IONITY chargers

[slmorgan42]

Hey all

I am planning a trip and currently looking at stopping at Peterborough off the A1(M) and using the IONITY chargers there.

I haven’t tried an IONITY charger yet on my MG5 FL. I just wanted to check with the hive mind on experiences.

My nearest IONITY is miles away or I would do a quick check.

1.5 years in to EV ownership but not enough long trips yet to totally get over worrying.

I know it should just be plug and play but it never seems to be that simple lol.

 

[Lewis49]

I charged there twice last week. No problems other than its quite busy there. I had to queue the second time.
I used the Ovo Bonnet app, you get the option of paying £2 for a months worth of 10% discount with that.

 

[slmorgan42]

I charged there twice last week. No problems other than its quite busy there. I had to queue the second time.
I used the Ovo Bonnet app, you get the option of paying £2 for a months worth of 10% discount with that.

Cool thanks

Yeah I did wonder about how busy it gets. It does look popular.

 

[tkmaxx5]

Used Ionity loads on trip to France last summer - became my go to rapid, the app was good at telling me live status of occupied stalls etc (although worryingly not really working when I just looked!). Quite common at French motorway services.

I paid with electroverse as you get 5% discount for using elecctroverse and further 8% discount if intelligent octopus customer.

I used the Cambridge rather than Peterborough ones around there but sure they are same. They are good if a little pricey (but so are most rapids!) in my experience.

 

[kevin ellard]

Hey all

I am planning a trip and currently looking at stopping at Peterborough off the A1(M) and using the IONITY chargers there.

I haven’t tried an IONITY charger yet on my MG5 FL. I just wanted to check with the hive mind on experiences.

My nearest IONITY is miles away or I would do a quick check.

1.5 years in to EV ownership but not enough long trips yet to totally get over worrying.

I know it should just be plug and play but it never seems to be that simple lol.

I also have the MG5 FL and used those chargers a couple of time last year without problem. Two good things about those services 1. The Ionity's are so fast that even if you have to wait, the wait shouldn't be long. 2. There are also a couple of old chargers in the other corner of the car park (I think they are Gridserve's ).

 

[slmorgan42]

I also have the MG5 FL and used those chargers a couple of time last year without problem. Two good things about those services 1. The Ionity's are so fast that even if you have to wait, the wait shouldn't be long. 2. There are also a couple of old chargers in the other corner of the car park (I think they are Gridserve's ).

Thanks for that.

Funny enough those are the two reason I chose that place to stop. Also 1.5 hours into my drive so a good time for a Pitt stop

 

[kevin ellard]

Thanks for that.

Funny enough those are the two reason I chose that place to stop. Also 1.5 hours into my drive so a good time for a Pitt stop

If you are on that route then also consider Gonerby Moor just north of Grantham. It has a mass of new Gridserve's that are literally next to a set of Tesla's so although the Tesla's are closed it means that there are none of them using the Gridserve's.
If you are as old as us then you can walk over to Boundary Mill and look at the clothes/shoes and get coffee and a cake while you wait for the charge.

 

[Gomev]

I've used the Ionitys at Baldock Services Extra A1M J10, nice facilities for a coffee etc, also a couple of Gridserves there as well.

 

[slmorgan42]

If you are on that route then also consider Gonerby Moor just north of Grantham. It has a mass of new Gridserve's that are literally next to a set of Tesla's so although the Tesla's are closed it means that there are none of them using the Gridserve's.
If you are as old as us then you can walk over to Boundary Mill and look at the clothes/shoes and get coffee and a cake while you wait for the charge.

It’s like everyone is reading my mind.

I am driving from London to Yorkshire and the Grantham was my second stop on my plan.

At my age loo breaks are quite important but a coffee and cake will be key as well.

 

[Gomev]

It’s like everyone is reading my mind.

I am driving from London to Yorkshire and the Grantham was my second stop on my plan.

At my age loo breaks are quite important but a coffee and cake will be key as well.

If you had no bladder and coffee needs, range wise you should only need one stop London to Yorkshire (even as far as Middlesbrough). I have done Leeds to various parts of the south coast with only 1 stop needed and @jackois is a frequent traveller Southampton to Leeds.

