[tarq]

As a soon to be Outlander owner, while browsing these boards & charge point sites, I noticed that some charge points are in Renault, Toyota, Nissan garages etc.

Does this mean I can't charge the PHEV at them? Or do I need their own cards?

I was planning on getting an Ecotricity, EastSource & CYC cards, which other ones would members recommend for tootaling around East Anglia?

I hope most of my charging will be done at home, but now retired, I can see longer journey's on the horizon, to visit friends, family & sort breaks.

I hope I can get at least 60mpg out of the Outlander, as that's what I get with the Prius hybrid I have now. Some of the mpg stated on 'YouTube' videos seem quite low. I'm hoping that's because they're not familiar with how the hybrid system works, or are not charging from electric.

 

[Colin]

You could try asking at those dealerships but in my experience they do prefer their own branded cars but can be helpful if you are stuck. You will probably find also that Nissan are the only dealer that may have a rapid unit and those other dealers only have 7kW Type 2 posts so with your Outlander having a 3kw onboard charger you will need a Type 2 (post) to Type 1 (car) cable at about £165 and your charge rate with that will be about 12-14 miles per hour. Some may still have a post with a 3 pin plug, where then you could use your supplied EVSE. These dealers will have their own card or key pad number to start a charge as normally you have to go to reception and request a charge...... then also normally get them to move their ICE cars. However as you are a PHEV with an engine, it may be frowned upon asking them for electricity? Personally I would just use any publicly owned council charging facilities and the Charge Your Car, Ecotricity or a local network. Enjoy.

 

[tarq]

Thanks Colin.
I'm still confused by the types of cables.
I can only imagine I would want to rapid charge (the 30-40min ones) while out, so do I need a cable for this or do the charge points come with attached cables?
I don't think it would only be worth buying a (£150+) cable for charging, unless the cable will do rapid as well!
I already have a 16a cable at home, attached to the garage.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

All rapid chargers have an attached cable so if you just want to rapid charge then you will not need to buy any cables.

 

[Brooktop]

What about charging posts provided by Chargemaster? I charged for 20 mins at a Toyota dealership; it was round the back and closer to the bowling alley I was visiting than the dealership. The bay was empty and I thought it would actually be more of a faff to go and ask; I was more just seeing if my new Chargemaster card worked than anything else.

But if it's listed on the maps as open, then do people still tend to go inside and ask?

 

[Colin]

OK @tarq . Your Outlander PHEV has two types of charging available. The same as the Nissan LEAF.

I'll try to explain better, hopefully? On your car you have the following sockets;

1. A 5 pin socket - This is what we call a Type 1 (J1772). This is an AC socket that goes via an on board charger. Yours is rated at 16 amps providing a maximum of about 3.3 kW per hour to the 12 kW battery from a suitable source like your home 16a unit, giving you about 12-14 mile range per hour.
This socket is also used by your supplied slower 3 pin plug EVSE unit and is rated at 10 amps providing about 2.3 kWh to the battery, giving about 8-10 mile range per hour.
Out and about you will find charging posts, these posts are 'normally' rated at 32 amp supplying a maximum of 7 kWh to vehicles capable of this and have a Type 2, 7 pin socket (62196-2). Your Outlander can also use these and will also give you about 12-14 miles range per hour, however you will need an additional cable to do this. This is typically called a Type 1 (car) to Type 2 (post) cable and if you were to buy one get a 32 amp rated.

2. A very large socket that is called CHAdeMO. This is the very quick Rapid charge port and this is called DC (Direct Current), as the charge basically goes direct to your batteries at a very high rate. These rapid chargers already have the cable and CHAdeMO socket attached to them.

Check out this website for EV Jargon and also the varying cable types.

 

[tarq]

Many thanks for the info guys. Hopefully I will know what's what when I need them.

It's a pity there isn't a charge point map app., for all the different types near to 'my location'. Maybe it will happen eventually.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Open Charge Map probably has most of them if not all of them.

