[Alex Hansford]

@awakey and I are planning a trip to West London to visit the grandparents on Friday in our new Leaf, but might have hit a snag! We haven't got a Type 2 cable on our Leaf, only a EVSE one.

Looking at the new Ecotricity fast chargers installed at Ikea in Milton Keynes, I thought that all fast chargers include a tethered cable - but another picture of one of the Ecotricity chargers on the electric highway seems to just be a box with a plate covering the charging socket.

Does anyone know if the London Gateway Welcome Break (44 miles from home) or IKEA Wembley (48 miles from home) one needs a cable or not? Otherwise is there anyone in the area who would mind lending us a cable on Friday?

We haven't done any long journeys in the Leaf yet, but have spotted already that the miles seem to drop away when you drive at 70mph on motorways. Any suggestions to get the most mileage out of the drive (it will help keep my wife's blood pressure down!) would also be appreciated!

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Welcome Alex.

Just to be clear... by "fast charger" do you mean the 50kW DC chargers... the ones that charge to 80% in 30 mins? Most people call them "rapid chargers". This is very confusing as there is no standard name but fast usually means 7kW

All DC rapid chargers have tethered cables. You will need a type 2 cable for all 7kW fast chargers but there aren't many on the Ecotricity Highway as Ecotricity is not installing 7kW any more

Both of those are 50kW DC rapid chargers and will have tethered cables so no type 2 cable required

Some useful info here:
http://www.evwiki.info/index.php?title=How_Far_Will_an_Electric_Car_Go_On_A_Charge?

 

[Alex Hansford]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your help! I think you're right - I've got 'fast charge' and 'rapid charge' confused!
I'm definitely looking to use a DC rapid charger to top it up in 30 mins - so I guess we don't have to worry too much.

Now I just have to hope they're still in action when we travel on Friday!

 

[Mizuno-San]

Paul, are you saying that type 2 sockets aren't available at Ecotricity services? I've never used one but dropped into Membury (in an ice) to have a look, seem to recall the rapid had a couple of post mounted type2 sockets next to it. I assumed that these would be more reliable and a good backup to the rapid if we carried a type1-type2 cable?

 

[Paul]

Very few of them do, I believe Newport Pagnell does for example, but they are few and far between.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your help! I think you're right - I've got 'fast charge' and 'rapid charge' confused!
I'm definitely looking to use a DC rapid charger to top it up in 30 mins - so I guess we don't have to worry too much.

Now I just have to hope they're still in action when we travel on Friday!

LOL! Let us know how you got on won't you

Paul, are you saying that type 2 sockets aren't available at Ecotricity services? I've never used one but dropped into Membury (in an ice) to have a look, seem to recall the rapid had a couple of post mounted type2 sockets next to it. I assumed that these would be more reliable and a good backup to the rapid if we carried a type1-type2 cable?

When Ecotricity started installing the Highway they did install fast chargers (type 2) next to the rapids at first but then they changed policy and stopped installing them. So most Highway locations don't have 7kW but some do.

You can see which ones do and which don't on the Highway map.

 

[Mizuno-San]

Ah, looks like I picked a lucky one then, Membury has Rapids and the type2 (blue) charge sockets. Do the Type2 ever fail?

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Yes, I have seen some not working, but a lot less than the rapids do at the moment!

 

[Eunicholas]

there are not 7kw they are 22kw chargers at Newport pagnell and a lot in oxford, they are all type2 that's what I charge my zoe on only about 35min for me to charge on them, but I know you can still charge at 7kw if your car is set up with it.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

Many are 22kW but AFAIK some are still only 7kW. Many of the very early ones were 7kW and I don't know if they were all upgraded.

Many Chargemaster/Polar are also 7kW.

Mind you, it won't affect Leaf owners which can only charge at 7kW max anyway.

 

[Eunicholas]

Ecotricity told me they are all 22kw now, they have the big units made by General Electric. Well it can always give you a little topup so you can get to the next rapid charger. I really wish Renault would share there chameleon charger with Nissan so the leaf could charge at 22kw as well.

 

[Paul]

I really wish Renault would share there chameleon charger with Nissan so the leaf could charge at 22kw as well.

They could have such a competitive advantage if they shared many of their ideas and standards, seems so stupid from the outside that they don't do this!

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

The way I understand it is that Nissan and Renault have deliberately gone down different routes as far as charging goes to spread the risk and also so they can determine which is the better technology for future models.

Not sure how much I actually believe that line but it sounds plausible given the significant differences.

 

[Eunicholas]

I must say I like the ac charging nice and simple one charge port on the car does it all.

 

[planetf1]

Ah AC vs DC.... I must admit I was a little jealous of the two zoe's I met on my little trip up north... I do like the flexibility though am reminded there is an efficiency cost especially at low rates. Interesting that most manufacturers have gone for DC - though of course tesla arguably have the most flexibility (charger units in car and supercharger are the same I think? And a car may have 1 or 2 ? - or it that wrong?)

 

[Eunicholas]

Yes your right when it get down to about 3.3 kW it gets a little inefficient, Renault told me me that I could buy the 3pin but but for only 3/4 miles for every hour, it would be quicker to get a flat bad lol, as I have unlimited pickup as part of the lease on the battery.