wyx087

£200 extra, that is the entire cost of car I'd would have been willing to pay! Is that £400 for diesel to £600 for EV? It's not quite 25p vs 18p per mile, there's also the base monthly cost. Probably more like 75p vs 68p, which is easier to swallow for home charging convenience.

I drove 56 miles on Sunday from full, recharged 13 kWh back to full. Only costed £1.12. That's almost the promised 2p/mile EV advertised many years ago. I'm currently charging for free at work, meaning a 60 miles commute will only cost me 1 way, 30 miles at 7.5p/kWh => about 60p. So calculate EV cost/mile based on most expensive rapid charging cost is a bit skewed. With EV's, there's a lot more variable and ways to travel cheaply or even for free. The easiest for ownership and most important variable would be ability to charge overnight on off-peak pricing. Similarly, last time I refueled my diesel was at £1.76 in April. I'm hoping I can make it last until price drops back down. All thanks to able to put most of the miles on the EV.

This is more a marketing ploy than actual benefit. Reason is that the C rating for battery cell is more important for long term battery health. The 800v cars have similar size battery to 400v cars. So the C rating for the cells will be similar. Only benefit for 800v is being able to pull and push more power through the pack as a whole when batteries are much bigger to be able to take that kind of punishment (or the promised solid state type in the distant future) So for charging network, 800v and backwards compatible to 400v makes total sense. If you want to average 100 kw charging, you'd be looking at arriving at low state of charge (10%-20%). How reliable are your planned stop locations? Does it have enough chargers for broken charger to not be a problem?

Well, it doesn't look like petrol/diesel prices will be back to £1.30 anytime soon, so I would take the car. Especially when it's cheaper than all other EV options including re-buying the same car! It reads very strange that the battery pre-con feature isn't going to come as OTA update. Does this mean MY22 will never get OTA NAV updates? Perhaps it's a new NAV system on MY23? I don't think it will affect you too much, perhaps 10min at most.

For me, I'd use M4 or M40, so its location is a bit out of the way for me. I suspect it would be the case for a lot of people from London. Would have been better to build it next to motorways. The location feels similar to that Braintree hub: not on biggest trunk roads (motorway). But totally agree with battery storage. I've been saying this since 2018/2019, rapid charging hub + stationary battery is the way forward.

Whilst excellent to see so many chargers at a single location, making queuing or broken charger a thing of past...... for a while...... If the location for more of these going to be is more dictated by grid connections, instead of road connections....... I would prefer if trunk road services stepped up and get half the car park filled with rapid chargers.

With that level of click-bait-ness for both title and thumbnail, I'm not surprised.

Efficiency is key, as explained on FullyCharged:

It depends on the charger. Some may do that, my workplace charger even throttles down if workplace pull is high. These are considered destination charging, usually the time to charge (or charging speed) is irrelevant because you are there for the destination, charging is only a bonus.

Isn't it called Glamping? Some sort of latest trend, short for glamorous camping. Less nature more commercialism.

Most EV's aren't designed to be at 100%. But there are exceptions, Model 3 standard range from China uses LFP batteries, they recommends charging and leaving at 100% is better for this battery chemistry. The exact implementation is up to debate, per-kWh tax works, or stepped increment, I'm also against a firm cut-off point (similar to the arbitrary £40k tax). Weight based tax would also work, some of today's EV's are unnecessarily heavy. All manufacturers need to use dedicated EV platform and structural batteries. The BMW i4 is adopted from ICE platform and weights 2200kg! EV's aren't inherently heavy, they are heavy because half-arsed engineering from legacy manufacturers. --- I just had pleasure of using MFG charger at an Esso forecourt, South-West London. It was a breeze: turn up to 8 chargers, wave contactless and plug in. Then unplug and go. It's capable of 150kW for CCS cars. But it was something like 55p/kWh, still slightly cheaper than £2/l diesel. Sort of related charging news, FastNed are opening a huge site in Oxford, 14 300 kW and 12 Tesla superchargers can all charge simultaneously. https://fastnedcharging.com/hq/fastned-tesla-and-pivot-power-to-build-energy-superhub-oxford-together/

Back to the question I ask everyone: how often do you actually stop? Are you driving 450 miles in one go non-stop? Or do you stop somewhere for comfort break, during which time, the car can recharge back to 80% if you stretched the break to 20min *given enough infrastructure* There will always be a need for cars to retain certain range for short notices. Of course longer range and bigger battery cars need to exist for those users. But they should not be the default purchase option, that's why I think a one-off battery sizing tax will make people think about their needs before making the purchase. Hydrogen fuel cell long range car or a fuel cell range extender add-on would make sense, as long as it is only used by those driving long distance, due to the fact it is too wasteful to be the default for the majority. It's also illogical to carry around the extra battery just-in-case one might need it. Need to have mentality that different cars for different uses.

