Joined
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114 Posts
Just need to get this one off my chest!
we are new BEV owners and spent a lot of time researching just about everything we could on BEVs. We downloaded all the recommended apps (Watts App, Pod Point, Charge Car, Plug share, Electric Highway, Shell recharge, Zap Map, ABR) and got RFID cards for Geniepoint, Charge Places Scotland, Shell. We watched endless hours of YouTube. We though we got the main bases covered.
today we decided that we would charge the car away from home while we did the shopping. We can charge at home but having never charged on a public charger before thought it was wiser to do it before it was needed and could cause a problem if it went wrong.
We hooked up to the Engie charger and used the Geniepoint RFID card, which has the Engie logo on it. Message back - RFID card not recognised. Rang the helpline number, was told that although Geniepoint own Engie, the card won’t work on Engie chargers and we’d have to register on the website.
so we registered on the ev.engine site and tried again to charge . But the site wouldn’t see the charge point and came up with a list of nearest points (300 miles away!) Checked location services were enabled, which they were.
Rang back on the number and explained the problem, the lady at the other end started the charge session for us. And helped me to register my Shell RFID card as one to use on the Engie account. WTF! Why can a completely third parties card be used but the inter company one can’t!
anyhow, by now 40 minutes had passed since we rocked up, luckily nobody else had appeared wanting to use the chargers (a single charger space, with one for taxis only next to it - never seen that one used...)
we did out shopping and came back 30 mins later. Couldn’t stop the session as the newly registered Shell RFID card wouldn’t work. Rang the number again. The guy stopped the session and explained that the Shell card wouldn’t work because it wasn’t used to start the session. (Fair enough, it stops any Tom Dick or Harry stopping your session for you).
But my point is WHY is it so difficult.?
What clown allowed the different networks to require apps and specific RFID cards, and not allow simple credit card or debit card use? You know, like you can when refuelling an ICE.
The current situation is utterly ludicrous I want to turn up, plug in, tap my card and pay.
so what should have been a straightforward exercise was extremely stressful and really boiled my p1ss.
but having vented my spleen here, I do feel better
IF anyone who has influence with the UK Government /transport policy is reading, If you want wide public acceptance of BEV this ridiculous situation MUST be resolved.
I am so glad we chose to experiment with the charging - if this had happened at a strange town, in the dark, in the rain, when we were down to 10% I think I’d have set fire to the car and bought another ICE with the insurance payout.
other than that we both absolutely love the Zoe!
we are new BEV owners and spent a lot of time researching just about everything we could on BEVs. We downloaded all the recommended apps (Watts App, Pod Point, Charge Car, Plug share, Electric Highway, Shell recharge, Zap Map, ABR) and got RFID cards for Geniepoint, Charge Places Scotland, Shell. We watched endless hours of YouTube. We though we got the main bases covered.
today we decided that we would charge the car away from home while we did the shopping. We can charge at home but having never charged on a public charger before thought it was wiser to do it before it was needed and could cause a problem if it went wrong.
We hooked up to the Engie charger and used the Geniepoint RFID card, which has the Engie logo on it. Message back - RFID card not recognised. Rang the helpline number, was told that although Geniepoint own Engie, the card won’t work on Engie chargers and we’d have to register on the website.
so we registered on the ev.engine site and tried again to charge . But the site wouldn’t see the charge point and came up with a list of nearest points (300 miles away!) Checked location services were enabled, which they were.
Rang back on the number and explained the problem, the lady at the other end started the charge session for us. And helped me to register my Shell RFID card as one to use on the Engie account. WTF! Why can a completely third parties card be used but the inter company one can’t!
anyhow, by now 40 minutes had passed since we rocked up, luckily nobody else had appeared wanting to use the chargers (a single charger space, with one for taxis only next to it - never seen that one used...)
we did out shopping and came back 30 mins later. Couldn’t stop the session as the newly registered Shell RFID card wouldn’t work. Rang the number again. The guy stopped the session and explained that the Shell card wouldn’t work because it wasn’t used to start the session. (Fair enough, it stops any Tom Dick or Harry stopping your session for you).
But my point is WHY is it so difficult.?
What clown allowed the different networks to require apps and specific RFID cards, and not allow simple credit card or debit card use? You know, like you can when refuelling an ICE.
The current situation is utterly ludicrous I want to turn up, plug in, tap my card and pay.
so what should have been a straightforward exercise was extremely stressful and really boiled my p1ss.
but having vented my spleen here, I do feel better
IF anyone who has influence with the UK Government /transport policy is reading, If you want wide public acceptance of BEV this ridiculous situation MUST be resolved.
I am so glad we chose to experiment with the charging - if this had happened at a strange town, in the dark, in the rain, when we were down to 10% I think I’d have set fire to the car and bought another ICE with the insurance payout.
other than that we both absolutely love the Zoe!