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[Misc] Electric Cars







nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,711
Gods country fortnightly
Yes - I’ll rarely leave Sussex but am already planning driving to York and the Peak District next year. Looks relatively simple as I have two young kids and a dog so we already spend a fair amount of time in service stations on trips like these.

I’ve signed up to Octopus and have the Ohme Home Pro so can do the smart charging. I’ll be going for the Intelligent Go tariff and will then need to programme my relevant white goods to function at night as I’ve priced in these savings into my original EV switch calculations.

The info on this thread including your posts has been incredibly useful!
Intelligent Go is a great deal at 7p/kwh 23.30 - 05.30. Dishwasher and washing machine overnight will save you a bit.

Considered a home battery and or solar?
 


GOM

living vicariously
Aug 8, 2005
3,270
Leeds - but not the dirty bit
I’m swapping to an EV this weekend.

I’ve got a charger fitted to my house now which wasn’t cheap so added to the price of charging, I’m going to have to wait 18-24 months for the fuel savings but after that, I should benefit for some considerable time as I don’t plan on going back to petrol or diesel.

I don’t have any plans to make long journeys this year so it won’t be until next year that I’ll test commercial chargers at the service stations, but these events won’t happen very often. My car will very rarely leave Sussex.

My kids are certainly happy that we won’t be filling the air with toxic exhaust fumes anymore.
When you have your nice shiny new car I recommend trying a 'commercial rapid charger' locally before you go on any long journeys. Just to get the feel and experience and to make sure everything is OK. Better local than 150 miles from home at a service station. :)
 


GOM

living vicariously
Aug 8, 2005
3,270
Leeds - but not the dirty bit
...

For anyone else out there considering making the change: while many cars come with a free home charger option (usually with a free credit for public charging alternative), that free charger is normally pretty basic. While paying for a smart home charger looks like a bigger cost, it will pay you back very quickly when combined with EV tariffs from the likes of Octopus - ....]
All chargers suppled and fitted have to be smart chargers by law since summer 2022.
 


nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,711
Gods country fortnightly
All chargers suppled and fitted have to be smart chargers by law since summer 2022.
Looking forward AC bi-directional chargers, ie V2G / V2H. The new Renault 4 will support it, chargers are coming but compliance / approvals take a little while.


It a big step towards loan shifting on the grid when renewables are intermittent. The concept is running a house off the car for days at a time is pretty cool
 
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Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
19,380
Worthing
Intelligent Go is a great deal at 7p/kwh 23.30 - 05.30. Dishwasher and washing machine overnight will save you a bit.

Considered a home battery and or solar?
That's exactly what we have:

a Growatt 7.5kwh battery, with a
3.85kwh solar array (It would have been bigger bit we have a flat roof loft conversion and that was all they could fit).
Intelligent Octopus with the 7p overnight tariff - I set it to charge the battery to 100% between 11:30 and 2:00am, then again at 3:00an to 4:00am and finally a quick burst between 5:00am and 5:30am to ensure it's at 100% when the cheap powerr ends.
I have a Tesla as well, which we were exclusively charging between 110:30pm and 5:30am but Octopus have introduced a new dynamic charging plan which will charge 'mainly' between these times but will also do some charging outside, but they gurantee it won't cost more than 7p/kwh, which is nice.

the other great thing about Octopus is they pay 15p/kwh for every Kwh you sell back from solar generation, which means, it's in my interest to charge the battery to 100% even in the summer, as I make 8p / kwh even tking into account the 7p cost / kwh of charging the battery.

According to my dashbaord I've exported 1.7Mwh back to the grid I the year or so I've has the system.
 




nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,711
Gods country fortnightly
That's exactly what we have:

a Growatt 7.5kwh battery, with a
3.85kwh solar array (It would have been bigger bit we have a flat roof loft conversion and that was all they could fit).
Intelligent Octopus with the 7p overnight tariff - I set it to charge the battery to 100% between 11:30 and 2:00am, then again at 3:00an to 4:00am and finally a quick burst between 5:00am and 5:30am to ensure it's at 100% when the cheap powerr ends.
I have a Tesla as well, which we were exclusively charging between 110:30pm and 5:30am but Octopus have introduced a new dynamic charging plan which will charge 'mainly' between these times but will also do some charging outside, but they gurantee it won't cost more than 7p/kwh, which is nice.

the other great thing about Octopus is they pay 15p/kwh for every Kwh you sell back from solar generation, which means, it's in my interest to charge the battery to 100% even in the summer, as I make 8p / kwh even tking into account the 7p cost / kwh of charging the battery.

