RFID Cards, Phones Apps, multiple accounts for this n that for public charge points: What Are The Basics?

[kazuki1328]

When I had an outlander phev I didn’t find public chargers to be cost effective. The mg one might be different.
There are a multitude of apps out there for multiple charge companies. Most but I don’t think all take contactless (credit or debit) card payments.
One piece of advice on charge etiquette though, short of being ICE’d the next infuriating thing is a phev plugged into a public charger, please leave these free for ev drivers as phevs have an alternate energy source so don’t strictly need to plug into public chargers to be able to complete their journey. Of course unless there are multiple empty charge bays. I have experienced this frustration multiple times when I have seen phevs plug in to free pod points at my usual supermarket making it a bit dicey for me to complete my journey home after a day of driving in the sticks. Luckily it is no longer free and has sorted the issue of phevs plugging in. I know the above might get some hate but I can only imagine the sentiments of an ice driver if I were to block the last free petrol pump on the forecourt. I am certain most ev drivers will relate to my frustrations.

As a new phev driver, I would say fair point. however more of a bug bear for me as I started observing charge points prior to picking up my new car is the amount of Uber / minicabs charging at charging points. In london I would say 80% of people I have seen using charging points have been minicabs. Some have been full ev but some such as the mitsubishi outlander are phev.

Yes as a ev driver they have every right to use the charger the same as everyone else but considering the amount of mileage they do, Im guessing they hog the chargers quite often.

Yes I know the other side of the argument is, by using an EV its better for the environment which I do agree on. But that does't help when every time you want to use a charge point they are all full with minicabs

 

[marvelous]

It is law now that new chargers must come with contactless, so better times are a coming

Why has it taken so long to make it a legal requirement? What does OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles) actually do if it takes over 5 years to introduce this simple and obvious law?

 

[5teep]

Lots of reasons, it's only 6 years since the payment level was raised high enough for it to be viable. Six years ago the charger network was tiny and the number of EVs was far fewer and the operators were not set up to use it.

Charge Your Car, the ex operators of Scotland's charging network never would spend the money to upgrade their system so it's only from this year that it will start being made available.

 

[Pict]

We now avoid anything that needs an app, our summer camping holiday travelling all around the country taught us that lesson the hard way. Now just sticking to Gridserve and InstaVolt. The exception to this is the Genie chargers in Lidl as they are often quite convenient and not busy. I look forward to when destinations have chargers!

I heartily agree and was pleased to receive an email from GeniePoint today to say they are changing all chargers to contactless Pay As You Go. An £8 pre-authorisation charge is acceptable and they are doing away with having to load up their app or having to use it

 

[5teep]

The precharge is nonsense too. Tesco don't load your card before you buy your shopping.

 

[jamesie]

The precharge is nonsense too. Tesco don't load your card before you buy your shopping.

They do if you buy from them online.

 

[Pict]

The precharge is nonsense too. Tesco don't load your card before you buy your shopping.

But they can stop you leaving with a trolley full of shopping without paying.

Other than stopping the cable from releasing what method could be used to stop people charging and not having the means to pay

 

[SimonomiS]

Our local supermarket filling station (fuel for the lawnmower...) requires you to pre-authorise the payment card with PIN and then the final transaction amount is what's debited. Is this really any different?

 

[biffo]

Usually supermarket pumps with a pin & chip pre-authorise £1 - then charge the real amount after ways. Some of the EV charger companies are pre-authorising up to £40 (can't remember exact amount EVM said in recent video) - so multiple failed attempts to charge add a pre-authorisation for vastly more than the final cost would be for each one.

Seems excessive - if pre-authorising £1 works for petrol stations, I don't see why it shouldn't work for EV charging companies too.

 

[SimonomiS]

Usually supermarket pumps with a pin & chip pre-authorise £1 - then charge the real amount after ways. Some of the EV charger companies are pre-authorising up to £40 (can't remember exact amount EVM said in recent video) - so multiple failed attempts to charge add a pre-authorisation for vastly more than the final cost would be for each one.

Seems excessive - if pre-authorising £1 works for petrol stations, I don't see why it shouldn't work for EV charging companies too.

Sounds fair. I look forward to all EV chargers being contactless and app-free and only pre-authorising £1...

 

[Pict]

Some of the EV charger companies are pre-authorising up to £40 (can't remember exact amount EVM said in recent video) - so multiple failed attempts to charge add a pre-authorisation for vastly more than the final cost would be for each one.

Ionity (without membership) pre-authorise £69!

Seems excessive - if pre-authorising £1 works for petrol stations, I don't see why it shouldn't work for EV charging companies

Except it is £99 now!

 

[biffo]

Ionity (without membership) pre-authorise £69!



Except it is £99 now!

£99? Who’s doing that?

 

[Pict]

Tesco and Sainsbury's charging £99 deposit at pay at pump services

Some motorists have been left angered by Sainsburys and Tesco after discovering a number of locations now take a £99 deposit from bank accounts when paying for fuel at the pump.

www.thisismoney.co.uk