Can't Charge At Home? How It Should Work When You Have Little Choice!

[@Muppetkeeper]

I have solar panels, and I'm getting more and a battery. My plan is to have a "petrol station" for my neighbours. I'm going to buy a wall box that just exports the excess from the panels, and charge my neighbours half the going rate for electricity. Win/win/win.

[@UnipornFrumm]

Stonks

[@garyrowe58]

There needs to be pv panels on the roof/bodywork, that are constantly charging.

[@Muppetkeeper]

@@garyrowe58 The weight of such panels reduces the efficiency more than the panels can generate.

[@Cloudrak]

Maybe get those Shell Recharge chargers with the RFID cards to use and set it up like a public charger.

[@jimblack8104]

Where you live I’m moving there now 🤣

[@peterowen4456]

Friend of mine, an engineer, was telling me he does exactly as you describe. He has off road parking but there were some logistical difficulties in getting a charge point so he does a mixture of destination charging and granny cable. Works for him.

[@terrybranaghan8251]

Hi Tesla obviously charge around £1/minute over 5 minutes (auto debit) past charging completed and will be required to other charging station providers to allow other vehicle use. Agree with content but doubt if Government will grasp in time!

[@benholroyd5221]

@@terrybranaghan8251 do Tesla do destination chargers? The idea is that virtually every parking space would have a charger. If you're parked your charging. Rapid chargers would be more akin to going to a petrol station.

[@MordenTV]

I noticed my id3 in the background at Chester zoo. At the time I thought I recognised you but didn’t say hello, however I wanted to thank you as your videos did help me make the change to electric.

[@TheCvcaelen]

It's only a Twizy I drive, but the most important thing I learned was: ABC : Always Be Charging :-)

[@markyates5744]

Bjorn :)

[@scottwills4698]

My mrs went shopping earlier and I suggested she try and charge while she was there. She said “why? It has 50% in it!” She did charge though and I heard her on the phone to her mom later saying “£3 parking and I got 120miles range added!” She also mentioned that she didn’t have to look for a car parking space because the charging bays were free and by the entrance.

[@bigdougscommentary5719]

I live in California. I had a 2013 Leaf in 2018. When I took delivery of my Model 3 LMR in December of 2018, I sold my Leaf to my sister who lives in Columbia , MO. At the time, Columbia only had a handful of EVs. Fortunately, he place of employment had a Level 2 charger with two connectors out front. She lived in an apartment so no home charging available. However, she just drove to work each day and left with a full at the end of the day. Perfect.

[@ericapelz260]

Spot on! Installing more level 2 destination chargers will be far more useful to the average person, cheaper to install, and less stress on aging infrastructure. Done this way you spend less time than filling with gas...

[@charlesholder8009]

Well done. I could never imagine owning an EV unless I could "graze " 👍

[@originalwoodster789]

Picked up my MG5 a few weeks ago. I live in a Terraced property with no way of installing a wall charger or using a granny charger. Destination charging is my only option. So, Tesco have introduced free chargers with PodPoint chargers as well as Rapid Chargers that you need to pay for, for me this is less than 5 miles away, so while doing a weekly shop, I can charge for up to 3 hours and put more kWh in than what I've taken out.

[@williamclark6466]

EVM, Thank you for a very good explanation of how most people will likely be able to improve their lives because of the better use of their time in powering 🔋 their vehicles by grazing-charging instead of making dedicated fueling stops. I think you explained it in a way that should help folks understand how the new era in transportation energy will fit into their lives.

[@matthewcooper7672]

Just ordered a skoda enyaq and can't charge at home as house is 50 meters from road, but have chargers at work so can fully charge ( for free 🙂 ) there for a day so guessed I will be fine. So glad this video reinforces this

[@qwerty1weir]

good choice! had mine a week, you wont be disappointed

[@matthewcooper7672]

@@qwerty1weir thanks looking forward to it ( currently quoted Feb for delivery) first step into ev world

[@jonathansmith5850]

Our local Tesco’s have free chargers. 22kw. Also few fairly cheap 50kw rapids locally. It’s much easier than people realise. Park up. Go shopping and have a coffee.

[@matthewcooper7672]

@@jonathansmith5850 thanks got a asda with chargers at bottom of road and a few rapid chargers about, also am getting older so am not planning on rushing about so happy to stop for 20 mins and have a coffee while it charges

[@johnmckay1423]

You're arguably better off than the people who charge at home! I have to pay for my electricity.

[@michaelheadley2041]

When I get a EV eventually, that is the plan I had in mind, thanks for the advice 👍🏿

[@jolyonfelton2574]

I agree with everything you’ve said. It would be nonsense to fill up your ICE car with petrol in tiny amounts every day but I plug my car in whenever it gets to about 50% but, as you say, only whenever I’m doing something else so its not a waste of time. If I plug in at Sainsbury’s when I’m shopping there I arrive at home with 3 or 4 more miles than I set out with but have done something extra with the time I was in the shop.

[@Brian-om2hh]

That's basically the adjustment people will need to make. It's not difficult, just different. But some still have a problem with it. My 80 year old father in law buys a new car every 4 years or so, and is aware of the growth in electric car sales, but says he couldn't live with one. He lives quite rurally, and drives around 100 miles per week to get shopping and visit the doctor etc, but steadfastly maintains that he "couldn't be bothered" plugging it in. Yet he travels several miles to the nearest petrol station when he needs petrol! I explained that plugging the car in might take all of 5 seconds once a week, but no, he still remains unconvinced. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. The best of it is, he's already using cheaper rate electricity because his place has storage heaters. There is no gas available in his area.

[@ecok]

@@Brian-om2hh My elderly father in law would like one, also very rural location, but he's hesitant because of the cost at his age - he does a lot less than 100 miles a week. He'd definitely love NOT having to drive to a smelly forecourt and I think he'd get on better with automatic than his current manual. Hadn't thought to get him to drive mine and see what he thinks ... I'll do that.

