Charging electric cars on Club sites.

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  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #92

    When EV cars become the norm will our streets be awash with cables as people who are lucky enough to park outside their houses charge their vehicles. Don't know what people in flats will do.

    Its not just folk in flats that would have a problem, where we live we have a village green in front of our house so cannot have a drive installed. We have a very large garden so plenty of room for a double drive but alas we are not allowed to cut across the green from the road. So our vehicles sit in a private residents car park, unless a bollard charging point was installed there we would not be able to 'run' a cable across the green to our house. frown

    Lots of issues I think in the coming years, we already know that our village cannot cope with any more houses until they upgrade the village transformer, we will not be alone in that problem. Look how long some places are waiting to get a decent internet connection.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #93

    Lothian have six electric single deck buses, if you read the article about electric buses in cambridge then a whole real life picture is shown

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #94

    Its the same in this area to enable EV charging, a large amount of investment in infrastructure will be needed first 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #95

    The EV household connector is just a normal plug at  one end with a special car connector at the other, this is the slow charge route which we used at first until we installed a fast wall charger. There are various sockets and cables for cars depending on the type of charge needed. We carry two, for slower and faster charges. 

    We can use the phone  zap map to see where charge points are but our car also has a screen that tells us too, it also tells us if a charge point is in use etc.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #96

    This is what zap map looks like.

    see here

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #97

    Full electric models, like the best-selling Nissan Leaf, benefit far more from the rapid chargers. A single 20 minute session will add approximately 50 to 60 miles of range to a pure-electric vehicle, though that estimated distance will deplete at a faster rate when the car is driven at constant high-speeds on motorways.

    Many of these cars will require a charge to reach a location, but have until now faced being blocked by plug-in hybrid owners taking advantage of the free supply of electricity.  

    An Ecotricty spokesperson told us: 'Different models of plug in car will recharge at different rates, however we looked at the market, the price that other electric car networks were charging, the equivalent costs of refuelling petrol and diesel cars on the motorway and came to the conclusion that £5 per charge was a fair price to pay 

    Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-3678631/End-road-free-electric-car-charging-motorway-services.html#ixzz51owjeLoS 
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #98

    What car have you got or has it been mentioned if so i must have missed it

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #99

    When we used ecotricity at Gloucester services, we paid a fixed charge for plugging in (around £3 but might be less now) then we paid for electricity used, around £1.75 for a fast top up. We didn't really need a charge, we had got from S Somerset on a full charge but wanted to try it out and ensure the return journey was ok. We're getting more confident now with how to run the car and battery and keep things going. smile

    That was a reply to a previous thread. We have the BMWi3, it was a demonstrator fitted out with various gizmos that are proving useful. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #100

    They (Ecotricity) say a flat fee of £5 for 20 min charge Brue

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #101

    No, this isn't the case EasyT, where was the information found, was it the DM?

    Ah, it might be because we are signed up members of ecotricity? We use a password at the chargepoint.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #102

    Link on post Brue. I would have thought that the rate would be about what l would expect and have no doubt that supermarkets will do similar.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #103

    You'll have to take my word for it at present. There is a system in place for users. smile

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #104

     The website shows several EV charging points in our area and most seem to be on private company HQs or out of usesurprised

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #105

    I do believe you Brue! You paid £4.75 and not a flat £5 smile

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #106

    I said £3 to plug in....OH thinks this has been reduced now but he's saying "get off that forum"..... (probably wants his tea.wink)

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #107

    £3 to plug in and £1.75 to charge? £5 does seem a likely flat rate Brue. I have to start tea in 10 mins as well  smile

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #108

    No pun intended?

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited December 2017 #109

    As a diesel tow car owner who uses club sites only when they are more acceptable than others, I would simply stop using club sites if they were even less competetive. I think the club is already charging just about the maximum possible without significant resistance from its customers. 

    The policy of allowing unlimited electricity consumption on the pitch was not intended to supply energy to be taken off site and used elsewhere. EV technology is being developed to enable more energy to be stored in batteries so that range can be increased, and so more energy will have to be drawn from the supply. 

    Smart metering is the only sensible way for the future. Smart metering operating cost will fall just as fast as the other aspects of Smart energy usage.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #110

    just out of interest I was inspecting a college a few weeks and walking in with one of their staff I noticed that he had a leaf and was charging it at one of the points in the college car park. More of interest was that this charge was completely free to him. So he drove to work, charged it during the day and basically got free fuel. This was under the government's workplace charging scheme which I hadn't really heard about. Apparently it was further expanded in the recent budget:

     

    For those people who own an electric car and have free charging through their company the government has some more good news.