According to my dashbaord I've exported 1.7Mwh back to the grid I the year or so I've has the system.
I have a 9.5kw GivEnergy battery and just set one charge 23.30 to 5.30 at 1.8kw charge rate. This way there is zero battery unnecessary cycling during the 7p period and all house and EV load comes from the grid. It also keeping the battery warm if in a cold place and is kinder on the system charging at a lower current.
 




Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
19,380
Worthing
I have a 9.5kw GivEnergy battery and just set one charge 23.30 to 5.30 at 1.8kw charge rate. This way there is zero battery unnecessary cycling during the 7p period and all house and EV load comes from the grid. It also keeping the battery warm if in a cold place and is kinder on the system charging at a lower current.
Great Idea. I'll see if I can throttle the charging like that.
 


Paulie Gualtieri

Bada Bing
NSC Patron
May 8, 2018
10,817
When you have your nice shiny new car I recommend trying a 'commercial rapid charger' locally before you go on any long journeys. Just to get the feel and experience and to make sure everything is OK. Better local than 150 miles from home at a service station. :)
Keep meaning to do this as haven’t had the need to use a public charger yet, after 4 months of ownership. Have a Ohme Pro and home and an overnight split tariff wit British Gas.

I have joined a few schemes, (zap map, electriverse, bp pulse, grid serve and Tesla network just for the chargers) but need to actually complete the procedure despite I imagine it being relatively easy!
 


Audax

Boing boing boing...
Aug 3, 2015
3,298
Uckfield
All chargers suppled and fitted have to be smart chargers by law since summer 2022.

But there's a difference between "legally smart" and fully smart.

I have a 9.5kw GivEnergy battery and just set one charge 23.30 to 5.30 at 1.8kw charge rate. This way there is zero battery unnecessary cycling during the 7p period and all house and EV load comes from the grid. It also keeping the battery warm if in a cold place and is kinder on the system charging at a lower current.

Great Idea. I'll see if I can throttle the charging like that.

I'd hazard an assumption that home batteries will be similar to car batteries (especially as a lot of home batteries are/were refurbed ex-car batteries): you want to a) charge slower, and b) not charge to full capacity routinely. You'll extend the life of those batteries with the slower charge, but extend it even more if you stop charging at 80-85% (unless you really need the full charge).
 




nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,711
Gods country fortnightly
But there's a difference between "legally smart" and fully smart.





I'd hazard an assumption that home batteries will be similar to car batteries (especially as a lot of home batteries are/were refurbed ex-car batteries): you want to a) charge slower, and b) not charge to full capacity routinely. You'll extend the life of those batteries with the slower charge, but extend it even more if you stop charging at 80-85% (unless you really need the full charge).
Home batteries are lithium-ion phosphate (not lithium-ion) and are designed for lower current draw. I know they don't like low temperatures and in the case of my battery it will shutdown <0c, I'm also told full cycling isn't an issue.
 


Audax

Boing boing boing...
Aug 3, 2015
3,298
Uckfield
Home batteries are lithium-ion phosphate (not lithium-ion) and are designed for lower current draw. I know they don't like low temperatures and in the case of my battery it will shutdown <0c, I'm also told full cycling isn't an issue.
Cool, that's changed then (I'm not anywhere near as current *ahem* on home batteries. I'm hoping to sort out home side via a V2G SSD equipped EV once they come through in a few years).
 


nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,711
Gods country fortnightly
Cool, that's changed then (I'm not anywhere near as current *ahem* on home batteries. I'm hoping to sort out home side via a V2G SSD equipped EV once they come through in a few years).
I think the difference is we're now starting to see V2G/V2H with AC from the car, so chargers will be a lot cheaper with no external DC/AC conversion needed. 3-5 years and I reckon it will become mainstream
 




Audax

Boing boing boing...
Aug 3, 2015
3,298
Uckfield
I think the difference is we're now starting to see V2G/V2H with AC from the car, so chargers will be a lot cheaper with no external DC/AC conversion needed. 3-5 years and I reckon it will become mainstream
Yeah, hoping it'll be closer to 3 years. I have a vague plan around buying my ID3 when it comes out of SalSac lease part-funded by selling our Prius, and then using the SalSac to facilitate getting whatever family size EV is offering the best combination of range + V2G/V2H. I'm with you ... I think it's 3-5 years away, hoping it's closer to 3.

