Speak EV - Electric Car Forums banner
101 - 120 of 518 Posts
I used the new Wadebridge Osprey (not even on Zap Map yet) and I have got to say they are giving Instavolt a run for the money. One of the best charging systems I’ve used. Physical buttons, not dodgy touchscreen. Clear display of cost/price/instructions. Fast user interface - and more importantly, a fast charge. It charged our E-Niro 4+ @ around 60kw from with the battery starting at 65%. Which I didn’t think was possible! 23kwh in the time it took to nip to Teggy across the road, have a wee and top up on bread & clotted cream.
 
In case anyone else finds this thread interesting and is worrying about mammoth holiday journeys in their EV... Here is my story, driving from North Yorkshire to Constantine Bay, near Padstow in a 64kwh Kia e-niro 4+. Car packed to the rafters, but no external luggage, and 4 people travelling, inc. driver. I used ACC set to 65mph motorway/duals and 55mph on single roads (apart from overtakes) - although in reality those speeds were pipe dreams due to traffic and the Cornish roads.

In summary, it's more than doable, the range of the car is phenomenal - ~300 miles in the UK is a long way - no range anxiety whatsoever and no feeling of 'shouldn't go there because of the car'. Gloucester and Exeter were planned; Wadebridge was mainly to use my free kwh; Cullompton services was a 'just in case the Gridserve was free' - which it was and the Treble Bob was a convenient evening meal for the car as well as us, as we were down to ~20% and still had 80 miles to go.

We did try to charge at Exeter IKEA, but the charger was cr@p.. one car was almost full, and down to trickle charging, but the spare CCS wouldn't start until it was full, and the other had the local Volvo dealer charging their fleet. So went to the M5 Moto Exeter services, and we ended up accidently charging to 100% (see other thread!) which was an embarrassing bonus. There was no queue for the other rapids, so I didn't feel to bad. Also, thanks to this forum and an Osprey code from a colleague, I got a ÂŁ5 Instavolt referral discount and a free 20kwh. Happy days!

Apart from that, there was no queuing or other issues, everything worked as it should, and Osprey are my new fav friend! I might be a different story in peak season in August?

All-in, 866 miles driven, 200.55 kwh expended, at a cost of ÂŁ69. So 8p per mile and 4.3m/kwh.

WhereCharged toKWHCostÂŁ/kwh
Started at...
100%​
Instavolt Gloucester, Southbrook Road
72%​
32.2​
13.34​
ÂŁ 0.57
Gridserve Moto Exeter M5 services
100%​
45.8​
22.92​
ÂŁ 0.50
Osprey Wadebridge Pearl and Trawl
92%​
23.8​
1.36​
ÂŁ 0.49
Gridserve Cullompton Services M5
90%​
26.8​
12.89​
ÂŁ 0.48
BP Pulse @ Trebble Bobs, Barlborough
50%​
19.3​
8.31​
ÂŁ 0.43
Home (to 80%, extrapolated to 100%) to complete cycle.
100%​
52.6​
10.18​
ÂŁ 0.19
200.545
ÂŁ 69.00 ÂŁ 0.42
 
We did try to charge at Exeter IKEA, but the charger was cr@p..
So went to the M5 Moto Exeter services, and we ended up accidentally charging to 100%
Given the number and quality of chargers at the Exeter M5 services now, I can't imagine why you went anywhere else first, unless you had other reasons for wanting to visit IKEA.
And for the same reasons, charging to 100% on one of them scores very low on the antisocial scale. 12 new ones, 2 old ones (still working) so should be a rapid turnover of charger availability for others.

And congratulations on coming up with a complete set of figures for kWh, miles and costs. I forgot to record enough details for that on my recent similar trip.
 
I always look for places to charge other than MSAs. I find MSAs boring and rather distasteful a lot of the time. I do use them when I can't find anywhere en-route that is better or if I am pushed for time but whenever I do have time I try to find an alternative.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Whitling2k
To be honest, that’s what most of my time is spent doing on ZapMap before travelling - workout out where is worth a detour! The quality of pubs (and therefore grub) seems to increase exponentially with distance from the motorway!
 
