Edinburgh central charging options?

[Sixer]

I’m planning to trip to Edinburgh and I’m having to park up the car for a few days. I would have hoped to charge right up to the limit before I take the long trip back home. Options in the city centre seem very limited. Does anyone know if the OMNI car park has gone live with their destination chargers yet? Does anyone knows of better options to consider? It seems the nearest supercharger is the airport.

 

[Adopado]

I’m planning to trip to Edinburgh and I’m having to park up the car for a few days. I would have hoped to charge right up to the limit before I take the long trip back home. Options in the city centre seem very limited. Does anyone know if the OMNI car park has gone live with their destination chargers yet? Does anyone knows of better options to consider? It seems the nearest supercharger is the airport.

I've never charged in Edinburgh but regarding the SC aspect: yes the Airport or (much preferable) the Service Centre at Newbridge which is only a couple of minutes further down the road. There's only 2 stalls at the airport ... some of the earliest Superchargers in the country whereas the Newbridge ones are V3. If not heading west from Edinburgh and are travelling down the east coast then Adderstone near Berwick will be your first SC stop. SR+ is going to use about 30% getting there so if you are starting with half a battery you will be OK.

 

[Alan J]

I've never charged in Edinburgh but regarding the SC aspect: yes the Airport or (much preferable) the Service Centre at Newbridge which is only a couple of minutes further down the road. There's only 2 stalls at the airport ... some of the earliest Superchargers in the country whereas the Newbridge ones are V3. If not heading west from Edinburgh and are travelling down the east coast then Adderstone near Berwick will be your first SC stop. SR+ is going to use about 30% getting there so if you are starting with half a battery you will be OK.

I've used both Newbridge and Adderstone SUC's recently and can recommend both it just depends on what suits you best. Edinburgh Airport is likely to be busy as only 2 Stalls so best avoided and it's a bit of a faff to access to then only be disappointed.

 

[Adopado]

Edinburgh Airport is likely to be busy as only 2 Stalls so best avoided and it's a bit of a faff to access to then only be disappointed.

The only time I used the airport Superchargers they were notably slower than any other Superchargers I have tried.

 

[Medved_77]

I’m planning to trip to Edinburgh and I’m having to park up the car for a few days. I would have hoped to charge right up to the limit before I take the long trip back home. Options in the city centre seem very limited. Does anyone know if the OMNI car park has gone live with their destination chargers yet? Does anyone knows of better options to consider? It seems the nearest supercharger is the airport.

There's been a ton of work in that area of Edinburgh recently, it's nearing completion but that site and it's surroundings have been a massive construction site for years. On Tesla's site, the Omni centre isn't yet listed (yet it's present on google maps), so I'd suggest not going there unless you're specifically passing it.

Next nearest is the Radisson Blu Hotel, 80 The High Street, although the car park is very limited for space there. I'd suggest instead going up to the Salisbury Green Hotel, 18 Holyrood Park Road. The car park is accessible and there is a single 11kw charger there.

Unfortunately there's not a great selection of fast chargers in the city centre, space is limited, driving is not encouraged and whenever they dig anything up to do some improvements they're usually halted for 12 months whilst the archaeologists do their thing to exhume some plague victims from the 1300's

The nearest (non-Tesla) fast chargers with a reasonable quantity are at Sheriffhall Park and Ride in the South East of the City. As others have said, battery allowing best to divert via Edinburgh Newbridge. It's a 15 minute drive from the city centre with no traffic, or 45 minutes during rush hour.

 

[Teddy69]

I found it extremely hard to get out of newbridge the one time I used it

had to queue circa 30 mins back down to the petrol station, turning right onto junction then onto roundabout and away

 

[Adopado]

I found it extremely hard to get out of newbridge the one time I used it

had to queue circa 30 mins back down to the petrol station, turning right onto junction then onto roundabout and away

Entirely dependent on time of day. I’ve never had any delay getting onto the roundabout and off in any direction…. But I’ve never been there during rush hour.

 

[StuBee]

I found it extremely hard to get out of newbridge the one time I used it

had to queue circa 30 mins back down to the petrol station, turning right onto junction then onto roundabout and away

Agreed that area can be fun depending on time of day. There are some lefts u can take after you turn right as you come out the superchargers to cut through the industrial estate though. Takes you to the same road that joins the roundabout if you go right, or you can go left and it takes you towards a horrible bit ok the main road where it’s narrow to stop trucks, always think I’m going to kerb an alloy. You basically end up at three Merc and BMW dealerships.

