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Starting to get expensive to charge….

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Just had my first bill through since the big price changes on Electricity. It’s starting to get really expensive to drive an EV if you can’t or choose not to get an EV tariff….

I can’t have Go or IO because my house is outside the signal for the smart meters (I’m on my 3rd set in a year and they still can’t find them) and am stuck on the variable now. It’s really frustrating because I moved to Octopus specifically for Go but I can’t have it. I should, in hindsight, done something else when the decent fixes were still available.

My first 12 months were laughably great. Worked out I spent about £40 charging my M3. Just doing some basic numbers, but now I’m not a huge amount away from a decent diesel now.

Just used my wife’s BMW X3 to go from Cheshire to Surrey and back, it’s done it in just over 1/2 tank so about £50ish.

If the price guarantee cap goes in the spring and prices go to what’s expected then adding another 1/3 to the unit price then I personally will be at parity I reckon.

It’s a shame how it’s gone (I actually don’t really like the M3, I find it annoying) but if it wasn’t for the Capital Allowance write off then I’d go from 50/50 keeping it to definitely going back.

Just interested in peoples thoughts.
 
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Time to buy solar panels, that's how i'm hedging the expiry of my Go rates next March.

My gas bill for December is nuts, £250, and that's with the price cap while also using less than last year.

You have my sympathy over the smart meter, it seems nuts that there are places that they don't work and there's no backup plan. What a stupid design.
 
Time to buy solar panels, that's how i'm hedging the expiry of my Go rates next March.

My gas bill for December is nuts, £250, and that's with the price cap while also using less than last year.

You have my sympathy over the smart meter, it seems nuts that there are places that they don't work and there's no backup plan. What a stupid design.
I am in midlands, well covered area. My gas meter never worked for 2 years now (today Octopus installed the 3rd one in 2 years)...
 
I can’t have Go or IO because my house is outside the signal for the smart meters (I’m on my 3rd set in a year and they still can’t find them) and am stuck on the variable now. It’s really frustrating because I moved to Octopus specifically for Go but I can’t have it.

This is a really important issue that doesn't appear to be improving. People are being seriously disadvantaged. Active governmental arm twisting is required to get things moving. Why is it that there are promotion "adverts" on TV for people to get smart meters yet we still don't have an adequate solution for so many customers? The general transition to EVs is in for troubled times in my opinion (not just for this reason).
 
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Same position here..smart meter not possible and I've the last year's been let down by 4 different solar panel installers who can't be bothered to come rurally. With winter leccy usage over shorter trips in my S it's cheaper to use my ancient ICE ..and in that the heater is blasting serious heat within 1 mile.
I'm even toying with the idea of selling the S and using the loot for a total refurbish of my 200sx which will start to appreciate as a classic.
 
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We've just had our monthly combined bill at almost £400 for both 🤦‍♂️ still cheaper than petrol for us but if prices carry on rising it won't be.
no doubt it'll cause arguments but I won't have a smart meter until I'm forced to as I can see the way things will go in the future each to their own. Meanwhile solar panels do help for most of the year
 
solar panels do help for most of the year

My PV readings - kWh per month and percentage of total household consumption (including 2x EV)

252kWh 5% December 2022 (still a few days to go ...)
272kWh 5% November
906kWh 52% October
1,391kWh 74% September
2,013kWh 92% August
2,247kWh 97% July
2,238kWh 95% June

So December isn't "Nothing", but its 90% less than mid summer (which ties in with the insolation, also 90% less mid winter compare to mid Summer at UK latitudes) and 95% of my December consumption came from the grid. PV saved me £100 in December, but £900 a month in mid Summer
 
Out of curiosity, what is the average cost of electricity per KWh over there?

The ramifications of Russian war has meant energy prices spiralling so out of control that the government has had to temporariliy subsidise bills to limit domestic electricity to 35p per kWh but public charging can be double that price for rapids. (Some of us are still on protected cheap rates for a few hours at night .. so 7.5p kWh for 4 hrs fro me but that will not continue beyond end of contract.)
 
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My PV readings - kWh per month and percentage of total household consumption (including 2x EV)

252kWh 5% December 2022 (still a few days to go ...)
272kWh 5% November
906kWh 52% October
1,391kWh 74% September
2,013kWh 92% August
2,247kWh 97% July
2,238kWh 95% June

So December isn't "Nothing", but its 90% less than mid summer (which ties in with the insolation, also 90% less mid winter compare to mid Summer at UK latitudes) and 95% of my December consumption came from the grid. PV saved me £100 in December, but £900 a month in mid Summer


Yeah we've had solar for around 10/11 years now they're great but November, December, January and February aren't it all helps though.
 
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.....
I'm even toying with the idea of selling the S and using the loot for a total refurbish of my 200sx which will start to appreciate as a classic.
Sounds like an excellent plan to me. Old Japanese car values are only going one way for nice examples of desirable models like your 200sx
IMG_20180707_193835.jpg


This sits in my garage for hi-days and holidays and if I had to choose it certainly wouldn't be the M3 that'd be staying. (The old Honda is a darned sight cheaper to own into the bargain).

Coming back on-topic.....another vote for solar panels - for 7-8 months of the year they make a huge difference.

Our 4kwh system was installed 7 years ago with a decent FiT rate. It paid for itself within ~4.5 years, so everything generated and used is free electricity....and the government also give us ~£900/year through the FiT.
 
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The ramifications of Russian war has meant energy prices spiralling so out of control that the government has had to temporariliy subsidise bills to limit domestic electricity to 35p per kWh but public charging can be double that price for rapids. (Some of us are still on protected cheap rates for a few hours at night .. so 7.5p kWh for 4 hrs fro me but that will not continue beyond end of contract.)
meanwhile, gas is pre-war price
 
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Cheshire <> Kent, 500 miles. £83.93 on SuC & Ultra Rapids. £6 to re-charge at home. Total £89.93.

The old diesel would do it in 50 Litres @ £1.72 per litre = £87.50

My total cost of ownership model just took a massive hit.
BUT after recharge at home for 6 GBP you could do another 250 miles or so :)
SO ACTUALLY, 89.93 gbp is for ~750 miles. ;)