    “People who charge their electric vehicles at work will not face a benefit in kind tax,” said the Chancellor.


    Last month the government announced a brand-new bill that could actually force petrol and service stations by law to install charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles.

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited December 2017 #111

    No its not supplying electricity to do with as you wish, as per another post its supplying electricity to use ON SITE.  You have not paid for electricity to charge your car that was never the intention, if you want to charge a car you should pay for the electricity and the infrastructure to do it.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #112


    Last month the government announced a brand-new bill that could actually force petrol and service stations by law to install charging stations for EE and hybrid vehicles.

    Playing with private sector! Stupid in this case. With possible 15 or more mins charge times existing fuel stations may not be the best place.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited December 2017 #113

    Wot aboot the electrickery used to charge the leisure battery whilst ON SITE hook up? or the charging of mobile phones, battery guns (for winding up the steadies), rechargeable batteries for toys etc all those are stealing the electrikery in the site fee as you exit. Or do you have to discharge them back into the grid afore you depart at the barrier? coollaughinglaughing

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #114

    well you may be right but the club does allow charging so it does seem to take the view once you have paid for it you can use it how you wish, I can't see how you can say it was never the intention? how do you know this? Also what infrastructure is needed? It is already there in the shape of your plug in your outfit?

    But - someone uses the club's supply to charge their caravan's or MH battery then goes to a site without EHU, or even wild camp in the case of a MH for a few days, goes back to a club site for one night to recharge and does it again. Now that person is using that charge OFF SITE (sorry for shouting but you started itwink?

    I really can't see a difference in charging your car for use off site and your battery to use your outfit off site.

    Are you against the idea as you think someone is getting something for nothing? It doesn't bother me at all.   

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #115

    sorry KeefySher - snap didn't see your post

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited December 2017 #116

    INTELEGENT CHARGING.

    A few years from now the whole energy scenario will have changed. We will be charging high performance batteries in our shops, factories, homes, vehicles, tools, domestic appliances etc. Batteries with adequate energy storage capacity for a domestic dwelling are already available. Intelligent charging from the National Grid and the use of solar energy will be controlled by the National Grid on a regional basis. The National grid will be able to generate electricity at a much more constant rate around the clock/or day and therefore the National generating capacity will be radically reduced. Intelligent charging (a £/KWh rate determined by the national grid on a variable scale dependant on regional demand) will ensure that consumers comply. Top-up charging will have to be paid for at the appropriate (including peak) rate.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #117

    yes +1, I'm sure it's just looks or sounds good politically

  • trellis
    trellis Forum Participant Posts: 1,102
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    edited December 2017 #118

    Going off thread slightly, my work regularly takes me onto new build sites .I have yet to see any EV points being installed into communial car parking areas , house drives etc . Surely if the government were serious over this they would be insisting on the construction companies doing it ?.If anyone on here is clued up on current building regs , it would be good to hear from you.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #119

    I cannot get the figures to stack up.  Can anyone explain?

    I have a Land Rover Discovery with an engine rated at190kW. It does not run at that rate all the time, as it works a lot less going downhill, and still not at maximum going uphill. Let us say it runs at an average of 100kW for a four hour journey with my caravan to a site. That is 400kWh.

    To regain that amount of energy from a site EHU, were it going into a battery, would be 400kWh divided by, say, 3kW (so that there was a small amount of power available to the caravan to run the lights etc). That would take about 133 hours running continuously, or just over five and a half days, to obtain that amount of energy.  It would cost approximately £52 which seems only marginally cheaper than the diesel, but the other people staying on the site would be contributing most of the cost through their site fees.

    If I wanted to use the vehicle during these five days the time to a full recharge would obviously increase further.

    I guess this is where the “fast charge” and “three phase” comes into its own, as having to spend most of a week recharging a battery to go home again seems less than fun, and having to switch off the charging to use the kettle even less.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #120

    I could suggest you look on YouTube to get some idea of the latest EVs, if they have a range extender this keeps the battery topped up whilst driving, (they hold the charge at a chosen level or kick in when needed to add mileage.) So most EV owners would not be looking at full charges, just top ups, possibly off site as it would be quicker at present.

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #121

    An EV is way more efficient to the wheels than a diesel engined car, so a direct comparison of kW between the two cannot be made.