 

[Stuart1714]

I went to Edinburgh recently and left my car at Hermiston Park & Ride for 3 nights and jumped on the bus to the city centre. You can leave your car there for up to 3 nights at no cost, just the return bus fare.

The car park isn’t too far away from the Tesla Superchargers either so you can put some juice in before you park up or as you head home.

 

[Alistairuk]

I found it extremely hard to get out of newbridge the one time I used it

had to queue circa 30 mins back down to the petrol station, turning right onto junction then onto roundabout and away

Depending where your heading (if your going to the west or south) turn left leaving the Tesla service centre and follow the road all the way round and it’ll take you up to the A71 - from where you can either turn left to head into Edinburgh / south bypass or right to head towards Livingston and the M8

 

[Teddy69]

Entirely dependent on time of day. I’ve never had any delay getting onto the roundabout and off in any direction…. But I’ve never been there during rush hour.

Think it was around lunchtime on a Friday, I was just following the sat nav heading north

As others have mentioned a bit of research and planning and there's probably another way out, it had just gridlocked from the roundabout back past the T junction, so all the cars the queue I was in couldn't get turned right unless someone let us out.

 

[MrAliG]

The new St. James Quarter has 45 type 2 chargers in the car park. Despite it opening a few weeks ago, however, they have not switched them on yet. They are all sitting there ready, so I would think it is imminent but I cannot find a date.

 

[GRiLLA]

The new St. James Quarter has 45 type 2 chargers in the car park. Despite it opening a few weeks ago, however, they have not switched them on yet. They are all sitting there ready, so I would think it is imminent but I cannot find a date.

That will be a great option, the railway carpark I used when I stayed in the summer was pretty nasty with the a pretty terrifying entrance and no charging.

 

[MrAliG]

It is a lovely car park, nice wide spaces, well lit etc.

The Omni Centre is awful, some of the turns are so tight that I need to do a 3 point turn to get around in my X.

 

[Avendit]

As others have said, might be simpler to plan a stop after you have started? If you are going west/south west, then the SC, or Abingdon, if you are going east coast then Adderstone, or Perth to the north. Arriving with a warm battery will speed things up and means you aren't leaving the car somewhere you don't want to be to charge. All are within 20-40% of my LR battery, and with a family we usually have to stop anyway (OK, rarely stop in Perth, its a bit too close).

In town, most of the swimming pools and libraries have at least a type 2, sometimes 50kw fastish chargers. Tho the fast ones mostly cost these days.

 

[Ikonic]

We actually parked in the OMNI centre last week - I didn't see any chargers and there was no signage I spotted indicating there were any.

Part of the car park was behind blanked off barriers, so I presume construction is ongoing.

We went for a 2 day trip to Edinburgh and just charged ourselves up at Abingdon on the trek up north and got by until we returned.

 

[Tinca]

Have a look at the ChargePlace Scotland app. Download it and register. Mostly free chargers up to 55kWh. Work well from my recent experience. Looks like there are a couple in the centre of Edinburgh. Not as quick as a SC, but free is free!

As an example, there are three rapid chargers at Abington - about a mile away from the SC at the services.

 

[Alan J]

Most of the Chargeplace Scotland Chargers are either 22KW or 7KW, the former would charge your car in 3-4 hours and the later would be a good option for an overnight charge. Approximately 50% of Scottish Local Authorities now charge you to charge at these locations but Edinburgh still seems to be free.

 

[Avendit]

Equally, last time I checked, V3 SC was a 20 min stop (10-80%), where a 50kw charger would be 1:10 for the same charge. That's too long for me with a family hanging around, and add in the better reliability of the SC network and it will always be my preference. Other than topping up to get to the next SC if I am somewhere really remote

 

[KendoNagasaki]

I've never charged in Edinburgh but regarding the SC aspect: yes the Airport or (much preferable) the Service Centre at Newbridge which is only a couple of minutes further down the road. There's only 2 stalls at the airport ... some of the earliest Superchargers in the country whereas the Newbridge ones are V3. If not heading west from Edinburgh and are travelling down the east coast then Adderstone near Berwick will be your first SC stop. SR+ is going to use about 30% getting there so if you are starting with half a battery you will be OK.

Love Adderstone. You can make it to Edinburgh in an SR+ from Scotch Corner but you have to take a high charge then drive very sensibly. 10 mins at Adderstone means less time in Scotch Corner (definite win) and more juice for A1 overtakes