[@chrisredfield3240]

@@ecok if doing low mileage an EV won't really pay off. Probably just cost way more, no matter how nice it is to drive.

[@chrisredfield3240]

@@Brian-om2hh if buying new every 4 years a EV sounds like a great idea. I never change cars ever and have a 10 year old car. I probably do 2000miles a year. Getting a EV definitely wouldn't work for me.

[@stevecraft00]

I haven't watched the whole video yet but one of the major sticking points in my opinion is the myriad of different public charging points available and the different payment / subscription methods they adopt. Do I subscribe to a petrol station? No. Do I have a card or app to access fuel at a particular station? No. So why must I for an EV charge point? Why can't I simply drive up to a charge point, tap my visa card and charge? I don't want an app for every charge point. I don't want a card for every charge point. I don't want to have to identify each point and work out what I need to do at each one. It's utterly stupid that we've got to this point and there's no uniformity. This needs to change. I would also like a simple "this is how much each kwh will cost at this charge point" pricing sign. Like petrol stations have to do. Again, it's completely bonkers that pricing remains a mystery.

[@popatk]

I live in a flat and unable to charge at home. I have an EV and have no issues charging my car whatsoever!

[@williamforwell8834]

If government are serious, why not electrifying the roads, like scalectrix. With pickups under cars.

[@anonyboi769]

Are you in the UK and if you only use public charges what's the cost looking like?

[@williamarmstrong7199]

I know an elderly lady who has a MG ZSEV as a motability car. She loves it. She has no off street parking. She only dose a few miles each week so only needs to recharge every 3 weeks. We have a local pub (a Marstons pub). So every 3 weeks she recharges while having a Sunday Lunch.. nice and civilised! Lol.

[@MrZoomZone]

I just visited a new retirement home. Virtually no parking space, what there was had no charging facility of ANY kind. Disappointing.

[@alanlaidler1566]

I’m a driving instructor and I teach in a corsa e elite nav premium,I just make sure I’m charged at the beginning of the day and take an hr out midday to recharge fast charging,it cost me 6-7 quid on a rapid charge, but it’s better than £100 a week on diesel.on my days off i fast charge it just round the corner from my apartment,it’s not a problem,just a different way of thinking 🤔👍🏻😁

[@jimrandall1739]

I’ve had my Ioniq for 18 months and never had to charge away from home. Due to a fault with my home charger this has changed. So, I am doing exactly as you describe. My plan for my shopping trip today (this is my usual trip without charging). Drive 8 miles to Aldi, 1 mile to Waitrose, 9 miles Lidl, 500 yds ty Morrison’s, and the 6 miles home. At Morrison I will charge the car while I do a bit of shopping, then read the papers over a cup of coffee, this takes maybe 30 mins. I get back to the car and it’s added about 45 miles to the range, almost twice as much as I’ve used for the whole trip. As for phone charging, I was charging the car at McDonald’s the other day and having another cup of coffee, and the table had a free induction phone charger built in. Billy Bonus I think.

[@markyates5744]

Important to keep your EV battery between 10-90% most of the time, and if you need to dip into 0-10 and 90-100 - do it for very short periods - unhealthy for the battery to be kept near empty, or near full charge. Ideally keep it between 30 and 70% unless you're somebody who might suddenly need to drive a long distance - and then there is the supercharger / charging network. This is less of a problem for the newer Model 3 SR+ which uses Lithium Iron Phosphtate battery chemistry (less energy dense, heavier, more tolerant of deep cycling).

[@pokerman111111111111]

i just top up at lidl while i shop every week - just do something while you charge so the time isnt wasted.

[@superduperawesome6858]

I know you’ve done plenty of quality blogs but I personally think this has to be the best in terms information and common sense!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Let’s hope someone involved in the role out of public chargers is watching and, at least, you should us social media and send to the relevant Government office. 👍🏻

[@chrisbeard1750]

I don't think this concept is realistic at all. It certainly isn't in terms in terms of the real we are currently living in. Not every car park has a charge point, or if it has, it will probably be in use, or not working. No sorry, totally unrealistic.

[@iainshepherd8500]

And who pays for these chargers? If the average cost for a home charger is £750 then a business will need to find thousands of pounds to install them. That cost will be passed onto the customer at retail outlets and the place you work will charge whatever it wants. I agree that mass access to charging is necessary to expand the adoption of ev, but there is a huge cost involved to business and councils.

[@robsmith1a]

When I had my Zoe there was a day when I picked up friends from Heathrow (plugged in to a 7kw charger for 90 mins while I waited for them) and then drove to Farnham where I picked up a friend to go for a coffee at a garden centre near Fleet (plugged in another 2 hours at a 7 kw charger). When I got home later that day I had more juice than when I left in the morning (and the chargers were all free).

[@chrisredfield3240]

3 1/2 hours of charging at 7kw for free. That won't be a thing when we're all driving electric cars!

[@SteveJones-om6ks]

Got an EV on the strength of work putting charging in to the office car park. Covid scrapped that. Can’t charge at home so live on grazing. What you’ve missed is that grazing needs available chargers. Visited 6 different sites on Sunday and all jammed solid with other grazers. Need to get the message out louder that if you can’t charge at home don’t look at full EV just yet. Until someone sorts out the destination charging it’s just going to make a bad situation worse and set people against EVs.

[@rogertaboyle1]

The charging system has to work. I used a Zoe for 2 years and the car FREQUENTLY wouldn't charge. This meant I was always reluctant to travel more than my range( even when I knew chargers were at my destination). The points made about chargers at destinations is fair, but it only takes 5 minutes to fill a car and provide you with 500 miles range at a petrol station.

[@AleksandarStefanovic]

This is a legitimate concern, it is equally important to keep the chargers operational and compatible, as well as to install them. Especially with grazing when going to work, you have no time to spend troubleshooting charging issues. However, I believe that these are growing pains, and that it will improve in the future.

