Cobham M25 services for EV charging

[akendall1966]

FYI I charged at Cobham Sunday before last on the gridserve chargers an paid with Mastercard credit card. Electroverse didn't work but never has for me. Think I was on the 150kw charger. It was early Sunday so only one other charging. Got a peak of 70kw on my mg5 LR.

 

[Loveclose]

Blog the first....
Andover to Cobham services: 56.7m
Average: 3.4m/kwhr after reset at home.
Battery at 76%....no point in charging!!

24% battery use for nearly 57m.
Range went from inflated 270miles and its currently on 188m.

Intermittent wipers on regularly, as are lights.
Road is wet.
Speed constant 70 until M25, then A3 jam...TJA employed until cleared.

Happy days so far.

 

[KH11]

I have had no problem using the Electroverse Card on my way back from Scotland calling at the IONITY chargers just off the M6 at Carlisle and even got it cheaper than using Ionity’s app.

The card when I got it was good to go and activated when I received it and I have used it on some MFG chargers near me when I was practising using chargers prior to the trip up Scotland and got a discount there too.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

FYI I charged at Cobham Sunday before last on the gridserve chargers an paid with Mastercard credit card. Electroverse didn't work but never has for me. Think I was on the 150kw charger. It was early Sunday so only one other charging. Got a peak of 70kw on my mg5 LR.

Gridserve aren't on Electroverse (yet)

What I said about activation must've just been because I was changing card.
It's good to know you can easily add and remove cards yourself in the app, if you lost a card or want another on the same account for your other half's EV.

 

[KH11]

Gridserve aren't on Electroverse (yet)

No they're not and quite expensive now at 79 pence per kilowatt hour.

 

[adriangalilee]

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 regularly use Cobham as I like the availability and layout of the IONITY chargers. As you drive into the car park you go right to the far end before you can enter the parking bays. Turn right and immediately right again (180 deg.) so you go back towards the entrance and there are all the chargers. Once connected it’s only a short walk (2 minutes) to the atrium with shops and toilets. You get cheaper rate with IONITY using Electroverse

 

[Loveclose]

Outward journey completed....
110.5 miles
Average @ 3.5m/kwhr
Battery at 52%
Range now at 125 miles.

I'm going to do a top- up on the way back, as I need for different reasons to get a little in to fast charging on the road.

But out of interest, based on those figures......
1) Do you reckon I'd make it back home without charging from this point?
2) Given the damp conditions - only light intermittent rain - and a temperature of 12⁰C, it's this battery/ range within the norm for the Long Range Trophy?

Cheers!!!!

I called in to Cobham services for a comfort break. Saw the chargers as soon as I drove into the start of the food area.... must have driven past them many times without clocking they were there....
Looks a good set up..... just need a little cover from the rain......

 

[Rolfe]

Outward journey completed....
110.5 miles
Average @ 3.5m/kwhr
Battery at 52%
Range now at 125 miles.

I'm going to do a top- up on the way back, as I need for different reasons to get a little in to fast charging on the road.

But out of interest, based on those figures......
1) Do you reckon I'd make it back home without charging from this point?
2) Given the damp conditions - only light intermittent rain - and a temperature of 12⁰C, it's this battery/ range within the norm for the Long Range Trophy?

Cheers!!!!

I would not rely on getting back, as it will be colder come evening, and are you possibly going to a higher elevation (whereas you descended from a higher elevation on the way there?). If for whatever reason I had to try it, I would probably cut my speed on the return journey. Sure, we know the car will go further than the GOM estimates, if it's been properly balanced so it knows where it is on its charging curve, but I wouldn't want to risk having to crawl the last five miles in turtle mode.

I would have thought that was a pretty reasonable range for a Trophy in cool weather with some wet roads.

 

[Loveclose]

I would not rely on getting back, as it will be colder come evening, and are you possibly going to a higher elevation (whereas you descended from a higher elevation on the way there?). If for whatever reason I had to try it, I would probably cut my speed on the return journey. Sure, we know the car will go further than the GOM estimates, if it's been properly balanced so it knows where it is on its charging curve, but I wouldn't want to risk having to crawl the last five miles in turtle mode.

I would have thought that was a pretty reasonable range for a Trophy in cool weather with some wet roads.

Thank you for your reply.
Only thing I didn't tell you is that I'll staying over night with family, so the colder journey home is only relevant if the temperatures is lower tomorrow, which it may be at 9am or so.

 

[fnegroni]

The elevation profile worked in your favour on the way there. It will be a different story tomorrow, so my advise is to cap your speed or charge at a cheaper rate overnight if you can. Or just plan a quick top up tomorrow but only 5-8 kWh at most

 

[dsimpkins]

Given the damp conditions - only light intermittent rain - and a temperature of 12⁰C, it's this battery/ range within the norm for the Long Range Trophy?

