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Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:48 am
by dan_b

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:02 am
by Moxi
I dont live near it but work often takes me that way so it will become a charge point of choice for me when out and about in that area - good post Dan Moxi

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:04 am
by greentangerine
They run the hub at Banbury on the M40 which has 32 chargers; knowing you probably don't need to wait and that it'll work every time is thankfully becoming more the norm.

Did almost 700 miles yesterday in the MG4 - all Gridserve apart from one MFG stop. All put out more than 100kW, all worked first time, didn't have wait at any - things have really changed for the better.

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:14 am
by Stinsy
There was a time when Gridserve was a provider to avoid. They took over all the slow, unreliable, and poorly sited EcoTricity sites. However Exeter and Button in Kendal are excellent facilities.

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:16 pm
by dan_b
BIt more on the Winchester site
https://electricdrives.tv/instavolts-wi ... in-the-uk/

Yeah Gridserve took a reputational hit when they took over the knackered Ecotricity network in 2021 as at that stage they only really had their "Electric Forecourt" in Braintree which had opened in 2020, and their other sites were either stuck in planning or not yet built - think their 2nd one opened in 2022 and the third in 2023 - so I guess it was a way to get more sites and more users more quickly?

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:23 pm
by nowty
There is a 12 stall Tesla Supercharger within about 4 miles of it so I doubt I would ever visit it.

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:29 pm
by dan_b
Is it an Open Access Supercharger site? Mind you I still think most non-Tesla EV owners have no idea that many Supercharger sites can now be used by non-Teslas and are often significantly cheaper than other rapid charger operators.
nowty wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:23 pm There is a 12 stall Tesla Supercharger within about 4 miles of it so I doubt I would ever visit it.

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:16 am
by Mart
dan_b wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:29 pm Is it an Open Access Supercharger site? Mind you I still think most non-Tesla EV owners have no idea that many Supercharger sites can now be used by non-Teslas and are often significantly cheaper than other rapid charger operators.
nowty wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:23 pm There is a 12 stall Tesla Supercharger within about 4 miles of it so I doubt I would ever visit it.
Very true, and at last count there were nearly 100 locations unlocked in the UK.

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:09 am
by Ken
nowty wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:23 pm There is a 12 stall Tesla Supercharger within about 4 miles of it so I doubt I would ever visit it.
I am having trouble finding that on the maps. You are talking about near Winchester ? Perhaps the Tesla only at the service/sales Tesla outlet in Winchester. ?

Re: Integrated solar/battery/DC rapid charging site

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:27 am
by Moxi
dan_b wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:29 pm Is it an Open Access Supercharger site? Mind you I still think most non-Tesla EV owners have no idea that many Supercharger sites can now be used by non-Teslas and are often significantly cheaper than other rapid charger operators.
nowty wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:23 pm There is a 12 stall Tesla Supercharger within about 4 miles of it so I doubt I would ever visit it.
TBH Dan the open access tesla charger site we have used twice in North Wales is pretty awful in terms of charge time and when we used it, it tends to mess up Tesla drivers arriving as the charge points are on opposite sides of the cars so with such short cables you inevitably end up getting in the way of Tesla drivers and they have to wait for the right stall even if a charger isnt in use - so for that reason I tend to avoid them now as they are primarily a perk for the Tesla owners- so unless it was a last resort on a day out I now pick osprey or gridserve in preference - that said the majority of my charging is via the type 1 on the drive and now the spring is showing that charging even includes a few free sol top ups of between 1 an d 4 hours - weather dependent, which is very welcome.

Moxi