Luckypants

The Rhug Estate and Instavolt have announced an 8 charger hub on the A5 / A494 near Corwen. Groundwork and signage in place, just need the chargers. Apparently be done 'for the end of the easter holidays' https://rhug.co.uk/all-news/rhug-estate-set-to-become-largest-private-provider-of-rapid-electric-vehicle-charging-points-in-wales

So another journo deliberately not finding out how to operate an electric car before making a report on it? I didn't watch as I forgot about it.

Given that C5 were casting around on twitter for people with bad experiences of charging, I expect a hatchet job.

So you are complaining about a very specific case, when everyone else is speaking in general terms. 👍

Fed up or not, destination chargers are designed for cars to be parked up CHARGING for hours. It may be a PITA to you, but they are not doing anything wrong. There is no reason why anyone shouldn't use a Type 2 charger if it is appropriate. Especially if by doing so they are not blocking a rapid charger.

Disagree. Destination chargers are ones where you are at 'your destination' and your car will be parked up for several hours (work, hotels, restaurants, retail parks, theme parks, the zoo, cinemas etc) while charging. If you plug in to 50kW your car will be charged in an hour and the rest of the time would be blocking a valuable resource. 22kW for a destination charge is great, it adds 40 miles an hour to my car (11kW max AC) so adds really useful amounts of range over several hours. If you are at a destination for an hour or so, then a rapid charge may be appropriate, but only if you NEED the charge to get to your next destination, in which case on route charging via rapids is equally effective. For EV drivers, the concept of 'grazing' charge is well known. Getting a bit here and a bit there while doing other things. A big single charge is thinking like an ICE driver. By grazing for charge when you can, it makes the 'need' to charge much smaller. It also means that if no charger is available, you are not stuck. For instance last weekend I was able to do 200 miles over the weekend on free electric by grazing small charges while doing other things. (supermarket shopping, lunch, shopping for lighting). The fact it was free is irrelevant, its that I got 200 miles of range without trying while doing other activities.

Also remember these chargers are for motorway journeys. Like many ICE drivers, EV drivers may choose to charge off the motorway before or after using the motorway. The likes of Osprey, MfG EV-Power and Instavolt are putting in chargers left and right on trunk roads. Instavolt installed 65 new 50+kW chargers in March alone. Even Shell are starting to get in on the act with it's forecourt in London and new charger locations. If they ever power up the hub at Northop, they will double the number of chargers on the A55. Gridserve announced a partnership with Dobbies garden centres to install hubs at their locations which are meant to be high speed - but I'll believe that when they arrive - a bank of 22kW chargers is not high speed. These are meant to be rolled out this year.... https://www.gridserve.com/2021/12/20/dobbies-garden-centres-rolls-out-ev-charging-with-gridserve/?LeadSourceCode=crm1017

The next services along at Cullompton has an Ionity Hub 4x350kW chargers and one Gridserve 50kW. You may see EV distribution being different to traditional ICE cars, they are going to go where there are chargers.

MFG already have some hubs handy for the motorway around Bristol. Image below filtered for MFG EV-Power and 100+ CCS chargers. Instavolt are installing something down there (I forget where) and Gridserve are currently building a hub at Cornwall Services. Gridserve's stated aim is to have a hub at all MSA, but of course that will take time. In the meanwhile I guess they will be building out where there is power available and busy MSA first. Exeter will not be the only hub for the West country.

Really no excuse for that with a Tesla, the app tells you your car is charged with a little alarm. Did you go round the shop and have a word or ring Faith to come move her car?

The best solution for improved m/kWh is lower weight batteries, but I agree lower weight overall and improved aero are big wins too. Tesla seem to get 4-5 m/kWh and have reduced battery size as their efficiency improved. Improved efficiency gives a virtuous circle of smaller and cheaper batteries, less weight again and improved charge times. New battery tech to get energy density up is what is needed. Most car companies and their battery partners are working on this. If 500Wh per Kg became the norm, my ID.4 would be approximately 200Kg lighter I don't see the need for 450 mile ranges, but each to their own. I'd be very happy with 250-300 mile range and 4.5+ m/kWh. The smaller battery this would allow takes less time to charge, so charger congestion becomes less of a thing. I'd seriously consider something like the MG5 next time round as they are getting 250 miles from 62kWh battery and it is an estate. If next gen batteries further improve this, could be a win.

As an ID.4 owner, I can't say I recognise that trait. However, you have chosen a very fine car and one that YOU like, so enjoy the new motor when it arrives. Do you have a delivery timescale yet?

There is reason for the drum brakes. First as these are rear wheel drive and therefore rear wheel regen braking, there is no need for powerful rear brakes. Second, as the friction brakes are much less used because of regen, rear disks on EVs suffer from seizing and corrosion. The enclosed drums should negate this. Finally, drum brakes cost less 🤣

Saw one in the flesh at the weekend. Looks OK, a bit tall for the width but a model 3 on steroids is a fair comment. Incidentally the first 22 plate I've seen.

Whoops! Typo, that's 12 (twelve) new chargers there. Pretty big scale. Gridserve are also working on a hub at Cornwall Services, hopefully ready for summer.

And so Scotland aren't left out of the year end rush to install new chargers, FastNed have announced a new 8x300kW hub in Hamilton.

Obviously getting these in for end of month / quarter / financial year. Instavolt Banbury hub extension live today with 8 extra 150kW chargers.

Burton in Kendal motorway services Gridserve hub went live last night. Note the 4 x 350kW chargers, in addition to the 2 x 60kW devices. One 100kW CHAdeMO added.

Don't you think all this should be in one of the (many) charger / charging threads? Not particularly about the Cupra Born is it?

In depth review by Autogefuhl from the launch day

AFAIK there are no 'hubs' after that on the M6 until after the M62 junction. The nearest thing would be the MfG EV Power site in Stretford if going to that part of Manchester. There is the Osprey hub near Wolverhampton (WV4 6LQ), but its not handy for the Motorway. Banbury seems to be getting some special love from the charging networks for some reason

You mean Corley services? Both North and Southbound have 7/8 chargers but only 50kW each.

The VW ID cars have that feature too. Some see it as penny pinching, others (like me) see it as less clutter. I don't find it a problem in my car (ID.4).

Probably cable in a conduit, especially metal conduit.

Osprey hub in Wolverhampton and Banbury now open. Instavolt in Banbury now open.