Raise the question are people
1) stopping for grub but might as well plug in even if not needing to charge.
2) " needing to charge
3) Needing a charge and might as well spend time eatting/drinking

I think too many people belong to 1) because that is what range anxiety does.
 
Depends on how you define “need to charge”?

Opportunistic charging when under no pressure can help avoid being backed into corners further into the journey.

There should be enough chargers to allow both.

This long journey did get me thinking though - I wonder if future EVs (I mean decades+ away) might be so integrated into GPS, connected networks and smart chargers of all speeds will be so ubiquitous and reliable that they wont show battery SOC, but just tell drivers when to plug in and for how long (or just drive themselves there and initiate the charge themselves!).

Then battery degradation, optimal charging etc is all in the gift of the manufacturers to manage, and range anxiety will be banished as people just won’t know. I.e. the ultimate idiot proofing!
 
The problem is IF the vast majority only plug in when they stop for food there there will never be enough charging. The spike in demand for food at middayish will create a spike in charging that can never be satisfied as it is unecononomical to have that capacity of charging. Even petrol stations could not cope with that behaviour!
 
Discussion starter · #114 ·
The problem is IF the vast majority only plug in when they stop for food there there will never be enough charging. The spike in demand for food at middayish will create a spike in charging that can never be satisfied as it is unecononomical to have that capacity of charging. Even petrol stations could not cope with that behaviour!
Indeed. The big difference though is that with petrol/diesel refuel, the process as we all know takes a few minutes, allowing for a rapid turnover of cars needing refuelling. This is not the situation with EVs.
 
Discussion starter · #115 ·
In case anyone else finds this thread interesting and is worrying about mammoth holiday journeys in their EV... Here is my story, driving from North Yorkshire to Constantine Bay, near Padstow in a 64kwh Kia e-niro 4+. Car packed to the rafters, but no external luggage, and 4 people travelling, inc. driver. I used ACC set to 65mph motorway/duals and 55mph on single roads (apart from overtakes) - although in reality those speeds were pipe dreams due to traffic and the Cornish roads.

<snip>
Very interesting account and thanks for sharing. However, I note you were not travelling in peak season when the kids are all off and hundreds of thousands of cars are heading to Cornwall.
 
Very interesting account and thanks for sharing. However, I note you were not travelling in peak season when the kids are all off and hundreds of thousands of cars are heading to Cornwall.
And that was no coincidence…. But agreed, I did note that in my text. It’s a horrendous journey at that time of year in an ICE without the added charger lottery.

There is a desperate need for lots of destination charges down there to help balance the charging need - there were none in the more family friendly and affordable accommodation in the area we stayed sadly.

If we could have gotten a slow (but safe) 3Kw charge, that would have allowed us to get north of Birmingham before needing a rapid - freeing up all charging need along the M5 for those with smaller batteries and greater need.

But hey-ho!
 
And that was no coincidence…. But agreed, I did note that in my text. It’s a horrendous journey at that time of year in an ICE without the added charger lottery.

There is a desperate need for lots of destination charges down there to help balance the charging need - there were none in the more family friendly and affordable accommodation in the area we stayed sadly.

If we could have gotten a slow (but safe) 3Kw charge, that would have allowed us to get north of Birmingham before needing a rapid - freeing up all charging need along the M5 for those with smaller batteries and greater need.

But hey-ho!
 
Any update on Cornwall Services? I'm travelling from Reading to Penryn on a Thursday, returning on a Wednesday. The air bnb I'm staying in rather cheekily advertised EV charging, so messaged the owner who appears to have got cold feet about it all and would only accept the booking on the basis I understood that her charger "might not work with your car" I replied explaining i could granny charge which she was happy with but then changed her mind and has asked that if possible I only charge between 20.30 and 23.30 which is when she gets cheaper electric! I've offered to pay but I don't think she has much of a clue about EVs. The annexe is a converted garage and looks to have parking outside so my granny cable should reach.
Failing that, I will try to arrive on 50% and top up as and when. There's a couple of ospreys Camborne/Redruth way and a podpoint at what looks to be a fantastic butcher/farm shop.
Any updates/advice welcome, thanks
 
101 - 120 of 518 Posts
Top