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Electric cars.
- Thread starter Gramaisc
- Start date
Noah
Well-Known Forumite
If anyone spots chargers in any Staffordshire pub car parks, please let me know. I try to make the information available on the WhatPub website.
The Hawk
Well-Known Forumite
95%+ of the time I only need to charge up at a home so, providing you can accommodate a home charger, it is far, far easier than having to fuel up a diesel or petrol car, and much cheaper too.
For longer journeys, I can split those into two categories:
1. Those trips where I can charge up at my destination. Again extremely straightforward, with no stops to charge up required; and
2. Those trips where I need to charge up en route. This is the one that is slightly more complicated. Because those stops will require a longer stop than a petrol/diesel stop would require, I try and time the stops to coincide with a break (e.g. coffee break, lunch etc.). Yesterday, my lunch stop was just 15 miles short of my destination, which meant that I could complete my outward journey and the whole of my return journey without any further charging stops.
As the rollout of public charging points continues, I'm expect more and more of my longer journeys will fall into 1. above and less into 2.
I've had my EV (my first EV) for 9 months now and I am delighted I went down the electric route. Hopefully, you will find the right EV to suit your requirements as well.
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
They certainly are enjoyable, been EV-only since 2018 here.
timmo
Well-Known Forumite
Need to show these to the fool who charges the Nissan Leaf on cooperative street by blocking the pavement or running an extension lead across itThere are some innovative approaches being installed for those without off street parking.
Some Councils are installing charging gullies to allow cables to safely cross pavements, for example:
And, of course, Stafford has been trialling pop up chargers (think rising bollards), installed by Urban Electric, similar to this one in Oxford:
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
I'm ot sure they can do anything to the pavement, it'd have to be the council?
timmo
Well-Known Forumite
Quite probably- we’re at a watershed moment and councils need to get their act together for what is about to come. It doesn’t seem like it registers how much they will have to get done by 2030
Jonah
Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
The big change has to be a change in thinking that your home, workplace or a car park is where you “fill up” your car instead of driving to a dedicated place.
Plus (obviously) the necessary infrastructure needs to be installed. It’ll be a long, slow process but it can be done. Remember when cable companies dug up (nearly) everyones road to install their cable network. That shows it’s possible but will take time.
Plus (obviously) the necessary infrastructure needs to be installed. It’ll be a long, slow process but it can be done. Remember when cable companies dug up (nearly) everyones road to install their cable network. That shows it’s possible but will take time.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
I suspect everyone doubling their electric usage to charge cars will need quite an upgrade, luckily most will be overnight and we currently use about half of peak during that time so maybe for now we're OK?
joshua
Well-Known Forumite
I've just stumbled across this article about Audi setting up its own "luxury" charging stations in Germany, hopfully it will arrive over here one day:
https://uk.motor1.com/news/556281/audi-opens-first...
It will be interesting to see if it takes off in light of Tesla opening up their chargers and whether it stays exclusive to Audi.
https://uk.motor1.com/news/556281/audi-opens-first...
It will be interesting to see if it takes off in light of Tesla opening up their chargers and whether it stays exclusive to Audi.
They do but it cost 7ppl more than the E10 they also sell. but could be up to 10% more efficient than e5 in some vehicles as well as having more cleaning additives than there e5.
What is E10 fuel and can I use it in my car? | Autocar
Since September 2021, British fuel retailers have had to adopt a new petrol formula to reduce emissions
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Tesco E5 is 99 Octane fuel which for some cars that require 97+ is essential.They do but it cost 7ppl more than the E10 they also sell. but could be up to 10% more efficient than e5 in some vehicles as well as having more cleaning additives than there e5.
What is E10 fuel and can I use it in my car? | Autocar
Since September 2021, British fuel retailers have had to adopt a new petrol formula to reduce emissionswww.autocar.co.uk
As for the greater efficiency argument, you'd never hope to get the improved efficiency required to justify the extra cost of E5.
E5 is also essential is you own an older vehicle from pre 2000 or a classic. Unless you've replaced all your fuel pipes with modern ones, running E10 is going to have some potentially disastrous consequences.
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
As long as their chargers work… Gridserve have been insanely unreliable for me, was a nightmare when I had the Leaf as they have a monopoly on the motorway services and it was pot luck as to whether the single ancient CHAdeMO connector was working or not
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
It's the concept that's exciting. Couldn't care less who's behind it as long as, as you say, it actually works reliably.
If Tesla can do it as well as they do then there really isn't any excuse for anybody else.
We were in France last week and had to rely on the public charging network. It really puts the UK to shame...
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Had to use the EV for the first time since getting to France yesterday as a friend in the village wanted to pick up a new TV from Darty (the French equivalent of Curry's but without the charm) and it was the only car with a boot big enough to lug it about flat, with all the packaging. Only had 50 miles range left so, as we don't have a home charger, figured I'd have to make a detour via a Lidl to use one of their free-if-you-shop-there 50kw jobbies. Was pleasantly surprised to find a bank of 8 150kw chargers on the retail park. Not only that but provided you could produce a receipt from any of the shops on the retail park, charging was free! So one TV and a quickish cup of coffee later 300 free miles of fuel added to the tank.
It's easy to do these things and they manage it in France and Germany, yet it seems to be beyond the wit of the UK.
It's easy to do these things and they manage it in France and Germany, yet it seems to be beyond the wit of the UK.
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
I do miss the £6 IKEA discount if you charged there…
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
My wife is of the opinion that nothing happens in the uk unless someone directly makes a profit.