Just about to get my third referral bonus of £50 from Octopus.

 

Do ICE drivers get £50 or so for referring a different petrol/diesel station ?

 

As of this morning have an additional and uprated home charger I expect to do even less charging outside the very cheap time so hopefully will not need to up my Direct Debit from £125 a month even when running two EVs and the house is quite large but the gas bill is probably going to be quite high if we get a cold winter which hopefully we will not due to the climate change of course. 

 

No we ICE drivers get paid in free time, far more valuable 😁

On 16/09/2024 at 11:50, lol-lol said:

 

Everytime you will up you will up you send money to despots in the world, bad. You do send about £50 to the government which they desperately need after the last government leaving a £3B national debt.

 

  

 

Every time you, well, all of us, we sent more money than ever winging its way overseas to sunny climes. It should be staying here and be recirculated in the British economy, again not of the current government's making, but helping with creation of the blackhole. 

 

So if you normally did your washing etc in the free window you have to stop that in advance and do it at another time. So when the window is announced you can do it as "extra use". If the free window remains the same period each time your "extra use" will be your norm .

 

It's a lot of messing about for a couple of quid?

 

Why don't the energy companies buy their own battery banks and "make hay while the sun shines and wind blows" themselves to sell it when power generation is down?

 

probably because the capital investment would take too  long to recover? So they want people with money to do it for them and attract new customers with the concept.

 

They can probably even claim the money discounted as "promotional/advertising" costs against taxes?

 

 

8 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

No we ICE drivers get paid in free time, far more valuable 😁

 

What do you mean I only go to an alternate charging place once or twice a year as I have my recharging place at home so it fills itself up when I am asleep, do ICE cars do this trick ?

 

Think both EVs and ICE will do this shortly ie nip off when we are asleep to fill themselves up but then we will probably get to the stage when hardly anyone has a car and there are just pools of them which come to you when called.

 

I am currently looking at a two year old Enyaq 60 can anyone give me an honest view of why I should or shouldn't buy it.

 

I know there is now an 80/85 but 240miles with a charging rate of up to 100kw will probably be ok for me.

 

Will have to give up moving my caravan because it can only tow 1000kg but have tended to go to the same site for the last few years so i can store it there and they will put it on the pitch for me.

56 minutes ago, Stonekeeper said:

I am currently looking at a two year old Enyaq 60 can anyone give me an honest view of why I should or shouldn't buy it.

 

I know there is now an 80/85 but 240miles with a charging rate of up to 100kw will probably be ok for me.

 

Will have to give up moving my caravan because it can only tow 1000kg but have tended to go to the same site for the last few years so i can store it there and they will put it on the pitch for me.

I test drove an Enyaq back in 2022. It was a great family car, very comfortable suspension and lots of space. Feels like an evolution from previous Skoda models, which may be good thing if that's what you like.

 

The bigger battery was available back then. Cars were still suffering from component shortages in 2022, I spec'd up a big battery AWD Enyaq with all the autonomous features and it came to similar price as a MY LR, without Tesla's charging integration.

 

In 2022, downside was that the car don't do battery pre-conditioning for rapid charging. So you may not see quoted 100 kW in extreme temperatures. This may have changed now because it can be added via software update.

 

The bigger battery will also support V2H after software update, VAG is limiting this feature to the biggest battery versions.

 

 

BTW, spot on with the free extra electricity bit. But I think it's more aimed at people who can charge their battery, and thus normally have almost zero usage at that time. People who normally do stuff at that time can do more for free.

3 hours ago, Stonekeeper said:

 

So if you normally did your washing etc in the free window you have to stop that in advance and do it at another time. So when the window is announced you can do it as "extra use". If the free window remains the same period each time your "extra use" will be your norm

Essentially, yes. However, I run my washing machine at night on cheap rate using the delay start built in to the machine, same with my dishwasher. As most of the time my house is running off a combination of solar and house battery I'm not using mains electricity at all, or at the most a few watts,

 

I dump out to the grid from my battery for an hour the hour before the free electric period, then recharge my house battery and car and get a nice rebate of a few quid when the electric is free, and a bonus of export electric. It's hardly any messing about, takes maybe 30 seconds to set up the inverter controller app.

3 hours ago, Stonekeeper said:

 

So if you normally did your washing etc in the free window you have to stop that in advance and do it at another time. So when the window is announced you can do it as "extra use". If the free window remains the same period each time your "extra use" will be your norm .

 

It's a lot of messing about for a couple of quid?

 

Why don't the energy companies buy their own battery banks and "make hay while the sun shines and wind blows" themselves to sell it when power generation is down?

 

probably because the capital investment would take too  long to recover? So they want people with money to do it for them and attract new customers with the concept.

 

They can probably even claim the money discounted as "promotional/advertising" costs against taxes?

 

 

Basically you are encouraged to waste leccy, you only get free above your average consumption. We signed up to it (why wouldn't you) and I think we saved about £2 over 3 or 4 events.
You did have to opt in to start with  but then they went to auto if you'd opted in previosuly.

