EV general discussion

[Jonnycoupe]

Why would you swap a fuel cell out? Please familiarise yourself with the tech before you dismiss the present tech today. Good luck getting hydrogen I think beaconsfield station has struggled with supply for the last few months.


I’ve applied for the OctopusEnergy Juice beta which is trying to amalgamate the main charge suppliers into a single interface similar to Zap Map I guess but nice that the energy use simply drops onto your home electricity bill.

 

[DarrenM343]

Why would you swap a fuel cell out? Please familiarise yourself with the tech before you dismiss the present tech today. Good luck getting hydrogen I think beaconsfield station has struggled with supply for the last few months.


I’ve applied for the OctopusEnergy Juice beta which is trying to amalgamate the main charge suppliers into a single interface similar to Zap Map I guess but nice that the energy use simply drops onto your home electricity bill.

Who is talking about hydrogen? I wasn't. And I'm more than familiar, thanks. And I wasn't dismissing it either. It has taken 190 years to get to this point with BEV's however. We do need other breakthroughs, in whatever form that may be.

 

[RoboCod]

Yep, I just still find it amusing talking about storing electricity in batteries to power motors as the future . Will be good to see how things evolve. A way to generate power onboard has to be a goal I think, at least as one method of electrically powering vehicles.
I like the thought of a fuel cell that's the size of a shoebox and lasts 10k miles and can be swapped out in a few mins.

I am converted but probably won't get an EV for next daily. Would be tempted now if found something suitable. An i3 or similar size/weight/quality and 200+ mile motorway range (ideally 250-300).

I'm coming from a car that is lucky to have remote central locking. It's the future...

 

[Journey]

I'm coming from a car that is lucky to have remote central locking. It's the future...

Lol.

As said above, bare minimum is Zap-Map app installed, and I'd look at Instavolt as a primary provider, and as a plan B any other provider. Heated seat warmers and steering wheel are great on the Ioniq, so don't forget to use them!

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Who is talking about hydrogen? I wasn't. And I'm more than familiar, thanks. And I wasn't dismissing it either. It has taken 190 years to get to this point with BEV's however. We do need other breakthroughs, in whatever form that may be.

apologies... you said fuel cell...

 

[njm106]

We're picking our BEV up tomorrow all being well, looking forward to seeing how it drives on the motorway we only drove it round town on the test drive.

 

[WJA96]

Lol.

As said above, bare minimum is Zap-Map app installed, and I'd look at Instavolt as a primary provider, and as a plan B any other provider. Heated seat warmers and steering wheel are great on the Ioniq, so don't forget to use them!

I try to use Polar if I’m out and about because it’s 15p/kW on 50kW fast chargers or free on the 7kW chargers if you’re a Polar Plus member. Pod Point at Lidl is 23.5p/kW which I just about consider to be OK but I really gib at paying 35p/kW at Instavolt. That’s getting to be as expensive as petrol. And I don’t care what the chargers cost, charging me 35p/kW for something they buy at less than 10p/kW just feels like price gouging.

 

[Journey]

Polar plus is £7+ per month, so you need to be doing at least 35kWh every month on a rapid to make it cost less than Instavolt.

I use the free 7kW Pod Point charges at Lidl, Tesco and the retail park near by when we are allowed to shop.

I do agree though 35p is not cheap, especially when the average cost per kWh in my car from home is 3.38p, although that might go up if it doesn't get more windy!

 

[lordrobs]

My next company car is a few years off (my employer keeps them way too long and there is no cash alternative ) but the MG5 looks like the first offering I could genuinely put forward as an EV alternative for my current car being an estate. It's too expensive but I could probably make the numbers appealing when considered over 4 years. I don't care if it is just some re-badged Chinese thing, I can't see it being any worse screwed together than my Leon.