[@rogertaboyle1]

@@AleksandarStefanovic perhaps I was too early an adopter, but it was 2 WASTED years!!!

[@positivelycharged1296]

Well said, swapped my supermarket so I can shop and graze!

[@stephenholland5930]

Unfortunately, none of the supermarkets in my fairly large town have any chargers. Hopefully the new Lidl being built, will have some.

[@phlegam42]

Absolutely spot on advice, this needs to be on mainstream to educate the doubters. Like this vid folks, it needs to be up there on the algorithm. I have a 22kw leaf and grazing is a way of life!

[@juliandavies7890]

Great video and exactly what I have been doing since I owned an EV.

[@ksmith660]

I completely agree with you EVM! Except the chargers should come with cables attached (tethered like in the USA) so you don't have to get your "spare cable" out of the car every time! You don't have to carry a spare petrol hose in your ICE car do you...

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

That assumes all EVs on the road have the same plug. Rapids are always tethered.

[@ksmith660]

@@ElectricVehicleMan cars that don't use CCS could carry adapters... It's got to be easy to "graze" otherwise it's going to be a PITA.

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

@@ksmith660 All rapid chargers are tethered now, assuming that’s what you mean. I was talking about AC charging.

[@benpaynter]

Ultimately the point you make is correct, there just needs to be chargers everywhere. I rely 100% on public charging and at the moment it consistently causes me headaches. In future cars with bigger ranges and ability to accept 11- 22kw from fast chargers will make a big difference. Also as a side note - It should be mandatory for all cars to release a rapid charging connector once the car has finished charging. My 2016 Leaf does this with CHAdeMO connectors but I've come across a few different vehicles with CCS where the car has finished charging but the cable is locked in place until they unlock the car. Whilst it doesn't impact me as I'm not needing the CCS connection those who need CCS are unable to use the charger until the owner returns.

[@SyKik8]

Very good point, there is a Costco in London that has tons of electric chargers. Only bleeding issue, is that they force you to stick your head in the Costco garage and ask someone in there to enable charging. I do only have a PHEV at this point, so nowadays I don't even bother. Typically because they have more than enough work on their hands, without having to run into the car park to enable and disable the chargers. Costco have got it very wrong there.

[@fulmarmedia]

The government just needs to push the installation of chargers at the work place. As someone who lives in a flat I do 95% of my charging at work and rest at my local rapid chargers.

[@dizzyikea]

I did this just this week, we needed to get a few things not available locally in our high street shops, as we have a smaller shopping area in our town. I left home with 50ish % charge and headed off to the city near by (40 miles) were we thought we would find the stuff we wanted. Plugged in at a Tesco on a 22kw charger (my car only does 11) FOR FREE! Went off to find the stuff we wanted only to figure out not available here also. So onto the next bigger city, with by this time on the 11kw charger a full battery. Then at the next place no items we wanted and a 7kw charger full again before we left and then on to Meadowhall. A year ago they had 5 or 6 chargers always blocked by i assume staff? now 30+. I did not charge at Meadowhall as it is 30p/kwh but i still got home thanks to tesco at my first stop with about the same i left with after ~160 miles of travel.

[@grumpyto5]

A well presented case for EV charging. I only have to Rapid charge on longer trips with my Leaf grazing fulfils most power capacity requirements.

[@nyftn]

i have a fast charging station where i live . and already did a few test weekends with EV. i fully understand it's very different in every region but when you have a fast charger (low prices) it's very easy to make the switch. i can't charge at home. i also believe charging at work is the solution for many (including myself) . to keep as many chargers as possible out of the city

[@tedbaxter5234]

The larger electric system is not prepared for an all EV world. More destination chargers are good but the distribution grid is not close to capable of the transition. Thank you for the video, stay safe and healthy!

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

Got lots of years yet.

[@Brian-om2hh]

The National Grid say they aren't worried. They anticipate 9 million EV's on Britain's roads by 2030... Ted, the UK's oil refineries produce 14 million gallons of petrol and 11 million gallons of diesel each day. Each gallon requires approximately 8kw of electricity to produce it. That equates to roughly to enough electricity to charge 3.29 million electric cars every day..... If it becomes an "all EV world", then we won't be needing all that petrol and diesel, will we? And of course not every EV will need charging every day. I charge mine around every 8 to 9 days.

[@barryhaeger4284]

I absolutely agree. But ATM Fast chargers so often ICE'd or as my local Sainsburys with four EV Charging bays only one side of one of the PodPoint posts is working and it has been that way for months! An yesterday there was a Telsa Model 3 parked yes PARKED in the only working bay not even hooked up! Rant Rant Rant!

[@edc1569]

Until people start to take action it won't change.

[@jimmcdonald6465]

You make excellent points as ever but it'll turn on whatever markup these public chargepoints demand.

[@Wheelchairuser90]

I enjoy watching your videos and they’ve been invaluable for me. As a wheelchair user, finding the most suitable EV that’ll accommodate my wheelchair & hand control adaptions has been a challenge. Grazing will be my chosen EV charging option too. My only criticism would be that you need to spend a bit of cash on a new wardrobe! No more faded grey washed out ill fitting jeans! Lol

[@toxicslix]

I totally agree with you. I bought a 21 KIA E-Niro. The decision that made it easy for us was the fact that I work for local Gov't and have access to a L2 charger Monday to Friday, plus a L1 in the apartment that I live in for top ups if need be, but mostly I just do it because they charge me extra for the EV space vs a regular space - which doesn't have a plug. All in all since the E-Niro has a great range 400 KM+ (100%) and I have access at work, I could get away with never charging at home.

[@rp9674]

If it goes into production Aptera lightweight EV with solar is 1 solution. Attitude makes a difference, finding charging opportunities VS finding reasons to keep driving gas. I got by on 110 v charging at home for a year. I also partial charge at work, the best is when I had access to 110 f t outlet, 8 hours of charging at work was more than enough. Now I have a 220v home charger, makes life easier, especially w/ 2 EVs.

