[Paul]

In an effort to find out where the 14 rapid chargers are supposed to be (Chargemaster's page is useless: http://www.chargemasterplc.com/index.php/milton-keynes-location) I happened upon a couple of documents (essentially the same) that I thought might have some interesting information for people on here?

The main document is a snippet of the Milton Keynes Council Procurement Committee meeting from December 2013 titled: "Award of contract - electric vehicle fast charge infrastructure for crosslink" and details the joint bid by Milton Keynes council and Chargemaster. It has lots of info, a couple of cherry picked lines...

The rapid chargers will allow electric vehicle motorist to charge in approximately 20 minutes, enabling cross country motoring through Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Buckingham and Oxford.

A charge in 20 minutes? Really? Presented as statement of fact...

1. In August 2013, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV – part of the Department for Transport) announced that Milton Keynes Council (MKC) had been successful in its bid for an additional £525,000 funding towards installation of a network of up to 14 electric vehicle rapid chargers linking Oxford to
   

CPC, ITEM 18 3 DECEMBER 2013 PAGE 1

Cambridge, with Milton Keynes leading. MKC’s partner in the bid is Chargemaster who are contributing £171,808 to the project. No capital input is required on the part of MKC. MKC will receive 40% of net revenue from use of the rapid charger posts, for which a fee will be payable, determined by the market rate.

Also...

1. There is an opportunity to generate income as use of the rapid chargers will be chargeable (via pay as you go) set at the appropriate market rate (likely to be between £7 - £10 per full charge). MKC will receive 40% of the net income from usage of the charge points both within and outside the MK borough. Due to this being an emerging market, there is no data available as to likely usage levels and therefore likely income.

This is the bit which is entirely conflicting with their announced pricing structure, yet it's claimed to be the goals behind seeking the funding:

2.8.1

The procurement seeks to deliver the following (Local Transport Plan) service objectives:

Provide real and attractive transport choices to encourage more sustainable travel behaviour as Milton Keynes grows.

Support the economic growth of the borough through the fast, efficient and reliable movement of people and goods.

Reduce transport based carbon emissions to help tackle climate change.

Provide access for all to key services and amenities in Milton Keynes, including employment, education, health, retail, and leisure.

Improve safety, security and health.

Contribute to quality of life for all Milton Keynes residents, strengthening linkages between communities.

It's interesting to me that it goes in to some detail of projected cost and savings (?!) and also basically says that the OLEV deadlines means they have to rush in and get it done or they wont get the grants, so they have no other choice.

Madness, always so encouraging getting glimpses of how government manages our money.

Anyway, here's the full PDF: http://cmis.milton-keynes.gov.uk/CmisWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=41066

And no, I'm still no wiser as to where 10 of the "up to 14" rapids are, and two of them are within a stone's throw of each other.

 

[Paul]

Also, am I late to the party here? Did everyone else know that Chargemaster owns or is Elektromotive Limited which, I believe, owns 50% of Charge Your Car... if so, umm, that's reassuring(?!).

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/mergers_ea02/2013/Chargemaster.pdf

 

[John Ganderton]

I have a charge master rapid charge point at my garage in Buckingham MK181AF. It's not online yet but fingers crossed the guys will be back next week to complete the job. Watch this space.

 

[Paul]

So thats:

• Between the Xscape building and the Theatre District in Central MK. (Avebury Blvd / Marlborough Gate)
• Near the Xscape building (their carpark) in Central MK. (Avebury Blvd / Secklow Gate)
• By the Travel Lodge in Central MK: (Silbury Blvd / Grafton gate)
• Coachway (J14 M1, A5130)
• W Ganderton and Son, Buckingham (MK181AF)

In addition to previous / non-chargemaster network rapids:

• IKEA Milton Keynes (Bletchley)
• Glyn Hopkins Milton Keynes (Redmoor)
• Newport Pagnell M1 services (M1, S&N)

 

[Eunicholas]

I found a new rapid charger behided travel lodge

 

[John Ganderton]

There should also be two somewhere at Silverstone circuit. These are part of the cross link project I think.

 

[brian orr]

"There is an opportunity to generate income as use of the rapid chargers will be chargeable (via pay as you go) set at the appropriate market rate (likely to be between £7 - £10 per full charge). MKC will receive 40% of the net income from usage of the charge points both within and outside the MK borough. Due to this being an emerging market, there is no data available as to likely usage levels and therefore likely income."

This a lovely quote from MKC and rather shows that MKC were Chargemaster-led. Someone should have validated that charge level and tried to quantify what 40% of the take would be! 40% of zero is indeed zero!

Of course the real fallacy is in thinking that these chargers have are what is required in urban car parks. Surely 90% of users of urban public car parks are fairly local? You can rule out everyone with an a 30 mile radius of MK, as users, they will make alternative arrangements? For those who have travelled further a fair percentage will he heading for company car parks, rather that public ones?

The only chargers that can realistically be expected to make money are those on travel arteries - the motorways and A-roads.

Pass the 'hari-kari' sword to MKC

 

[brian orr]

Did everyone else know that Chargemaster owns or is Elektromotive Limited which, I believe, owns 50% of Charge Your Car.....(?!).