The range would be a pain for work but I think I'd just have to change my work day. Instead of burning the best part of a day behind the wheel then playing catch up on my office work when I hit my hotel for the night I'd have a couple of 50 minute battery top ups where I crack out the laptop and get some work done. If that new Gridserve station is the future of motorway services then it certainly makes it viable.

Even if I get to the hotel a couple of hours later I can relax straight away so overall I've not really lost any time plus it would break the journey up and get that inevitable 9am "super urgent" email looked at sooner

 

[Hyburnate]

I think in a few years it'll be completely different scene. My P2 is on lease for two years for that very reason, this is technology and it moves quick!

 

[WJA96]

Polar plus is £7+ per month, so you need to be doing at least 35kWh every month on a rapid to make it cost less than Instavolt.

I use the free 7kW Pod Point charges at Lidl, Tesco and the retail park near by when we are allowed to shop.

I do agree though 35p is not cheap, especially when the average cost per kWh in my car from home is 3.38p, although that might go up if it doesn't get more windy!

Im doing about 500 miles per week so I use about 25kW per day so Polar Plus is a no-brainer for me. And I got 1 year free with the car. So dead easy!

Also when you sign up the first 3 months are free even if you didn’t get a freebie with your car.

 

[WJA96]

My next company car is a few years off (my employer keeps them way too long and there is no cash alternative ) but the MG5 looks like the first offering I could genuinely put forward as an EV alternative for my current car being an estate. It's too expensive but I could probably make the numbers appealing when considered over 4 years. I don't care if it is just some re-badged Chinese thing, I can't see it being any worse screwed together than my Leon.

The range would be a pain for work but I think I'd just have to change my work day. Instead of burning the best part of a day behind the wheel then playing catch up on my office work when I hit my hotel for the night I'd have a couple of 50 minute battery top ups where I crack out the laptop and get some work done. If that new Gridserve station is the future of motorway services then it certainly makes it viable.

Even if I get to the hotel a couple of hours later I can relax straight away so overall I've not really lost any time plus it would break the journey up and get that inevitable 9am "super urgent" email looked at sooner

Obviously which hotel chain your company uses/you prefer obviously has an impact on this but almost every Travel Lodge and Premier Inn now has at least one 7kW charger. And that’s easy. I usually roll in between 9 and 10, plug in and leave it. By 7am next day it’s always at least 80% charged which is enough to get me almost anywhere.

You’re right. You just adapt and sitting in the passenger seat with the laptop is the new normal.

 

[SDK^]

I try to use Polar if I’m out and about because it’s 15p/kW on 50kW fast chargers or free on the 7kW chargers if you’re a Polar Plus member. Pod Point at Lidl is 23.5p/kW which I just about consider to be OK but I really gib at paying 35p/kW at Instavolt. That’s getting to be as expensive as petrol. And I don’t care what the chargers cost, charging me 35p/kW for something they buy at less than 10p/kW just feels like price gouging.

Well you’re not just paying for the electricity, the charging cost includes all of the other business related overheads. Those apps you recommended above had a development associated cost, along with the back office staff etc etc...
It’s like going to a restaurant and comparing the food and drink prices to what you could buy them for yourself

Polar plus is £7+ per month, so you need to be doing at least 35kWh every month on a rapid to make it cost less than Instavolt.

I use the free 7kW Pod Point charges at Lidl, Tesco and the retail park near by when we are allowed to shop.

I do agree though 35p is not cheap, especially when the average cost per kWh in my car from home is 3.38p, although that might go up if it doesn't get more windy!

The Polar Network has just merged with the Chargemaster Network to become BP Pulse. Looks like they are investing more into significantly widening their charge network.

 

[bimbleuk]

I think in a few years it'll be completely different scene. My P2 is on lease for two years for that very reason, this is technology and it moves quick!

I took this strategy too and 14 months later the 2021 Model 3 revision has significant changes under the skin and 20 or more miles of range for the same battery capacity. By the end of 2021 I expect another radical change including the new front and rear casting process plus structural battery cells using the 4680 format.