Yeah, I can go with weight and/or efficiency tax. Anything to get more efficient cars. I personally don't think there is a need for any EV more than 200 miles, even now. EV's are expensive now is because of the battery, bigger and bigger batteries are fitted is because of the misguided demand for range to match or even exceed fossil fuel cars. This mentality need to be stopped and changed. I've been reading up on this since switching to Octopus. I think it is exactly what you are saying, except in wind rather than solar form. This offset can make sense, I was thinking in my individual microgeneration ways. https://octopus.energy/octopus-fan-club/

Interesting.... how does this work cost-wise? Per-mile on higher speed roads? Good idea with freeholder tax. But how does individual flats know when to put on the washing and not pay importing from the grid, because if they clash with their neighbour also doing the washing? The panels would have to be pre-allocated to individual flats, which would mean very little generation due to per-flat roof space limitation. It's not like you are required to hold the plug in the car for hours while it charges. The cost of your time for slower destination charging (un-taxed in my example) is only plug in and unplug, you would be at your destination doing stuff. This is MUCH MUCH less time than waiting around for rapid charging en-route. The level of tax would not affect rapid charging speed. The idea for rapid charging tax is so that people pay more to travel longer distances. Staying within home range would be tax free and encourage charge their EV slowly during off-peak, which helps the grid use night time wind. I would combine rapid charging tax with new EV one-off large battery tax (bigger the battery, the higher embedded carbon emissions). This drives efficiency from manufacturers and gets people to choose their car and battery size sensibly.

I don't believe domestic prices will be taxed like petrol/diesel for the reason you've stated. it would be political suicide and not targeted enough. Even if they do, due to amount of people affected, it would only be a few %, would never be same level as petrol/diesel. There will be 2 ways EV to be taxed: - per-mile tax as I've stated earlier, across all cars. - rapid charging tax, to hit high mileage driver harder (they use the road more) and make this less green way of charging less attractive. Without super convoluted system to count or estimate miles against charging tax paid, taxing home charging can be easily circumvented. Subsidising solar panels have the problem that there are a vast number of unsuitable housing stock. The poorest among us also tend to live in flats (around here) where solar panel subsidies won't mean anything. Home battery subsidies, however, I think is a capital idea. Everyone can install this by clearing small space near the meter. Masses of those can help smooth grid demand (thus less reliant on expensive fossil fuel peaker plants) and utilise more cheap renewables.

Solid maths there. Model 3 was at £500 lease at beginning of the year when I briefly considered this route. But now it has shot up to beyond £600, probably £700 now after Tesla put up their price recently. But MG 5 EV or similar should be possible now for not much more than a comparable ICE car. As long as you can charge at home, even with today's leccy prices, EV will still be cheaper to run. Unfortunately no second hand car make sense now, definitely not second hand EV's due to high demand. Cheap second hand EV's used to make sense back in 2017 when they were seen as useless...... 2018-2020 were public opinion turning points, I watched my Nissan Leaf depreciated far slower than my Skoda Octavia. The infrastructure problem is all down to whether you are willing to be an early adopter. Willing to live with occasional inconveniences until the infrastructure catches up. I have always been early adopters in technology and I enjoy the charging experience. I loath petrol station experience and hates the way an average family ICE car drives. So I'm finding it easy to go full electric. i3 REx is the way PHEV should be done. I've gone on this rant previously, Parallel PHEV today still puts the ICE on a pedestal and you are still relying on the "holy" ICE for maximum acceleration. Parallel PHEV is essentially ICE manufacturers (like Ford, Toyota) last attempt at prolonging the ICE legacy. It's like having an annoying finger-wagging gnome in the engine bay say "no, no, no. for maximum power you must use ICE." But question, if i3 REx were plugged in at destination charger, would it make you feel better than PHEV's?

The infrastructure is always improving, it will take time but we'll get there. In an ideal world, vast majority of parking spaces will have charging so there isn't an issue who gets to plug in. Unfortunately the current state of BEV ownership is far from that. There's always charger anxiety due to shortage of chargers. I hate to say this, but If your time is very important (or you need to do this too often) and cost is no objection, then perhaps a fossil fuel car is still best for you, currently. Apart from my workplace charging (we have whatsapp group to ask people to move their PHEV), I've personally given up on public destination charging. I'd swing by and not feel disappointed if there isn't a spot. In those away-from-home instances, I would plan and use rapid charging hubs along the route.

