Charging

[Bandyrobs]

Hi everyone.

Just ordered my i3 REX (UK version) which is due for delivery in October.

Still quite confused about the external charging methods and the best way to locate them.

I am aware that the sat nav shows the nearest charging stations and presumably this will only show those compatible with the i3, but there does seem to be a confusing array of charging companies out there and so I am just looking for some advise.

1) What is the best iPhone app to use to locate charging stations?
2) Do I need to subscribe to every electricity supplier to cover all eventualities or is there predominantly one UK company (ecotricity?) that should cover most situations?

Most of my journeys will be in the South of England, if that helps?

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

 

[busaman]

the i3 nav system is very good at finding charging stations and unless you want to leave your car on charge for 2-3 hours look for ecotricity fast charge staions..

 

[user 3172]

Hi Andrew, I'm doing the same as you. Waiting for Rex in a couple of weeks but in South Wales so slightly different challenge but same sort of issues I expect.

I am planning on commuting and no charger at work and not a great deal of local infrastructure near me either so needed a home charger unit. Went for 32amp tethered Rolec unit internally in garage. Used http://www.chargedev.co.uk and they were really helpful and efficient.

I've been looking at the Apps, chargers and subscription services too and it seems to depend on your use of the car and what infrastructure is useful.

Plugshare seem to offer a decent App for finding charge points and you can filter out different types of chargers. ZapMap do the same. Each of the charging infrastructure companies offer maps too but that's a bit of a faff, you just want one that has it all really.

In terms of charging infrastructure, I started by looking at Charge your Car (CYC), Ecotricity and Chargemaster who run the Polar Network. What you find useful you will have to judge so take a look at them before signing up. Here's my take on things!

CYC - no local infrastructure to me as mainly based in England but Bristol is a big site so may have some use. Paying £20 a year for a RFID card didn't initially sound attractive as I simply don't travel to those places enough to warrant even that. Still thinking about this one though.

Ecotricity - if you're changing power supplier, you get discount off your utility bill and probable free access (fair usage clause!) to the network although their fee structure is changing (e.g. just announced free charging will end for all). The advantage for me is they are on motorway services and trunk roads so could be really useful for longer trips and I can live with the £6 per 30 min charge for the number of times I would use it. Have downloaded the App and waiting to sign up once the car arrives.

Chargemaster - £7.85 a month (free for 6 months currently) with a variety of free and chargeable sites (tend to charge marginal cost of electricity where they do charge). In my area these tend to be in city centre car parks etc so good for days out shopping but at £7.85 per month, I'd have to do a lot of shopping to get any benefit. At free chargers I would have to pull 87kwh per month to recover the monthly subscription. At 7kwh that's 12 hours parked up per month. That's 3 hours per week i.e. a relatively long shopping trip every weekend - and importantly starting with a fairly flat battery of course or you won't pull the kWh anyway. I just don't do it enough and many aren't free in the key locations. Will leave it til later and see how I get on. On the Polar network, you can also get an App that is effectively PAYG paying a fee for each charge you undertake but this is of course potentially less cost effective.

There are a variety of other charge points out there in businesses etc and I'll suck it and see with these until I experience a bit more of the reality of driving an EV..

I'm signed up with Ovo Energy for Economy 7 at the moment so 9p per unit overnight at home is pretty cost effective so no great hurry to charge elsewhere.

I am sure others will point out anything I've got wrong here or indeed if their experience might be more relevant to S England.

 

[MikeS]

Sorry, but I have never used any charger other than the Rolec at my house in the 2 years I have had the car. I have an old fashion ICE for long trips and just use the i3 for my general ones.

 

[Bandyrobs]

the i3 nav system is very good at finding charging stations and unless you want to leave your car on charge for 2-3 hours look for ecotricity fast charge staions..

Thanks Busaman..appreciate it.

 

[Bandyrobs]

Hi Andrew, I'm doing the same as you. Waiting for Rex in a couple of weeks but in South Wales so slightly different challenge but same sort of issues I expect.

I am planning on commuting and no charger at work and not a great deal of local infrastructure near me either so needed a home charger unit. Went for 32amp tethered Rolec unit internally in garage. Used http://www.chargedev.co.uk and they were really helpful and efficient.

I've been looking at the Apps, chargers and subscription services too and it seems to depend on your use of the car and what infrastructure is useful.

Plugshare seem to offer a decent App for finding charge points and you can filter out different types of chargers. ZapMap do the same. Each of the charging infrastructure companies offer maps too but that's a bit of a faff, you just want one that has it all really.

In terms of charging infrastructure, I started by looking at Charge your Car (CYC), Ecotricity and Chargemaster who run the Polar Network. What you find useful you will have to judge so take a look at them before signing up. Here's my take on things!

CYC - no local infrastructure to me as mainly based in England but Bristol is a big site so may have some use. Paying £20 a year for a RFID card didn't initially sound attractive as I simply don't travel to those places enough to warrant even that. Still thinking about this one though.

Ecotricity - if you're changing power supplier, you get discount off your utility bill and probable free access (fair usage clause!) to the network although their fee structure is changing (e.g. just announced free charging will end for all). The advantage for me is they are on motorway services and trunk roads so could be really useful for longer trips and I can live with the £6 per 30 min charge for the number of times I would use it. Have downloaded the App and waiting to sign up once the car arrives.

Chargemaster - £7.85 a month (free for 6 months currently) with a variety of free and chargeable sites (tend to charge marginal cost of electricity where they do charge). In my area these tend to be in city centre car parks etc so good for days out shopping but at £7.85 per month, I'd have to do a lot of shopping to get any benefit. At free chargers I would have to pull 87kwh per month to recover the monthly subscription. At 7kwh that's 12 hours parked up per month. That's 3 hours per week i.e. a relatively long shopping trip every weekend - and importantly starting with a fairly flat battery of course or you won't pull the kWh anyway. I just don't do it enough and many aren't free in the key locations. Will leave it til later and see how I get on. On the Polar network, you can also get an App that is effectively PAYG paying a fee for each charge you undertake but this is of course potentially less cost effective.

There are a variety of other charge points out there in businesses etc and I'll suck it and see with these until I experience a bit more of the reality of driving an EV..

I'm signed up with Ovo Energy for Economy 7 at the moment so 9p per unit overnight at home is pretty cost effective so no great hurry to charge elsewhere.

I am sure others will point out anything I've got wrong here or indeed if their experience might be more relevant to S England.

Thanks GIF..really appreciate the trouble you have taken. Very useful stuff to digest. Andrew

 

[user 3172]

Thanks GIF..really appreciate the trouble you have taken. Very useful stuff to digest. Andrew

I'd love to hear your decisions and conclusions. I've got relatives in East Sussex so will have to be travelling down that way at various times and whilst I will have a backup ICE for long distance and bad winter weather, I do intend to give this EV thing every chance of proving it can work for more than local commutes!