I would start with the weak link in all that, you are going to need to charge and going to need to find a charger, possibly on the move, simplest way to do that will be to update your phone.

Doesn't have to be new and doesn't have to be top of the line, even an iPhone 11 will get the ltatest IOS 26, it will also allow you to run any number of routing option. While ABRP is actually pretty good I often use it for static planning for a trip, if you don't have access to it on the move then what? You hit a charger that is out of action where do you go from there.

Get yourself an up to date phone, From £150-£300 gets you from 11-13 iPhone on musicmagpie, you will also get a 1 year warranty for that. For data you can get a Voxi deal (based on vodaphone) which is £10 a month for unlimited call, unlimited texts and 60GB of data (all social platforms and streaming do not count on that front) so it may as well be unlimited data too. No contract pay the £10 or top it up, stop it when you want too.

Now your trip may go entirely smoothly without a single issue in the charger front using your printout from ABRP, that would be great. However if you have a backup plan that can work while you are on the journey so much the better.

 

You should consider getting an Octopus Eectroverse and Tesla account. Between them, these cover the majority of public chargers in England (I'll let others comment about Wales). You might still need to use a regular credit card, but more as a last resort.

 

You should consider getting an Octopus Eectroverse and Tesla charging account. Between them, these cover the majority of public chargers in England (I'll let others comment about Wales). You might still need to use a regular credit card, but more as a last resort.

Tesla is useless for this case as their chargers are CCS only. Avoid Ionity chargers for the same reason.
A contactless payments debit or credit card will work for almost everything. In particular, Instavolt, Gridserve, MFG and Osprey chargers are plentiful, usually have Chademo and take contactless payments.
I have an Electroverse card and it's simple to use, and I get a discount as an Octopus customer, but I wouldn't class it as essential.

 

Frome's main car park has 7kW chargers you could use overnight as an option?

 

The approach I take is

1. Use ViaMichelin to decide on the route.
2. Decide on the most likely main waypoints en route, given the car's range and a 80%>30% policy.
3. Use ABRP to work out the distance and charge% consumed between each waypoint.
4. Use the Electroverse app to identify suitable charge stations around the way points.
4. Apply a 'next+1' strategy to define a baseline stopping plan.
5. Ask DeepSeek/ChatGPT to work out the miles-per-1% of charge for your vehicle.

ABRP can use your specific vehicle model to calculate the charge% consumed. It's good at allowing for topographical differences where just assuming a flat road would be misleading.

The 'next+1' strategy is where you recharge on the basis that you want to keep enough reserve to make it to the next+1 waypoint is there's a problem at the next planned waypoint. Re the '30% policy': recent experience was that on our first long trip, we overdid the contingency somewhat - we could readily have set a lower limit of 20%-25% as the point when we should stop to recharge.

I've found DeepSeek and ChatGPT to be very good at calculating a real-life 'how many miles can I do for each 1% of charge?' figure. This is what you use when en route, rather than then notoriously changeable 'range' of many EVs. [Edit: That said, while both come up with a 'real-world' number of 1.7 miles per 1% charge for my e208, this is quite conservative. Or rather, right for motorway cruising but pessimistic for cross-country A and B roads, where I can hit 3.1 miles per 1%]

I also appreciate that [2] above isn't as simple as it sounds. Because you can easily end up revising it when you get to step [4], in the light of actual availability of charge stations; how many bays they have; how much of a detour they entail, etc. But I suspect there's a diminishing return in repeating this cycle more than a couple of times.

 

Main tip is to avoid any motorway services with only 1 or 2 Chademos... on your route, Severn View M48 (old bridge) is good for Chademo, Magor and Cardiff Gate are bad, Cardiff West is good, Sarn Park is bad, Swansea is good.

 

If you use Gridserve (M48, Cardiff West) then use the Gridserve App, if your phone will support it, as you get a discount by using the app.

 

Thanks all, there's some really useful info in there.

I do need to get a new phone. I just rarely need anything 'better' so I keep putting it off. However, even with a decent phone I wouldn't want to only rely on it for navigation or charging.

The Electroverse card - I've looked at it and good plan. It also covers Dragon Charging which is useful in Wales by the look of it.

I didn't see the 7kw chargers on the maps in Frome. Might there be cable security problems leaving it overnight?