Given that you travelled at 70mph for a lot of the journey, and given the time of year/weather, then yes. Drop your speed by 5-10 mph and it'll go up.

 

[Rolfe]

Thank you for your reply.
Only thing I didn't tell you is that I'll staying over night with family, so the colder journey home is only relevant if the temperatures is lower tomorrow, which it may be at 9am or so.

This is where wider availability of type 2 chargers in residential neighbourhoods will really pay off. By sheer coincidence there are chargers within walking distance of all the long-distance friends I have visited by car - in the case of the friend I visit most frequently, only 50 yards from her front door. It makes such a difference, because you can start again from 100% with virtually no effort.

One day all journeys will be like that. Or you'll be visiting someone who has their own home charger.

 

[Loveclose]

Anyhow, I need 54 miles to get to my charger of choice......
Think I'll make that one......

 

[Rolfe]

I think so too! I'm of the view that it's better to make a quick stop at an ultra-rapid when you're already fairly low (so the car charges quickly) and put in maybe just five minutes worth of charge, than to be fretting whether you're going to end up in turtle mode further down the line.

 

[DixieTGS]

The elevation profile worked in your favour on the way there. It will be a different story tomorrow, so my advise is to cap your speed or charge at a cheaper rate overnight if you can. Or just plan a quick top up tomorrow but only 5-8 kWh at most

Just to put some numbers on the elevation issue, I did Bristol to Exeter at 70mph, 10 degrees C and a light crosswind pretty flat all the way. I got 3.2 to 3.3 throughout.

On the return journey 30 mins later I got a consistent 2.7 although it did recover later in the journey. It turns out Exeter to Wellington is actually a steady climb of about 150m over 20 miles which you don't notice while driving.

I suspect it was back to about 3.1 after the descent and then back to 3.3 after the properly flat section.

 

[DevonMG4]

This is where wider availability of type 2 chargers in residential neighbourhoods will really pay off. By sheer coincidence there are chargers within walking distance of all the long-distance friends I have visited by car - in the case of the friend I visit most frequently, only 50 yards from her front door. It makes such a difference, because you can start again from 100% with virtually no effort.

One day all journeys will be like that. Or you'll be visiting someone who has their own home charger.

Slow chargers at a destination are a great thing to look out for. I have three recurring 300 & 400 mile journeys in our SE and I've found type 2s at all of them so I don't have to stop on the return leg and it's Cheaper.

Chiswick, West London, Surecharge have quite a few lamp posts at about 43-46p. In Cheltenham I've found a couple of helpful 7 kw home points on Zap Map, they charge me 50p. On my weekly trip to Basingstoke I've located a 3 pin plug on site where I stay that the owner is happy for me to use for free.

So it's not just about rapids.

 

[fnegroni]

Bear in mind though they’re a slight efficiency loss when charging via AC: 7.4kW supplied translates into 6.5 kW charged into the battery.

when charging at home, 29p per kWh rate at the plug translates into 33p actual cost per kWh charged.

50p/kwh on a type 2 charger means 57p/kwh in reality.

 

[Rolfe]

Killjoy. Still cheaper than a DC charger, easy to go to 100%, and better for your battery.

 

[DevonMG4]

Bear in mind though they’re a slight efficiency loss when charging via AC: 7.4kW supplied translates into 6.5 kW charged into the battery.

when charging at home, 29p per kWh rate at the plug translates into 33p actual cost per kWh charged.

50p/kwh on a type 2 charger means 57p/kwh in reality.

Nooo, you miss my point or I just failed to convey it clearly enough.

Slow chargers are just as valuable as rapids on a beyond range journey, especially if it's an overnighter. I don't use them because they're cheaper, although that's always a bonus, they're actually more convenient. I set off home with 100% and no need to stop, plus I didn't have to wait - just like being at home.

There's a surprising amount of them out there from half a dozen Pod Points at the end of the high street, to some kind soul who's made their driveway available for his or her fellow EV driver.

It's just an additional way planning ones charging possibilities.

 

[fnegroni]

Nooo, you miss my point or I just failed to convey it clearly enough.

Slow chargers are just as valuable as rapids on a beyond range journey, especially if it's an overnighter. I don't use them because they're cheaper, although that's always a bonus, they're actually more convenient. I set off home with 100% and no need to stop, plus I didn't have to wait - just like being at home.

There's a surprising amount of them out there from half a dozen Pod Points at the end of the high street, to some kind soul who's made their driveway available for his or her fellow EV driver.

It's just an additional way planning ones charging possibilities.

I didn’t miss your point. I was just providing some additional info that’s all. Your point is valid.