EV general discussion

[b0rn2sk8]

I’m new to EVs, I’ve got an eGolf, mostly for shorter trips locally. On the off chance I need to use public charging, what do I need to do, can I just rock up and PAYG or is it more complicated?

I’ve signed up to WeCharge through the VW app but I think that only allows me to charge with certain providers and from some Googling, there appear to be lots of providers.

Most rapid chargers have contactless now, some don’t. Hardly any AC chargers and they will need some kind of account/app/RFID card to use.

You can use a ‘roaming’ provider like VW WeCharge, Octopus Electroverse, Charge Point or Shell Recharge. Most of these aggregators have similar coverage of networks.

The thing with these roaming providers or aggregators is that pricing can vary, sometimes it is cheaper going direct, sometimes it’s cheaper to go via an aggregator.

I’m signed up to a few of the aggregators but almost always direct with the network as well, mostly to compare pricing and select the cheapest.

 

[pc-guy]

Normally roaming provider is cheaper on public charger if you have a subscription with them.

Which means if you rely on public charger heavily then it’s a good idea to sign up a plan.

 

[R4z0r]

Thanks all, appreciate the help. I charge at home and don’t take it very far most of the time, I only expect to public charge a few times a year.

I’ll download Zapmap as that sounds like it will be useful.

 

[nam]

Normally roaming provider is cheaper on public charger if you have a subscription with them.

Which means if you rely on public charger heavily then it’s a good idea to sign up a plan.

Been watching this and found the Tesla SC cheaper than ionity, fastnet even without a subscription

Having had a Seat Mii without home charging and relying on Allego public charging 22kw near home was useful but the price increases recently were not good. Driving few more miles to a tesla sc is worth considering

 

[pc-guy]

Not all super charger sites accepts non Tesla cars. They are far and few in between tbh but if you got Tesla charger near by that’s definitely a plus. I think their off peak rate is very good.

 

[OspreyO]

I'll pose you the same question as earlier - are you as bitter towards people getting tax free childcare? Which is worth far more financially than a few £ in free charging (before our youngest was eligible for the 30hrs free/week, I was saving more per month from tax free childcare than my annual spend on charging the car).

People often irrationally bitter about things that really have no effect on them what so ever. Its a bit storm on a tea cup.

 

[OspreyO]

I’m new to EVs, I’ve got an eGolf, mostly for shorter trips locally. On the off chance I need to use public charging, what do I need to do, can I just rock up and PAYG or is it more complicated?

I’ve signed up to WeCharge through the VW app but I think that only allows me to charge with certain providers and from some Googling, there appear to be lots of providers.

I bought an eGolf myself, last year, downsized from an diesel MPV which was giving us loads of trouble with all the short journeys we do. Haven't looked back. Our other car a petrol, has hardly been driven since we got the eGolf.

 

[Tinders]

is this pretty much the ideal weather for range?Ive been getting 5.1m/kwh locally, yesterday on a run to london i got 4.4, that was mainly at 70mph and 50mph.That would give a pretty respectable >300 mile range.

 

[Haggisman]

Thanks all, appreciate the help. I charge at home and don’t take it very far most of the time, I only expect to public charge a few times a year.

I’ll download Zapmap as that sounds like it will be useful.

I find Electroverse handy, particularly if you have Octopus as your utility provider, since it just comes off the same bill (great if you have a bit of credit built up throughout the year), they have 8% of a lot of providers too

 

[R4z0r]

I find Electroverse handy, particularly if you have Octopus as your utility provider, since it just comes off the same bill (great if you have a bit of credit built up throughout the year), they have 8% of a lot of providers too

Thanks! I’m an Octopus customer so I’ve signed up and requested a card.

 

[pastymuncher]

I have had the OZEV Grant approved so it looks like I am getting a OHME HOME PRO 7KW TYPE 2 TETHERED CHARGER with 5m cable installed. These seem to be highly thought of chargers from reading around plus it's compatible with Octopus Intelligent Go Tariff so I will get 6 hours of 7.5p per kWh every night compared with the 4 hours of 9p per kWh I am getting at the moment. I am loving the Leaf so far. I Tried the Eco mode this morning, talk about crippling the power delivery!! I know it's for prolonging battery life but after driving back from Inverness in normal mode on Saturday it felt lifeless. Going to go on some quiet roads later in the week to give the e-pedal a try.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Glad to hear you are getting on well with the Leaf. Eco mode = desperate mode in my mind! Ignore it otherwise, life is too short to save a few Wh/mile

My car doesn't even have one, you can put it in 'chill' but all it does is damped the throttle so it doesn't actually save you any energy over what you can do with your right foot. I've never used it, I prefer the traffic light GP

 

[pastymuncher]

Oh it definately won't be used again unless I am desperate for the last few kWh of battery. I was just curious that's all. It does increase regen a lot although the performance hit is massive because like you say, it dampens the throttle pedal to the point that it feels like a Fred Flintstone car!! I just love the smoothness of a EV over a ICE manual. I got the app set up on my smartphone today which seems like a handy thing to have. The installers are getting back to me tomorrow so I should have a date for my charge point to be installed.

 

[squerble]

My car doesn't even have one, you can put it in 'chill' but all it does is damped the throttle so it doesn't actually save you any energy over what you can do with your right foot. I've never used it, I prefer the traffic light GP

While it's true you could do it with finer foot control, I find it preferable on my Model Y as you get finer throttle response over a larger bit of pedal travel. Makes switching back to standard all that more exciting, even though I'm in a lowly RWD model

 

[bigmike20vt]

I always put my car in ECO when going on a road trip. truth be told i cant say i notice a huge difference either way between eco, comfort and "Dynamic" other than the electronic engine noise goes up.

on the flip side the range doesnt change much either. i suspect most of the difference is i drive more sensibly when i am on a road trip - and hence in ECO......... It does have a couple of further ECO modes which are not readily accessible - one at 10% battery capacity where performance is gutted, and then 1 at 5% where things are getting desperate. i hope never to see that last one!!!.

i guess there is a difference between the 3 modes, maybe slightly better throttle response or something, but, compared to by wifes i3, the difference is small.

OTOH my wifes i3 is much more economical in ECO.... but it also limits the top speed to.................... 65mph iirc - but could be wrong on that - and the performance is significantly impacted.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Eco in IPACE reduces the air con output so I’d avoid that in this weather tbh.

 

[bigmike20vt]

Eco in IPACE reduces the air con output so I’d avoid that in this weather tbh.

ahhh that is a good point. I had noticed that actually.... so that is maybe an issue for 5 days a year in the uk then

I think it may also affect the heater in cold weather, which may explain why my mrs always moans in winter on a long trip. (i am fine as i put heated steering wheel on which is enough for me)

 

[m4rmite]

Eco in IPACE reduces the air con output so I’d avoid that in this weather tbh.

Mg5 stops the air con/ heating to the rear vents in eco mode.
Same effect I guess overall.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Smart climate does similar if set, only cools the occupied seat areas.... in theory anyway. The other part of eco is power split 30:70 between front and rear EDU to warm the oil on both units quicker for less drag.

 

[chanjy]

Smart climate does similar if set, only cools the occupied seat areas.... in theory anyway. The other part of eco is power split 30:70 between front and rear EDU to warm the oil on both units quicker for less drag.

What's the default distribution? RWD?

When I first got the car used to stick it in eco all the time but don't bother now lol