Range Anxiety?

[Mark Holmes]

When using Zap-Map to plan charges for our holiday journey (Up the M5/M6 from Herefordshire to Cumbria) I noticed something that I'm sure most of you folks already know - when looking up a charger on Zap-Map, the headline says "issues reported", but if there are multiple charging stations at that location, the "issues" may only be reported on one or two of the posts, with others showing "successful charge" once you drill into the "info" page for the charging location in Zap-Map - am I the last one on the forum to notice this??

Good point and thanks for highlighting that point.

 

[Phil752]

How accurate are the charging point on the cars sat nav

 

[Mark Holmes]

In the main very good from my experience Phil

 

[KasEV]

@Mark Holmes,
Thanks for the Google tip.

@DangerousDoug,
You are right. Where there are multiple chargers, often when one drills down to individual charge points the "issues reported" notice applies only to one of those available. Hence One as to make sure there are at least 2 fast chargers available before selecting a stop for charging.

 

[Stuart Wright]

When using Zap-Map to plan charges for our holiday journey (Up the M5/M6 from Herefordshire to Cumbria) I noticed something that I'm sure most of you folks already know - when looking up a charger on Zap-Map, the headline says "issues reported", but if there are multiple charging stations at that location, the "issues" may only be reported on one or two of the posts, with others showing "successful charge" once you drill into the "info" page for the charging location in Zap-Map - am I the last one on the forum to notice this??

When planning a journey, I look at the charging points that I'll hit when I have about 80% of charge and then look at everything about them, obviously at whether they are in service, but also which specific connectors are working and recent comments about accessibility as some are closed with hotels' locked gates.
I don't bother looking at Ecotricity chargers on motorways as they are either reliably out of service or charging something with a huge battery with an owner who doesn't understand that other people need to use it.

I make a shortlist of the chargers to stop at and put the destinations in to the sat nav so they are easily recallable. I then check the chosen chargers again right before leaving and again en route if I have an opportunity.

 

[Chrispydoc]

Back where I started with this thread....on the way back to Derby, I deliberately drove a little faster, than on the way out, as I wanted to try the High speed charger at Necton anyway, which is approx a third of the way back home....so knew I'd have range to spare.

The result is interesting. I added an extra 38miles of range, which cost me just over £4, but it took about 40 mins to top up. I got home with 55 miles indicated. I only managed 3.8 Miles per KW, rather than the 4.3 on the way out. It took me more than more than 30 mins longer to get home with the stop, and I didn't feel any better about the trip, even with a little spirited over-taking on occasions. In future I drive more economically trying for over 4 miles per KW and have a more relaxed drive, still knowing that I can make the 155 miles in one hop.
(in the summer anyway).
I shared the charging point with a Jag I pace.....Over the few days away I managed a respectable 4.2 miles per KW overall....most of my charging was with my own solar panels and cost nothing.

Incidentally, the Instavolt charger was a joy to use.....just tap the screen with my debit card, plug the car in and tap again when I wanted to finish...piece of cake...even for me!

 

[Mark Holmes]

That was expensive charging....only 38 miles for over £4

 

[Chrispydoc]

True.....but it must cost a fortune to build infastructer like that. And if you consider I had about 5 days away, using my car all the time.....for £4...its not too bad.......That would have cost me about £80 in my BMW XI....and I'm saving the planet as well........?.

 

[Allen78]

True.....but it must cost a fortune to build infastructer like that. And if you consider I had about 5 days away, using my car all the time.....for £4...its not too bad.......That would have cost me about £80 in my BMW XI....and I'm saving the planet as well........?.

Just to confirm do you need to register with an app or is it just as you said debit card only and off you go, as I haven't had to time to check to he necton point out yet.
Cheers.

 

[Chrispydoc]

No...just tap and play...couldn't be easier......worth a couple of quid just to be able to do that! IMO

Having once spent nearly an hour on the phone, in a dark, windswept, rainy car park in Kings Lynn trying to get connected!!
Did I mention I'm no good with technology?

 

[Allen78]

No...just tap and play...couldn't be easier......worth a couple of quid just to be able to do that! IMO

Having once spent nearly an hour on the phone, in a dark, windswept, rainy car park in Kings Lynn!!
Did I mention I'm no good with technology!

Perfect thank you
When things get back to normal I can use it when I'm off to Norwich.

Had the same thing when my ionic would not release the charge cable from a pod point on the Hardwick roundabout Currys store, doesn't help when people are watching you trying to remove the plug ?.

 

[Kithmo]

38 miles for £4 is still better than most ICE cars. The ICE car would have to do about 56 mpg, at todays petrol prices, to equal that and there aren't many ICE automatics with the same power output as the MG that would.

 

[DangerousDoug]

Hi all,

Back where I started with this thread....on the way back to Derby, I deliberately drove a little faster, than on the way out, as I wanted to try the High speed charger at Necton anyway, which is approx a third of the way back home....so knew I'd have range to spare.
.....

Yes, I think average speed is perhaps the single most important property in gaining good range from the MG (with it's endearingly brick-like aerodynamics! ). We've been on holiday for the last two weeks, poodling about the beautiful mountain roads of the Yorkshire Dales, North Pennines and Lakes. We took a particularly relaxed drive down to Masham yesterday, and got the best consumption figure I've ever seen from our car - 6.0 m/kwh!! -must have been downhill with a following wind, as the drive back was about 4.5 (admittedly at a faster pace).

 

[Mark Holmes]

All questions the Michelin Primacy 3 tires have a fuel efficiency rating of C do you think moving to an A rated tire will make much difference??

 

[DangerousDoug]

I think that's a very hard question to answer, without a scientifically conducted test. I can't see the rolling resistance making that much of a difference - maybe a couple of percentage points if you're lucky. Tyre pressures may have a bigger effect (mine are up at 40.6psi, as set by the dealer on delivery) and of course road condition (dry vs wet) - wet roads drag the tyres more. As for actual tyre profile, I think it may make more difference in road noise, rather than actual consumption.

 

[Chrispydoc]

My personal view is just about anything you do to a car will make a marginal difference.

I must admit to playing with wheels and tyres on my former cars, but this was with a view to maximising comfort and winter / wet grip.Not economy

. And of course its all a trade off......better grip usually means higher fuel consumption and visa- versa. I tend to think the manufacture knows best.

 

[DangerousDoug]

I would certainly be willing to sacrifice a bit of range to gain grip, especially in winter/wet. I'm thinking that my tyre pressures may be a bit high (comparing mine with posts from other forum members) - kocking them down from 40 to 35psi may give me a bit more grip without loosing measurable range - what thinks other more learned members??

 

[Chrispydoc]

Persally I like Michelin tyres, they seem fine to me. I tend to have my tyre pressures on the lower side to improve the ride quality. But I'd be surprised if you could detect much difference, no matter how you tweaked them.
As has been said, with detailed scientific tests, you may detect a slight difference....but there are so many other variables...weather, road surface, temperature, speed, driving styles, setting...etc etc. I don't worry about my tyres...as long as they have good tread and in the recommended pressure range......they'll be right!

 

[Max]

Has anyone seen this?

The Indian manufactured ZS EV claim a slightly larger range, despite having the same battery size. I presume it’s just them using a different metric for how they test it.
However someone did a test to see how much could be eked out of a single charge and did a staggering 563 km (350 miles).

 

[Chrispydoc]

amazing....