I assume a lot of people are skim reading, they live in Kent (and presumably have a charger there) and were visiting Bournemouth.

Yet chose not to use before and after their journey?

Do you look up petrol stations before you visit to make sure they have fuel in stock?

No, but at one time you had to check to see if they’d be open after a certain time, on a Sunday or bank holiday.

Do you look up petrol stations before you visit to make sure they have fuel in stock?

This time next year son…

In all seriousness though if I were somewhere I didn’t know, the little red light and annoying beepy noise was on I’d check the petrol station(s) my satnav was going to take me too were open before I drove to them. There’s plenty of people who are visiting rural areas are surprised to discover on arrival that the only petrol station in 20 miles closed at 6pm, they don’t write to the guardian and moan about it.

It’s only poor infrastructure if you live in the real world. Plenty of people here saying it’s fine.

I don’t think anyone with an EV would say it’s fine, certainly anyone doing long journeys to unknown areas ie a holiday. Currently, compromises might have to be made and a bit more planning. The biggest pita is all the different networks you have to subscribe to with different apps, accounts etc, I even have to have two separate accounts and apps with the same company Engie, Engie Chargepoint (for local Yorkshire Network) and Geniepoint (Engie’s national network). Hopefully they will all transition into contactless activation and payment and /or like the Tesla chargers, you just plug in and it knows who you are and which acc to charge, no faffing about with RFID cards or apps.
9 years is plenty of time to get it together tho. Over the next few years major petrol stations would seem the obvious place to me for visibility and convenience, but councils will be under pressure to start doing something. The Engie chargepoint Yorkshire network are all at public car parks, civic centres, leisure centres, hospitals, swimming pools, medical centres etc. 18 months ago there were zero rapid chargers on my 15 mile commute, now there are 9.

This time next year son…

I’m guessing 3-5 years(?) before wider charging infrastructure starts to look adequate for a larger volume of longer distance journeys (given IC cars stop selling another half decade beyond that now)…

If you’re installing a public charging point you kinda want demand to outstrip supply to make it a profitable exercise (even with subsidies?). As lots have pointed out most current EV owners are charging at home further limiting the potential market for a public charging station…

Dare I say it the couple in that article are atypical of current EV adopters, most are using them for local journeys and sub 30 mile commutes and probably keeping an old dinosaur juice machine, using trains, renting an IC or just planning better for longer trips…

For my own part I want a Zoe or similar for local journeys and commuting, the trouble is selling the concept to the boss as the upfront cost is significantly higher than a standard little shitbox hatch, and stories like this one would ramp up her range anxiety just for popping to the shops (I don’t think she’s ever actually driven more than about 50 miles in one go)…

All you can really say is Kudos to Linda’s other half for managing to convince her an £85k Porsche EV was a sensible purchase…

That said, because of the way EVs work with near instant torque and no gears they’re easier to make do 0-60 in a heartbeat than say 200mph.

We regularly have Teslas on site, there’s one in at the moment, all Arval ex-lease cars. The keys are locked in the safe until a driver pitches up to take one away, so we can’t play drive them. 🙁
We usually have a few Golf R’s in, as well as various Range Rover/Land Rovers, but there’s an embargo on logistics staff driving the Teslas. Having said that, they don’t go into off-site storage, so nowhere to drive them to anyway.

Went to one at Madeira road car park but need to register by phone and nobody answered so gave up. Made it back with sub 10% charge.

Like car parks that force you to either use an app or phone if you don’t have change, which is fine, until you discover there’s no phone signal or data, or else nobody answers the damned phone. It’s happened to me in Bristol, Salisbury, and the pub car park in Avebury, where there’s no signal worth a damn because of its status, at least on my network. That’s if there’s space in the car park anyway…

You remind me of a remote village in Spain, Countzero. There was no phone signal at the charge point so Madame went off to where the man in the bar said there was a phone signal while I waited with the car. When she she found a signal and launched the charge I plugged in.

I wonder if the car in the story hadn’t been a porsche, the comments would have been different

I mentioned that Porsche is £80k but I would have said the same if they paid £20k. Maybe I’m a bit anal but even with a diesel car, I made sure it was filled up the day before I went on a long journey never mind an EV.

That Porsche won’t need charging that much. A friend of mine has one and there is no accelerator pedal it’s been replaced by a hyperspace pedal. Fastest thing I’ve ever been in or on for that matter ( R1 and Hyabusa ).You arrive before you set off!!!. He booted it from 30 on a dual carriage and you can’t process the acceleration. It’s like being on Rita at Alton Towers but I reckon it’s faster. He has a 3 phase charger at his business premises and has travelled around the north of England without any charging issues.

9 years is plenty of time to get it together tho.

Ha Ha

What part of the last 4/10/13/14/25* years has passed you by?

* 4 – Brexit, 10 – HS2, 13 – Crossrail, 14 – 3rd Heathrow runway, 25 – Stonehenge Tunnel

Do you look up petrol stations before you visit to make sure they have fuel in stock?