I get that, and I used to think the same: all public chargers should be reserved for BEV only. But in talking to a few PHEV owners, I understood that they really do need to plug in at every charging opportunity due to their short range battery. (one of reason why they are pointless in 2020's, but unfortunately public still buys them) Yes, they don't need charging to make it home. That's why I hugely dislike Mercedes putting rapid charging ports on their newer PHEV (the A class at least). PHEV should never be on rapid chargers, because they are the chargers that make sure BEV can drive home. Destination "fast" chargers, on the other hand, I now think it's fair game. Depending the nature of charging spot, it's usually for duration of the car is parked. It's just parking spots with benefits. Unfortunately this means BEV may not get a charge and will need to stop at a rapid charger on the way back at higher cost, similar to how PHEV will need to drive home using expensive fossil fuel if they didn't get a charge.

Me 2014 EV no haz green plate 😞 I get it's frustrating that PHEV are hogging the chargers. But remember, destination charger is like parking spots and first come first serve, PHEV need them to drive more miles on electric and pollute less. Rapid chargers is where PHEV shouldn't be allowed. Hopefully you can charge on your way back and had a smooth journey? It's funny seeing old style Nissan Leaf with green plates, it sort of feels like the owner are suckers for spending unnecessary money.

I think off-peak rates will continue to be very affordable for the foreseeable future, in comparison to peak rates. Case in point: it used to be 5p when it started, then 7p, now 7.5p. Whereas the price-cap rate went from 14p in mid-2010's, to ~20p, jumped to 29p in March. It'll go to 35p very soon. Current UK price cap is 29p/kWh around here. A 20% increase is not a lot when it can be off-set by on-site micro-generation or avoided entirely via some sort of battery. https://inews.co.uk/news/energy-bills-cut-electric-car-giant-battery-store-cheap-power-1696345 Yep, I agree. It will be in the form of a per-mile tax. But won't be exclusively on EV's only as this will kill the switch momentum and make 2035 target unachievable. So i firmly believe EV's will ALWAYS be cheaper (or much cheaper depending on how your charge) to run.

Thank you! Learn something every day, I knew this must be widely known as some kind of phenomenon. But I think in today's credit-based economy, it's more to do with living spaces (eg driveway, space to store bulk buy) and/or energy (eg charging cost, day-time expensive rate offset). I've seen many Ubitricity points pop up near where I live , N London. It's not as dense as Westminster, but it's becoming an option when paired with an e-scooter for last mile or so. But at 32p/kWh it's not attractive. Sort of related, I've just completed my switch from Bulb EV tariff 8p/kWh to Octopus Go at 7.5p/kWh, both 35p at other times. But the Go tariff is fixed for 1 year, meaning when price cap increases to >35p/kWh come September, I'll still be able to charge at 7.5p/kWh overnight.

Well, it'll be similar to currently visiting fuel stations........ if/when there are as numerous charging hubs as petrol stations. The hope is to have many cheaper lamp-post or other street level charging to enable less time wasted going to rapid chargers. But it's like parking in front of one's house on a terraced street, pot luck! Which is to say not ideal if you actually need a charge for next day. TBH it's the same with everything: Poorer people can't afford to buy bigger houses, thereby don't have off-street space for car (no EV, higher cost of mobility), no in-door space for storage (no bulk buy discount, higher cost of living) and if living in flats, don't have roof access for solar panels (energy poverty).

I've said this previously years ago, there'll be a divide between have driveways and have-not. With energy price ever increasing, the poverty divide will also be seen in solar panel have and have-not. But your statement comparing petrol station vs charge point is not quite correct. EV's can charge at different speeds, mainly destination AC "fast" charging and en-route rapid charging. Charging at home or near home is considered destination charging, having the ability to do this makes EV ownership so much easier and much cheaper. So the have-charge-point/driveway people can drive 3p/mile while have-not will have to drive at cost of 9p/mile. That's why people should have charge point at home, because the car is parked unused for vast majority of the time. The batteries in EV are a valuable asset that can be used to help the grid by charging overnight (and in the future, feed back into the house to reduce cost of leccy during peak times)

Nothing existing will become illegal to use come July. It is only not allowed to be sold.

This is an explanation by Podpoint that contains a link to gov regs: https://pod-point.com/electric-car-news/smart-chargepoint-regs Existing installs or chargers are still allowed. In other news, PiCG for cars has been scrapped as of today.