[@stewartthompson4325]

We live in Glasgow and don’t have off street parking. We have a Corsa e and we absolutely love it. Easy and fun to drive, cheap as chips (charge place Scotland are still free in Glasgow for now) it is a bit more inconvenient because the destination chargers are not great in Glasgow there are some but not around where we shop. Once there is is chargers at all the super markets it will be perfect. Even 3kw chargers are great there’s a few 3 kw podpoint units at Glasgow fort. When we go we’re there for so long that we always leave with more than we went with. If it makes it cheaper I’d rather see loads of 3 kw point than a few 50 or 100kw points

[@markparker5585]

Intelligent wireless charging takes this a step further. If we get to the stage of a high surplus of renewables, and various large scale storage options for that surplus generated energy, the small loss of an efficient wireless charging system over a cable, really won't be an issue. For general commuting at least, having to plug in may well become a rare occurrence.

[@Ifyoudonttakeitucantfakeit]

I actually enjoy going to charge once a week. I live in a flat and I just chill watching KZbin or listening to music or catching up on the phone. Its a different mindset like as you say using touchscreens etc.

[@paulmellish9785]

I can’t charge at home and it works really well for me you are quite right I top up a couple of times a week and I have had no problems at all if I am going on a long journey I top up more often in the proceeding week in preparation for my long journey it’s a piece of cake but I am quite Lucky as we do have quite a few chargers in our town I have had my ev for 2 years now and have never had any problems what so ever and as more chargers come on line it will be even better.

[@robinbettridge670]

I'm one of those people who doesn't have off-road parking, either at home in London or visiting family in Sidmouth, Devon. Something which would make grazing a bit less of a faff would be tethered cables on more AC charge points. Sometimes they are there, but rarely. I find that the weather alters my likelihood to get out the cable. Who wants to have to coil and stow their wet and dirty snake!

[@noisesoff3985]

One problem I see, and I think you touched on this, is the availability of public charging points keeping up with the demand. An EV owner used to be fairly confident that at least one charging point would be available at their destination, but the sales of EVs are increasing and these days, I often see destination chargers all occupied. What isn't recorded, is how many EVs are parked on standard bays not charging. A forward thinking charging provider should see that when utilisation figures are above 50%, then they should be planning to install more charging points.

[@pompeyexileuk205]

You are spot on. It just means drivers have to change the way they top up (charge). The only issue is that wherever you are going there will be enough chargers for you to plug in to when you get there. One two or three at a destination will just not be enough. Government but also retailers have to really get on board wih this. My local Morrisons and Lidl have chargers but Morrisons have 3 and Lidl just the one. Nowhere near enough not even now, as the times I've been there and they are all being used. As they say, only time will tell and in 3 years when my current EV lease runs out, when I'm sure there will be many more to choose from and at cheaper prices, it will be interesting to see what progress has been made.

[@jammymark]

Absolutely. I recently bought an MG ZS EV. Not a massive range. (140 miles in normal mode) And visited my daughter at university 120 miles away. Managed to charge back up to 80% in an hour but being as the last 20% is always slow to top up i knew i would also have to stop on the way home. I popped in to Wetherby services on the way home (i think they're 100kw chargers) and in the time it took me to plug in, go for a toilet break and pick up a drink i had put in 30 miles extra in literally 10/15 minutes. More than enough to get back home. Its all about changing your mindset. I imagine its like my old diesel car having a 1/3rd of a tank of fuel all the time because everywhere i stop i just top it back up.

[@Brian-om2hh]

You said it Mark. Just a few slight changes to the way we've usually done it before, and it'll all work just fine. More infrastructure will simply make things easier still, and that's coming all the time. There are around 600 new chargers per month being installed now....

[@Grinding_Gears]

We stopped at Wetherby last Sunday evening. All chargers charging and two cars waiting. Always have enough charge to get to the next charger on your route. Booths at Ripon had three chargers available.

[@jammymark]

Just a question for anyone on here. Has anyone ever seen a charger installed by taking power from an overhead car park light? You know the ones i mean. Huge supermarket car parks with big stadium style light posts that normally mean the corner of 4 adjoining car park spaces have been lopped off. What if you could attach 4 chargers to the bottom of the post making those 4 spaces EV charging? Not sure if the cabling in place could handle the power draw but they would certainly be easier to spot than tucked away in some corner with poor signage!

[@Brian-om2hh]

Ubitricity have been doing that sort of thing for a few years already Mark. Street light chargers, plus stand alone bollard type chargers, ideal for street installation as the wiring for lighting is already under the pavement. They don't normally deliver a great current though, usually just a few kw. But still fine for a top up.

[@robinbettridge670]

I second that @@Brian-om2hh I don't have off-street parking, so I use a mix of Ubitricity street-lamp charging and a Lidl not to far away. The Ubitricity power is 5.5kW on most of the lampposts, so not that much different to typical domestic and destination 7kW sockets. The Lidl is handy for when I want a charge in a bit of a hurry or when the kerb-side lampposts are ICE-ed (because they aren't reserved for EVs). I think it is a great idea utilising the lamppost infrastructure. The power is often there because of the legacy of power needed for non-LED bulbs. I often visit towns in East Devon, where the local authorities have really dragged their feet in installing any public charging. There are great solutions like Ubitricity's (now part of Shell) or the rapid charging from Instavolt. One of the great advantages of the Ubitricity system is that all there is which is visible is the type-2 socket set into the inspection panel of the lamppost and a small instruction label with a QR code on it. You scan the QR code with your phone and it opens a webpage, the webpage is the right one for that charge point, it shows the address, you confirm the payment. There's no over-sized street furniture to add, no RFID or contactless technology to fail, which is a good idea in salt-spray lashed coastal towns! Who wants fancy posts with lights, LCD displays, card scanners, air intakes and fans to rust and fail. When I unplug I get an emailed invoice a few seconds later and the provided credit card is charged. We already know some of the technology winners, but it seems the council is poised to install some no-name minority player which has no doubt ticked the right boxes on some sort of box-ticking appraisal. There will be *another* app to install on my phone :-(

[@MultiOutdoorman]

Grazing is a great way of explaining the charging principles. My frustration (VW EUP and ID3) is the same "leeches" hanging onto the free chargers at Tesco etc. They should have cameras monitoring the charge points with time allocated to each user ? My solar PV is only 2.4kw, but i do fancy a battery system to store and then use the off peak electricity for daytime appliances and EV charging ! Im also looking at a Zappi charger (thoughts?) I also am looking into becoming an EV charger installer ( qualified spark) Meanwhile it would be nice to see this Government creating some charge point standardisation across the country.

