Instavolt arriving at Corley Services Southbound

Interesting, there's a new services going up at Rugby M6 Junction 1 (about 10-15 minutes down the M6) that should be open in a couple of months. It's confirmed to have multiple chargers, I'm not sure who or what speed. But I can't imagine on a new build they would go just for a pair of 50Kwh chargers. Anyway, from Milton Keynes, to Rugby, to Coventry. M1->early M6 isn't short of chargers now (soon).

halcyonrichard said:

Not sure what you mean by that, EH have chargers on both sides of the M6 at Corley so by definition Instavolt do not have a monopoly. Maybe a challenge site by Instavolt to get a legal ruling in to break the EH stranglehold.

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I think the Ecotricity exclusivity deal is and has been over for a while now. I'm sure most charging networks have been working hard identifying the best sites, working out plans, planning permission, getting deals with the companies that run the services. The exciting thing is work is finally underway, I expect a lot of sites to go up quite quickly as most services companies and charging networks would have made deals for dozens of sites at the same time.

halcyonrichard said:

They renewed a lot for instance 10 years with welcome break. At the Commons Committee this year it was bought up and could not be discussed in open session - it had to be discussed in a back room. Maybe a gentlemans agreement of some sort or EH charging fees to not strictly enforce its monopoly agreement(s). We will never know as they are "confidential". Whatever it is things on the ground are changing and that has to be good news.

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Ah interesting. Corley is a Welcome Break services, so maybe a sign of things to come. Maybe EH exclusivity only extends to being the ones outside the main building and these other ones are going to be located a bit of a jaunt away (I know some services have tesla chargers in some really random nooks)? Or maybe they picked just a handful of exclusive services that are most profitable?

Either way it's weird that I get excited about chargers going in locally... but when I think about it, they are probably the ones I'm least likely to use.

Number64 said:

• the original 6x aplication to the left of the main building entrance PAP/2017/0616 approved 02/01/18 validity 3y, so effectively expires at the end of this year unless work starts.
• soon after a 2x application at the petrol station entrance PAP/2018/0056 approved 12/03/18 validity 3y
• then 8x at the back of the car park between the two entrances PAP/2019/0047 approved 21/03/19 validity 3y
• now 7x to the right of the carpark exit PAP/2020/0078 approved 25/03/20 validity 3y

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Some quality detective work there. Maybe sounds like maybe a changing of plans? Going from 6, then adding 2 soon after for 8. Then maybe sticking with the 8 but changing the location and finally going for 7?

Can't imagine they are going for 23 dotted all over.

WonkoTheSaneUK said:

Rugby will have 12 Tesla Superchargers & 12 350kW Ecotricity chargers in the main car park, and 2 150kW BP chargers next to the fuel station.
This is why I said 22. 14 at Rugby & these 8 at Corley SB.

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Wow, didn't think it'd be so many. 350kW? Going to have to try it out one time when I'm almost out on the way home.

That's a good point. Does seem a little bit of a waste of two 150Kw chargers that could be used elsewhere. The route south of Coventry along the A45/M45 that mirrors thia Corley->Rugby route that's getting all these chargers is a major route locally that hasn't got any chargers.

But to your other point, I was thinking about this the other day. I imagine not all petrol stations would be fit for conversion. I've charged at one or two petrol stations with chargers and it's not great with the smell and the poor facilities, I generally avoid them if I can. But if 350Kw chargers become well spread and the charge time/experience is nearer to that of a petrol station visit then maybe they'll hang around?

Drove by these today, looks like they might be a while off yet, basically all that's in is the bases for the chargers. There's a second bunch of works about 20-30m from the chargers that looks like it's going to be the housing for the electricity supply for them and that's barely started. Also compared to the Ecotricity ones up at the entrance, these are quite a way from the services.

I think the new 350w Ecotricity ones at Rugby are going to be live first and if you're going that way and can make it will be a better option.