 

[slmorgan42]

If you had no bladder and coffee needs, range wise you should only need one stop London to Yorkshire (even as far as Middlesbrough). I have done Leeds to various parts of the south coast with only 1 stop needed and @jackois is a frequent traveller Southampton to Leeds.

Yeah thanks, I am looking at one stop I just picked out 2 just in case. Getting old I have discovered I like to stop a little more often. 1.5h seems to be a good break point for a brew and a pee.

Other thought is the destination has no charger near by (will not be able to use granny either) so just making sure I have enough to get to the near by town. The town does seem to have good selection of chargers.

 

[Gomev]

Yeah thanks, I am looking at one stop I just picked out 2 just in case. Getting old I have discovered I like to stop a little more often. 1.5h seems to be a good break point for a brew and a pee.

Other thought is the destination has no charger near by (will not be able to use granny either) so just making sure I have enough to get to the near by town. The town does seem to have good selection of chargers.

A good policy is to actually make a second stop on route and close to your destination and top up sufficiently to have enough to not worry about charging for the first few days you are there.
(PS which town is your destination - just nosey )

 

[slmorgan42]

A good policy is to actually make a second stop on route and close to your destination and top up sufficiently to have enough to not worry about charging for the first few days you are there.
(PS which town is your destination - just nosey )

Yeah good shout. My current plan has me arriving with about 30-40%. I think I looked and these two had enough chargers where I should not have to wait very long for one. I will double check.

I also have a couple in the car not used to EV so hoping to demo a text book experience. Probably jinxing myself here lol

The nearest town is Beverley. Not been to Yorkshire before that I remember so looking forward to it.

 

[Gomev]

Yeah good shout. My current plan has me arriving with about 30-40%. I think I looked and these two had enough chargers where I should not have to wait very long for one. I will double check.

I also have a couple in the car not used to EV so hoping to demo a text book experience. Probably jinxing myself here lol

The nearest town is Beverley. Not been to Yorkshire before that I remember so looking forward to it.

Beware the east coast (Scarborough Bridington if going that way etc etc) is not blessed with a multitude of chargers. York park and ride have chargers, recommended if able to walk, as York is not a car friendly town

 

[dragon2611]

Ionity usually works fine with my Pre facelift MG5 LR, gridserve was the one that seems to give me most trouble lately.

 

[EVsince2016]

I've used about a dozen Ionity chargers all over the place, mostly in France without issues.

 

[MG5 Lone Ranger]

Ionity usually works fine with my Pre facelift MG5 LR, gridserve was the one that seems to give me most trouble lately.

Sorry to hear about your problems with Gridserve, I had occasion to use one at Birchanger Services on the M11 with absolutely no problems at all, PFL MG5 LR, a bit expensive I thought, but it got me plenty in to make it back to Scunthorpe(North Lincs)...

 

[slmorgan42]

Thank you all for the input. I had a very smooth trip in the end. LOL well apart from the fact it pissed down with rain the entire way there and back.

People who had commented that the IONTY at Peterborough could be quite busy were spot on. When I arrived there was at least 2 cars waiting for the chargers. To be fair this was Friday early evening so lots of people traveling.

This was not a problem though as I had planned on two possible stopping points. So just carried on without getting out of the car and headed to MOTO Service in Grantham. This a gold mine there was 12 x 350kW, 3 x 50kW, and 1 x 22kW . On top of that there was about 12 x Tesla Superchargers.

There was not a single person there so had them all to myself.

Had to charge a little longer as I had originally planned on two short charges rather than one longer one. This was not a problem as I used my Octopus GREGGS bonus vouchers to get a free coffee and sausage roll.

On the way back did the same thing. Didn't even bother with the IONTY stop.

 

[andyjamess]

Hey all

I am planning a trip and currently looking at stopping at Peterborough off the A1(M) and using the IONITY chargers there.

I haven’t tried an IONITY charger yet on my MG5 FL. I just wanted to check with the hive mind on experiences.

My nearest IONITY is miles away or I would do a quick check.

1.5 years in to EV ownership but not enough long trips yet to totally get over worrying.

I know it should just be plug and play but it never seems to be that simple lol.

When are you looking at being in Peterborough? I live there. Lol

 

[slmorgan42]

When are you looking at being in Peterborough? I live there. Lol

I was actually going to Yorkshire and just passing through. I went a fe

That said I did use to spend time in Peterborough at a drop zone learning to parachute.