The hidden reason behind high public charge costs

[dan_b]

I came across this blog - was not aware of this change in legislation being a big driver in increased costs for rapid charging hubs.

https://www.ospreycharging.co.uk/post/c ... v-charging

[Stinsy]

I'm really not sure that grid connection is the problem in most situations. Number of chargers is!

For example, near me there is a retail park with 6x "350kW" chargers. IMO that is the wrong solution. They could fit 42x 50kW chargers with the same grid capacity. Maybe they could've fitted a whole swathe of the carpark with one charger between two spaces (and allowed anyone to park there charging or not).

Most people are browsing around the shops for at least an hour. More if they sit down for a coffee or something to eat at one of the many options on that retail park.

Anything faster than 100kW is deeply inconvenient! You should never stand by your car while it charges, you should have enough time to go do something!

[nowty]

The employees car park at the German Tesla Megafactory is like that, chargers as far as the eye can see. All slow chargers but as the workers are going to be there all day it does not matter.

[Oliver90owner]

‘Hidden reasons’ maybe, but it does not really explain the difference between most CPOs and the Tesla Supercharger network.

Reasons put forward by one of the CPOs, too. Therefore an expected conclusion, if there is one. All excuses/reasons, but little in the way of justification for the price disparities.

[Stinsy]

Public rapid charging will always be expensive. Have you seen he price of a sandwich at a MSA? For the majority 99% of their charging will be at home so the £20 they pay in the way to Cornwall is an irrelevance.

The problem is access to reasonably-priced AC charging for those who don't have access to off-street parking at home.

[knighty]

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

[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

Agree!

11kW AC charging gives you c. 20 miles in the half-hour it takes you to nip in and get a few bits.

[dan_b]

Most EVs only have 7kW max on their AC charging, even if the Type2 charger is 3-phase and could push out 22kW.
Even most Teslas only have 11kW maximum on 3-phase AC.

As always, the key is to the get right power outlets in the right places for the right dwell times.

All day parking - 7kW AC.
Opportunity parking for an hour- for example at a supermarket - 50kW DC
En-route splash and dash - 150kW minimum, and should be 800V capable with load-balancing across each post.

[Stinsy]

Most EVs only have 7kW max on their AC charging, even if the Type2 charger is 3-phase and could push out 22kW.
Even most Teslas only have 11kW maximum on 3-phase AC.

As always, the key is to the get right power outlets in the right places for the right dwell times.

All day parking - 7kW AC.
Opportunity parking for an hour- for example at a supermarket - 50kW DC
En-route splash and dash - 150kW minimum, and should be 800V capable with load-balancing across each post.

I don't think many BEVs max out at 7.4kW these days. 11kW is standard with some (Porche Taycan, Ioniq 5, and others) capable of 22kW.

[Ken]

Do we really believe that. Well possibly for the hubs but whats the reason for those venues who already have the grid supply eg supermarket, petrol station, hotels, MSA etc. And when the usage goes up will they then reduce their rates.

I think Osprey are saying this because of their very low utilisation rate. Gridserve are not saying it because of greater utilisation at their hubs and Tesla even more so. Tesla opened up some of their chargers to increase the utilisation rate to spread the costs. Poor Osprey.

I have always maintainred that we do not need so many rapid chargers except at MSAs and type. I can see price cutting coming and Osprey are not best placed for that.