[@jonathansmith5850]

People don’t realise how most of the time on a long journey you need to stop before your electric car, especially if it’s capable of 200 miles. Typically AA and RAC have recommended stopping every 2 hours or so for coffee and stretch legs. That’s usually around 100-120 miles. We tend to stop after about 120 miles on a long journey for a meal etc. Stop, charge a car while your eating, hey presto.

[@Brian-om2hh]

And with the infrastructure set to grow considerably, particularly on our motorway network, then longer trips will decreasingly become less of an issue.

[@gardnerp96]

That works for the first stop of the journey, but I don't need a meal every 2 hours. And on a long trip with a toddler sleeping it's usually a case of stopping for 2 minutes in a dark layby to switch drivers. Anything longer (or lighter) than that and one of us is sitting in the back seat singing to a screaming child for at least half an hour.

[@Superphillipo]

Totally get what you're trying to convey. I already "graze" with my phone. I try to get through the day without charging it so that I can plug in at night when I'm asleep. If I know I'm at work the next day I will more often than not skip the night charge & charge it at work instead.

[@edwardpickering9006]

Best video yet I would say. Straightforward and to the point. Not so sure about the phone/keyboard annalygy mind, surely most interacts via Siri/Hey Google with their phone now?!

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

Did you type this or dictate to Siri?

[@Telcontarnz]

Brilliant video and well ahead of what others are saying. Takes a Yorkshireman! I really believe we are over focussing on fast chargers. Sure we needs them on longer journeys so they are awesome at service stations and when well positioned on long runs. Grazing is the perfect way. Go to work, get a charge. Go shopping, get a charge. Stay in a hotel, get a charge. At a train hub, get a charge. Depending on where it is the charger can really be quite slow..if you park at the train station for example, or at work, it could be granny charger speeds and still be awesome.

[@jordanbrant7660]

This is a great Idea, but as you say there needs to be a plenty of destination charges. Where I live (Huddersfield) there is only a handful of charges available (only 4 charge points in the town centre, maybe 20 altogether). And looking at the rates these average around 40p pKwh at the various points (even at current times with the sky high energy prices that's double the cost if I was able to charge from home). I think the government also need to invest in the likes of lamppost charges or charge posts to houses with no off street parking, where people can charge at the house hold average rate (I know there are schemes for councils to apply to fit these devices but they make it hard work to get the money, so without upheaval the council will not install). There is alot of thinking to be done and currently this venture the government has set seems to be entirely reliant on commercial companies plugging the gap in infrastructure.

[@ravenfeeder1892]

Spot on. Supermarkets and retail parks need to be installing rapid chargers across their parking areas. For an added bonus they can cover the parking with elevated solar panels which has the bonus of providing the cars with shade and the shoppers with protection from the rain. The supermarkets make more money and the shoppers want to go there. Win, win.

[@LISA75_]

YOU are correct that the car charging infrastructure needs to GET A MOVE ON IN THE UK because I am one of those people who can not have a home charger , also I think that there should be legislation on the manufacturers about standardizing charging ports in cars then we all won't be running around with Our own cables the chargers would have a standard cable that fits all CARS , LIKE A USB TYPE C. And 300miles should be the minimum for car battery size, and Also I think there needs to be more hybrid car options IMO that is the more feasible idea for me . BUT THIS IS GOING NOWHERE UNLESS WE BUILD MORE POWER STATIONS .

[@andycooke6231]

Motorway service areas will need substantially more charging point than currently after all most people that stop are doing a lengthy journey and will expect to top up, after all who would pay the prices they charge if they only live up the road. This then brings into question where the electricity at services station is to come from particularly if they intend to charge commercial vehicles.

[@philipbrown4602]

Well said. Happily I am lucky enough to have a charge point at home. As yet I never use charge points elsewhere, but If supermarkets has rows of fast charge points, then I would definatly use them whilst shopping. Bring on the fast charge network. We should not need that many rapid chargers if we have lots of fast chargers.

[@hometechUK]

I hate company's like Aldi, Lidl, pubs,councils & destination chargers in hotels that add JUST Token chargers, they mainly add just 2 chargers which is pointless, you need absolutely minimum of 4 charging points. Hopefully this will change over the next few years. Well done Chester zoo with so many charging points. But they would need to tripple them over the next 5 years

[@ecok]

Went to Harry Potter world recently. Paid extra for "Priority Parking" so elderly relative wouldn't have to walk far ... on arrival the person directing traffic spotted I was driving an EV and asked me if I needed to charge. Never had that before! As it happens I didn't need to charge but there were rows of chargers ... right by the door ... pretty sure that would have saved me the Priority Parking surcharge!!

[@Grinding_Gears]

“One is none, two is one” when it comes to chargers...

[@fintrollpgr]

And on top of that there is upcoming solar panel technology like the one from Sono motors on their Sion. Which should help too getting the car charged while the car does nothing (at least for part of the year)

[@alexw9024]

See i saw that and i like the idea but i doubt it will work in “sunny” UK..

[@fintrollpgr]

@@alexw9024 Well you should indeed not expect very much out of it now, but a few extra miles a day won't hurt. Sion talks about 18 miles/day, but if you even only get 5-6miles/day that might save from some charging during the week. And it is a common misconception you need sun for solar panels to work, if they are somewhat decent you will get something out of them even when it is kind of cloudy.