Not sure now whether to buy my car and keep it until the the Euro Cybertruck or compact cars appear or to just keep jumping to the next revision of the TM3.

The radical move would be to buy my current car add FSD now and assume the FSD keeps going up therefore maintaining the resale value of the car. If I could buy FSD like a Windows license then I'd have it already and would just keep buying Tesla cars.

 

[WJA96]

Well you’re not just paying for the electricity, the charging cost includes all of the other business related overheads. Those apps you recommended above had a development associated cost, along with the back office staff etc etc...
It’s like going to a restaurant and comparing the food and drink prices to what you could buy them for yourself

I don’t think the restaurant analogy is a good one because they have a VERY short life (most restaurants need a rebrand/relaunch every 6-9 months) but I do take your point. i think the sandwich analogy might be more apt but from a very rough calculation I think the payback period on a fast charger will be something from 2 to 10 years based on a £40K+VAT installed cost, plus a 5p/kW payment to the site owner and 3-phase electricity at a commercial rate of 8p/kW. (roughly 8000 charges to break even). One thing i only realised recently was i wasn't paying for what went into my battery, I was paying for what the DC charger was consuming and not all DC chargers are equally efficient. AC chargers only pass through the power to the car's onboard charger (again, not all equally efficient) so that makes home charging even more attractive.

I'll still stick with Polar Plus and Pod-Point for the moment though. Because they're just cheaper. i can only claim back 4p/mile for fuel used (HMRC advisory rate) so anything over 16p/kW and I'm losing out anyway.

 

[HEADRAT]

I think in a few years it'll be completely different scene. My P2 is on lease for two years for that very reason, this is technology and it moves quick!

I'm interested in leasing a Polestar 2 but I'm completely lost when it comes to how to find a good deal, there are literally 1000's of leasing companies, how on earth do you choose the best one?

I hate buying cars at the best of times but this seems to take it to a new level of confusion and pitfalls

 

[WJA96]

I'm interested in leasing a Polestar 2 but I'm completely lost when it comes to how to find a good deal, there are literally 1000's of leasing companies, how on earth do you choose the best one?

Which one costs you the least over your chosen period? Also, if it’s a company car, it may make sense to buy/HP/PCP the car because of tax breaks. You almost need a accountant to sort it out. Pick a car you like and get the lowest cost deal, factoring in deposit/initial payment, monthlies, excess mileage rates, VAT, 1st year depreciation against tax etc. They are currently extremely cheap to run, but when that changes, they will be very expensive compared to ICE cars.

 

[Hyburnate]

We used Synergy up in Harrogate they were competitive

 

[Journey]

Im doing about 500 miles per week so I use about 25kW per day so Polar Plus is a no-brainer for me. And I got 1 year free with the car. So dead easy!

Also when you sign up the first 3 months are free even if you didn’t get a freebie with your car.

In that instance then it's a mega deal. The vast majority of users unless doing really high mileage or not having access to a home charger will see almost no benefit. Let us all hope that Pulse make a tiered subscription, like you get with a mobile plan, then you could adjust it as required.

The 3 free months is something I will be using next summer (maybe), this year I made the most of the CPS/CYC totally free rapid chargers, which were all excellent, no faff at all, tap the RFID card and they all started immediately.

 

[Hyburnate]

In that instance then it's a mega deal. The vast majority of users unless doing really high mileage or not having access to a home charger will see almost no benefit. Let us all hope that Pulse make a tiered subscription, like you get with a mobile plan, then you could adjust it as required.

The 3 free months is something I will be using next summer (maybe), this year I made the most of the CPS/CYC totally free rapid chargers, which were all excellent, no faff at all, tap the RFID card and they all started immediately.

Yeah I have no home charging but have charging at the office - sadly MK have just been plunged into Tier 4 but that's 15 minutes from mine and theres Polar rapid chargers and all retail shops (Centre MK) have free 7kw chargers.

Polar Plus and the credit is insane from Polestar.