If you had a big battery you could opt to charge during that time but if not it's a bit of pointless marketing. They could just discount everyone's power but no.

4 hours ago, Aspman said:

They could just discount everyone's power but no.

It is designed for them to first gather data on how much energy they can get customers to soak up. So that they are able to bid for excess electricity and prevent excess renewable going to waste. (therefore being a bit wasteful is okay here)

 

I'm not sure how it can be applied as discount to everyone, where they wouldn't be able to gather data for future use.

Discount would also be applied to peak time if applied to everyone, which would cost them a lot more if customers used more during that period.

 

It's all about data for Octopus. Time of use or Type of use tariff are the future.

7 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

It is designed for them to first gather data on how much energy they can get customers to soak up. So that they are able to bid for excess electricity and prevent excess renewable going to waste. (therefore being a bit wasteful is okay here)

 

I'm not sure how it can be applied as discount to everyone, where they wouldn't be able to gather data for future use.

Discount would also be applied to peak time if applied to everyone, which would cost them a lot more if customers used more during that period.

 

It's all about data for Octopus. Time of use or Type of use tariff are the future.

 

Kraken.

 

8 hours ago, lol-lol said:

 

What do you mean I only go to an alternate charging place once or twice a year as I have my recharging place at home so it fills itself up when I am asleep, do ICE cars do this trick ?

 

Think both EVs and ICE will do this shortly ie nip off when we are asleep to fill themselves up but then we will probably get to the stage when hardly anyone has a car and there are just pools of them which come to you when called.

 

Once again, to coin a phrase that someone else has already used, this once again rings of the "haves" and "I'm alright Jack"

10 hours ago, Stonekeeper said:

????

It will only go one way in the long run, and that way is upwards, that's a given as long as it remains in private hands.

8 hours ago, lol-lol said:

 

What do you mean I only go to an alternate charging place once or twice a year as I have my recharging place at home so it fills itself up when I am asleep, do ICE cars do this trick ?

 

 

They do if you are a real “have” and your chauffeur fills up for you. 
 

Dies your EV plug itself in as well

 

😛

3 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

 

😛

Nice. That said it’s a shame inductive loop charging isn’t more advanced. Park and charge. 
 

Actually take that one step further and convert the motorways/major A roads into giant Scaletrix and charge whilst driving. 
 

Now that would make BEVs attractive. 

I'm sure I've read something like that for goods vehicle:

https://www.power-technology.com/news/germany-launches-first-electric-highway/?cf-view

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45989117/first-wireless-charging-road-north-america-debut/

 

It makes a lot of sense to reduce battery requirements on lorries so that they can travel long distances without needing to carry huge masses of battery.

 

Not sure about passenger vehicles that can already do 300+ miles and occupants need stretching every 2-4 hours, with batteries and infrastructure that enables recharge in 20 minutes. Eg. longer range EV's from 2019 and onwards.

2 hours ago, wyx087 said:

I'm sure I've read something like that for goods vehicle:

https://www.power-technology.com/news/germany-launches-first-electric-highway/?cf-view

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45989117/first-wireless-charging-road-north-america-debut/

 

It makes a lot of sense to reduce battery requirements on lorries so that they can travel long distances without needing to carry huge masses of battery.

 

Not sure about passenger vehicles that can already do 300+ miles and occupants need stretching every 2-4 hours, with batteries and infrastructure that enables recharge in 20 minutes. Eg. longer range EV's from 2019 and onwards.

Yes I have read the same but I seem to remember that it was having major safety concerns for one thing.

3 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

It will only go one way in the long run, and that way is upwards, that's a given as long as it remains in private hands.

 

Sunshine and wind is in everyone's hands and not only if one has a bit of garden or roof as in many countries people are handing foldable solar panels off balconies.  

I bought a 200W foldable 4 solar panel (sub £90) travel array it can be put pretty much anywhere, hung from a fence etc.

Germany, Spain residence without either gardens or roofs are getting on to the solar train to slashing their annual bill.  Add a battery of a few kWhs and happy days and nights.

 

I can see certain peaks in energy consumption being expensive, possibly upto or over £1 a KWh being charged by suppliers, I think I read Octopus Agile customs can sometimes be hit with costs of that level but it is a freak occurrence and increasingly outweighed by free of negative cost sessions.   

Flat daily rates will increasingly be bad economic choices, they are already for EV households with home charging.  

 

 

2 hours ago, wyx087 said:

I'm sure I've read something like that for goods vehicle:

https://www.power-technology.com/news/germany-launches-first-electric-highway/?cf-view

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45989117/first-wireless-charging-road-north-america-debut/

It makes a lot of sense to reduce battery requirements on lorries so that they can travel long distances without needing to carry huge masses of battery.

Not sure about passenger vehicles that can already do 300+ miles and occupants need stretching every 2-4 hours, with batteries and infrastructure that enables recharge in 20 minutes. Eg. longer range EV's from 2019 and onwards.

 

Yes I have seen it, not in my last week trip to Berlin but recently when flying in to Frankfurt and popping down to Darmstadt, it was only about 21 km test scenario, it makes certain EV truck work like trams with overhead over the cab pickups for overhead lecky power........

