Charging EVs away from home: is queuing a problem?

People who early buy EVs are guinea pigs for an untried technology. Too many stories about lack of charging points, problems if charging at home if you're a flat dweller or have no private parking space, and lack of adequate range.

On bank holiday Monday we collected an EV in Yorkshire and waited 10 minutes to get onto the charger at the first services on the M1 and had no wait at all the next one.
Someone at the first station was in a panic because they needed to get a flight and tried to get people to move , but other than that it was all good.
We had expected to wait a lot longer on the BH after all the stuff in the media at Christmas and New Year but it was fine.

That is good news, because North Yorkshire had seemed to be a tricky area from some reports.
This week France has a new factory in the Pas de Calais for manufacturing batteries for electric cars. It is the length of six football pitches!

Good news AreWeThereYet.
I suppose everyone will be anxious at first.
Let's hope the infrastructure is as good all over soon.

We recently did a week in North Yorkshire and were really surprised at how many charge points there were after reading in the papers that they were only in the SE. We used some in Costa/McDonald car parks, and in council car parks. We were near to Thirsk so sometimes charged up there while we had our coffee before we headed off for the day. Either there are a huge number of charges or few electric vehicles because we never had to queue. We never charge over 80% when out and about and rarely spend more than an hour charging so whenever we park we check for available chargers unless we're on our way home. Mr A's range anxiety is pretty much gone.

Interesting paddyann and I'm not surprised; in fact, the recent discussions about plundering the ocean beds for minerals were alarming.

Lithium could be the next environmental disaster.

Despite being a relatively new industry, lithium extraction has a track record of land and water pollution, ecosystem destruction and violations against Indigenous and rural communities.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/24/us-electric-vehicles-lithium-consequences-research#:~:text=Lithium%20mining%20is%2C%20like%20all,worse%20due%20to%20global%20heating.

My OH knows more about cars than most folk and no electric car will park in our drive.He's holding out for Hydrogen ,sadly the only REAL alternative to fossil fuel cars and one that appears to be ignored by the media...wonder WHY that is?
there are already Hydrogen vehicles.buses in parts of Scotland and plans to increase the type of vehicles to include private cars .
The main issue with electric vehicles according to my SIL who work in international motorsport is the batteries with cant be safely disposed of or even extinguished when they go on fire!
These are a huge risk and worse for the environment than the cars we've been using for over a century .SOMEBODY has an agenda and its not saving the planet ,not with EV'S1

A mine also due to open in France.
www.euronews.com/green/2022/10/24/frances-massive-new-mithium-mine-could-supply-700000-electric-car-batteries-a-year

Yes they are NotSpaghetti. There are lithium mines in Portugal which will be used for car batteries too.
We have our car on a lease and the battery will eventually be recycled for solar energy.
It is hard to get past the dodgy articles and statistics of those with vested interests in ICE cars, but as I understand it the Chinese mines have mostly been used for smartphones etc.
No vehicle is going to be produced free of pollution, but electric cars cause far less damage in emissions over their lifetime than ICE cars.

Mamie - or they might contact the manufacturers and ask where they get their lithium from - after all I thought most of the world's lithium resources are in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia...

I guess the problem for people who don't approve of lithium mining in China is that they won't have a smartphone or tablet. That would make route planning or charging extremely difficult.

My son has an EV and regularly drives 900 miles with his family to his inlaws. With 2 little ones they have to stop quite frequently anyway for the kids to run around and have a meal so they plan the journey via charging points. They haven’t had any problems. I have a little Ev for zipping around town and charge it at home. Love it.

There is a similar thread on Mumsnet at the moment. All positive from EV drivers, negative comments from people who don't have them.
Glad it went well granfromafar.

Nice to hear your positive experience granfromafar

Having started this conversation a month ago I completely forgot to return to it! Very interesting to read all the comments, especially those from other ev drivers. Our longish journey to Yorkshire was fine and we were able to stop once (Peterborough services) to charge each way. The hotel we stayed at had a charging point which was useful. Since then we have done 2 other journeys of approximately 100 miles so no stop needed en route. The Warners Hotel on Hayling island had a slow charging point but as it was free of charge there was no complaint. Just charged it overnight and only saw one other ev using it.
It's a thumbs up from me! Really enjoying driving it and thankfully we don't have to pay ULEZ charges when visiting family in London.

Then there’s the shocking depreciation of some of the makes.
Ouch.

cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/hyundai-ioniq-named-as-ev-that-loses-consumers-the-most-among-electric-cars/283398#:~:text=It%20said%20EVs%20had%20depreciated,per%20cent%20for%20petrol%20vehicles.

We have two Company Teslas coming to the end of their lease in September which we wont be renewing, instead we'll go for petrol or hybrid.

I dont drive either of them but colleagues who do say that the problem is finding charging points outside the south east which work.

Apparently, they pull up at a charging station only to find all the bays full and a lot of the time the chargers are out of order. At to that the fact that there's no queueing system and its highly frustrating if youre working and have a schedule to keep to.

The Lithium mining is also troubling, as is the battery life. It seems very expensive and wasteful.

What happened to the plan they had to build roads made of grids which would automatically charge cars? It was meant to be in Iceland but I see that Sweden is trialing them now:

www.icenews.is/2022/01/28/worlds-first-permanent-vehicle-charging-electric-road-to-be-built-in-sweden/?cookie-state-change=1682796660788

We were looking for a disabled parking space the other day but they have been taken over by EV charging spaces, only one of which was occupied out of 6 or 7.

So I would think that it's dependent on where you are, but more places will be provided rapidly as the need increases. They are certainly increasing around here.

I know there are pros and cons to it but battery swapping seems to be very practical for some countries/vehicles.
It is like exchanging an empty gas bottle for a full one. I think it takes less time than filling with petrol and the batteries are then recharged on "cheap" electricity.

Aveline
Here's an interesting explanation about the viral "Germany bans EVs from underground car parks" info:

fealey.co.uk/ev-transport/response-to-viral-post-full-of-lies-about-germany-electric-vehicles-and-fires/1451

We have hybrid cars but recently went on holiday to Cumbria, the hotel didn’t have a charging point and directed us to the local supermarket where there were chargers installed. When we arrived we found that the plugs were not compatible and so couldn’t charge there. We did find a compatible charger elsewhere but it was out of order. Without petrol to fall back on we would still be there I fear. We aren’t comfortable with all electric just yet, the range is insufficient for us, especially as we tow, and the infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired.

I have just got rid of my hybrid and gone back to petrol. Have had more problems than any car I have had all relating to the battery. I won't bore you with the details but it has 3 batteries in 2 years. IMHO the technology isn't there yet. I also know of high spec EV that are causing headaches.

I can't understand why hybrids are not promoted more. I have one and it is very quiet, economical with petrol, and I don't have to worry about charging points on a long journey. This is surely the answer until more charging points are available.

We’ve had a Tesla for the past 4 years. We drive to the west of Scotland about 4 times a year, from the North West of England. Up until recently it’s been really easy to charge at service stations. Not any more. It’s been getting more and more difficult to find a free charging spot. The day after we came back last time we started looking at new cars and our new hybrid car will be arriving in a couple of weeks. So back to petrol for us, for long distances anyway.

The network is not fit for purpose.

Foxygloves

^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.

Foxygloves I reserve judgement.

I do as well.

I love my car, drive it very seldom, but when I need to be somewhere hauling lots of dogs and people - I'm on time-on target.

I'd prefer people drive new cars with better/best emission controls, however I don't budget for others.

I'd also prefer no private jets or open sea ferry engines polluting the air, but many aren't bothered by the toxins emitted.