EV general discussion

[OspreyO]

But why does there need to be? Would it not make the journey far more pleasant if you could have a decent meal while you charge, rather than a greasy wilted burger and cold soggy chips (and paying £80 for the privilege)?



That's exactly what I'm saying.

Because if the purpose of my stop is to have something to eat whilst charging, a pub with a single charger might as well have none as far as I'm concerned. There's a significant risk that one those requirements might not be met, whereas a motorway services with multiple chargers is far more likely to meet both requirements, even if one of them is a severe compromise. I can continue with my journey after charging and eating a **** meal. I can't continue with my journey after a great meal and no charge.

In the original scenario the pub was the destination not a charging stop on the route. Let's flip it. Why do more pubs not have petrol pumps.

I've nothing against more destinations having AC chargers and multiples of them. I suspect human nature and habits have just not found them worth the effort. For example most AC chargers are untethered. If I had a choice I'd use a tethered DC charger so no faffing around with my own cable.

But it's a brave new world. Perhaps it will become more common. More useful too if EVs have 11 or 22kW

 

[Simon]

In the original scenario the pub was the destination not a charging stop on the route. Let's flip it. Why do more pubs not have petrol pumps.

I've nothing against more destinations having AC chargers and multiples of them. I suspect human nature and habits have just not found them worth the effort. For example most AC chargers are untethered. If I had a choice I'd use a tethered DC charger so no faffing around with my own cable.

But it's a brave new world. Perhaps it will become more common.

Same as why houses don’t have petrol pumps where AC works as it’s parked there anyway. Same for pubs and work.

I’d much rather faff with a Cable before parking rather then pay more and wait for DC on route

To be honest it’s different for everyone and their circumstances etc

 

[Mr Jack]

and released the new polo ev - looks smaller than r5 for rear passengers, and like puma sacrificed some of rear suspension smarts for deep boot.

Compromising the boot for the suspension seems like a decent trade-off to me, I'm more disappointed it's not rear wheel drive like the ID.3 although Autogefühl seems to feel it drives pretty well anyway. Rear passenger space being not great doesn't seem like much of a downside to a car like a Polo, it's not the kind of car I'd expect to be comfortable for four adult men.

Glad to see automakers are abandoning those dreadful capacitive buttons that have bedevilled the previous generation. They're comfortably the worst thing about my ID.3.

 

[Haggisman]

In the original scenario the pub was the destination not a charging stop on the route.

Not in my scenario

Let's flip it. Why do more pubs not have petrol pumps.

Because (as I'm sure you're well aware and you're just being facetious) it doesn't take an hour to fill your car with petrol.

I've nothing against more destinations having AC chargers and multiples of them. I suspect human nature and habits have just not found them worth the effort. For example most AC chargers are untethered. If I had a choice I'd use a tethered DC charger so no faffing around with my own cable.

It's chicken & egg really. People don't rely on destination chargers because there aren't enough of them to be able to safely rely on. Businesses don't install enough destination chargers because the existing ones don't get enough use (because there aren't enough of them for people to be able to safely rely on them, so they charge en-route and then don't need to use the destination charger).

 

[ICDP]

It depends on the business being a bit bold and thinking outside the box. The best I ever seen was Kildare shopping centre in Ireland. I think it was 8-10 free AC chargers the last time I visited. At least 4 cars were already charging and during our two hour shop and lunch we got 25% charge. It’s not great but it got us 60 miles of range and it was on our way home and a far better option than using a motorway service with high costs and mediocre food.

 

[Journey]

@lordrobs thought you might find this interesting.

Drivers 'frustrated' as Dundee car park fills up despite dozens of empty EV bays

Numerous electric, family, and disabled bays remained empty.

www.thecourier.co.uk

Dundee car park, 180 7kW chargers, people whining to many chargers, spaces are too big..

You can't make it up, I mean just let others park in the spaces until the demand is there, but meh.

Replying to myself for the folks above who may have not seen it. 180 destination chargers, in one car park.

 

[ICDP]

How many other parking spots are there? 180 seems a lot but if it is a 1000 plus large car park, then that’s about right for future proofing. No point putting in 20 AC chargers and in 5 years 4 in 10 cars are EVs.

But yes, let others use them until demand is there.

 

[Journey]

How many other parking spots are there? 180 seems a lot but if it is a 1000 plus large car park, then that’s about right for future proofing. No point putting in 20 AC chargers and in 5 years 4 in 10 cars are EVs.

460, so proportion is a bit on the high side, but cheaper to do it once than twice I guess.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Replying to myself for the folks above who may have not seen it. 180 destination chargers, in one car park.

NEC one is better, 150 AC posts, 32 DC Rapid, literally just off the motorway in the centre of the country and a venue you might actually go to!

bp pulse opens UK's largest public EV charging hub at NEC Birmingham

bp pulse, The EV Network and NEC Group have opened the UK’s largest public EV charging hub on the NEC Campus in the West Midlands.

evpowered.co.uk

Oh and I've used it.

Slow hand clap?

