[UK] HAVE YOUR SAY! - Government Electric vehicle charging market study

[Mr Miserable]

One of the surprising respondents was DCC (that lot behind the 'success' of smart metering) It's more of a pitch in reality.
These are the last people I would want involved especially if you live in the large swathe of England where you cannot fit a smart meter because of DCC's technical limitations.
Also of interest is Fastned's pitch where they offer centrally controlled throttling of the power supplied to the chargers. I did suspect that DNOs probably would want the ability to do this but I didn't think it would be openly offered by chargepoint operators.

 

[NewbieT]

The results are in. Looks like the CMA stepped up. Unexpectedly the Electric Highway deals with MSAs being formally investigated. No mention of Ionity.

Electric vehicle charging market study: final report

The Competition and Markets Authority has completed its market study into electric vehicle charging in the UK and published its final report.

www.gov.uk

Investigation into the supply of electric vehicle chargepoints on or near motorways

The CMA has accepted commitments offered by Gridserve Holdings Limited, MOTO Hospitality Limited and MOTO Holdings Limited, Roadchef Limited and Extra MSA Property (UK) Limited and a number of its subsidiaries, that address the CMA’s competition concerns resulting from long-term exclusive...

www.gov.uk

 

[Fursty Ferret]

The results are in. Looks like the CMA stepped up. Unexpectedly the Electric Highway deals with MSAs being formally investigated. No mention of Ionity.

Electric vehicle charging market study: final report

The Competition and Markets Authority has completed its market study into electric vehicle charging in the UK and published its final report.

www.gov.uk

Investigation into the supply of electric vehicle chargepoints on or near motorways

The CMA has accepted commitments offered by Gridserve Holdings Limited, MOTO Hospitality Limited and MOTO Holdings Limited, Roadchef Limited and Extra MSA Property (UK) Limited and a number of its subsidiaries, that address the CMA’s competition concerns resulting from long-term exclusive...

www.gov.uk

Is the lock-in between service station operators and Gridserve the reason why Supercharging sites are sometimes off the motorway?

 

[26ct2143]

Is the lock-in between service station operators and Gridserve the reason why Supercharging sites are sometimes off the motorway?

If you dig through the doc, it states in a few places:
That ecotricity have a 10 or 15 year exclusivity agreement in place at most service stations, so no other companies can setup rapid chargers except them at those places.
Also it says that at alot of the service stations, on motorways, they have a fairly limited grid connection capacity, currently.

 

[Smileysam]

Give it a few years and it will be more expensive to charge your electric than refueling an ICE vehicle. It's already about the same on some charge points.

I just feel that's they way we're heading. Once smart meters can know when you're charging your car you'll be taxed on it accordingly. Maybe even if you're using your own solar.

 

[26ct2143]

For me, (generating 95%+ of my own electric) going EV was obvious (for financial reasons alone).
But if it is/becomes the same price to charge as fuel a diesel (need to replace my nissan navara 1 day) then I would keep the diesel.
If your spending a load of extra cash to buy an EV, then fuelling it must be cheap, else it's pointless changing.
Soooo many non EV drivers I talk to would only consider buying an EV because it's cheap(er) to fuel. Take that away and (many) people won't change.

 

[MrBadger]

I just feel that's they way we're heading. Once smart meters can know when you're charging your car you'll be taxed on it accordingly. Maybe even if you're using your own solar.

Why does the 'fuel' need taxing?

If anything needs taxing, its vehicle use. Add time and place of use to the mix to help mitigate congestion, thats a major, and achievable step forward. The only thing holding it back is public response to a fundamental change in vehicle taxation, which is a pretty big political decision to make.

 

[tomorrowman]

If you dig through the doc, it states in a few places:
That ecotricity have a 10 or 15 year exclusivity agreement in place at most service stations, so no other companies can setup rapid chargers except them at those places.
Also it says that at alot of the service stations, on motorways, they have a fairly limited grid connection capacity, currently.

It appears Telsa overcame this by being a 'Closed Network'. Amusingly it would seem that if Tesla where to open their network to other brands EV's it would seem to breach the service station companies agreements with Gridserve (formally ecotrocity) who thereotically have exclusive rights to install , operate and maintain 'public' i.e. available to all EV's, chargepoints at the various service stations.

 

[Jason71]

no wonder Gridserve are desperate to get as many charging hubs on motorways up and running as soon as possible.
They need to tie up all the available grid capacity and demand before their exclusive deal gets shot down

 

[NewbieT]

no wonder Gridserve are desperate to get as many charging hubs on motorways up and running as soon as possible.
They need to tie up all the available grid capacity and demand before their exclusive deal gets shot down

It’s not an issue. The Gov are going to fund all of the upgrades to infrastructure (when they pull their finger out).