In my opinion there is no point getting a home charger installed and it sitting there for 3 years doing nothing. Just wait until you get an EV.
EV general discussion
- Thread starter Ricochet J
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7.4kw is both plenty and the most you can install on a normal domestic supply.
Cars outside of the £100k+ club tend to top out at around a 75kwh battery, you can charge that from practically empty to practically full in around 10 hours giving you 200-280 miles range back.
Remember that if you have home charging you’ll probably just end up topping the car up to 80% daily overnight when it’s super cheap which is usually a 4 hour window. There isn’t really a need to charge it higher unless you need it and most people drive less than 30 miles a day which can be recouped in an hour or so.
This! In decades I expect the norm will still be 7.4kw unless they change the regs to allow more power but I just don’t see that happening in a domestic setting.
It’s the ‘smartness’ of chargers is what is evolving and you could buy something fairy ‘dumb’ now and regret it later if you say wanted it to fully integrate with a time of use electric tariff, solar or home storage.
This is why the Ohme (commando version) is a great option, you can just get a 32A IP6x rated commando socket fitted, and a small meter style cupboard (if you like), then use the Octopus/Ohme offer and get the smart cable/charger for £199 from here! Then if you move you can take it with you, or you can use your socket with other equipment as well.
Me again!
Do you know if the bundled charge cable with the ID3 comes with a command one end anyway?
I've been looking at the EV tarrifs and every single one increases the home usage.
Octopus is close but still doing man maths to see if it's actually beneficial.
My query is regarding them command sockets you recommended to get fitted and then just charge 'dumb' with the bundled cable?
I'm estimating a mate can install one of them sockets for under £100. Just wondering if I really need the expensive cables if my electricity plans do t work out.
AFAIK the ID.3 as default only comes with a Type-2 to Type-2 cable, everything else is an option.
Electricity prices have gone up a lot this year, when does your current tariff end with your supplier? See what the price increase will be once it does, don't forget to look at the standing charge as well.
Worth doing, as you are right it could be more expensive if you don't charge the car a lot. Although you should look to see if you can shift any power use to the off-peak pricing as well, e.g. running washing machines, dishwashers etc. as that all adds up over the year.
A commando plug is just a 3-pin socket really, but capable of high current as per the 32A recommendation, you can buy 32A commando to Type-2 cables, but they are quite expensive still, and as you put it charge dumb, and just use the inbuilt timer in the car.
Seems like a very cheap price, especially if he is using proper armoured cable for outdoor use etc. IMO if you have a caravan it is worth having anyhow, it's not like it will only last a year, and the same goes for the EV, any money spent on a charging point or device will last you beyond this vehicle, and probably the next couple after than, unless you move house, or we get cheap V2H or V2G sooner than anticipated.
The 32A commando and then just use a “portable” 7.2kw 32a-type2 charger seems like a really nice option for people like myself who’d self install the outlet anyway. Minimal fuss.
To take the idea further and perhaps applicable to @GinG , you can also easily buy 16a commando to type 2 3.6kw chargers too. 16a is small enough that it’d hang off a lot of existing feeds or ringmains simply as a switched fused spur or simple additional radial. 3.6kw is still a big uplift over a granny charger, and I think given the ease of install, is a route that a lot of people could take. My existing garage for example I’d be happy to simply break a 16a feed from its existing old supply which is such a hassle saver.
To take the idea further and perhaps applicable to @GinG , you can also easily buy 16a commando to type 2 3.6kw chargers too. 16a is small enough that it’d hang off a lot of existing feeds or ringmains simply as a switched fused spur or simple additional radial. 3.6kw is still a big uplift over a granny charger, and I think given the ease of install, is a route that a lot of people could take. My existing garage for example I’d be happy to simply break a 16a feed from its existing old supply which is such a hassle saver.
Thanks mate, very informative.
Over winter the electricity is smashed with the tumble drier running most days so could run that over night no issues, therefore I guess will then make a huge difference and in fact could maybe even see a slight decrease.
I am with Avro and just checked I am now out of contract so price has increased to £0.152 and a £0.20 daily charge.
It's not too bad for now so will keep this running with a view of changing ready for the car.
Where the electric box is I will only need a metre or so of armoured cable anyway so it's not a massive amount of kit needed.
The deal with the Ohme Cable however is the cheapest option...but then do we just go with a pod point thethred and just be done with it.
The cash is there for either option...if I save any money the money saved will just go on to paying the holiday!
I am leaning this way however I'm either having to get the 32a socket or pod point fitted anyway.
As a tight Yorkshireman I want to get the best bang for buck but without wanting to regret the decision.
The commando socket outside is a great idea as I could then also use it for a caravan.
