[Kevin Sharpe]

Ecotricity launches the Electric Highway (old news but worth watching now that they have started deploying 'fast' charge).

Today, Ecotricity has announced that it is installing EV charging points at all of the Welcome Break Motorway Service Areas in the UK.

http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-the-road/news/ecotricity-launches-the-electric-highway

 

[dpeilow]

I stopped at M4 Membury westbound on Friday. The charger wasn't working - my card opened the 32A door but it didn't charge the car.

I called it in. Ecotricity said they knew about it but couldn't say when it was going to be fixed. Nevertheless they took my details to add to the case.

 

[Ecotricity]

A heads-up for any Ampera driver wanting to charge at any Electric Highway charge points - we're currently testing new software to ensure the cable release mechanism works reliably (we've got an Ampera to test with too), as a result you may see some errors when connecting up to the 32amp side.

I'll post any updates I get here.

Cheers
Paul

 

[dpeilow]

Just received in my email from Ecotricity:

We're really excited to announce new DC fast charge technology {CHAdeMO} for our Electric Highway.

We’ve teamed up with Nissan to roll out fast charge technology at 40 Welcome Break motorway service stations.

Hopwood Park, South Mimms and Oxford Welcome Break Service Stations are up and running. This means you'll be able to charge a Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi iMiev in under 30 minutes.
The first phase of installation will match that of our existing Electric Highway charge points, view the map online for which ones have been installed already and those coming next.

Use of our charging network is currently free - we want to encourage the take-up of electric vehicles and being able to recharge quickly is a big part of this.

Your existing swipe card will give you access to these new DC fast charge points.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Yup. We knew this was coming but it is SOOOO slow.

Nothing on their web site about it though. I really do wonder about companies nowdays... they make announcements without having all their ducks in a row... It would be nice if they had actually updated the web site as they say they have done already to show existing and coming fast charge stations.

I realise I am just criticising here but it is all to do with credibility... there have been announcement after announcement in recent months and very little actual action from the companies doing the shouting. Even Ecotricity stopped their roll-out way before they had installed the 26 they were going to install.

Let us see if they deliver. If anyone will then I would expect Ecotricity to and if they can't/don't then there is no hope.

 

[dpeilow]

It is on their website http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/news/news-a ... ctric-cars

 

[Duncan]

It is on their website http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/news/news-a ... ctric-cars

One paragraph from that in particular stands out:

The Standard (13 Amp) chargers that take between 8-10 hours to fill up are being phased out completely over the next couple of months and replaced by updated Fast (32 Amp) chargers.

Doesn't that make them a lot less useful for Volt/Ampera users? Unless I'm missing something, I think that means I have to go out and buy a separate cable to be able to use the Ecotricity chargers.

 

[dpeilow]

Yep, but the word on the street is that all charging stations are going this way. There may have been a change to the electrical regulations.

I recommend the ZCW cable. Nothing else is in the same league in terms of quality and price.

 

[Dave Mathers]

I have tried the new chargers at Membury
Eastbound lefthand socket ok righthand inop with fault light. ( reported to Ecotricity)
Westbound new charger fitted but nothing works yet

 

[Dave Mathers]

Can anybody explain why when I use an Ecotricity charging point I get amber engine problem light illuminated. After 3 full charges at home fault clears.Polar chargers no problem

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

I was sent a link to this story today and think it might be worth a read if you're planning any trips in the near future requiring rapid charging...

http://www.leaftalk.co.uk/showthread.php/9241-Ecotricity-Electric-Highway-Official-Updates-Progress-Announcements?p=59766&viewfull=1#post59766

 

[jontracey]

Great customer service though, nice to hear an energy company doing right by its customers rather than threatening blackouts if the government investigates them.

 

[Paul]

A free service with no guarantees to work doesn't work... And they bend over backwards to help a guy out. Think they did really well there indeed!

 

[fenlander]

Great customer service though, nice to hear an energy company doing right by its customers rather than threatening blackouts if the government investigates them.

They never threaten real blackouts, just turning the lights off. Not sure how they'll do it. I suppose an engineer will turn up at the door and steal the lighting circuit breaker.

Well done Ecotricity Now fit some de-humidifiers...

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Well that is an encouraging sign that Ecotricity does seem to have a plan but I am certain that this humidity issue is just one of the problems and their "fix" may not help with the others. I hope the "redesign" is aimed to address the others such as failed card readers, broken connectors, failed modems etc.

I suppose only time will tell.

Perhaps DBT rapids are best used in the dry for now!

 

[Matt Beard]

Simple solution!

 

[jontracey]

my use of the rapids is limited to just a few individual stations but the one at Potters Bar seems to be very very reliable, it was one of the first and is Chademo only, wonder if its anything to do with the AC models

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Even better...

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/451374090642022400

 

[brian orr]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/451374090642022400

Its a mistake to publicise this facility and fool-hardy to complain about it when its not available.
Its a concession that some managers have kindly offered - btu we should not expect it as a right! The distance involved at Reading is not huge - losing the concession at other places (like Membury or Woodall) could be critical.
Make the concession public knolwedge and we are all lose out permanently!