[pip895]

I have had a EV for 7 years but gave up using the public charging network 6 years back after a couple of bad experiences. We have now upgraded our Leaf to one with three times the range and want to give the charging network another try. On Friday we are traveling to Cornwall for a long weekend - we could get to our destination in one but as there is no destination charging it would be sensible to charge on the way there.

Can you just turn up to a rapid charger and pay by credit card or do you have to mess around with special cards and Apps? I'm not too worried about price, within reason, but I don't want hassle or next time we will just go in the ice.

 

[Hotlush]

Most should now allow the use of contactless but probably best thing is to plan the route using something like ZapMap so you have an idea of whose chargers you're going to be using.

 

[Chris P.]

More and more contactless coming on line all the time. Swarco and Shell recharge among others. Less available as you get deep into Cornwall. Some Swarco charge points are very new and not all on Zap Map yet.

 

[DSLRed]

Filter on ZapMap for those that take contact less payment by debit card. Ensure you have a plan B, but if they are on your route, go for Instavolt as plan A.

 

[davesul]

Many people reckon that Instavolt chargers are some of the most reliable and work from a normal credit card - there are a few in Cornwall and Devon plus probably near your route. They are mostly NOT at the MSAs but usually not far from a motorway. See Zapmap for locations...

 

[electric_dreams]

More and more contactless coming on line all the time. Swarco and Shell recharge among others. Less available as you get deep into Cornwall. Some Swarco charge points are very new and not all on Zap Map yet.

I'm looking forward to visiting this one in the North Sea.

 

[electricdriver]

+1 for InstaVolt. Use them and you won't go wrong, most sites have multiple chargers so that's you greatly reduce the chances of a top-up being foiled by either another user or a faulty unit.

 

[pip895]

Thanks for that everyone. There are several Instavolt chargers on/close to our rout - I may give the Ecotricity one at Exeter services a try knowing that the instavolt one is available beyond it - just because its about where we want to swap drivers + have a coffee etc. We will definitely try instavolt on the way back though.

 

[GrahamS]

@pip895 you'll be disappointed to learn it's still the wild west but perhaps less of a disaster than 6 years ago. Ecotricity you need the app. Some work. Instavolt, contactless generally excellent as said by others. Polar Instant. Mostly contactless but patchy reliability. Shell, never got them to work. Inonity, CCS only, contactless at 69p/unit. And often broken.

 

[AndrewC]

Engenie (becoming Osprey) are contactless and often in pairs and good too.

 

[pip895]

@pip895 you'll be disappointed to learn it's still the wild west but perhaps less of a disaster than 6 years ago. Ecotricity you need the app. Some work. Instavolt, contactless generally excellent as said by others. Polar Instant. Mostly contactless but patchy reliability. Shell, never got them to work. Inonity, CCS only, contactless at 69p/unit. And often broken.

I am rather hoping it has improved - The last time I tried a longer trip in my Mk1 Leaf, I pulled into a motorway charge station I had checked was working on my way out to find it OS. Next one there were two cars and a van ahead of me- they seemed to all be part of the same organisation - a taxi/courier service perhaps.. In the end I limped home at 50 m/h on the motorway came off a junction early and dropped to <30mph. Limped into the drive well into the dashes swearing never again!

 

[GrahamS]

It's better for sure. But still woefully terrible. The gold standard is ICE fuelling. Turn up anywhere, at any time. Fill up. Pay using any credit card in your wallet. Go.