 

[Steve Thayne]

And the Charge Your Car app hasva search near me button. Seems to be a growing network and preferable to Charge (a lot for not a lot) Master (allegedly )

 

[tarq]

Thanks for the info.

Am I right in thinking that the single phase & 3 phase are the same cables, just pushes it in 3 times as fast (22Kw)? Probably the only reason I would get a 32a cable, if, by my calculations, it would be mostly charged in about an hour.

I looked at the maps and very odd, I found a rapid 'charge your car' in Braintree, where I was yesterday, on the Zap map, but it's not on the 'Charge your car' map! Maybe the point doesn't work, but it says updated 20/08/14.

 

[Colin]

@tarq You will find that @CYC map is normally kept pretty much up to date, whereas the Zap Map one can still have redundant points. If you use Twitter tweet to @ChargeYourCar and they will respond quickly to any questions you may have.
Get a 32 amp 'rated' cable regardless of your requirements. Don't forget your Outlander only has a 16 amp on-board charger (3.3kW) so will not charge your car fully in 1 hour with that cable from a designated outlet, it will only give you 12-14 miles range per hour. However as explained earlier you also do have the rapid charge port that you will use at a designated Rapid location.

 

[tarq]

Ok Colin, got it now, thanks.

 

[Colin]

Ok Colin, got it now, thanks.

As a further clarification for you.
The 32 amp 'rated' cable has thicker wires in it so it can take a load up to 32 amps
The cable does not control any charge rate, it's the actual charge supply post and the cars on-board charger.
We advise getting the 32 amp rated cable purely for future proofing but there have been some reports that when you use a 16 amp rated cable from a 32 amp rated post, there have been charge failures, there shouldn't be but hence the recommendation. The old adage, you can always go down but never increase up without buying again.
Most public charge posts are rated at 7kW, 32 amps. This means they will supply that as a maximum. So with a 16 amp rated on-board charger as you have, your car will only draw from that post about 3.3kw at 16 amps (12-14 miles). Cars with a 32 amp >7kW on-board charger (i.e. BMW i3, Zoe and the LEAF with uprated 6.6kW on-board charger etc) then they are drawing the maximum charge from that post giving about 25 miles range per hour.

It will take a while for everything to sink in but eventually, you'll be answering these same questions.

 

[Simpson]

We have just bought an Ampera and need to get an additional cable, would a 32 amp cable work with the Ampera? We have had a point fitted in the garage which we thought would come with a cable but didn`t and we expect to charge when we are out and about too.

 

[Colin]

We have just bought an Ampera and need to get an additional cable, would a 32 amp cable work with the Ampera? We have had a point fitted in the garage which we thought would come with a cable but didn`t and we expect to charge when we are out and about too.

@nuWorld Energy Yes. List of compatible vehicles shown. http://nuworldenergy.co.uk/shop/product/j1772-to-mennekes-cable-32a-5m

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

@Simpson A tethered cable is an option and if that is what you asked for and didn't get it then it would be worth going back to the supplier and telling them.

 

[Colin]

@Simpson Did you request a 32 amp home charge version and paid extra? If yes then the suppliers nearly always install the Universal Type 2 socket type and neglect to say that you will need an appropriate cable to plug into your car. Why do they do this..... It's a cheaper option for them and they make more profit as a tethered 32 amp rated cable and plug are not used. However as you need a cable to use out and about then you have to buy a T2-T1 cable anyway. The only inconvenience you have, is you now have to retrieve your cable out of the boot on every home charge.

 

[Brooktop]

I went for the socketed type rather than tethered because then it doesn't really matter what ev I get next. It's cheaper than switching unit and it's always nice to have a cable for charging on journeys. I requested an OEM cable as part of the purchase deal.

 

[Paul]

I went for the socketed type rather than tethered because then it doesn't really matter what ev I get next. It's cheaper than switching unit and it's always nice to have a cable for charging on journeys. I requested an OEM cable as part of the purchase deal.

In retrospect I would do this every time.

 

[Simpson]

If we use a 32 amp cable when out and about, will an Ampera charge at 32 amps or only at 16 amps anyway?