Wiki UK and Ireland Supercharger Site News

[GRiLLA]

It is simply that if the aim is to ultimately open up the UK network beyond what is being trialled, then going forward it really needs to be capable of one car/one stall charging irrespective of make. It seems ludicrous to continue building and opening new installations that now have a known and limiting design flaw for all make charging.

Given Musk’s other interests, unless the decision to start opening up was done somewhat spur of the moment, you wouldn’t have thought it would have been rocket science to plan ahead for it.

My opinion, the aim is to be 'open' to a sufficient degree that governments provide opportunities to allow the network to grow at the same pace as other networks. If it's expensive and inconvenient to other brands and they choose to use an alternative network then that's just fine, it would seem that as permission and grid is provided at service stations there will be multiple networks.

Tesla plan to sell lots more cars, and need to keep growing the network otherwise it'll become more of a liability than a positive as their fleet grows. This is necessary to achieve that, and makes good business sense.

 

[kent_phil]

Exeter Moto Pic from lunch-time today - does look quite close, working on them on a Sunday as well. The new GridServe ones are always busy when ever I have stopped so this looks just in time.

Cornwall Services at Victoria on the A30 GridServe looks close as well, tarmac is down and the boxes installed - looks like only 6 of them so likely to be busy in the summer. Will get a photo if I get time to stop during the week.

 

[petit_bateau]

Are there plans for Tesla chargers near Dover and/or on the M20 towards Dover that would suit ferry users ? The Folkestone ones are only for Channel Tunnel users, and in Calais only one of the three sets is available to ferry users. (Plus after a couple of hours of feries & terminals, the last thing anyone wants to do is to stop again).

 

[Derek25]

Are there plans for Tesla chargers near Dover and/or on the M20 towards Dover that would suit ferry users ? The Folkestone ones are only for Channel Tunnel users, and in Calais only one of the three sets is available to ferry users. (Plus after a couple of hours of feries & terminals, the last thing anyone wants to do is to stop again).

I use Maidstone if I'm heading for the ferry plus there's always the option to use the superchargers at Calais.

 

[cezdoc]

Guess we were waiting on confirmation like Tesla equipment on site since Tesla aren’t on the planning docs. Otherwise we’ll have another confusion like Wetherby… when it’s in fact GRIDSERVE doing their bit.

Unless we’ve missed the confirmation?

Exeter Moto Pic from lunch-time today - does look quite close, working on them on a Sunday as well. The new GridServe ones are always busy when ever I have stopped so this looks just in time.

Cornwall Services at Victoria on the A30 GridServe looks close as well, tarmac is down and the boxes installed - looks like only 6 of them so likely to be busy in the summer. Will get a photo if I get time to stop during the week.

View attachment 821264

@CMc1 foundations for 16 tombstones confirmed - based on @kent_phil 's photo I'd put the location at approx. (50.715600, -3.464900), in the south end of the services car park (perpendicular to the row of new Gridserve units, which would be immediately behind the photo vantage point).

 

[Mrklaw]

is exeter in addition to Darts Farm or will they be closing that?

 

[Mrklaw]

It is simply that if the aim is to ultimately open up the UK network beyond what is being trialled, then going forward it really needs to be capable of one car/one stall charging irrespective of make. It seems ludicrous to continue building and opening new installations that now have a known and limiting design flaw for all make charging.

Given Musk’s other interests, unless the decision to start opening up was done somewhat spur of the moment, you wouldn’t have thought it would have been rocket science to plan ahead for it.

If in future though I’m delayed charging at a Supercharger because one non-Tesla is blocking two stalls in order to charge, I suppose I can at least console myself with the thought that the charger I can’t use looks nice.

eventually maybe. But they have a production line producing current chargers so that will take time to change and filter through to new locations. Its still pretty early in opening up (even if you allow for the European tests)

 

[Dat37863]

Re Oxford Redbridge Park and Ride
There is a 60 minute free parking limit to the whole site, policed by ANPR cameras. Sign saying you must register your reg number within 10 minutes of arrival. I used the RingGo App for 1 hour free parking. I can see this site becoming another Northampton/Scotch Corner.

 

[busterboy]

I can see this site becoming another Northampton/Scotch Corner.

Another site to avoid unless you are desperate. You are correct @Dat37863

 

[clubman2021]

Good news re: Exeter Services if accurate and just in time for me to use them in the summer!View attachment 820506View attachment 820506

J

 

[cezdoc]

is exeter in addition to Darts Farm or will they be closing that?

My observation (as someone from the other end of the country who has never visited) is that Darts Farm have a consistent track record of expanding their supercharger provision over the years, implying they are more than happy to continue hosting a Supercharger. Darts Farm may lose a bit of through traffic as the Moto services are in a more convenient location (next to the M5) but I'm sure there will be enough demand to keep both busy, especially on holiday weekends and over the summer.

