Monday this week i acquired a new work vehicle (its not mine , i don't own it and didn't choose it,) anyway its full electric.

Was fully charged when i picked it up and they reckon you get approx 200 miles out of it.

I haven't got a designated charging point for it, its 1st come 1st served at a place across town that isn't where i park the vehicle, so today i thought I'll go and plug it in for a bit and it should last till next week.

I gave it about an hour & 20 mins and i gained 11 miles!!!

11 miles 😯😯. Am i doing summert wrong is is it always gonna need an overnight job, its well out of my way to keep changing overnight.

1 hour ago, Sweep said:

All true but it’s shit that you still need to plan things. The infrastructure just isn't here yet, and won't be for many, many years.

It’s what puts me off

Abington services on the M74 was always busy but never too bad. Christ. They are rammed now at all times as they’ve given over a lot of the car park to charging points and every spot is full with folk waiting

I do too many miles to think about full EV. No way could I be arsed travelling to Scotchland, the shires or Newcastle, as I do regularly, thinking about planning extra time to charge (which is actually fine) or queuing to charge/diverting to charge (which is not)

I’ll plod on with my self charging hybrid for now. Give me infrastructure and/or better range and I’ll happily go full EV

9 hours ago, Winchester White said:

Nice car but expensive. How do you use Tesla chargers on a Kia BTW? Any issue with lack of points on major services? I would like to go full EV but have doubts.

There are quite a few Tesla superchargers that take non Teslas as long as you have a CCS connection. https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/support/non-tesla-supercharging
 

I use the one in Aviemore, the Superchargers in Inverness are solely just for Tesla. (But there’s a BP 150kw charger on the Longman)
 

Theres 4x Ionity at Gretna and Perth, but as the charging is so quick, I’ve never waited longer than 10 mins to get on a charger. 

 

 

9 hours ago, Sweep said:

All true but its shit that you still need to plan things. The infrastructure just isn't here yet, and won't be for many, many years. 

I still honestly belive that EVs are the "Emporers New Clothes" those investing now, could catch a cold. 

It’s a doddle, inbuilt Sat nav calculates range and lists all the charging points that are available enroute. I have it set so that it on lists 50kw chargers and above. Also have just 2 x cards, Kia charge card (lower rates) and a CPS card. All sat nav updates done automatically OTA to keep list up to date. 

I have no problem doing 400+ mile trips

On 03/08/2023 at 15:04, freds dad said:

I had mine installed separately and use Octopus Intelligent at 7.5kwh night rate from 23.30 to 05.30. You can also use these times for washing machine and dishwasher to save some money.

Was looking into Octopus Intelligent last night. Doesn't seem to say if it's dual fuel.

Did you need to get your gas from a separate supplier?

1 hour ago, Campos_Wig said:

It’s a doddle, inbuilt Sat nav calculates range and lists all the charging points that are available enroute. I have it set so that it on lists 50kw chargers and above. Also have just 2 x cards, Kia charge card (lower rates) and a CPS card. All sat nav updates done automatically OTA to keep list up to date. 

I have no problem doing 400+ mile trips

All very good on motorway driving between cities. Few bids in work getting caught trying to get around Dem & Kernow.

@Sweep has a point. Not sure hydrogen will catch up but be interesting to see how many of todays cars can take an upgrade when improved battery technology comes along. Never looked enough to know what happens when your battery won’t take a charge. Hopefully not same as with drills and vacuums.

2 hours ago, Campos_Wig said:

It’s a doddle, inbuilt Sat nav calculates range and lists all the charging points that are available enroute. I have it set so that it on lists 50kw chargers and above. Also have just 2 x cards, Kia charge card (lower rates) and a CPS card. All sat nav updates done automatically OTA to keep list up to date. 

I have no problem doing 400+ mile trips

how much dose it cost to Charge up ???

Octopus do both gas and electric. 
 

I’ve got an Ohme Pro charger for my volvo hybrid. Takes about 5 hours to charge only get 40 miles electric but it’s ideal for mooching round and what I need. I use combination of both electric and unleaded on longer journeys, mines google so you tell it where you want to go and it works out where to use electric and fuel. 
 

1 hour ago, mickbrown said:

Was looking into Octopus Intelligent last night. Doesn't seem to say if it's dual fuel.

Did you need to get your gas from a separate supplier?

The Intelligence part is for electric only but we get both from them.

Use this link and we get £50 each of our bill.

https://share.octopus.energy/loved-sheep-483

34 minutes ago, freds dad said:

The Intelligence part is for electric only but we get both from them.

Use this link and we get £50 each of our bill.

https://share.octopus.energy/loved-sheep-483

That's ace. Cheers mate.

 

16 hours ago, Sweep said:

All true but its shit that you still need to plan things. The infrastructure just isn't here yet, and won't be for many, many years. 

I still honestly belive that EVs are the "Emporers New Clothes" those investing now, could catch a cold. 

Not at all.

I was effectively forced to go electric (another story), but from a commercial point of view if you're a company doing reasonable miles around town, it's a no brainer.

The post office have heavily gone down the route as they're ideal, as have others.

The public charger business is indeed an issue, but very soon higher mileage batteries will reduce the likelihood of having to use them, even for high mileage employees. Will still be done predominantly at home, or at "the office" where applicable.