Paul didn't provide an analyse of the OFT document; however, it does make interesting reading in many areas. The document makes reference to customer's views and competitor's views - but its far from clear who the customers were and how representative they were?
There was also a clear desire in the submission to show that Elecktromotive and Chargemaster were focussing on EVSE equipment - in the public area and that there was adequate competition. What was deemed out of scope was the network services aspect and a suggestion that that business was mainly provided by Charge Your Car. Only MKC was a managed network by Chargemaster. So the merger could not be opposed on network services!
However, what I read is that Charge-Your-Car had the de facto network management solution, developed using the Open Charge Point Protocol. A quid pro quo?
I will resist my usual colourful language - but I do see that all the cards have been stacked and dealt. There are able business men (supported by lawyers) who are driving the 'car charging industry', in a direction that they consider viable.
EV owners are pretty well in a 'no win' situation. We have to pay the fees - or modify our lifestyles and make 'pubic charging' more of a lottery?

 

[cjm_2013]

I've been following Paul's twitter feed with amusement and bemusement.

Not content with the madness of clustering all these rapids so closely together... they've been situated in places that are almost guaranteed to be ICEd. Will those bays be marked? Policed?

It's absolutely bonkers. And of course, once the costs kick in, the only time they'll see use is if someone is absolutely desperate. Imagine being desperate for a charge... surrounded by chargers you can't use as they're all blocked.

Are MKC on acid?

 

[AndyG]

I know that blocking these rapid spaces is a big no no and as a Volt driver I don't ever park in them, but as is sounds like they are never going to be used what is the concencus about just using them as free EV parking bays?

 

[Paul]

I know that blocking these rapid spaces is a big no no and as a Volt driver I don't ever park in them, but as is sounds like they are never going to be used what is the concencus about just using them as free EV parking bays?

100% behind that, start with the various ones that are always broken, not really causing issues then... But thems the rules, we be the playas, as a believe the young folk may express the situation.

 

[AndyG]

100% behind that, start with the various ones that are always broken, not really causing issues then... But thems the rules, we be the playas, as a believe the young folk may express the situation.

I am not so worried about the slow and fast chargers as I don't see them as a meal for BEV's more like a bit of snack.

What I worry about is being worse than the ICE drivers where Rapids are concerned. If no one is going to us them and they are the only free space should I just us them as a parking space.

 

[Paul]

Rapids aren't in allocated EV spaces yet, so we're jumping ahead here I think. I'd try not to block the rapids if possible, last free space resort.

 

[AndyG]

Rapids aren't in allocated EV spaces yet, so we're jumping ahead here I think. I'd try not to block the rapids if possible, last free space resort.

The reason I asked is you mentioned at or near xscape, I have always thought that there should be ev spaces there but up to now I have never found any.

 

[Paul]

The reason I asked is you mentioned at or near xscape, I have always thought that there should be ev spaces there but up to now I have never found any.

Iceland is very close, I usually park there and wander over to xscape.

 

[brian orr]

Depends on whether you can charge at home or have to rely on them.

I've always been in favour of public chargers in parts of town where personal off street paking is not possible. These 'public service' charge points, should not be operated on a commercial basis. However, the demand has been nil and no one has persuaded a council of the desirability?
Until people make a formal proposal, to their council, nothing is going to happen?
Maybe one person could sponsor a post and handle the access/ cost recovery? A sall risk, but with only 1-2 users not a big one?

 

[Paul]

According to the latest PR from Chargemaster PLC, here are the locations:

• MK Bus Station, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes
• Avebury Boulevard, Juntion with Lower 12th Street, Milton Keynes
• Outside Xscape, Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes
• Northfield Drive, Northfield, Milton Keynes
• Silverstone Circuit Innovation Centre, Silverstone, Northants
• Silverstone Circuit Wing, Silverstone, Northants
• Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Gloucester
• W. Ganderton, Swan Garage, 20 Bridge Street, Buckingham MK18 1AF
• Oxford Belfry Hotel, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2JW
• Elms BMW, 4 Sheepfold Ln, Cambridge CB23 6EF
• Cambridge Belfry Hotel, Back Ln, Great Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6BW
• Elms BMW, Clifton Parc, Caxton Rd, Bedford MK41 0GL

I think they have their locations wrong, MK Bus Station I think is the one I list above as Travel Lodge (because that's where it is), Northfield Drive - Coachway (because that's where it is) and the other two seem to match up. Will check they haven't installed two more than I think, as there's only 12 listed above, and they say there's 14, so you never know?!

 

[fenlander]

• Elms BMW, 4 Sheepfold Ln, Cambridge CB23 6EF

That's interesting... I'll ask them about it on Wednesday.

 

[brian orr]

MK Coachway is a brilliant location, I'm there twice a month. If I could charge to max there, I could get home in one and not bother with the IKEA smoked salmon and chablis. When I think of it, why would any one pay for a Rapid charge, when you can dine like a (Swedish) king!
Skål! Skål! Skål! for IKEA!

 

[Paul]

MK Coachway is a brilliant location, I'm there twice a month. If I could charge to max there, I could get home in one and not bother with the IKEA smoked salmon and chablis. When I think of it, why would any one pay for a Rapid charge, when you can dine like a (Swedish) king!
Skål! Skål! Skål! for IKEA!

In theory it's a great location, the only one in MK that makes sense of all the new rapids... Shame that the DC side was already broken when I went there to try it! http://speakev.com/threads/so-tonight-i-went-to-check-out-our-new-triplex-rapid-chargers.1472/ and that it's about 1 mile from the Newport Pagnell ecotricity rapids, and a handful of miles from the rapids at IKEA... Other than that, great.