Charging EVs away from home: is queuing a problem?

Aveline

DH (involved in the car industry) is unconvinced by current EV cars and feels sure that a better, more reliable and replicable method of powering cars will be developed if not already underway.

Don’t bet on that anytime soon, hydrogen is the alternative, the vehicle technology is proven Toyota have been selling one for years.
The problem is “green” hydrogen, to use in a vehicle it costs at least double compared to storing the energy in a battery. It’s going to be decades before enough renewable energy is available for large scale production. When it happens passenger cars will be last in line because Aircraft, HGVs and Ships that can’t use heavy batteries will get priority.

My daughter in law has an EV Mamie. I do know something of the drawbacks. I have no intention of trading in my gas guzzler anyway - and if I need petrol when out it’s far more readily (and quickly) obtainable than electricity.

Well the range also depends on how you drive! Nobody is forcing you to buy one GSM, but I think you will find more accurate information from people who have experience of owning EVs than people who don't

My SIL has had a Tesla for years , charges it at home and has had no problems with distance BUT I had to keep my mouth zipped when we had to make a considerable detour via South Mimms services to recharge when they drove me back from a family do in London. On the plus side, Teslas are quick to charge and I understand they have their own charging points, which are presumably less in demand, on the minus side, my petrol car could have been filled up at any of 25 places on our way home.
I reserve judgement.

My brother has an electric car, regularly travels to outside London,hours charge at Peterborough. Only gripe he has, non electric car drivers parking in the charging bays. Otherwise charges at ome with solar panels.

DH (involved in the car industry) is unconvinced by current EV cars and feels sure that a better, more reliable and replicable method of powering cars will be developed if not already underway.

My son is very happy with his brand new one, whereas my youngest daughter has an older, second hand one (with limited range) kept just for local trips.

Interestingly, they've both kept their petrol cars (declared SORN) as spares/backup for now - and have use of their spouses cars too. It does make me laugh - as I've never needed a car with our excellent transport system here. It's like an addiction.

As with most things, a lot of people strongly resist change - but electric seems to be the future.

Still terribly polluting in manufacture, bad for the environment with tyre dust etc, - often the electricity production is polluting too - yet still 'cleaner' (that's less dirty) than petrol and diesel.

We had better get used to EVs because they are a fact of life, range will get better but there is no new technology on the horizon. There have been several promising new technologies, none seem to challenge lithium at present.

I think my son who has had one for a few years now would tip a grin at this thread.

Aveline

People who do not choose to buy an electric car may have made this decision based on detailed research.

Indeed Aveline. When we were investigating getting ours we did just that. We read a lot of negative stuff - it didn't require much research to see that a lot of the "information" had links to people in industries which would lose out in the move away from ICE cars.
We talked to family and friends with electric cars, we read and asked lots of questions on forums (including this one).
We are retired, have space for a charging point and can plan our lives to avoid long journeys under pressure.
Nothing we read made us believe that the planet would benefit from continuing to drive petrol / diesel cars.
We researched and learnt how to get the most from the apps and the journey planners.
What we hadn't expected was what a joy an electric car is to drive.
I guess if you constantly drive long distances at speed without time to do any planning then electric cars are not for you.

People who do not choose to buy an electric car may have made this decision based on detailed research.

Germanshepherdsmum

Mamie

If you but an EV now GSM, essentially those things only limit range to a very small degree. You can buy EVs with a range of more than 300 miles. Personally I wouldn't want to do more than that without stopping.
In summary of this thread it seems that the vast majority of those who have EVs are happy with them and those who don't see problems ahead.
Must be down to personal experience I guess.

The sort of long trips I would be likely to make would be in excess of 300 miles. It’s fine to make a stop where you wish and of the duration you wish. I’m happy with my present car and don’t wish a car to dictate when and for how long I must stop on a long trip?

Well the range also depends on how you drive! Nobody is forcing you to buy one GSM, but I think you will find more accurate information from people who have experience of owning EVs than people who don't.

Mamie

If you but an EV now GSM, essentially those things only limit range to a very small degree. You can buy EVs with a range of more than 300 miles. Personally I wouldn't want to do more than that without stopping.
In summary of this thread it seems that the vast majority of those who have EVs are happy with them and those who don't see problems ahead.
Must be down to personal experience I guess.