I would also ask- what came first the petrol engined car, or the petrol station? The obvious similarities didn't stop the growth of the industry.

 

Whenever I’ve stopped at motorway services the bank of EV chargers always seem to be full.

Is there a system where you wait and are guaranteed the next empty space or are you expected to play a big game of musical chairs and hope a space opens up near you rather than someone bypassing you and straight into a gap?

I can see this creating a shit-load of road rage if someone’s waiting a while and then misses out on their turn.

On 05/08/2023 at 14:50, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Not at all.

I was effectively forced to go electric (another story), but from a commercial point of view if you're a company doing reasonable miles around town, it's a no brainer.

The post office have heavily gone down the route as they're ideal, as have others.

The public charger business is indeed an issue, but very soon higher mileage batteries will reduce the likelihood of having to use them, even for high mileage employees. Will still be done predominantly at home, or at "the office" where applicable.

I would also ask- what came first the petrol engined car, or the petrol station? The obvious similarities didn't stop the growth of the industry.

 

What came first; the petrol engine or EVs?

1 minute ago, globaldiver said:

What came first; the petrol engine or EVs?

EVs

True.

There is a chap who is pushing the technology to create petrol from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Been around for a while apparently- the Germans were doing it but found extracting oil was cheaper for the war effort- but I can't see it catching on.

About 4 times as expensive iirc, and requires hydrogen which may as well be used instead, and lots of energy too.

This is worth a watch.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001f7y1/the-secret-genius-of-modern-life-series-1-4-electric-car

On 05/08/2023 at 09:47, little whitt said:

how much dose it cost to Charge up ???

Further to this. Is there a big cost difference between home charging, charging at, say, Tesco, and charging at motorway services?

On 05/08/2023 at 14:50, Tonge moor green jacket said:

The public charger business is indeed an issue, but very soon higher mileage batteries will reduce the likelihood of having to use them, even for high mileage employees. Will still be done predominantly at home, or at "the office" where applicable.

How long do you reckon for something like a RAV4 for example? I want/need a 4x4 SUV for various reasons. If I could get around 400 miles for a big car like that I'd be pretty happy

2 hours ago, MickyD said:

Whenever I’ve stopped at motorway services the bank of EV chargers always seem to be full.

Is there a system where you wait and are guaranteed the next empty space or are you expected to play a big game of musical chairs and hope a space opens up near you rather than someone bypassing you and straight into a gap?

I can see this creating a shit-load of road rage if someone’s waiting a while and then misses out on their turn.

Must admit that I did wonder the same

I would genuinely like to go full EV. A local window cleaner has the same van as TMGJ. Can't remember how much he said he was saving a year on fuel but it was hefty

2 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

Further to this. Is there a big cost difference between home charging, charging at, say, Tesco, and charging at motorway services?

How long do you reckon for something like a RAV4 for example? I want/need a 4x4 SUV for various reasons. If I could get around 400 miles for a big car like that I'd be pretty happy

Must admit that I did wonder the same

I would genuinely like to go full EV. A local window cleaner has the same van as TMGJ. Can't remember how much he said he was saving a year on fuel but it was hefty

Already cars over 300 miles quoted, and some over 400.

The new Toyota amongst others I reckon are now changing the market. Anything with a 100kwh+ battery and/or solid state.

Fiskars also offering a new approach.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars

 

16 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Already cars over 300 miles quoted, and some over 400.

The new Toyota amongst others I reckon are now changing the market. Anything with a 100kwh+ battery and/or solid state.

Fiskars also offering a new approach.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars

 

Ta. The BMW iX looks interesting. My RAV4 has 12 months left so may come off the company scheme and get my own car

Do a bit of checking as to reliability too.

Last time I looked, the German ones and Teslas had nagging faults- not necessarily associated with the power pack- just other stuff. That may have gone away with time, especially with the German ones.

 

1 hour ago, MancWanderer said:

Ta. The BMW iX looks interesting. My RAV4 has 12 months left so may come off the company scheme and get my own car

Stay on the company scheme if you get an EV Bik tax is very low. 

2 hours ago, RoadRunnerFan said:

Stay on the company scheme if you get an EV Bik tax is very low. 

If I can I will for that exact reason. The choice though at the moment for EVs is a bit shit so I may have to go off scheme and take the vehicle allowance. Hopefully it will change in the next twelve months. Manufacturing side is aiming to go carbon neutral very quickly so hoping they see the bigger picture across the rest of the company

12 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Already cars over 300 miles quoted, and some over 400.

The new Toyota amongst others I reckon are now changing the market. Anything with a 100kwh+ battery and/or solid state.

Fiskars also offering a new approach.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars

 

Mate in work has Polestar with quoted range of 340 miles. He is lucky to get back from office in Coventry if doesn’t need AC or wipers.

Almost like VW are doing figures

2 hours ago, green genie said:

Mate in work has Polestar with quoted range of 340 miles. He is lucky to get back from office in Coventry if doesn’t need AC or wipers.

Almost like VW are doing figures

Motorway presumably. 

Be interested to know what speed he drives at though.

My van is quoted at 200, when fully charged shows around 180.

It would do Coventry to Bolton no problem, including motorway, so long as it wasn't flogged.

im guessing he doesnt try to drive it faster than his traditional vehicle

so thems the figures that matter

its no use it doing 250 miles at 30mph, is it