The hidden reason behind high public charge costs

[Joeboy]

I think most supermarket etc. charging should be less about getting a full charge and more about getting a bit of charge or enough to get you home

Nope..why would one settle for doing something you'd never, ever do with a petrol car? That smacks of admitting defeat, insofar as life will be more awkward with electric. Public chargers have to deliver a full charge in less than an hour by 2030, otherwise the new technology feels like one step forward and two back.

My life is fine with ev, can't stand the stench of ff vehicles. In fact, looking back. My life is better for having an ev in it. What do you drive GB?

As to settling for something, it's not like that at all. It's just life adjustment which we tend to make across all aspects of living?

[Stinsy]

I think most supermarket etc. charging should be less about getting a full charge and more about getting a bit of charge or enough to get you home

Nope..why would one settle for doing something you'd never, ever do with a petrol car? That smacks of admitting defeat, insofar as life will be more awkward with electric. Public chargers have to deliver a full charge in less than an hour by 2030, otherwise the new technology feels like one step forward and two back.

My life is fine with ev, can't stand the stench of ff vehicles. In fact, looking back. My life is better for having an ev in it. What do you drive GB?

As to settling for something, it's not like that at all. It's just life adjustment which we tend to make across all aspects of living?

I could never cope with the errand of having to get fuel again. Just waking up to a full tank of electrons every morning has taken away the "range anxiety" that I'd previously had with ICEVs.

I frequently moan on about supermarkets installing a few 350kW chargers when a whole load of 50kW ones would be better. There is no need to replicate the ICEV experience, the car is supposed to charge while you're doing something else!

[Yuff]

I remember reading, before we got our first EV, that most cars are parked at home 75% of the time and the average journey is less than 25 miles.
So a small top up at a supermarket, cinema etc seems perfect to me.
Yep, it takes a bit more planning running an EV but that’s because everyone got used to getting 600 miles range in 2 mins at a petrol station.
Personally I’m happy not filling up every week.

[knighty]

Nope..why would one settle for doing something you'd never, ever do with a petrol car? That smacks of admitting defeat, insofar as life will be more awkward with electric. Public chargers have to deliver a full charge in less than an hour by 2030, otherwise the new technology feels like one step forward and two back.

because you can install 100 slow 3kw chargers for every one 300kw charger with the same grid infrastructure

in reality it's more than that... because a 300kw charger could pull 300kw, but you'll never have 100 x 3kw chargers going 100% all at the same time


appreciate it doesn’t work for everyone, but for the vast majority of people, home charging is the way forward

[Stinsy]

I remember reading, before we got our first EV, that most cars are parked at home 75% of the time and the average journey is less than 25 miles.
So a small top up at a supermarket, cinema etc seems perfect to me.
Yep, it takes a bit more planning running an EV but that’s because everyone got used to getting 600 miles range in 2 mins at a petrol station.
Personally I’m happy not filling up every week.

Agreed!

I've put 30k miles on my iD4 in the last 2 years and can count the number of times I've charged away from home without taking my shoes and socks off. Every rapid charging experience has been great, the chargers have been less than 50% full and the car has gotten all the electrons I needed before I could use the toilet and buy a coffee.

The "unsolved" part is for people who don't have access to home charging. We need to encourage workplaces to provide AC charging (3.6kW is plenty), the same for hotels, outles villages, theme parks, and other places spend multiple hours. Gyms, cinemas, and everywhere else people spend an hour or so should provide 11kW charging. You're not trying to fill it up, just a bit of ABC here and there.

IMO there is nothing positive about the process of refueling an ICEV and EVs absolutely should not try to replicate that.

[MrPablo]

Agreed, I do not miss the queue at Costco petrol station whatsoever.
I think the cost of public charging is a tricky one due to the wild variation and lack of clear pricing.

I'm looking into replacing my mum's ancient automatic Fiesta with a Zoe, and amazingly even 60p charging is slightly cheaper per mile.
The challenge comes in having a reliable source of charging that integrates smoothly with everyday life, especially when home charging is a no-go.

[GreenBeret]

I think most supermarket etc. charging should be less about getting a full charge and more about getting a bit of charge or enough to get you home

Nope..why would one settle for doing something you'd never, ever do with a petrol car? That smacks of admitting defeat, insofar as life will be more awkward with electric. Public chargers have to deliver a full charge in less than an hour by 2030, otherwise the new technology feels like one step forward and two back.

My life is fine with ev, can't stand the stench of ff vehicles. In fact, looking back. My life is better for having an ev in it. What do you drive GB?

As to settling for something, it's not like that at all. It's just life adjustment which we tend to make across all aspects of living?

Thanks for filling me in on the mindset required JB.

A small 5 year old hatchback car. Plz Don't ask me more about it cos I'm poor, I chose a career IT that's far too difficult and ever-changing for my ASD personality (detest AGILE as it requires far too much verbal communication)
so on early retirement and very modest pension income.

[Stinsy]

Agreed, I do not miss the queue at Costco petrol station whatsoever.
I think the cost of public charging is a tricky one due to the wild variation and lack of clear pricing.

I'm looking into replacing my mum's ancient automatic Fiesta with a Zoe, and amazingly even 60p charging is slightly cheaper per mile.
The challenge comes in having a reliable source of charging that integrates smoothly with everyday life, especially when home charging is a no-go.

AC charging should replicate the cost of electricity. The cost of the charging point should be covered by the businesses you're using while charging as a promotional excercise. And the businesses should get a tax break (maybe relief on business rates) for providing charging. But as I say above, anywhere a car is parked for more than a few minutes should have charging facilities. We are not there yet.

Rapid charging will and should cost more. £20 for a splash and dash on your way to Cornwall is an irrelevance when amortised into the cost of the holiday. And the icecream you buy at the beach will be more expensive than the icecream you eat at home too.

EV-ownership without home charging wouldn't work for me. However plenty of people do make it work.

[dan_b]

For Our public chargepoint at work the cost to purchase the unit was subsidised by Govt (the staff only one was not!) and our company sparky did the install.

Our electricity is currently between 15-18p/kWh apart from 4-7pm when it’s 35p.

We charge out at 24p apart from 4-7pm when it’s 50p /kWh.

It’s a small but useful bit of extra cash into the business every month, but I can also see how hard it would be to generate substantial cash flow and profit if that was your only business.

[Stinsy]

For Our public chargepoint at work the cost to purchase the unit was subsidised by Govt (the staff only one was not!) and our company sparky did the install.

Our electricity is currently between 15-18p/kWh apart from 4-7pm when it’s 35p.

We charge out at 24p apart from 4-7pm when it’s 50p /kWh.

It’s a small but useful bit of extra cash into the business every month, but I can also see how hard it would be to generate substantial cash flow and profit if that was your only business.

I don't think there should be any pretence about AC charging being profitable in and of itself. It should be more of a benefit to attract and retain good staff and to attract customers for your gym or whatever. If you can make a few pennies over and above the price of electricity, all the better.

I really do think that 25p/kWh is the appropriate price for AC charging and 75p/kWh is the appropriate price for DC charging. Businesses should also give "vouchers" towards free or discounted electric. For example if you buy a coffee and cake at the coffee shop you save 5p/kWh...