When are you going fully electric?

[b0rn2sk8]

seems sensible.

The key point of failure is the 3 pin socket itself and is where the most of the failures take place. A poor connection leads to the socket itself melting.

If you are using an extension lead, the other common failure point is the fuse holder in the plug.

Just monitor it during the first few charges, if it starts getting hot* pull it immediately.

*it will probably feel slightly warm to the touch but any hotter and you need to pull it.

 

[Quartz]

Someone is not happy about electric vehicles. Note that he is driving a van, not a car.

TLDW: Costs twice as much and takes two hours longer to use an EV, and the range indicators are useless. He says that Gridserv (who run the chargers at motorway services) charge a 300% markup over normal charging stations whereas fossil fuel has a 30% markup.

@Scania How would that extra two hours of charging time affect HGV drivers?

 

[dlockers]

That’s good to know. I already have external 3 pin sockets and only need to charge every few weeks. I’ll see how I get on with it before committing £1K for a proper charging point.

100%. It'll be a long time before I spank a grand on a charger. I have just gotten into the habit of plugging in when I pull up; although my wife can't reverse park onto our drive so it often goes a week or two with no charging. When I am doing the evening park up though it gets backed on and plugged in as if its muscle memory. You soon get into the habit.

Versus my petrol car which is a pain when you jump in and have to schedule a trip to the station off route

 

[paradigm]

I’d find it hard to stump up over £1k for a 7.2kW charger, shame the grant disappeared. I was fortunate in getting my Zappi installed with the last few months of the grant existing, which meant it “only” cost me £650~.

 

[bigmike20vt]

I’d find it hard to stump up over £1k for a 7.2kW charger, shame the grant disappeared. I was fortunate in getting my Zappi installed with the last few months of the grant existing, which meant it “only” cost me £650~.

if you already have your car this is useless advice, however if not or for other people thinking of getting an EV, if you are buying at a main dealer you can investigate as some will throw in a chargepoint (not always just with new cars either - for instance Jaguar were offering one when i got my ipace, sadly they didnt have the car i wanted so i missed out, but the offer was there, not sure if it still is)

 

[Journey]

TLDW

Guy is a total plank, end of.

 

[Mr Jack]

Guy is a total plank, end of.

Description to the video "The real cost of driving a milk float on a motorway in plain black and white". I too go for unbiased information from someone who refers to EVs as "milk floats"

Although, to be fair, if you're pounding up and down motorways all day then an EV is probably not the right choice of vehicle.

 

[bigmike20vt]

indeed...... i am all for an honest discussion highlighting areas where EVs are still not really up to speed yet and where a diesel is still needed as a work vehicle (long range full sized transit van capable of doing 200 miles under load with a lot of torque)

but 1) how many transit vans actually need to do this?

My dad set up a building company for 35 years and he rarely travelled more than 20 miles each way to a job - usually less than 10 miles. At which point you would charge at home no hanging around needed.

2) yes public charging is too expensive on fast chargepoints. We all know this and admit it (i think!) but the point is you charge at home or at work or somewjhere cheap... and if you cant do that then maybe an EV isnt for you.......... yet!.

but the comments in the thread are such unbelievable horse s...

i mean someone with a 30 year old car which can do 50mpg - ok maybe............. but what are the exhaust emissions on such a car? and what would the ncap safety rating be on such a vehicle if you want to put your kids in it? Its easy to get good mpg if you drive a tin can.

yes cars have put on too much weight and some of that is unnecessary (I am guilty of it myself) but not all that weight is pointless. i know if i HAD to be in a high speed accident and i had a choice of a 1990 metro or my ipace, I know which i think i would be safer in!.

 

[TheVoice]

Guy is a total plank, end of.

His previous video of him driving the "milk float" shows him saying "It's raining, visibility's not good" with one hand on the wheel while holding the camera off towards the passenger seat and looking away from the road regularly.

 

[bigmike20vt]

His previous video of him driving the "milk float" shows him saying "It's raining, visibility's not good" with one hand on the wheel while holding the camera off towards the passenger seat and looking away from the road regularly.

could he not get done for that with his video used as evidence? pretty sure that has been done before!.

 

[Greebo]

Someone is not happy about electric vehicles. Note that he is driving a van, not a car.

TLDW: Costs twice as much and takes two hours longer to use an EV, and the range indicators are useless. He says that Gridserv (who run the chargers at motorway services) charge a 300% markup over normal charging stations whereas fossil fuel has a 30% markup.

@Scania How would that extra two hours of charging time affect HGV drivers?

They are AFAIK designing HGV to be end to end. Eg they have enough batteries to do a full days driving.

 

[Quartz]

They are AFAIK designing HGV to be end to end. Eg they have enough batteries to do a full days driving.

But quite often HGVs don't return to a depot overnight - they just park up anywhere.

 

[[YG]Bug-Eyed]

Ref home chargers…… I’ve got an old type 1 charge master 7kw charger from an outlander phev from 4 years back!

New i4 arriving end of next week. I can charge a work for free, and in office twice a week so that will cover the majority of my charging, but will need to top up at home sometimes, and if going on long journey / etc.

I’m not 100% sure if my car will come with a domestic 3 pin charger, as technically I ordered after they were removed as standard spec, and seems a random chance that some cars are still coming with them / some not; so I’ll have to wait and see. But my question was going to be ref the solid plastic tube type type 1 to type 2 adaptors you can get for around £60-70. That looks like cheapest option to make my old wall charger usable.

Anyone got experience of using them, and comments / issues etc? And any recommendations on specific products?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Type 1 to type 2 adapter is fine.

 

[Penfold101]

That’s good to know. I already have external 3 pin sockets and only need to charge every few weeks. I’ll see how I get on with it before committing £1K for a proper charging point.

My Polestar can change the actual amperage down to a minimum of 6 amps on the menus - if you can do this in yours, it makes it even safer. Charging time is increased a fair bit but by the sounds of it that wouldn't be an issue.

 

[jpaul]

if you reduce the current too much, you don't burn the house down, but the efficiency of the charge is reduced with the overhead of the other car electronics and (maybe?) depending on season the low temp of battery

answering yesterdays question - seems the same drivetrain ID7 saloon is 15% more efficient on wltp than an ID4 suv , down to aero, & at 70mph probably win even more.
Interesting innovation on the ID7 it will tell you with current battery 'state' what the max dc charge rate would be (for those impromptu stops), the steerable air vents seem OTT though.

Much that I dislike some of the barren - lone tablet, dashes of ev's had the misfortune today to travel in a honda civic/2015 , that has a dash only a mother could love, vs bm I'm familiar with.

 

[bloodiedathame]

My new Leaf should have been arriving tomorrow, but instead it'll be next week. Not really that bothered as the V2H charger is being installed on the 29th April.

I could keep the old Leaf and simply use it as a house battery.

 

[Penfold101]

if you reduce the current too much, you don't burn the house down, but the efficiency of the charge is reduced with the overhead of the other car electronics and (maybe?) depending on season the low temp of battery

Efficiency of charge or increased chance of your house becoming a raging inferno.





Tough choice.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

If you are going as far as putting the outside socket on a dedicated circuit, just run 4/6mm and put in a commando socket. The materials cost difference is minimal.

Grab a used gen3 Tesla UMC and a commando pig tail, failing that get someone who owns a Tesla to order you a new one at £180 and £43 each respectively.

Boom 7.4kw charging.

 

[VincentHanna]

I see the Nissan / Fisker rescue deal fell through.

Gotta feel bad for anyone that bought a car from them.