No doubt there are plenty of regular visitors on here who might have more specific info.

 

[Mrklaw]

was a bit of a detour but wasn't a pain to get to Darts. Unless I'm in a hurry I think I'd aim for those anyway

 

[arg]

My observation (as someone from the other end of the country who has never visited) is that Darts Farm have a consistent track record of expanding their supercharger provision over the years, implying they are more than happy to continue hosting a Supercharger. Darts Farm may lose a bit of through traffic as the Moto services are in a more convenient location (next to the M5) but I'm sure there will be enough demand to keep both busy, especially on holiday weekends and over the summer.

Yes, there's every indication that Darts Farm are happy with the superchargers (and the supercharger users are happy with Darts Farm), so I'd be very surprised if they were removed altogether.

However, the 4 extra (V3) stalls that were installed in a rush for last summer's holiday season were the 'mobile supercharger' style installed on pallets, commonly used for temporary installations. They were also installed in a separate location making it awkward to access (as you approach the area, you have to turn left for the original 8 or right for the 4 extras, before you are able to see which are actually vacant). So it's plausible that those 4 extra might be removed after the Moto site is open (and V2 is a good fit for Darts Farm where you've already taken a detour off the motorway to get there and are probably going to spend a while eating/shopping/debouncing kids on the outdoor activities - people wanting a splash-and-dash will go to Moto regardless).

Alternatively, they might re-do the extra stalls more permanently. Or they might just leave it be....

 

[Limey]

Are there plans for Tesla chargers near Dover and/or on the M20 towards Dover that would suit ferry users ? The Folkestone ones are only for Channel Tunnel users, and in Calais only one of the three sets is available to ferry users. (Plus after a couple of hours of feries & terminals, the last thing anyone wants to do is to stop again).

Maidstone in the M20 (slow and busy), but Faversham is getting some later this year. Good spot too, opposite a garage and a pub. On the A2, between Ashford road and Brenley Corner.

 

[petit_bateau]

Maidstone in the M20 (slow and busy), but Faversham is getting some later this year. Good spot too, opposite a garage and a pub. On the A2, between Ashford road and Brenley Corner.

Thank you @Limey and @Derek25 . In my case I am travelling towards / from the SW so better to stay on M20 rather than M2, but helpful comments nonetheless. I shall hope for something closer to Dover at some point, and on the north side of Calais, but there don't seem to be anything in prospect given the responses so far.

Personally the biggest gap for me is really in Serbia-Macedonia-Greece where the stretch from Budapest to Preveza seems impossible on Superchargers. Hopefully that will change once the Germans pile up the pressure on Berlin to enable the holiday driving routes. At the moment you need half a dozen different charge networks and a lot of stressy bits to make that piece of the journey (speaking to the Tesla owners I know who have done it).

 

[PB1975]

My observation (as someone from the other end of the country who has never visited) is that Darts Farm have a consistent track record of expanding their supercharger provision over the years, implying they are more than happy to continue hosting a Supercharger. Darts Farm may lose a bit of through traffic as the Moto services are in a more convenient location (next to the M5) but I'm sure there will be enough demand to keep both busy, especially on holiday weekends and over the summer.

No doubt there are plenty of regular visitors on here who might have more specific info.

The site does appear happy with Tesla (Superchargers, then more Superchargers, then hosting Model Y demos/pop-up showroom) So my money is firmly on them having Superchargers on site for many years to come.

 

[Masklin]

If you read the Consumer Experience section starting near the bottom of the page of the latest CCC report linked to below, Tesla are going to have to change their Supercharger design at some point it appears…

https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Progress-in-reducing-emissions-2022-Report-to-Parliament.pdf#page134

 

[Adopado]

If you read the Consumer Experience section starting near the bottom of the page of the latest CCC report linked to below, Tesla are going to have to change their Supercharger design at some point it appears…

https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Progress-in-reducing-emissions-2022-Report-to-Parliament.pdf#page134

A display showing price per kWh would be helpful for people making brand comparisons (as per the report) but longer cables on SCs would surely be the most useful development for general use.

(I also note from the report that the backtracking on date has already started: "The Government also announced that all remaining new petrol and diesel sales will end for all vehicle types by 2040 at the latest.") EDIT: 2040 is HGVs .... 2035 for cars

 

[PB1975]

I’ve just updated the stats and charts for the owners club and thought I’d put them here as well if you’re interested.

 

[Epico]

Interesting stats. Ionity seems to be a total waste of time. Might be worth adding on other charging networks as they seem to be doing a much better rollout job than iomity (gridserve, fastned, mfg, instavolt?), Realise that prob a lot of work. Just saying it might be interesting to see how fast they are rolling out