 

[Simon]

460, so proportion is a bit on the high side, but cheaper to do it once than twice I guess.

460 total. So 180 is too many when only EV drivers can park the dedicated EV spaces , then the family and disabled spaces also not useable for most drivers. Hence the complaints about not enough spaces for people who use it as the only place to park in the area. Read the full link rather than claiming people are complaining 180 EV spaces is too many.

Doing it once for infrastructure then bleed in more spaces later would be more sensible approach. Regular users who do charge probably only need a EV space once/twice a week anyway

Our work has it right. 300 spaces. 28 7kW 4 spaces on two 50s and 4 spaces on 2 300kW (150 a space)

Not that you will reply to this as you hide stuff that discusses stuff with you

 

[OspreyO]

Not in my scenario



Because (as I'm sure you're well aware and you're just being facetious) it doesn't take an hour to fill your car with petrol.



It's chicken & egg really. People don't rely on destination chargers because there aren't enough of them to be able to safely rely on. Businesses don't install enough destination chargers because the existing ones don't get enough use (because there aren't enough of them for people to be able to safely rely on them, so they charge en-route and then don't need to use the destination charger).

Very rarely will I top up just because theres an AC charger there, on a normal shop or lunch. Because it's cheaper to wait and charge at home and I can't be bothered with an untethered charger. In fact I charge at a public charger extremely rarely.

A destination charger at the end of a long trip is different.. But you're saying that's not your scenario.

The only time I've topped up when no need to is when traveling to away games for kids matches (now adult). But that's because I'm usually hanging around during warm up and pop to service station for a cuppa to pass the time. It might be handy to arrive home half full than empty especially at the weekend. Increasingly there's a DC charger at most service stations.

 

[OspreyO]

460 total. So 180 is too many when only EV drivers can park the dedicated EV spaces , then the family and disabled spaces also not useable for most drivers. Hence the complaints about not enough spaces for people who use it as the only place to park in the area. Read the full link rather than claiming people are complaining 180 EV spaces is too many.

Doing it once for infrastructure then bleed in more spaces later would be more sensible approach. Regular users who do charge probably only need a EV space once/twice a week anyway

Our work has it right. 300 spaces. 28 7kW 4 spaces on two 50s and 4 spaces on 2 300kW (150 a space)

Not that you will reply to this as you hide stuff that discusses stuff with you

Seems a better balance. But that's work.

Problem is with public parking always some clown that ignores a free non charging spaces to park in a charging space but isn't charging.

 

[Haggisman]

Very rarely will I top up just because theres an AC charger there, on a normal shop or lunch. Because it's cheaper to wait and charge at home and I can't be bothered with an untethered charger. In fact I charge at a public charger extremely rarely.

A destination charger at the end of a long trip is different.. But you're saying that's not your scenario.

The only time I've topped up when no need to is when traveling to away games for kids matches (now adult). But that's because I'm usually hanging around during warm up and pop to service station for a cuppa to pass the time. It might be handy to arrive home half full than empty especially at the weekend. Increasingly there's a DC charger at most service stations.

My scenario is a long trip with a break - there's 2 ways to look at that.

1. You stop for as short a time as possible to get to your destination ASAP
2. You plan a nice stop en-route to break up the journey

For option 1, motorway services with rapids are perfect, you plug in, go to the loo, grab an overpriced sandwich/cold burger, and by the time you get back to your car 15 minutes later, you've got enough charge to carry on.

I'm talking about option 2, where you (or more importantly the kids) are bored from sitting in the car for 2-3 hours (with another 2-3 hours to go), and you want a chance to stretch your legs properly, and have something decent to eat in pleasant surroundings - basically making the stop an intentional part of the trip rather than a necessary evil. Maybe I'm unusual in wanting that?

 

[OspreyO]

I don't think we are in Kanas anymore. You're talking about 5 hr road trips. You can do what you like.

I've older teens and adults. Last time I did a trip like that I was the only who wanted to stop.

 

[bloodiedathame]

And we wonder why the UK has a productivity problem

 

[Haggisman]

I don't think we are in Kanas anymore. You're talking about 5 hr road trips. You can do what you like.

Well, yes, there are a lot of places in the UK which are 5+ hours drive away, especially when you take into account traffic! I'm sure I'm not the only person in the country who drives those sort of distances...

 

[OspreyO]

This started as going to pub lunch with family needing an AC charger
Added visiting distant family in a pub
Added to driving from remote area to said pub
Pub is now a pitstop on a much longer journey.
Journey time escalating to 2.5hr now 5hrs+

I'm out.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

I can’t see pubs and restaurants installing a load of chargers anyway given most of their customers will be local and will have other charging arrangements. Perhaps 10% of the car park by 2040 seems reasonable.

As to why they’d do it? Seems obvious to me, additional revenue stream.

As for places like Alternative Towers, I can’t see they’ll ever have enough due to power constraints. I can see a first come first served booking system at a premium cost being the end game there.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

I’m going for a pint at the Winchester until this all blows over…

Do they have chargers?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Of Coke of course right?