I had been thinking Saltford in the morning to rapid charge, as I can also walk the dog near there before we set off properly. Then I was thinking a couple of rapid charges. But then reading about rapidgate issues I'm not sure if this is the best plan. If I have to stick to rapid charge is it better to spread them across the couple of days travelling? Is little and often better?

I used to drive regularly from Frome to Bristol in my old ICE car and usually went cross country though Radstock, Midsommer Norton etc. which route planners don't show as an option. Is that because it is more efficient to stay on A roads/M4?

Apologies of these seem like daft questions but like I said this is all a bit of a mystery to me.

 

I do need to get a new phone. I just rarely need anything 'better' so I keep putting it off. However, even with a decent phone I wouldn't want to only rely on it for navigation or charging.

Why not? We did a long trip through France, Spain and Portugal earlier this year largely using Google Maps with a bit of ABRP and the Tesla app for charging. We had no problems. (The sat nav in the car isn't that good.) Yes, it takes a bit of experience with the apps to convince your self that they are largely trust worthy if you haven't used them before.

You don't need an Apple phone, there are lots of relatively low cost and perfectly adequate Android phones.

 

The thing that consumes energy on the open road is wind and air resistance. If you choose/need to you can always slow down and on the motorway tuck in behind a lorry. You will be able to do 100miles and therefore in theory only 1 stop each way plus your destination stop. What a pity you cannot granny charge,i know the feeeling.

Instead of the charging location dictating your stops think of that the other way round, stop when you need/want to and charge then. There really are chargers everywhere now as Zap Map shows

I would not be concerned about your charger cable being stolen as it is locked in and cutting the cable is not a known problem. Perhaps plug in at 5/6pm ish and unplug later.

Beware the real influence of range on the open road is strong winds, strong head wind less 25% range and vice versa.

YES you really do need a phone that shows the charging points, i would say essential and i am of the old school.

 

That is really helpful thank you. My thoughts about the cable was because I've read horror stories - possibly on this forum - but it isn't a problem in my neck of the woods at all.

Good advice about seeing when I want to stop and what's available. Do you have any thoughts about whether there is much difference between motorway but less miles/non motorway but more miles in terms of range? I realise I will need to do some motorway!

 

Well that really depends on time i guess. A cross country route would have to be say 10% shorter but it could be what, 1/2-1 hr longer (on a good day). I would use that lost time to spend charging and relaxing on a motorway type route and also less fatique. To find the times you need to use your new phone and google maps (if you need to find a youngster to show you).

I was brought up on EVs with less range than yours so i understand your thinking but i still think that the motorway route is overall the best and just potter along at truck speeds and possibly getting a tow. Car transporters are the best they have huge drag but you can see better and they do the ideal 60mph which is plenty enough. Beware the gale head wind !!

At the end of the day though you are only talking about money and that your choice.

Dont worry its much better than the media stories.

PS at the moment the time and distance from southampton to the severn bridge appears to be

Via M3/A34/M4 110 miles 1hr 53mins
A36 via Salisbury (and near Frome) 92.7 miles 2hr 22mins

Thats quite interesting because the fast way is avg 50mph and slower way 40mph.
So assuming you get 4miles/kwh at 40mph and 3.6 m/kwh at 50mph then energy consumption is 23,2kwh v 30.5kwh

 

Thanks for this, again really helpful. Motorway it is then! It will still be via Frome because I'm taking the opportunity to spend overnight there catching up with a friend, but the rest of the route I can head onto the A4 and M4. Time to go and find a youngster to help me plan then!

 

I think you are over thinking this trip. Whilst Chademo is a bit limiting it isn't completely lost. And there are now just so many charging options. The main problem you might find is that the temperature drops and the wind blows up against you. I had a wonderful day out back in April and set off for my 120 mile return trip with a fairly full battery at about 21:00 and then the temperature dropped to 2-3 degrees and all of a sudden i was down to 3 miles per kWh from nearer 4. All would have been well if the road wasn't closed and I was diverted off my route where there were plenty of charging options. So as a back up I would look to have a list of McDonalds where there are Instavolt chargers with Chademo. The coffee and toilet can offset the waiting time and worth using despite Instavolt being pricy.