[@srowlands248]

All be it a good idea, as Robert from fully charged has found out through experience that grazing as you say can be detrimental to the health of the battery.

[@ecok]

Is the effect of Grazing different to Regen? it seems to be that Regen is topping up the battery little-and-often very frequently during driving.

[@quentinsf]

I *think* that's only really an issue if you're regularly topping up to 100%. You want to hover around a lower level most of the time.

[@FFS__Dave]

The "grazing" you describe, is the exact reason why an EV is the right choice for me. I just wish I could afford one right now! Hopefully, in about 18 months, I'll have one

[@penrithomas115]

There is a couple of cars on the way with solar panels too 15 to 30 miles a day would be brilliant

[@paulmclaren1207]

The one thing your missing is the price to charge at the locations 0.75 0.65 ,0.45 it's more expensive than petrol/ diesel

[@_Styllz]

At the End of this it still comes down to one thing, The Infrastructures. People don't like change but if the right Infrastructures are there, moving over to full EVs shouldn't be a problem as people won't have an excuse not to. I still like my petrol cars and if I'm to adapt to any form of Ev it would be a PHEV to start with. Charging points are a problem

[@ecok]

Already solved in Norway (less than 10% of new cars are Petrol / Diesel). Government there provided large incentives, so people bought EVs (back then there were only a couple of models, and they were very expensive; for countries like UK only now starting the transition there are now lots of model choices so transition may well be even faster). In Norway there are EV Rapid chargers everywhere, no need to plan where to charge on a trip ... ironically petrol pumps are being removed because of reduced need, so ICE drivers are starting to have to plan journeys for where THEY will refuel! I think it will be a surprisingly short time before supply-and-demand fixes the current UK nightmare of lousy, poorly maintained public chargers with monopolistic "Have to download and use only MY app". Tesla is talking of opening up their Supercharger to all brands ... that would make a difference overnight. So your next car may very well be fully BEV with the current worries fixed, by then

[@dombenabda9818]

Interesting you used Chester Zoo as an example; we're visiting Chester town which has woefully few chargers in car parks! We were shocked how few they have!!!

[@jdear97]

So hard to get this idea into folks minds. They just don't understand. The second part of this that you only need enough range to get to your next destination. It is all about the infrastructure.

[@Bare_Essence]

Is there an impact/degradation with lots of small charging? Charging to 100% has some implications. Curious if anyone has does this type of frequent small charging for a prolonged time and rate the impact on the battery. Would be nice to see.

[@MrLongraphics]

I usually top mine up frequently up to 80% and as you say it preserves the battery. Same goes the other way, I never let the battery go below 20%. This is our fourth EV in seven years and haven't found any degradation so far.

[@ZicoTheMysticalWarrior]

From what I've read about battery degradation lots of small charging sessions don't affect battery degradation unless it's lots of topping up from 80-90% to 100%. The best thing to do would be not to go below 20% and not above 70-80%, degradation is increased by lots of rapid charging, high temperatures (if the battery has poor thermal management), high discharge (ie flooring it constantly), leaving it full charged or discharged for long periods of time. Different chemistries tolerate some of these better than others and future battery chemistry might make some of this advice redundant. Nearly all chemistries would give at least 1,000 cycles unless heavily abused before degradation became noticeable. So for modern 200+ mile range EVs 200,000-250,000 miles

[@foley.elec.services]

DC fast charging, and leaving the battery charged at 100% for a long period are the 2 worst things for battery health

[@edc1569]

No

[@wttdegs]

So much sense in this one, nicely done 👍👏👏👏

[@81chrisling]

I can’t charge at home and I graze at every opportunity. Makes me mad when ICE cars block the few chargers available to me

[@petesaxty9140]

The concept of grazing is interesting, but what if you made the idea of connecting a charging cable just more than recharging the car - it's a form of security - like a bike lock on a bicycle? Pre-conidtioning the car - very cold or very warm climates. The protocol you are only charged once disconnected. An NCP car park could be used like a big battery, you park your car, you plug it in to charge, but charge maybe taken back out of it when required, but you are ensured a minimum level of charge when you come to leave and are only charged for that? A long term car park at an airport - you may pay reduced or not at all for parking because you are offering your car for energy storage while you are away and when you come back you are insured your car is charged (although whilst parked it might have charged / discharged a few times). Perhaps the energy firms own the batteries and you only pay when it is disconnected and the car being driven? - Anyway the norm being - an electric car is seen as not parked, until the charging cable is plugged in and it is connected to the national grid?

[@johnmartin6178]

Has there been any comments about people wanting to use their small trailer for taking garden waste to the tip. I know towing is considered to be a no no because of range but a short trip to the tip with a light trailer should not be an issue I would have thought. Another comment, if its a two car family home charging could be an issue as the "company fuse" could not support two outlets, maybe?

[@GeoffKirby]

Great video as always, but more and more people are working from home especially after the pandemic. we need a solution for people who have no driveway. 15 million homes in the UK don't have one! I live in a gorgeous victoria semi and I don't have a driveway, I'd love an ev and I'm trying to get my head around how I"m going to charge my new EV when I get one. I'm a photographer and I'm editing at home for 80% of the time so it would be great if I could charge when I"m there plus I can guarantee the energy is from a green source. Do I just drape a charging cable out my window over the pavement or is there any other way to electrify our residential roads? Where are the solutions?? This government hasn't come up with any and it's so frustrating! Help

[@johnmckay1423]

While there's a strong case that the government could more easily and probably more efficiently come up with a solution, this one prefers to leave it to the market to find a solution. Fortunately they seem to be. There are companies working with local authorities to install charging points in residents' parking bays, including adding the capability to lamp posts or adding pavement points. Some LAs have policies allowing you to trail a cable across the path of you can park outside your own house. In fairness, they're changing the grant system from next March, so that landlords (domestic and commercial) and carpark owners can get big grants to install charging points - although removing the grant for home owners. Apparently (according the the famously trustworthy PWC accountants) over 70% of car owning households have private off road parking, so there's scope for a lot more people to have EVs before we run out of people who can easily charge. That should leave plenty of time to fix the problem for everyone else.

