[antollamh]

Frustrating time last Friday in the Peak District. Needed a fast charge (Chademo for Leaf) in an area with few charge facilities. Buxton Morrison’s Genie Point is nearest said my Zap app - but not working 2 weeks ago. Set up app, had to put in £10 credit before trying it out. Still bust. Phoned help line - quick response “ah yes - has been reported, on our list to fix” (some day). Why left for two weeks or more? “I’ll send a reminder”

Next stop Chapel en le Frith (only other nearby option) for ChargeMyCar/D2N2 charger. Took me around 30 minutes to figure it out, download yet another app, work out how to start it with iPhone scan and no proprietary card. Eventually plugged in and the app declared it to be charging, with a button to “stop charging” when finished. Sat in the car and could see nothing was happening. Phoned CYC helpline and waited another 20 min “Your call is important to us” I was informed. No reply, so gave up. Headed back to campsite for a slow overnight charge on granny plug. Only cost me £10 Buxton and £1 connection charge in Chapel - £11 for nothing.
What is the solution? Clear away all these useless and inefficient private companies with their separate apps and cards and systems, or I don’t see a rosy future for EVs. Better stick with at least one ICE until then. How about a single coordinated national system?

 

[Michael Gill]

D2N2 chargers are contactless payment enabled. Was this option available on the Chapel en le Frith unit?

 

[antollamh]

I guess it was. I had no company card, so used my iPhone with the app downloaded. I eventually figured out how to hold the phone over the scanning place on the post, and heard it beep. The app then said "Charging", and an option appeared to "Stop Charging". My bank account shows me that it deducted £1, so I am assuming I did everything correctly, though I have to say that use of this system was complicated, and not explained on the post screen. Had to do everything by trial and error.

 

[Michael Gill]

The CYC app can start a charge but using an internet connection (rather than contactless).

Presumably, the unit reacted to some unexpected signal from the phone.

For what it's worth, and although the offline status was still correct on the Buxton charger, apps which show current (rather than historical) status might be helpful in future. Such apps already exist!

 

[E7EV]

Don’t know how long you’ve had an EV but us early early adopters have learnt to put up with this terrible service. In fact it used to be worse!

We’ve probably become desensitised, so it’s good to see you early adopters making a big fuss. Hopefully the charging networks will listen and realise that this second and subsequent wave of adopters will not put up with such an abysmal service.

 

[antollamh]

The CYC app can start a charge but using an internet connection (rather than contactless).

Presumably, the unit reacted to some unexpected signal from the phone.

For what it's worth, and although the offline status was still correct on the Buxton charger, apps which show current (rather than historical) status might be helpful in future. Such apps already exist!

View attachment 135440

Didn’t know about watts up, so thanks. However, the issue remains that many of these charging systems are too complicated for the average person to use without several hours to spare. My wife enjoys driving the Leaf, but wouldn’t dream of attempting to use on -the-road charging. She has no problem topping up with petrol!

 

[Michael Gill]

Didn’t know about watts up, so thanks. However, the issue remains that many of these charging systems are too complicated for the average person to use without several hours to spare. My wife enjoys driving the Leaf, but wouldn’t dream of attempting to use on -the-road charging. She has no problem topping up with petrol!

Starting and stopping a charge via an app can be a hassle - particularly if it's a network you haven't used before. For ease of use, many chargers are now contactless-enabled. Just swipe a bank card and you're done. WattsUp indicates which units have this facility. Alternatively, some networks have chargers which are all contactless-enabled.

 

[srichards]

It's been this crap for ages. In fact even though it is crap now it is better than it was as there are more instavolt and engenie chargers around that are the top tier of useful. Use them first as they're all contactless debit/credit card. Shell Recharge is also contactless but there is the option use their app and that makes it cheaper.

Geniepoint I wouldn't bother with as they cost a lot and leave chargers broken for ages. Best avoided.

Polar and Ecotricity are now level pegging as Polar have unreliable ultra chargers that seem to be frozen or mental a lot of the time. Ecotricity is app only but they have wifi built in to the charger so that does help. They also go free vend when they've lost connectivity which others don't seem to do. Both don't seem to keep on top of repairs enough.

It's a crap shoot but less of one if you stick with Instavolt and Engenie.

 

[antollamh]

Starting and stopping a charge via an app can be a hassle - particularly if it's a network you haven't used before. For ease of use, many chargers are now contactless-enabled. Just swipe a bank card and you're done. WattsUp indicates which units have this facility. Alternatively, some networks have chargers which are all contactless-enabled.

My fully functional debit card was rejected, which is why I tried the app

 

[antollamh]

It's been this crap for ages. In fact even though it is crap now it is better than it was as there are more instavolt and engenie chargers around that are the top tier of useful. Use them first as they're all contactless debit/credit card. Shell Recharge is also contactless but there is the option use their app and that makes it cheaper.

Geniepoint I wouldn't bother with as they cost a lot and leave chargers broken for ages. Best avoided.

Polar and Ecotricity are now level pegging as Polar have unreliable ultra chargers that seem to be frozen or mental a lot of the time. Ecotricity is app only but they have wifi built in to the charger so that does help. They also go free vend when they've lost connectivity which others don't seem to do. Both don't seem to keep on top of repairs enough.

It's a crap shoot but less of one if you stick with Instavolt and Engenie.

I’m a newbie of course, but have successfully used Ecotricity and Pod-Point without difficulty. The problem with the Peak District is paucity of rapid chargers, and then only D2N2 + GeniePoint !

 

[Troy]

It’s not going to improve until MPs and senior civil servants are forced to use electric cars.
Cummins would never have done his jaunt in one.

 

[bottoj]

Frustrating time last Friday in the Peak District. Needed a fast charge (Chademo for Leaf) in an area with few charge facilities. Buxton Morrison’s Genie Point is nearest said my Zap app - but not working 2 weeks ago. Set up app, had to put in £10 credit before trying it out. Still bust. Phoned help line - quick response “ah yes - has been reported, on our list to fix” (some day). Why left for two weeks or more? “I’ll send a reminder”

Next stop Chapel en le Frith (only other nearby option) for ChargeMyCar/D2N2 charger. Took me around 30 minutes to figure it out, download yet another app, work out how to start it with iPhone scan and no proprietary card. Eventually plugged in and the app declared it to be charging, with a button to “stop charging” when finished. Sat in the car and could see nothing was happening. Phoned CYC helpline and waited another 20 min “Your call is important to us” I was informed. No reply, so gave up. Headed back to campsite for a slow overnight charge on granny plug. Only cost me £10 Buxton and £1 connection charge in Chapel - £11 for nothing.
What is the solution? Clear away all these useless and inefficient private companies with their separate apps and cards and systems, or I don’t see a rosy future for EVs. Better stick with at least one ICE until then. How about a single coordinated national system?

The charger at Chaple-en-le-Frith Morrisons seems ok.
The Chapel MiryMeadows is a BP contactless and worked ok last time I tried.
And in the past few days a BP contactless one has just been installed in Whaley Bridge. Works fine. Our end of the Peak district is catching up.

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