[WonkoTheSaneUK]

Interesting. Sadly I do know something about VAT, at least enough to find the relevant legislation, which is VATA 1994 Sch 7A Group 1 para 5(g). It adds into the definition of domestic use:

"a supply of electricity to a person at any premises where the electricity (together with any other electricity provided to him at the premises by the same supplier) was not provided at a rate exceeding 1000 kilowatt hours a month."

Now, it's highly unlikely that you're being billed for more than 1000kwh a month, but Osprey are taking a ... bold ... interpretation of "at any premises". I suppose you could strictly say that the electricity was supplied to you at the premises where the charger is, but that's not what the section is there for. It's there to give small business premises the reduced rate, and to prevent there having to be arguments about whether running your business from home means you have to pay 20% on some of your electricity. Unless they have already put it to them and got an affirmative answer, I should have thought HMRC might take an interest in this once they see what they are doing.

I wonder which VAT rate I'll be charged for using my Electric Juice card on an Osprey rapid?
As an Octopus energy customer, charging using the card applies the fee to my household electricity bill.

 

[methley]

From Octopus Energy

"Electric Juice doesn't charge any premium on top of the network providers - we simply pass through the cost they give us.

• Charging on a Char.gy lamppost costs 33p per kWh, with no connection or transaction fees.
• Charging on an Osprey rapid costs 36p per kWh, with no connection or transaction fees.
• Charging on an IONITY ultra-rapid costs 66p per kWh, including a 5% discount from Octopus Energy. There are no connection or transaction fees.
• LiFe Energy, Alfa Power, Plug-N-Go and Hubsta do not have a standard price for charging. The rate you'll pay is that which a regular "Pay as you Go" customer would receive on any of these networks.

Any charges will be added to your Octopus Energy bill when either paying by Octopus or using your Electric Juice Network card.
Details on other charging network costs will be added as they launch."

 

[UKTechie]

What location spotted?

 

[Sascha]

Looks like some backend work going on:

 

[mad_rich]

I think the question is not whether you're paying a cheaper end price, but is it (for Osprey, for eg)

30p + 20% VAT = 36p, or
34.29p + 5% VAT = 36p

I've had a look at my Octopus bill and it doesn't specify. Domestic electricity is broken down both inc and ex VAT, but the Octopus Juice charges are only shown inc VAT.

 

[halcyonrichard]

Checking on ZapMap still only one EH contactless rapid in the whole country. Anyone seen a schedule for the upgrades ?

 

[Astolat]

I think the question is not whether you're paying a cheaper end price, but is it (for Osprey, for eg)

30p + 20% VAT = 36p, or
34.29p + 5% VAT = 36p

Not sure if I've understood you correctly, but for Osprey the VAT exclusive price is 30p, as per your first line. If you have the app and they bill you monthly, they charge you 31p - strictly it should be 31.5p at a 5% VAT rate, but they obviously want you to use the app.

If you mean does Osprey actually only account for 5% VAT even if you don't use the app, then I wouldn't think so - however unlikely it is that they would have supplied you with more than 1000kwh at the same charger in a month, without monthly billing they have no evidence that they haven't. On the other hand, they don't really have the evidence when they do bill you monthly, as you could have sometimes used the app and sometimes not. The whole thing just looks well dodge to me, but I don't know what advice or clearances they've got. <@55COVER = ON>.

 

[londonguy]

Checking on ZapMap still only one EH contactless rapid in the whole country. Anyone seen a schedule for the upgrades ?

Gridserve responded to a video on YouTube stating the new units won't arrive in the UK until late April:

 

[Sascha]

Gridserve responded to a video on YouTube stating the new units won't arrive in the UK until late April:

Interesting. Also worth noting in the comments:

GRIDSERVE
3 days ago
@Aleksandr Vysockij Hi - Individual chargers will have all 3 (AC, CCS, CHAdeMO), in which case CCS + CHAdeMO could be charged simultaneously. When we add 2 chargers, the second will be dual CCS as there is a greater requirement for CCS chargers. Hence for 2 x charger replacements, this will mean 3 x simultaneous CCS + 1 x CHAdeMO charging sessions will then be possible...

Not great for us Chademo users, but the writing for Chademo being phased out was on the wall.

 

[UKTechie]

So nothing new going to showup until May or June, hope they have hired enough people to get them installed in a reasonable time.

 

[Metcast]

So nothing new going to showup until May or June, hope they have hired enough people to get them installed in a reasonable time.

Who said that?

 

[GOSPORT DAVE]

Gridserve are in the process of constructing 2 new solar electric forecourts, the same as the development at Braintree.

1. Norwich (I couldn't find any planning application information on this)

2. Uckfield (Full planning permission was granted on 16-03-2021 - as below link)


Uckfield – Planning Permission Granted – for Gridserve Solar Forecourt and Charger Installation.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR ELECTRIC FORECOURT®, COMPRISING 24 CORE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS, A SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) FARM OF UP TO 5.5MW AND ENERGY STORAGE. THE HUB BUILDING WILL CONTAIN A MIX OF ANCILLARY DWELL FACILITIES INCLUDING WCS, COFFEE SHOP, RETAIL, SEATING AREA, MEETING ROOMS/ WORKSPACE AND A DISPLAY AREA. PROVISION OF CAR PARKING, HARD AND SOFT LANDSCAPING AND ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS OFF THE COPWOOD ROUNDABOUT. DIVERSION OF PUBLIC FOOTPATH.



Planning application display - Application Reference Number: WD/2020/1244/MAJ (wealden.gov.uk)

I initially found this information contained in this news article:

GRIDSERVE ‘moving heaven and earth’ in Electric Highway replacement works

GRIDSERVE ‘moving heaven and earth’ in Electric Highway replacement works | Current News (current-news.co.uk)

 

[mad_rich]

That all sounds a bit more vague and measured (perhaps more realistic) than the optimistic tone last week.

• new chargers in place in hopefully every location
• six to 12 high power chargers in several locations, but its tricky
• old, unreliable chargers and would like that not to be the case

Although he does also say they're 'moving heaven and earth' and 'construction ... as quickly as possible'.

Perhaps it's 'under promise and over deliver', which is no bad thing! But I think the talk a couple of pages back of exactly which date in 'summer' every single EcoT will have been replaced by two new ABBs may be a little optimistic.

 

[UKTechie]

Who said that?

If units are not arriving in UK until end of April seems reasonable to assume we won't see any installed until May

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

If units are not arriving in UK until end of April seems reasonable to assume we won't see any installed until May

Let's just hope they're not queueing for the Suez Canal right now...

 

[andrew*debbie]

So 40 days give or take. I'm happy to wait a bit longer. Here in Wales we are still on the 5 mile rule.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

So 40 days give or take. I'm happy to wait a bit longer. Here in Wales we are still on the 5 mile rule.

Did you see my "North Wales" thread yet? The DNO are digging up a carpark next to Flint Castle for a chargepoint install.

 

[andrew*debbie]

Yes!

 

[electric_dreams]

Gridserve are in the process of constructing 2 new solar electric forecourts, the same as the development at Braintree.

1. Norwich (I couldn't find any planning application information on this)

It's in this thread: Norwich East Electric Forecourt

 

[richtrash]

Gridserve responded to a video on YouTube stating the new units won't arrive in the UK until late April:

The charger that this replaced only needed 43kW, they have replaced it with a charger that would need at least 100kW to charge 2 cars simultaneously, the chargers probably support simultaneous charging it's the likely the existing electrical connections that don't.