[@GeoffKirby]

@@johnmckay1423 looks like I’ll just have to Keep my Petrol for at least another 5-6 years then 😭

[@johnmckay1423]

@@GeoffKirby Maybe, although it depends on your local authority and what ends up very local to you. If you live on the outskirts of Cambridge, there are chargers at all of the park and ride carparks on the edge of town where you can leave your car for 18 hours - but there's absolutely nothing in the city centre. In Liverpool, there seem to be a couple of chargers in on street parking bays every few streets. In Eastbourne, the multistorey carpark in town has 15 free chargers. In Derbyshire all of the NHS properties have chargers and some are in town and some are quite rural. In Salisbury several of the supermarkets within walking distance of the city centre have free chargers. Hopefully in 5 or 6 years, there'll be good coverage, but it might get better locally much sooner than that 🤞

[@JonathanPalfrey]

Totally agree. I thought that the other day. I drove from Devon to Milton Keynes and back and because I charged at the hotel I didn't need to use a rapid charger. Which got me thinking, if there were enough destination chargers everywhere it would be very rare anyone would actually need to use a rapid charger which would be far more convenient and much quicker and cheaper to install.

[@mjwndave]

Completely agree with everything you said, it is just getting used to a different way of doing it, I'd not even thought about that. It's kind of like the old way of managing mobile phone batteries I think people get hung up on having to fully discharge them before charging again and that is totally not the case. I guess for me, and I know this was probably one of the existing drawbacks you mention and sure this will come, but as example for me the places we tend to go repeatedly are from 4 different charging companies and each one has an app that (in some of them anyway) needs credit on them to use it and it would just be easier if they all just accepted pay as you go from the app I mean if you've got a card registered they would normally take an initial authorisation (in the same way most self serve petrol pumps do anyway) and then charge you for what you use. This will come but it's just a frustration at the moment

[@RoyDanby]

Twice a year we drive, (currently an ICE vehicle) Hungary to Spain and Back. 1600 miles. With our dog, and we always stop somewhere between 1:45-3 hourly and rarely do the 3 hour stretch. My friends think I am crazy for wanting to switch to EV, but it is certainly not too inconvenient for even this journey and for the rest of the year, grazing would be more than sufficient. Or am I being too optimistic?

[@ecok]

Try your journey in "A Better Route Planner" - choose an EV model, and the journey, and see how long / often you would have to stop to charge. or hire an ICE for the long holiday-journeys?

[@johnmckay1423]

Since you're already sensible about stopping, you'll find it will make almost zero difference. You might have to plan a bit more to optimise your charging stops - ABRP mentioned above is your friend. If you add up how much time you spend charging across the year, even with two long trips where you have to charge en route, you'll spend less time than you would have spent getting petrol. The only minor issue is that at the minute you're mostly restricted to motorway service stations - in the past I used to look for a small town or village near my route, but away from the traffic for a stop. Now I just grab a coffee from the chain coffee shop. The only thing to watch is that it usually takes longer to get the coffee than it takes to charge! The first time I did it, I arrived home with nearly 150 miles of range that if paid for unnecessarily...

[@nicdensley4104]

Spot on

[@marcelromijn2]

I'm always grazing. If I go to a parking in the city or a supermarket that has chargers I plug it in, not when its above 60% but anything below I will plug in. I don't have a home charger but i do have a near home public charger (200m walk) so whenever I need the car at 100% i just charge it there as do my neighbours. On longer trips I take with my car I use (near) destination charging e.g. I have to go to a project that is +-200km away sometimes, i drive there, plug it in and have enough charge after 3,5h (only a 40kwh battery) to go back home and i will be there for at least 8h. On the occaision I do need fast charging, I try to aim for a petrol station with a reasonable foodplace / restaurant and eat there untill the charge is sufficient to continue home. (greetings from the Netherlands)

[@christophert.wilton4562]

I agree with you 100% but the range of an ev is not only dependant on battery size it is also passenger dependent.I am on my second ev because my leaf had less than 2 hours motorway driving I now have a mg zs ev which I can drive for up to two and a half hours which is the maximum range my wife and I who are in our seventies can travel before we need a break for toilets and a cup of tea so we plug in while refreshing and relieving ourselves.People still need to stop whether they are ev or ice drivers

[@garethblake3941]

I hear what you saying but my only long term concerns are that as more EV's replace ICE's are there going to be sufficient charger points made available to satisfy all EV owners under all circumstances.

[@chrisredfield3240]

Especially with this grazing when there are millions of EV's on the road.

[@onlineo2263]

The cost to us is a big one. Free chargers are disappearing and being replaced with fast chargers that are a similar price to rapid chargers. I think all AC chargers should either be free or charge at your home electric tarrif. It's easy to do with today's technology, I've seen it working in the Netherlands. But asking people who don't have a home charger to pay 2 to 6 times the price of electricity is massively unfair.

[@26DR715]

When we went chester zoo the charges were closed so not good. Work has one charger and its always got a car plugged in so need to install more but i can not see this happening.

[@mattcbinns]

I think automation will be accepted on mass before 2035 anyway. Even if we are still driving ourselves. Battery technology will have improved to the point that this won’t be an issue, plus inductive charging parking spaces or on main roads. The world will be very different as these technologies are on exponential curves. That said I appreciate what your saying and helping to make up for all the misinformation out there around EVs.

[@alwaysallblacks]

I reside in a flat on the outskirts of Edinburgh and have a Tesla. I regret daily buying an EV whilst living in a flat. My local authority said there is no budget to support getting off street parking even though the govt offer grants. And the chargers in and around Edinburgh are truly awful. I wrote to my local MP as ALL of Charge Place Scotlands rapid chargers were out for close to a week in Edinburgh. Edinburgh City Centre has 1 rapid charger on CPS network and it barely works. Edinburgh black cabs take up most of the chargers in and around the city even though they have their own in their depots. Hate hate hate having an EV.

