 18 chargers online.
In your experience, have you pre-entered a credit card, or do you enter the details after charging and authorise? I've seen the credit card page, but don't want to enter any details unnecessarily.....

Thank you once again.

I trust the VAG company behind Ionity (actually I trust most charger networks), thus I have entered my credit card details, as it makes my life so much easier.

As a little side story on Ionity. About +1 year ago I launched a service ticket with them about a minor issue with my account (I couldn't see past history). They have been coming back to me with solution or attempts, and finally the day before yesterday they came back with root cause. I am impressed of their tenacity, as actually they could just have said "sod that, it's just one customer"

 

[Nibloprice]

Also, remember that you dont have to use motorway services stations to charge up. They are often quite busy and with no way to queue it can be a stressful process. Although with 18 you'd think you'd be fine. But places with lots of chargers also entices all the EVs to go there too. I've been through Exter services whre there are around 20 chargers, and on a Friday moving day, they've often all been taken!

There are lots of rapid chargers within a mile or two of various motorway junctions so keep options open would look out for those. In my 4 years of MG EV experience most chargers now take contactless.

I have the Electroverse card, shell recharge and the chargemap (great for europe) cards, but generally only every use contactless.

 

[Rolfe]

My first shot with Ionity was a disaster as I couldn't get the app to work, possibly because my phone was trying to die. Also my Shell Recharge card didn't work because I didn't know I had to get it activated after receiving it. However the helpline girl started the charge for me and in the end I was not billed for it.

Later I used the Shell Recharge card with no trouble, and I also have an Electroverse one that should work. It should have been possible on my phone though, but then when it wasn't they were not going to leave me stranded.

 

[Loveclose]

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice - I'll let you know how I get on. I suspect I'll have to do at least one charge away from home over the next two days. Bang goes the 1.8p per mile I get at home.....!!

 

[Adam C]

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice - I'll let you know how I get on. I suspect I'll have to do at least one charge away from home over the next two days. Bang goes the 1.8p per mile I get at home.....!!

If you come across a Mer charger it is worth having the app on your phone.

I’ve only used Mer here where I am and mostly its ok just using my debit card/contactless but once it did give me a message saying “Payment Method Not Accepted” loaded the Mer app & payment went through.

 

[dsimpkins]

@Loveclose On a long journey such as you're planning you should hopefully find your range improves as longer journeys in winter are much more energy efficient than short local journeys. Although not as good as summer, I was able to get 3.3 - 3.6 miles/kWh in winter, as opposed to 3.7 - 4.0 kWh in summer.

I will caveat that it does depend on how heavy your right foot is

 

[Loveclose]

I have a feeling my right foot will be somewhat light tomorrow!!!
However, I'm determined to keep to motorway speed on the A303/M3/M25 which isn't the best fit kwh/mile so I'm told!

 

[fnegroni]

I spent most of the past week on that section of the m25, covering several hundred miles, and it’s hardly worth going faster than 60 mph.
In particular, when they say ‘congestion ahead’ and everyone insists on going at 70mph and I’m doing the 50 mph speed limit and every single car and van that overtook me I caught up with before the next junction, it really makes hardly any sense.
Occasional 70mph to swiftly move past slower moving traffic without losing momentum makes sense, but once you get stuck between cars and vans doing just about the same speed but insisting on overtaking each other and causing phantom traffic jams, you might as well desist and go with the flow

 

[Tight Git]

Ionity can be very busy - no idea what the one you are going to will be like but most of them at peak times you will have to wait.

For your Harrogate trip there is a Tesla open to all site which are normally reliable and reasonably cheap.

 

[STG]

@Loveclose On a long journey such as you're planning you should hopefully find your range improves as longer journeys in winter are much more energy efficient than short local journeys. Although not as good as summer, I was able to get 3.3 - 3.6 miles/kWh in winter, as opposed to 3.7 - 4.0 kWh in summer.

I will caveat that it does depend on how heavy your right foot is

That's pretty good, I have not been able to get above 3 miles/kWh though mostly 2.2 to 2.6 miles/kWh however there are lots of hills where I live and not been able to get out onto the open roads yet but doing a longish drive on Friday where most is either motorway for dual carriageway. Hope I can match your 3.3-3.6 miles/kWh

 

[Rolfe]

I'm planning on going to the Cobham Ionitys as my third charge on my way to Brighton. If all goes according to plan I'll be there around six o'clock. This is a Bad Time, isn't it.

 

[fnegroni]

I'm planning on going to the Cobham Ionitys as my third charge on my way to Brighton. If all goes according to plan I'll be there around six o'clock. This is a Bad Time, isn't it.

There are 18 Ionity and 14 gridserve and 2 Applegreen. I would hope even if you decided to wait you wouldn’t have to wait long. And there’s 8 Tesla near Dorking. And the Gatwick GRIDSERVE isn’t too far down.

 

[Loveclose]

Just love this forum - nothing but great advice and help when asked for.
Thanks everyone!

 

[Rolfe]

There are 18 Ionity and 14 gridserve and 2 Applegreen. I would hope even if you decided to wait you wouldn’t have to wait long. And there’s 8 Tesla near Dorking. And the Gatwick GRIDSERVE isn’t too far down.

I'm not going down the A24. Used to live on it, but it's not the best way to Brighton. I can't get as far as Gatwick or Pease Pottage, I don't think. According to ABRP I'll be rolling into Cobham on 11%. I'll just wait for a space.