No, but at one time you had to check to see if they’d be open after a certain time, on a Sunday or bank holiday.

Even now if you’re going up or down Wales at night you can go the whole way and not see an open petrol station unless you know which towns to divert through to find a supermarket with Pay-At-Pump options. As electric becomes more popular it’s perfectly possible that a lot of the smaller stations will close or have reduced hours so we could see the return of limited supply for petrol and diesel at quiet times in the future.

Even now if you’re going up or down Wales at night you can go the whole way and not see an open petrol station unless you know which towns to divert through to find a supermarket with Pay-At-Pump options

Indeed as is areas of Scotland and even Northumberland.

Can chargers not be used when the filling station is closed?

I think you’ve misunderstood @molgrips

Indeed as is areas of Scotland a

Not really. Not any more.

And more so unless your driving a car with a thimble for a fuel tank you’d need to have been brought up in a Chinese pipe to need fuel in one of about no areas where there’s not a pay at pump fuel station within the range of your fuel tank.

Mean while it’s still all to easy for that to be the case within the range of your EV.

I also don’t recall.the last time I turned up at an open fuel station to find all the pumps.out of order which appears to be how folk are finding the charging points.

Thanks all, I’m working tomorrow and you have reminded me I need to plug the EV in!

I also don’t recall the last time I turned up at an open fuel station to find all the pumps.out of order which appears to be how folk are finding the charging points.

Happens 3-4 times a year to the Esso at J33 of the M4 (Cardiff West) as they have small tanks and high sales. All it takes is a delayed delivery or a rush caused by an event in the Principality Stadium and they run out. Easy to tell as the Matrix signs on the motorway say so. The same big events can cause lots of the local stations to run out temporarily too.

Over the next few years major petrol stations would seem the obvious place to me for visibility and convenience

Petrol stations don’t like you using a mobile phone in case it creates a spark. Plugging in high current cables might be discouraged if there’s a risk of petrol vapour.

^^^^ that’s bollocks tho. Much more electrics on your average car that would be more at risk of causing a spark. And I’ve never used an EV charger, but I suspect that there’s slightly more to them than just a permanently live 480v plug that’s going to arc like crazy when you connect it 🤣

And more so unless your driving a car with a thimble for a fuel tank you’d need to have been brought up in a Chinese pipe to need fuel in one of about no areas where there’s not a pay at pump fuel station within the range of your fuel tank.

Or you didn’t fill your tank up before the journey and didn’t bother to check what is near by, happens surprisingly often.

I also don’t recall the last time I turned up at an open fuel station to find all the <span class=”skimlinks-unlinked”>pumps.out</span>of order which appears to be how folk are finding the charging points.

The only 2 garages in town lost their power for about 12 hours a few months ago here due to a substation fault, not for the first time.

Or you didn’t fill your tank up before the journey and didn’t bother to check what is near by, happens surprisingly often.

Many modern cars go further on a quarter tank than .many EVs do full range.

You’d have to be very negligent for that to happen

Mean while in ev world even with the best planning it’s possible to come.unstuck quite easily at the moment.

How ever I do hope you early adopters get that balance tipped when I’m.ready for an EV I’m 5 years or so

The only 2 garages in town lost their power for about 12 hours a few months ago here due to a substation fault, not for the first time.

Oh the irony at that arguement.

Many modern cars go further on a quarter tank than .many EVs do full range.

Slight exaggeration but I get your point yet people still run out of fuel or find there’s no garage for miles.

Whoever buys an EV without thinking it through IMHO is a complete ****. I could have kept my diesel for another 12 months but choose to change it early.

I looked at the journeys I do 99% of the time and with the odd trip to Wales when things go back to some form of normality a full charge should do me fine most of the time. It’s the main reason I choose the Kia was for the range, unfortunately, a Tesla wasn’t available as an option but I’m really happy with the Kia.

If you don’t think an EV is right for you at the moment then fine, it’s not going to be for everyone at the moment, and the technology is moving fast. But don’t think that everyone else has gone into it blind without any thought gone into it first.

Petrol stations don’t like you using a mobile phone in case it creates a spark. Plugging in high current cables might be discouraged if there’s a risk of petrol vapour.

I’d hazard a guess that one of the main reasons they don’t want us using a mobile phone on the forecourt, because they want us to focus on the job in hand ie dispensing highly flammable liquids. Actually from my long ago days installing equipment on forecourts I seem to recall there are hazard zones on a forecourt zone A being immediately around the pumps. I expect EV chargers will be installed well outside the danger zones.

Shell (also possibly BP) have already started installing public chargers in petrol stations.

BP

Harry’s garage Youtube channel has posted a “real world review” of the Porsche Taycan 4S today. He was more complimentary about the ease of away from home charging than the Porsche.

It’s the main reason I choose the Kia was for the range, unfortunately, a Tesla wasn’t available as an option but I’m really happy with the Kia.