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

But if chargers were how they should be, probably the opposite.

[@AlooGobi123]

How expensive is it to use a fast charger? I can't fit a charger in my flat, not bothered about waiting 30-60 minutes for a charge. But am worried about cost.

[@olitonottero7620]

Great review

[@Eb3nez3r]

Kinda old news, everyone has been doing this for a decade... but great vid :)

[@tonystanley5337]

Not a bad idea, but you are neglecting the power generation capacity. Generally we need most charging to be at night, unless we have a large amount of unused solar or wind during the day. maybe more useful for California. Already we are getting regulations to default home chargers to off during peak demand hours. Mainly what we, in the UK, need is destination charging at your home, and particularly for people who park on the street. Still there might be some benefit in the grazing idea, but only provided that the vehicle is used as grid storage and can feed power back.

[@bernardcharlesworth9860]

I always graze charge saves time and keeps battery in good condition.Rapid Chargers are easy money earners for providers stupid not to have more.

[@keithallso9157]

I have only got 100 mile range and can't charge at home. I am already seeing up to 6 cars waiting to use the working chargers where i live. The chargers on the isle of wight are a joke at the moment. I really hope the chargers increase very soon .

[@edwinbarryconnor4622]

Good, persuasive video as usual. I think you are right about the Supermarkets taking up the challenge but what happens as regards Local Authority installations is something of a Postcode lottery. One aspect you haven't yet commented on is the recent phenomenon of 'Shared Charging' whereby Hosts (people with residential chargers) use a commercial App (several are already available) to enable others without access to home chargers to use their installation for a fee. This could be an important contribution to the overall supply of Chargers but there are Tax and Licensing challenges which none of the shared-App companies seem willing to address. Any chance that you can do a video on that subject so as to raise awareness and highlight the issues involved ?

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

Insurance for me is the big one. If the charger damages the car, who pays?

[@edwinbarryconnor4622]

@@ElectricVehicleMan Insurance is certainly one issue which the Charge Sharing App suppliers such as Co Charger need to address. The other elements are the Income Tax implications, the need to have a calibrated Home Charger (not all are) etc My fear is that Shared Charging is basically a good idea as a way of making up for the current lack of community/commercial chargers. However, if some unsuspecting host is suddenly presented with an unexpected Income Tax demand for selling on their electricity to a Third Party, or is told that they can't participate in Shared Charging because their home charger isn't properly calibrated, then the scheme will be dead in its tracks ! Better by far that people are made aware of what is involved (via one of your videos ?) and the App companies are forced to address these issues so that the way forward is made clear and Shared Charging takes its place as one solution to the shortage of Home Chargers for people who don't have driveways. What do you think ?

[@lauriemiles1842]

@@edwinbarryconnor4622 I think this is an important topic to look at. We have 2 wallchargers, but rarely charge both cars at the same time, and have space on our drive to allow someone else to charge. But the insurance and tax issues concern me, and also the logistics of setting it up.

[@briankavanagh7191]

@@lauriemiles1842 If charger owners go down this route what's to stop someone parking on your drive all day for a £2 charge and then getting a bus to work, cheaper than town parking. Just thinking out loud!

[@ecok]

I'd be happy with that, but what do they do whilst the car is charging (7kW right? 20-25 MPH charging, so "several hours" until done)? If my house has off road parking won't everyone else within walking distance? Fold up (electric!) bike maybe :)

[@marcsroberts]

Dude…. I know you know….. but having gone though the effort of having personalised plates, I really think you need to lose the Lego plate holder that Tesla supply 🤣

[@AdamJermaneJones]

I’ve made this point to people before. One of my annoyances is that my local town is doing a great job at installing rapid chargers everywhere. But they are not installing any fast chargers. The main car park in town has two rapids. So it encourages people to nip in for 20 minutes, rather than spend a while shopping. I think the people who decide on the location of rapid chargers don’t drive EVs

[@roberthicks7406]

Because I don't have off road parking I'm not allowed to have one fitted at home

[@MrLongraphics]

Hi Andrew, agree in all you say. IKEA should also have idling fees like Tesla who will charge if parked fully charged and obstruct other users. Battery technology is moving at a fast pace and by 2030 most EV's will have a range of more than 1000km (625 miles), probably even by 2025. Our charging structure here in Norway is gathering pace but its not brilliant. My biggest gripe is that it's not user friendly. Why can't we use our credit cards including contactless like in petrol stations instead of all the apps to get charging? I am planning to do regular trips with my 300+ mile range Hyundai Kona to the UK and back travelling through 8 countries...can you imagine the hassle with 8 apps? Tesla have it nailed with their charging network, but fall down on the quality build of their cars.

[@andymccabe6712]

Err, except it's not practical to just 'pop' out of IKEA to disconnect and MOVE your car while your half way round the shop - is it?! That's the point!! Slower chargers are the obvious way to go....!

[@MrLongraphics]

@@andymccabe6712 Yep you have a point there!

[@kennethstealey1311]

Can be well over 60% in towns and cities.

[@tackleberry1660]

Explain how a person in a house or flat with no driveway or parking space is going to benefit from this as if you charge whilst on the go then you lose the benefit of lower cost travel as charging at a petrol station or a shopping or on road parking charging will be at a higher cost and then add the extra cost of buy an EV then there is no benefit to having an EV.

[@ElectricVehicleMan]

EVs won’t be a higher cost by then. I didn’t say we’re here now.

[@paddyr1568]

Charges need to accept debit/credit cards and Apple/Android pay. Enough with these BS apps and subscriptions. The industry won’t do it, the government needs to force them. Tesla only charges would be a problem, but sod it, just say sorry Elon, but that’s how it’s gonna be, all charging companies should be available to any electric card on a simple pay for what you use basis