Disappearing free charging points

[Basicbob]

Moderator comment - post renamed for clarity from Free Charging""

Hi

I’m a but disappointed as I thought there were a lot more free charging points.

I’ve increased the radius but can only find Costco (I am a member) and Tesco both are about 40 minutes drive.

I thought there would be a few more free chargers for a little top up.

 

[AndrewGR]

Why would you expect free charging? No one gives away petrol or diesel!

 

[tonyj01]

I think those places and offers are gradually receding. It is fuel, it has to be 70p a kWh to cost more than petrol, there was an encouragement to be an early adopter, that small "bribe" is going.

In Manchester, we still have the CYC machines, but they will soon be at a fee. I believe most of Scotland the CYC machines are free? Not much use for a Londoner

I have got used to paying if I need a chademo top up, eg in North Wales.

I know they are building SuC at Flint, but could do with one in Bangor/Anglesey/Canaerfon/Conwy. Then Aberystwyth. One day.

I rarely user a supercharger near my home as I value my time at home rather than sitting at a boring SuC - exception being a long journey and not quite enough to make it back!

Stay safe,


Tony

 

[Glan gluaisne]

I suspect that free charge points/chargers will pretty much disappear before too long. There have been none around here for several years now, as I think they were only initially made free because it was a bit easier in terms of admin and also because it was seen as a way to attract people to using EVs. Some of the free AC charge points were also put in using grant funding years ago, that paid for the charge point and a year or two of running cost, and that funding has now expired. There's bound to be a backlash if charge points continue to be free, given that EV owners shouldn't really be given any more freebies in the present economic climate.

 

[Hamstall]

I think those places and offers are gradually receding. It is fuel, it has to be 70p a kWh to cost more than petrol, there was an encouragement to be an early adopter, that small "bribe" is going.

In Manchester, we still have the CYC machines, but they will soon be at a fee. I believe most of Scotland the CYC machines are free? Not much use for a Londoner

I have got used to paying if I need a chademo top up, eg in North Wales.

I know they are building SuC at Flint, but could do with one in Bangor/Anglesey/Canaerfon/Conwy. Then Aberystwyth. One day.

I rarely user a supercharger near my home as I value my time at home rather than sitting at a boring SuC - exception being a long journey and not quite enough to make it back!

Stay safe,


Tony

Im interested how you get the 70p/kwhr figure Tony

 

[Durzel]

All of the free charging around here provided by the council has fallen into a state of disrepair, largely not helped by the great unwashed failing to do the most basic things like putting the tethered leads back in their connectors, allowing them to just drop on the ground and/or running over them in their cars.

Only genuine free ones left around here are the Podpoints at Tescos and some Sainsburys.

 

[Medved_77]

I believe most of Scotland the CYC machines are free? Not much use for a Londoner

A few councils have recently introduced new charges to use the ChargePlace Scotland chargers, I suspect with more to follow.

I can't find a definitive list unfortunately (as CPS haven't updated their website) but in Fife it's a £1.60 connection fee then 15p/kWh. Aberdeenshire starting in January will be charging a flat rate of 21p/kWh.

 

[98dizzard]

Im interested how you get the 70p/kwhr figure Tony

Me too, I've worked out its in the region of 35p/kWh based on my previous diesel, which many rapids are already over. Perhaps he's comparing with a particularly thirsty car.

 

[Hamstall]

Me too, I've worked out its in the region of 35p/kWh based on my previous diesel, which many rapids are already over. Perhaps he's comparing with a particularly thirsty car.

Yes. I have these quick and dirty numbers that might be of interest;
Purely based on cost per mile. Say petrol at £1.16p/litre x 4.546 litres - £/gal = £5.27p/gal. Say 40mpg = 13p/mile. 70p/kwh. Being generous say EV does 4mile/kwh = 17.5p/mile. Based on my numbers 52p/kwhr is the tipping point. If you use a diesel with an improved mpg it goes even lower. If you use the current Tesla superchargers at 24p/kwhr, based on 4mile/kwhr cost is 6p/mile. A good diesel at average 58mpg and cost per gallon of £5.36 is 9p/mile so not that far away really. It does of course depend on what mpg and miles/kwhr that you plug in and where you get your electrons - to do the maths.

Ionity charge an eye watering 69p/kwhr Charging an electric car using a public chargers can cost almost 10 TIMES more than at home | This is Money

 

[Bantam]

By the sounds of it I am quite lucky where I am (West Yorks), within a 1-10 min drive of my house I have a choice of:-

3 x Engie Rapid chargers (Free until Oct 2021, £10 overstay charge if you go over 75mins),
4 x EO 22kw chargers at the local Aldi (not sure if they plan to start charging on these at some point as they do have a QR code on them but when I scan the code the rather basic EO app just tells me they are not connected to the network and give me a free charge)
4 x 7Kw Podpoints at another slightly further a field Aldi

So far I have only charged from my house once to make sure it works

 

[Tonytheteslà]

The closest I get to free charging is a polar plus subscription and using their free chargers. The sub is around £8/month, think I got half a year free when I first started, looks like they are still doing some free months for new joiners.

 

[simonh]

By the sounds of it I am quite lucky where I am (West Yorks), within a 1-10 min drive of my house I have a choice of:-

I think we must live very close I'm only charging at home ATM because two of the Engie's have been offline for the last week. But, I'm a regular visitor.

 

[Bantam]

I think we must live very close I'm only charging at home ATM because two of the Engie's have been offline for the last week. But, I'm a regular visitor.

i think we are... Aireborough baths is back online today

 

[Anfieldgaz]

I think those places and offers are gradually receding. It is fuel, it has to be 70p a kWh to cost more than petrol, there was an encouragement to be an early adopter, that small "bribe" is going.

In Manchester, we still have the CYC machines, but they will soon be at a fee. I believe most of Scotland the CYC machines are free? Not much use for a Londoner

I have got used to paying if I need a chademo top up, eg in North Wales.

I know they are building SuC at Flint, but could do with one in Bangor/Anglesey/Canaerfon/Conwy. Then Aberystwyth. One day.

I rarely user a supercharger near my home as I value my time at home rather than sitting at a boring SuC - exception being a long journey and not quite enough to make it back!

Stay safe,


Tony

Flint?? Where abouts

 

[Chrisgillett]

The closest I get to free charging is a polar plus subscription and using their free chargers. The sub is around £8/month, think I got half a year free when I first started, looks like they are still doing some free months for new joiners.

How many of the polars are free on the sub? £8/m is a good deal!

 

[NorfolkMustard]

Only their AC posts are free with the sub IIRC, and the CYC rapids but they don’t look after those very well.

 

[timnd]

AOnly genuine free ones left around here are the Podpoints at Tescos and some Sainsburys.

The Podpoint at the Lansdown Park&Ride is also free - I used it fairly often while I was waiting for my home charger to be installed.

 

[NorfolkMustard]

I currently have a good density of free council 7kW/PodPoint chargers, and usually at least one 50kW charger which is a bit broken/on free-vend

 

[Godsense]

Long time to sit around to get fuel at 7kw isn't it?

If you can charge off peak it's pretty cheap.

 

[Drew57]

Flint?? Where abouts

Mountain Park Hotel (eventually? nothing yet)