 

Mcdonalds as a back up is a good one thanks. Yes, I do tend to overthink! Because of where I live I usually only do short journeys - furthest is 40 miles round trip so this feels like a major expedition.
I don't really enjoy motorway driving and thought I had a plan when I read a thread about rapidgate - which made me rethink. Chadeomo availability seems relatively OK on this route but a concern I have is problems with apps/contactless. In my neck of the woods we have a lot of Mer chargers and I have had nothing but problems using them. Basically I want to do anything I can do in advance to reduce the potential stress As much as anything, recommendations on charging stops on route that are pleasant to be in and dog friendly is probably what I need more than anything now I've had some excellent input from everyone.

 

I didn't see the 7kw chargers on the maps in Frome. Might there be cable security problems leaving it overnight?

Unlikely, theres generally not enough worth stealing in a type 2 cable.

I used to drive regularly from Frome to Bristol in my old ICE car and usually went cross country though Radstock, Midsommer Norton etc. which route planners don't show as an option. Is that because it is more efficient to stay on A roads/M4?

Its faster generally to stay on main A roads and motorways which is why theyre generally recommended on rout planners, its generally more efficient to take the slower roads

 

I've done several longish e-NV200 trips and the short summary is that you'll be fine. Moderate motorway speed, 64 mph on the dashboard is about 60 mph genuine, pace yourself a safe distance behind the fastest HGV until you get bored, you'll get 90+ miles in normal weather for your first leg of the journey (starting at 100% charge from home), then 75+ miles on an 80% charge, without needing to panic about running out of range. Shorter in vile weather, though. At A-road speeds of 40 to 60, range is noticeably better.

I look at my route in the WattsUp app, helpful if that's available on your phone. It gives a suggested route and identifies compatible rapid chargers within a mile or so of the route line, and the Overview screen thinks for a bit and shows how many chademoidal chargers at each of those, and for some operators, fills in their current status (free/in-use/broken). I like the way it uses the charge point operator logo on the map and the overview list. I use it as a second opinion about whatever route I'm planning, not as a navigation aid. If it's not showing the route you like, add a waypoint to hint the route you do like.

ABRP sometimes makes some rather quirky suggestions. I don't always take them. If you set your desired arrival state of charge to 70%, it will try to suggest a charger close to your destination. WattsUp also shows that, but graphically rather than as a specific suggested stop.

Don't restrict yourself to just multi-Chad charger sites, because there may not be enough of them. At big new sites there may be only one or two CHAdeMO, but the demand for these is less than for ultra-rapid CCS, and the e-NV200 does not need ultra-rapid.

I've never failed to get a Chademo charge at MFG or InstaVolt. Osprey and Gridserve are usually good, but on one journey this year I found two (out of two) faulty chargers at an Osprey site, then road works blocking access to my Plan B location with a Gridserve, then the sole Chad at another Gridserve also not working -- by which time I was 25 miles from home with a remaining range of about 12 miles, and it was about midnight. Plan D, fortunately, worked: 30 minutes charging on the same Gridserve charger's AC socket. Other than that memorably frustrating trip home, the only failed-to-charge episodes have been vandalised chargers with their cables stolen.

Our longest journeys have been crossing the full width of England and Wales, ferry from Liverpool to Dublin, then drive to Cork (and its reverse a week or so later). Be aware that from the third rapid charge of the day, despite the e-NV200 battery cooler, charging speed is about halved. If you get an opportunity for a coffee break with a "fast" AC charger, take it -- this usefully cools the battery, even if it's only a 20 or 30 minute break.

 

I've done several longish e-NV200 trips and the short summary is that you'll be fine. Moderate motorway speed, 64 mph on the dashboard is about 60 mph genuine, pace yourself a safe distance behind the fastest HGV until you get bored, you'll get 90+ miles in normal weather for your first leg of the journey (starting at 100% charge from home), then 75+ miles on an 80% charge, without needing to panic about running out of range. Shorter in vile weather, though. At A-road speeds of 40 to 60, range is noticeably better.