Do you have the ENiro ?
How do you find it as a day to day vehicle ? Do you keep it topped up or let it get down to a certain level before charging. I have read that you are better off charging to 90% rather than 100 to prolong the battery life. Not sure of the science behind that. I’m certainly not a car snob, but never thought I’d find myself liking a Kia. But it seems like the best value for money at the moment and it’s got all the toys I like.

Oh the irony at that arguement.

Not really no. It was an issue for EV drivers as the chargers literally a stone through away were are on a different sun station.

onyg2003
Full Member
Harry’s garage Youtube channel has posted a “real world review” of the Porsche Taycan 4S today. He was more complimentary about the ease of away from home charging than the Porsche

Harry tested a single charger and found it working (albeit slower than expected @ 80kw instead of 120kw) and easy to use. That doesn’t discount what this couple were saying.

Fwiw My colleague has reported similar problems, the other week he said he went to two charging points in a row which the app said were available but when he got there weren’t working. He nursed the car back to the office only to find our chargers have a fault also 😀

Not really no

So there’s no irony in a fossil fuel car being stopped by a lack of electric

Harry’s Garage (ex Evo magazine bloke) reviewed the non-turbo yesterday on YouTube

He liked it but was disappointed by the range compared with a Tesla. He did like the new public charger that he found but he’s got half a brain and had done some planning to find one.

So there’s no irony in a fossil fuel car being stopped by a lack of electric

Oh! Missed it. 🤦🏻‍♂️

I am under the impression that while the Kia e-niro (and thus the Soul and Hyundai Kona) quote 64 kW, that’s what’s available and there’s a bit more below 0 and above ‘100%’ – you thus don’t damage the battery. They’re very nice by the way, and top of my shopping list again..

Harry tested a single charger and found it working (albeit slower than expected @ 80kw instead of 120kw) and easy to use. That doesn’t discount what this couple were saying.

I think he also looked at the Porsche in car charge station finder and it told him the nearest was 20+ miles away so he just went to one that he knew was there already and also much closer.
So sort of backs up the issue these people had where those chargers 20 miles away could have been not working, full up with cars etc,.

Still, a 260 mile round trip is still in the 1% of journeys that people do in cars so the majority of us we would just charge at home and drive under 100 miles in a given day.

About a month ago we did a bizarrely similar day trip from Dorking to Bournemouth and back in a brand new Tesla model 3. Charged to 90% at start (apparently this is the max charge or something similar to that) and off we set. Think we were down to sub 60% by Rownhams so stopped for a 50 min charge at the only charging point which got us back over 60%. Got down to Bournemouth 20mins later and, using the app, could find no charging points anywhere near the beachfront. Went to one at Madeira road car park but need to register by phone and nobody answered so gave up. Made it back with sub 10% charge.

You drove past a supercharger. You can charge a Tesla to 100% before a long journey. If you had put the journey into the car nav (directly or via your phone whilst sitting in bed having a cup of tea) it would have directed you via a Tesla only supercharger. If you were in an SR+ you’d have been charged up before your coffee was at drinking temperature.

Is there a business opportunity to load up a nice, reliable diesel van with batteries and operate a mobile charging service for these numpties who get caught out? 🤔

My main issue with the entire saga is that Porsche have chosen to call an EV “Turbo S”

Is there a business opportunity to load up a nice, reliable diesel van with batteries and operate a mobile charging service for these numpties who get caught out?

No need for batteries , just fit a large 3 phase diesel generator in the back, hooked upto a high power charger.

https://www.generator-man.co.uk/shop-2/perkins-open-generators/

@Twodogs
charging the same as petrol/diesel isn’t going to encourage people to take the plunge.

Charging from home is cheap. Plus there are FREE chargers out there. We have one about 200 yards from our house that is supplied by the local council.

charging the same as petrol/diesel isn’t going to encourage people to take the plunge.

It is not about saving money, that is not the point. I drive a very efficient car that always gets around 60mpg however or wherever I drive. It was also fairly cheap and an electric equivalent would add around £10k based on the prices of small cheaper EVs.

I drive around 10,000 miles a year (pre 2020!) and will probably drive less from now on as looking to continue to work from home a lot. Even at 10,000 miles a year with petrol at current price that is less than £1,000 a year in fuel so 10 years of fuel = premium for EV model

Haven’t read the whole thread but this seems to be the same old story. They’ve just added “I love my EV but…” onto the front of the normal motoring journo claptrap. Not to say the charging infrastructure isn’t a bit rubbish – it really is – but it’s not insurmountable and nor is it to blame for their poor planning.

Plus, you don’t actually need a proper chargepoint to charge at home. You can also do it by plugging in the lead that came with the car overnight. It seems pretty clear these people have a driveway. I’m 25k miles into EV ownership and still haven’t got round to fitting a proper chargepoint, and this just isn’t a thing that keeps me awake at night, although admittedly I have got a higher capacity socket than a 13A plug.

That all said, if I was spending £70k on an EV right now it’d probably still be a Tesla for the charging infrastructure, especially if i wanted to blunder through life without thinking ahead for a moment.