The deal Journey linked for the Octopus deal and the smart charge cable seems an excellent option and does allow a little more flexibility.
As far as I’m aware you can’t just use a commando to type 2 cable with an electric car. It needs some EVSE hardware in the middle to do the handshake so the car knows if it’s 32A, 16A or 13A max which is what adds cost.
That said the Ohme charger for £200 is a steal IMO. I assume it’s possible to unwire either the EVSE portion or the type two plug so you can mount the EVSE inside a garage and just have the tethered cable poking through a hole?
That said the Ohme charger for £200 is a steal IMO. I assume it’s possible to unwire either the EVSE portion or the type two plug so you can mount the EVSE inside a garage and just have the tethered cable poking through a hole?
When people say “cable”, they actually mean charger. You are correct the cable contains EVSE hardware with a readout screen and a few charging options inline with the “cable”
£250 everywhere online or £199 via the deal above. Available in 16a or 32a flavours both with current limiting options built in too, so quite versatile.
Soldato
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you won’t spur anymore than 32A on single phase from domestic anyway which is a 7kW. Bigger battery cars only need more charge per night if you are driving more miles (aside from tendency to be slightly less efficient)
7kW perfectly adequate for my 90kWh car.
Soldato
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no bundled cable will have a commando connector.
Having one of "those" journeys at the moment. Drove to an Instavolt charger in York. In use. Went to an alternative nearby charger at a Holiday Inn. Blocked by a PHEV which had finished charging (who charges a PHEV on Type 2 on a Polar rapid charger? Surely the fuel cost saving is negligible?). Then headed to a couple of CYC chargers by the sports centre. Couldn't get either to work; one is broken and the other is "reserved" for First Bus. So I'm now back at the Instavolt charger, 45 minutes later, and the same car is still charging 
I'm pretty sure the owner is going for a 100% charge...
The UK's EV infrastructure really is a joke sometimes.
I'm pretty sure the owner is going for a 100% charge... The UK's EV infrastructure really is a joke sometimes.
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Soldato
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I'll probably buy an electric car in the 2040s
good video which describes electrically, & shows you internally, what the ohme box does
... and alternatives - both dumbish , no app, and you just switch/shake between current options ... all you really need.
Aliexpress 32A (7kW) portable EV chargers ( EVSE ) Zencar, Khons
... and alternatives - both dumbish , no app, and you just switch/shake between current options ... all you really need.
Aliexpress 32A (7kW) portable EV chargers ( EVSE ) Zencar, Khons
Soldato
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Good vid for the internals, looks like it should be easy enough to get a longer cable on my Ohme if I need in the future
Having one of "those" journeys at the moment. Drove to an Instavolt charger in York. In use. Went to an alternative nearby charger at a Holiday Inn. Blocked by a PHEV which had finished charging (who charges a PHEV on Type 2 on a Polar rapid charger? Surely the fuel cost saving is negligible?). Then headed to a couple of CYC chargers by the sports centre. Couldn't get either to work; one is broken and the other is "reserved" for First Bus. So I'm now back at the Instavolt charger, 45 minutes later, and the same car is still charging
The UK's EV infrastructure really is a joke sometimes.
Christ.
Soldato
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Having one of "those" journeys at the moment. Drove to an Instavolt charger in York. In use. Went to an alternative nearby charger at a Holiday Inn. Blocked by a PHEV which had finished charging (who charges a PHEV on Type 2 on a Polar rapid charger? Surely the fuel cost saving is negligible?). Then headed to a couple of CYC chargers by the sports centre. Couldn't get either to work; one is broken and the other is "reserved" for First Bus. So I'm now back at the Instavolt charger, 45 minutes later, and the same car is still charging
The UK's EV infrastructure really is a joke sometimes.
Yep
I've never had to charge my car at a public station thankfully. It's a joke.
I'm now at Derby and... first charger I went to had an ID3 just plugging in. 38% charge. Moved on the the next, a Tesla was plugged in with 20% charge. So I moved on again. Another ID3, with a MG ZS waiting 
This is a right sorry state of affairs today
Now got a choice between heading back to one of the other two (at least they're at pubs) or heading to Burton, which adds a good 15 miles to my route.
EDIT: Finally got home. 7 hours for a journey which would take 3.5 (without stops) in an ICE. I can't wait to get rid of the Leaf TBH Give me a reliable 200-mile range EV and that journey would have been a doddle.
This is a right sorry state of affairs today
Now got a choice between heading back to one of the other two (at least they're at pubs) or heading to Burton, which adds a good 15 miles to my route.
EDIT: Finally got home. 7 hours for a journey which would take 3.5 (without stops) in an ICE. I can't wait to get rid of the Leaf TBH
Give me a reliable 200-mile range EV and that journey would have been a doddle.
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