[Digger.9]

I have a delivery date for my car and have a home charger fitted. Just after some advice, what apps are worth getting? Fobs? Freebies? To help me not get stuck while out on the road. Many thanks

 

[80698]

Take a look on Zap Map, and look at the routes you will be driving along. You'll be able to see who operates the chargers in those areas and then you can download their apps or buy their RFID Cards.

Ecotricity's Electric Highway is handy for the chargers at the motortway service stations, and Pod Point is good for the supermarkets. Both of these are app only.

Instavolt and Osprey both take direct credit card payments and are pretty reliable with more than one charger per location so are always a good choice when planning a longer trip.

Depending on where you are, and where you will be driving to there are lots of smaller and regional networks that you may need to consider signing up to as well though.

 

[Sputnik72]

I'm in a similar situation to you, I'll be getting my first EV (2015 Soul) in the next couple of weeks it's a mixture of excitement and anxiously checking I have all bases covered. I'm going to initially be using a granny charger to charge my car when I need and hopefully will also be getting a 7kWh home charger in the new year, which one did you go for?

As far as cards and fobs, on top of what already been said I've also signed up for Polar plus, It's free for the first 3 months and I have several chargers local to me, also their rates and reliability seem to be pretty good.

Lastly if you've not already done so I'd recommend switching your electricity supply to Octopus Energy (If you do there's a £50 referral link in my bio ).I've found there customer service to be excellent so far and they offer overnight rates of 5p kWh ( 00:30-4:30).

 

[80698]

I've also signed up for Polar plus, It's free for the first 3 months and I have several chargers local to me, also their rates and reliability seem to be pretty good.

You'll not be saying that in a month or so from now, unless you happen to live in or around Milton Keynes where they have chargers EVERYWHERE. Polar, and the other Chargemaster brands like CYC are terrible. They take forever to fix faults, their Ultracharge units regularly freeze up and stop working, and you will generally be waiting at least half a hour on the phone before they answer your call, mostly just to tell you they can't help.

Chargemaster really isn't a network to rely on. They are generally my absolute last resort option and nothing more.

 

[Sputnik72]

You'll not be saying that in a month or so from now, unless you happen to live in or around Milton Keynes where they have chargers EVERYWHERE. Polar, and the other Chargemaster brands like CYC are terrible. They take forever to fix faults, their Ultracharge units regularly freeze up and stop working, and you will generally be waiting at least half a hour on the phone before they answer your call, mostly just to tell you they can't help.

Chargemaster really isn't a network to rely on. They are generally my absolute last resort option and nothing more.

Well I guess I will, and I wouldn't be relying on them but they'll initially be the first one's I go to try. Having checked out the Polar chargers close to me and from reading various threads on here and Zapmap, this has mostly not been quite so pessimistic. I understand they won't be perfect (as most networks aren't), but from what I've read and checked out for myself I'll certainly be giving them a try and what's to lose with 3 months free membership anyway??

 

[Digger.9]

Thanks again. I am with octopus and actually ended up going for the eo pro 2 through there offer/scheme. Must say they were great, wasn't an easy install but didn't charge any extra and fitted start elec and gas meters at same time. Really tidy looking install. I will mainly be home charging, but do travel to work sites so being prepared will be useful

 

[Gif]

Well I guess I will, and I wouldn't be relying on them but they'll initially be the first one's I go to try. Having checked out the Polar chargers close to me and from reading various threads on here and Zapmap, this has mostly not been quite so pessimistic. I understand they won't be perfect (as most networks aren't), but from what I've read and checked out for myself I'll certainly be giving them a try and what's to lose with 3 months free membership anyway??

I signed up for Polar and still am signed up despite the fact that financially it probably costs me more than I take out. Reliability wise, when I have used them they have been okay especially the 7kw posts around me which are free on the subscription. What swayed me in the first place was the provision of a fob rather than having to rely on apps which to be frank are a PITA. I also signed up to the Genie Point network which you can choose to register through an existing RFID (I use the polar one) which again removes the need to mess about.

Yes we all want contactless startup and payment on chargers. Next best would be a multi-use RFID. Next best is single use RFIDs. Worst case is an app, it's a solution looking for a problem IMHO.

+1 for the "very much depends on where you are in the country" but don't make the mistake of signing up for all the ones in your vicinity, it's not those you need, it's the ones where you regularly stop or pass when away from home that you need