The sort of long trips I would be likely to make would be in excess of 300 miles. It’s fine to make a stop where you wish and of the duration you wish. I’m happy with my present car and don’t wish a car to dictate when and for how long I must stop on a long trip?

Still not convinced about the environmental advantage of electric v modern petrol engines. The lithium mining is already being carried out in parts of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Sealife being destroyed. But hey, we can feel smug with out electric vehicles.

I’m with you GSM. No way would I consider buy an EV until both the cars and the infrastructure have improved considerably.

Buy not but....

If you but an EV now GSM, essentially those things only limit range to a very small degree. You can buy EVs with a range of more than 300 miles. Personally I wouldn't want to do more than that without stopping.
In summary of this thread it seems that the vast majority of those who have EVs are happy with them and those who don't see problems ahead.
Must be down to personal experience I guess.

Indeed, Norah. I don’t want all the addd stress. I can see how much fuel I have and top up quickly if necessary. I don’t want the stress of lights, heater, aircon limiting my range.

Bought an MG Jan 20 then changed to Hyundai October 22. Delighted with the electric car. Both times we bought a "demonstrator and got a good trade-in price. Smooth, fast drive and cheaper to maintain and cheaper to run per mile in my opinion. Definitely get longer range in warm weather, not heavily laden, and not using aircon. Range has been fine for our purposes. As someone else said - charging from 20% to 80% or so fairly quick. Apps and car's own system help you find charging places and which are available - not always 100% accurate but pretty good.
If we required to do regular long journeys we might have delayed getting one but, as we are retired and most family and friends & regular activities are within 50 miles, it's not been an issue. I wouldn't go back. We're fairly well served with chargers ( Central Scotland) , but agree there could be more and speedier repair in some cases if not working.

orly

EV cars are OK if your return journey is short enough to get back home without having to recharge elsewhere. If your journey is longer it is sensible to hire a regular petrol engined car which you can refuel in a couple of minutes anywhere tou want and also avoid the range anxiety. I know a couple of "smuggies" who now regret paying over the top for an EV.

We surely want to drive, not stop for charging or worry if the heat or aircon is reducing out ability to arrive home quickly.

We never want to get out and faff around - he gases up, I walk the dogs/ pick up after them, wash hands, done.

orly

EV cars are OK if your return journey is short enough to get back home without having to recharge elsewhere. If your journey is longer it is sensible to hire a regular petrol engined car which you can refuel in a couple of minutes anywhere tou want and also avoid the range anxiety. I know a couple of "smuggies" who now regret paying over the top for an EV.

Well on our return from holiday last year we stopped twice using breaks planned on the Chargemap app, half an hour for coffee and a loo break at a service station fast charge and an hour for a picnic by a river while the car charged in a car park. We arrived home without any trauma at all.
😂😂😂

EV cars are OK if your return journey is short enough to get back home without having to recharge elsewhere. If your journey is longer it is sensible to hire a regular petrol engined car which you can refuel in a couple of minutes anywhere tou want and also avoid the range anxiety. I know a couple of "smuggies" who now regret paying over the top for an EV.

Mamie

Is he charging beyond 80% CC? That is what slows it down. We tend to charge up from 20 to 80% which can be done in 15 minutes on a fast charger. We certainly don't see any great loss from heating and cooling, but ours is a fairly new model, so perhaps more efficient.

We do the same . Takes about 20 minutes up to 80% and then another hour to finish. Overnight at home we charge to 100% before we go away.

If you have to travel a long distance, requiring a charge en route, it’s impossible to guarantee how long will be spent waiting for and using the charging point you intend to use. And with lights etc on you might need more than one charge. Very different to knowing you’ll need to top up your tank. I can do without that added frisson of worry.

“I guess we are lucky here as France is opening huge numbers of charging stations with roofing of solar panels, our electricity is nuclear and there is a big commitment to the change.”

We are so resistant to change in the UK there is no commitment to do anything useful at all, just muddle through.

Been driving an EV for almost 2 years now and love it. Had a hybrid which I loathed! You simply have to change your way of thinking. If need to charge away from home have a plan and a backup plan for charging. Never experienced a problem charging away from home. I'll be changing cars again soon and once again it will be an EV Soul.