Edit: and then the next step will be replacing my GSX1250 with a Zero SR/S or DSR/X ... if and when doing that doesn't leave a massive hole in the bank account. They've reached a point now where motorcycle EV range is as good, if not better, than petrol equivalent so it's just price now that puts EV bikes out of step. £20k+for both the Zero's vs £13k for a GSX-S1000GT.
 
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Flounce

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2006
4,628
It’s long but I found this interesting and informative, and whilst I get why some swear by EVs it reinforced my thoughts about never buying one. Fascinating and impressive technology though. JayEmm‘s presenting style is marmite, but I thinks he’s one of the best reviewers on Youtube

 
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Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,834
Brighton
It’s long but I found this interesting and informative, and whilst I get why some swear by EV’s it reinforced my thoughts about never buying one. Fascinating and impressive technology though. JayEmm‘s presenting style is marmite, but I thinks he’s one of the best reviewers on Youtube


I’ll give this a watch when I have a bit of time.

I agree about this particular self confessed petrol-head being an outstanding reviewer. I watched his reviews on a number of EVs before I made the jump to electric. I suspect the fact that I went with a model that looks and functions almost exactly like an ICE car was influenced by some of his views. I have no giant tablet stuck to the dash and buttons everywhere.

It’s horses for course though. People use their cars is many different ways. I do very little commuting, mostly short journeys and average about 7,000 miles per year. I now have a charger on my drive and I can safely say, the move to EV was the best car buying decision I have ever taken. They are brilliant. A ‘no brainer’.

Would I get one if I was doing over 12k a year, no home charger and lots of motorway miles? Probably not.
 


chickens

Have you considered masterly inactivity?
NSC Patron
Oct 12, 2022
2,788
It’s long but I found this interesting and informative, and whilst I get why some swear by EVs it reinforced my thoughts about never buying one. Fascinating and impressive technology though. JayEmm‘s presenting style is marmite, but I thinks he’s one of the best reviewers on Youtube



I feel like that was a fair review of the car. We looked at the Model 3 when we were looking at upgrading the Leaf, but the indicators, plus the thought of being tacitly associated with Elon Musk, put us off.

They do have the best overall ownership experience, purely because of the supercharger network, but I’m afraid I won’t be purchasing while Musk is politically active and they have the current indicator setup.

The other black mark against them (if you use the “autopilot” features) is that you’re effectively beta-testing their product for them, with your family’s safety at risk, and all the liability being yours. Tesla should be paying you, not the other way around.
 




Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
16,293
I feel like that was a fair review of the car. We looked at the Model 3 when we were looking at upgrading the Leaf, but the indicators, plus the thought of being tacitly associated with Elon Musk, put us off.

They do have the best overall ownership experience, purely because of the supercharger network, but I’m afraid I won’t be purchasing while Musk is politically active and they have the current indicator setup.

The other black mark against them (if you use the “autopilot” features) is that you’re effectively beta-testing their product for them, with your family’s safety at risk, and all the liability being yours. Tesla should be paying you, not the other way around.
As you say, there are a few pluses for Tesla, but there are WAY better options out there. One of the plus points at the moment seems to be availability, which has swayed a few people I know.
 


chickens

Have you considered masterly inactivity?
NSC Patron
Oct 12, 2022
2,788
As you say, there are a few pluses for Tesla, but there are WAY better options out there. One of the plus points at the moment seems to be availability, which has swayed a few people I know.

I was surprised when we went out and started looking for cars, how few manufacturers actually had cars available. Demand has clearly been a bit stop start, and manufacturers have clearly been caught out.

For all the doom and gloom headlines about EV demand softening, so many manufacturers were quoting six month plus lead times. Not to mention those like Skoda who announced the Elroq, which when we went to look at it, we were told that despite all the marketing nonsense being released, even the dealership wouldn’t get one until March next year.

Kia, Hyundai and MG seemed to be the only places other than Tesla where you could actually buy a car.

Interestingly all three of those manufacturers had loads of discounts on their combustion engine vehicles, which almost suggests the opposite picture to the narrative currently in the press.
 


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