[mad_rich]

Forgive me if this has been covered before. I’m sure it must have been, but I couldn’t find anything.

How realistic and/ or costly would it be for Eurotunnel to provide EV chargers onboard their shuttles?

It just seems a bit of a wasted opportunity to spend 30 minutes at least (more when you account for the time spent stationary while other cars are loading and unloading) sitting there, with a tantalising 25,000 volts a couple of metres above you.

I have no idea what kind of power the trains draw. Nor how much spare capacity the overhead lines have. (Although I know the TGV lines get ‘juiced up’ in some way when they want to do a high speed run, so clearly there’s some extra room.)

A solution that allows one or two vehicles per train, or per carriage, would likely be very different from a solution that allows every car to plug in. I know there are chargers at the terminal, but charging while moving seems a much more efficient way of doing it!

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Second question - anyone with any experience of charging on ferries? I’ve seen reference to one of the P&O North Sea ships offering Commando sockets. And Irish Ferries to Dublin. Anything on the Channel crossings?

 

[80698]

I feel like you'll probably be given some sort of excuse involving health and safety as the reason why it will never happen. That's before we consider costs and also the fact that when such a feature breaks (or even trips a fuse) it will likely be forgotten about and never maintained again.

Charging just before, or just after your car has been onboard another form of transport is likely going to be your only option for quite some time, or maybe forever, in my opinion.

 

[dk6780]

A TGV at a steady 300kmh uses around 6MW, but the Chunnel is different due to lower speeds and the down hill followed by up hill profile of the journey. With only 120 cars on a Eurotunnel train that is equivalent to 50kW each.
But the extra infrastructure cost of fitting rapids for each car would be huge and not used at present.

 

[Phooby]

Logistics of loading you at the right time so you car lines up within the reach of the charger would seem to be the issue at the moment as I could not see them fitting more than a few. Maybe all the chargers are at one end so you either get on first or last to get in the "charging carriage". Still, I usually turn up 45 mins early and just plug in while I wait for my call to embark.

 

[mad_rich]

I hope they use regen!

Useful data, thanks. So let's say ~4MW for a Shuttle (160km/h) - very rough ballpark. Just squeezing an extra 5% out of the OHLE would give you enough for 4 rapid chargers. Like I said above, a couple of chargers per train would be a very different prospect to 120. A lot more achievable.

"We have four rapid chargers on-board each of our shuttle services. These must be selected at the time of booking, and incur a supplement of £12.50. Electric vehicles will be invited to board first, and may begin charging instantly."

Yes, I imagine 'fire risk' - however minuscule - would be a reason not to even try. A shame.

 

[mikegs]

Yes, I imagine 'fire risk'

There have been many horrific fires in tunnels (at least one in the Chunnel), so that will be a priority.
So ...

Still, I usually turn up 45 mins early and just plug in while I wait for my call to embark.

I think installing more and more chargers in the waiting zone is a more likely solution.

 

[dk6780]

There have been many horrific fires in tunnels (at least one in the Chunnel), so that will be a priority.
So ...

Ok, let's compare the fire risks of ICE and BEVs. And ignore Tesla's when considering the BEVs.

I think installing more and more chargers in the waiting zone is a more likely solution.

You'll need something to do while waiting for the customs clearances post Brexit.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Second question - anyone with any experience of charging on ferries? I’ve seen reference to one of the P&O North Sea ships offering Commando sockets. And Irish Ferries to Dublin. Anything on the Channel crossings?

I haven't used the car on the French bound crossings, but have used Stena from Harwich to the Netherlands a few times. They've got a couple of 7kW connectors per boat. They used to allow you to specify you wanted a charger when you booked, and allowed the check-in staff at the port to give you a little charging sign to go on your windscreen but stopped all that in early 2018. So for my last couple of trips we had to leave it until arriving at the port. It means the check in staff at the port might take your request into account and put you into a queue to board first, or they might deny they know anything about charging. So then when you're parked up waiting to board, you have to rely on asking one of the crew wandering around if you can have access to the charger, and then when you're driving up the ramp, also speak to the person waving you in, to again ask about the charger. You'd then get directed to whichever connector is nearest, and sometimes have to reverse in. It was handy as the overnight sailing meant the battery was full.

Update: I have just checked the Stena website, and that says you can't charge onboard, so I've no idea if they've genuinely stopped allowing it.

So ideally, don't rely on it!

 

[mikegs]

Ok, let's compare the fire risks of ICE and BEVs.

It's not about comparing them. While being transported 'dead' both present some risk.
But charging an EV at 50kW is an additional risk (never mind it requiring a lot of expensive, railway grade equipment to provide it), so why would the operators take it for no good reason.

 

[mikegs]

a couple of 7kW connectors per boat.

All fossil powered of course