I look at my route in the WattsUp app, helpful if that's available on your phone. It gives a suggested route and identifies compatible rapid chargers within a mile or so of the route line, and the Overview screen thinks for a bit and shows how many chademoidal chargers at each of those, and for some operators, fills in their current status (free/in-use/broken). I like the way it uses the charge point operator logo on the map and the overview list. I use it as a second opinion about whatever route I'm planning, not as a navigation aid. If it's not showing the route you like, add a waypoint to hint the route you do like.

ABRP sometimes makes some rather quirky suggestions. I don't always take them. If you set your desired arrival state of charge to 70%, it will try to suggest a charger close to your destination. WattsUp also shows that, but graphically rather than as a specific suggested stop.

Don't restrict yourself to just multi-Chad charger sites, because there may not be enough of them. At big new sites there may be only one or two CHAdeMO, but the demand for these is less than for ultra-rapid CCS, and the e-NV200 does not need ultra-rapid.

I've never failed to get a Chademo charge at MFG or InstaVolt. Osprey and Gridserve are usually good, but on one journey this year I found two (out of two) faulty chargers at an Osprey site, then road works blocking access to my Plan B location with a Gridserve, then the sole Chad at another Gridserve also not working -- by which time I was 25 miles from home with a remaining range of about 12 miles, and it was about midnight. Plan D, fortunately, worked: 30 minutes charging on the same Gridserve charger's AC socket. Other than that memorably frustrating trip home, the only failed-to-charge episodes have been vandalised chargers with their cables stolen.

Our longest journeys have been crossing the full width of England and Wales, ferry from Liverpool to Dublin, then drive to Cork (and its reverse a week or so later). Be aware that from the third rapid charge of the day, despite the e-NV200 battery cooler, charging speed is about halved. If you get an opportunity for a coffee break with a "fast" AC charger, take it -- this usefully cools the battery, even if it's only a 20 or 30 minute break.

Another vote for the WattsUp app which does enable you to choose a route that is likely more interesting with better charging options and live status.

 

If I were you I would totally stop by Crosshands charging hub.
There is a Mcdonalds on the roundabout (you could do a lap of the roundabout first, get a drive through, then head to the charging hub by entering and crossing the roundabout again), an Aldi the other side of the car park. Grass and trees for the dog, the Solar panels act as canopies and have picnic tables under them and is pretty much the last stop before getting to Camarthen where chargers begin getting a bit ropey.

Also WattsUp is fantastic.

I used to drive around with zero plan in my ZS and when I got to 25% charge I used to open WattsUp and go to my nearest multi-charger site. That did me well over the 2 years I owned the car.

 

I've just had a look because that sounds good for a dog that will be crossing all her paws by then if I'm not careful. I now need to work out PodGo!

Wow - going with a zero plan is brave - but good to know it is doable with the right app.

 

I might be going to downgrade my opinion of Osprey chargers. Slow-to-reply but otherwise good customer support; pity about the chargers.

Tried to charge at the Unicorn, Gunthorpe yesterday: two 50 kW Osprey units, providing CCS2 and CHAdeMO each, plus AC 22 kW on at least one of them. Unfortunately, the one not occupied didn't respond to button presses or Electroverse card, and after a few minutes waiting on hold the help line said yes, it was faulty, totally borked, an engineer was booked for it, but don't wait for arrival. Then the Royal Mail van charging on CCS at the other moved on, and I tried its CHAdeMO... authorised, connected, started flashing happy lights on the car and the charger, then stopped, reporting an error. Tried 3 times, then called the help line again. The voice on the phone took me through exactly what I'd been doing, with exactly the same result, said oh dear, that looks like a charger fault, I'll just check... no CHAdeMO charges on that for at least a month so I'll book a repair for it. Offered to help navigate me to a nearby charger (which was a good bit of procedure) but I declined. Charged at an InstaVolt 25 miles further along my route, of which the only disadvantage is its MacDonalds.

The frustrating bit is that I was on a "fuel-efficient" route I haven't tried before. I could, just about, have got home without charging at all, but I didn't know that. The car records 145 miles and 32.12 kWh (4.5 mi/kWh) and my best guess for usable battery capacity is about 32 kWh. (Nominal 40, actual 36 when new, now after 4.5 years it's somehere around 90% of that.) I'll use that route again.

 

Aaaaarghhhh! That is frustrating. The lesson I'm taking from that (apart from caution about Osprey) is the best laid plans.....!!