Up there is very northern lol and as weird as it sounds Ive found supermarket chargers seem to have been free whenever I have looked about as I do my work. Quite a few Morrisons chargers have been empty and in working order. I agree with you I expect those chargers on your list will be busy as they are what will show up if everyone does a plan I have always looked for chargers near to main ones and looked at reviews and last time used as sometimes you can work out less popular ones therefore ones that are more likely to be less busy. Just my thought on this
Oh and putting the car in Eco only seems to add about 10 - 15 miles extra
I think the Carlisle Ionitys will be less busy than Gretna, which is usually heaving. (They're not signposted from the motorway, and as they're at the "Truckstop" I think car drivers don't always think about stopping there.) The next motorway service stations (Todhills and Southwaite) only have the standard 50 Kw Gridserves (3 CCS plugs, and at Todhills that has to do for both carriageways!) and are also likely to be very busy with people who just think, motorway service station, OK I'll go there. Tebay southbound is Tesla-only, and Killington Lake is a complete disaster with the Gridserves unable to manage more than about 38 Kw.
On the other hand, these dire alternatives may suck up some of the potential queues. The drivers who are out and about just before Christmas may not all be terribly clued-up.
If I thought I could get all the way from a 100% charge at Carlisle I might be tempted to do it, unless I was in serious danger of being lynched. (There are 12 350 Kw chargers so I might get away with it.) On the other hand, that's still 115 miles, with the first 55 miles being at motorway speeds and the next 60 miles climbing over the Pennines. I'm not sure.
Another possibility is a single charge at Booth's in Penrith, but there are only two 120 Kw chargers there. I don't know if people are likely to queue seriously at supermarket car park chargers though. That's 95 miles and then 93 miles, but again if I ask ABRP about that it still wants me to pick up a bit more (7 minutes) in Kirkby Lonsdale before heading across the Pennines.
On these figures I would have thought that staying at Penrith to 80% would do it, and although ABRP might think that would take longer, it could be worth it not to have to queue at Kirkby Lonsdale for a second time. However, even if I change the settings to "few but long" it refuses to alter that recommendation for two stops.
I finally got it to do it, but only after eliminating all its suggested chargers around Kendal/Kirkby Lonsdale, where it really, really wanted me to stop. But in the end it gave in and said just a 28-minute charge to 77% which gave a faster time than the no restrictions "quickest time" request. Strange are the ways of ABRP.
I can't decide between going straight to Penrith and just damn well sitting there until I get a charger, or doing the Carlisle/Kirkby Lonsdale thing which could be safer, because if the Penrith chargers were actually out of action I might have trouble getting all the way to Kirkby Lonsdale as it's 132 miles. It's a bit of a desert out there, nothing but occasional pathetically slow chargers here and there.
Like a taxi today. Eight runs, totalling 47 miles, in the space of a few hours. 30/40mph areas, with a bit of derestricted dual carriageway - averaging 16mph. A/C on, headlights for half the time. 3.2 overall.
Well, if a lot of your driving is in speed restricted areas, I guess you'll do better.
For me the most important part of that journey would be a stop at the Courtyard Dairy for cheese. It is about 13 miles beyond Booth's in KL, just after the turning for Austwick.
I've passed it often. I was thinking of just buying the cheese in Booth's, and getting a refund on my parking. Don't they sell it? I got some pretty decent cheese last time I charged there in the summer, but I don't remember where it came from.
winter