 

 

 

The argument about haves and have-nots with regard to utilising cheap electricity are moot until everyone can have a working smart meter. There are large parts of the country that cannot have smart meters due to connectivity issues. The main reason for this is there is a private monopoly company set up by the Conservatives to control the smart meter network, known as Data Communications Company (DCC). DCC has a target of 98% coverage of population, whereas it should be 100% of the country for it to be an equal opportunity to all. DCC use O2 3G cellular in the south (south of Wigan-ish) and an O2 subsidiary running a long range radio system based on old TV masts for the North. We all know that old UHF TV didn't cover everywhere and if you have an O2 mobile you'll know there are plenty of places with no coverage. In addition, many smart meters already fitted have gone dumb with the 3G switch off or due to malfunction. Suppliers do not prioritise repairs as they are incentivised to replace old meters with smart meters.

 This 'post code lottery' makes any time of use tariffs only open to the smart meter 'haves', making cheap electricity unavailable to many. I'm hoping Ed Milliband will give DCC and suppliers a metaphorical kick in the gonads to rectify this and come up with a system for universal coverage.

I'm sure you've worked out I am without a working smart meter 

2 minutes ago, Luckypants said:

The argument about haves and have-nots with regard to utilising cheap electricity are moot until everyone can have a working smart meter. There are large parts of the country that cannot have smart meters due to connectivity issues. The main reason for this is there is a private monopoly company set up by the Conservatives to control the smart meter network, known as Data Communications Company (DCC). DCC has a target of 98% coverage of population, whereas it should be 100% of the country for it to be an equal opportunity to all. DCC use O2 3G cellular in the south (south of Wigan-ish) and an O2 subsidiary running a long range radio system based on old TV masts for the North. We all know that old UHF TV didn't cover everywhere and if you have an O2 mobile you'll know there are plenty of places with no coverage. In addition, many smart meters already fitted have gone dumb with the 3G switch off or due to malfunction. Suppliers do not prioritise repairs as they are incentivised to replace old meters with smart meters.

 This 'post code lottery' makes any time of use tariffs only open to the smart meter 'haves', making cheap electricity unavailable to many. I'm hoping Ed Milliband will give DCC and suppliers a metaphorical kick in the gonads to rectify this and come up with a system for universal coverage.

I'm sure you've worked out I am without a working smart meter 

And of course combine that with the fact that over 60% (I think the figure is) of UK households that do not have off road dedicated parking then that’s even more have nots

Just now, Winston_Woof said:

And of course combine that with the fact that over 60% (I think the figure is) of UK households that do not have off road dedicated parking then that’s even more have nots

Agreed with respect to EVs. My point is that the argument over EV haves and have nots is moot until everyone has access to to 'cheap' electricity tariffs through  working smart meters. Smart meters are the key to cheaper unit rate electricity and should be available to all so everyone can benefit. this is not an issue exclusive to EV drivers. The reason I put 'cheap' in quotes is that the standing charges for time of use tariffs are far from cheap.

4 minutes ago, Luckypants said:

The argument about haves and have-nots with regard to utilising cheap electricity are moot until everyone can have a working smart meter. There are large parts of the country that cannot have smart meters due to connectivity issues. The main reason for this is there is a private monopoly company set up by the Conservatives to control the smart meter network, known as Data Communications Company (DCC). DCC has a target of 98% coverage of population, whereas it should be 100% of the country for it to be an equal opportunity to all. DCC use O2 3G cellular in the south (south of Wigan-ish) and an O2 subsidiary running a long range radio system based on old TV masts for the North. We all know that old UHF TV didn't cover everywhere and if you have an O2 mobile you'll know there are plenty of places with no coverage. In addition, many smart meters already fitted have gone dumb with the 3G switch off or due to malfunction. Suppliers do not prioritise repairs as they are incentivised to replace old meters with smart meters.

 This 'post code lottery' makes any time of use tariffs only open to the smart meter 'haves', making cheap electricity unavailable to many. I'm hoping Ed Milliband will give DCC and suppliers a metaphorical kick in the gonads to rectify this and come up with a system for universal coverage.

I'm sure you've worked out I am without a working smart meter 

The other thing is of course the ability to be able to charge at home, be that with a granny cable or a dedicated charger, either way you need to get the power from your dwelling into your car and still and will be for a long to come, impossible to do. Now that could because not having a garage (not recommended to charge in them anyway), a drive or some way of getting a cable across the footpath via an approved and local authority system. Good luck if you live in a block of flats, be they high rise or other, they all pose major issues.

 

Even then we will still suffer the problems of the "haves" and the "have nots" because of the situation with some of them using their own solar arrays, wind generators and maybe even home battery storage systems, all of which still give considerable advantages in the running costs of an electric car, so there will still be at best a 2 tier system, something does not happen with ICE cars.

13 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

something does not happen with ICE cars.

People who can afford to own cars.

People who cannot afford to own cars.

 

https://www.cinch.co.uk/guides/car-finance/cost-of-owning-a-car

 

There are many. Funny how this forum only focuses on car owning portion.