Vanarama BP Pulse deal

[Tomtomz]

Hello everyone

Just wondering for those who have the Vanarama BP Pulse deal ( free 1yr membership + credit) - what is your experience so far?

I chose that deal instead of home charger, received my model 3 awd last week. After using the voucher code to subscribe to BP Pulse - i see on the app 0 credit and that I am on a free trial for 3 month instead of 1 yr

Thanks
Tom

 

[Adopado]

I chose that deal instead of home charger,

I struggle to see how any public charging deal can be an attractive alternative to having a home charger ... at any price. I see them as being for people who are in the invidious position of having no opportunity for home charging, or for those who do a lot of travelling away from home.

 

[DJP31]

I chose that deal instead of home charger,

Intrigued as to why you chose not to have a home charger installed

BP Pulse

Everything I've read about them has been people moaning about how they either aren't working or don't deliver the rate of charge expected (in fairness that could be people not understanding how the car will limit the charge rate in the cold).

P.S Welcome to club

 

[Yev000]

I struggle to see how any public charging deal can be an attractive alternative to having a home charger ... at any price. I see them as being for people who are in the invidious position of having no opportunity for home charging, or for those who do a lot of travelling away from home.

The only issue with that is current gas prices - and by extension electricity prices - are insane due to politics. Also charger install can buy a lot of KWhs....

So maybe OP doesn't want to pay 25p/KWh - because Octopus Go does not accept new customers....

I would personally think that a home charger would still be better - and prices will go down eventually.... Purely for the convince. Nothing beats waking up with a "full tank".

 

[DJP31]

Nothing beats waking up with a "full tank".

Except watching the car defrost and warm up whilst your neighbours are scraping the frost off their cars

 

[Adopado]

Nothing beats waking up with a "full tank".

That's the key! Also, home charging at 25p per kWh may sound expensive to those of us still hanging on to cheap off peak EV deals but compared to public charger rates it's a steal!

 

[sc20]

Are Superchargers still £0.28 per kilowatt hour?

 

[DoricJim]

That's the key! Also, home charging at 25p per kWh may sound expensive to those of us still hanging on to cheap off peak EV deals but compared to public charger rates it's a steal!

^^^^This

I was with UP which went bust and am now on EDF standard at 21p /kWh. This equates for to me around 5-6p per mile which is a third of my prior 320d beemer. That includes the 10% energy losses worked out via the podpoint app.

Okay it cost £600 to install a 7 kWh charger but I can easily justify this based on no longer paying almost £500 per year for road tax and no service costs.

 

[Yev000]

Are Superchargers still £0.28 per kilowatt hour?

Not sure, some locations have peak charging. You have to check in the car.

 

[Tomtomz]

Took BP as i cant install a charger in my place (my parking space isn’t right next to my home)

 

[Tomtomz]

And agree with all of you, would have like to get the home charger but was really an option for my case sadly

Other than that very happy with the model 3 so far

 

[Overworked]

Are Superchargers still £0.28 per kilowatt hour?

They are always at different prices depending on location. On your car screen you will see the prices at each location. I have never seen a rate that low since I got my car in September 2021. Always been between 31-37p

 

[nunp]

Same here - I already have a chargepoint installed so could not get another. Similar issues to yourself - bp pulse app is useless and does not confirm my credit. I called Vanarama and they in turn confirmed with bp pulse my credit is on my account. Will need to use a bp pulse charger to see if this is the case.

 

[Bantam]

My limited experience of using the BP pulse network has been a nightmare. 4 out of the 5 times I have tried to use them they have started a charge and then after short period the session just stopped (5 different charge points, using both app and contactless). Last weekend in Carlisle I had to keep getting up from my pub lunch to restart the session in order for me to get enough charge for us to get back to Scotch Corner SuC for onward journey home, I would hate to rely on the BP Pulse network for charging my car all the time.

 

[Tomtomz]

Interesting feedback, thanks!

Just wondering which networks you guys find most reliable? Outside of home charging

Tesla superchargers as #1?

 

[Bantam]

Instavolt seem to have a good rep. Only used them a couple of times (with no issues).

 

[Nick77]

I've found a reliable BP Pulse charger near somewhere convenient for me to go while it's charging. The only real downside is they take £15 from your account at the start of the charging session, and once that has run out it stops. Instead of just taking any extra needed you have to go back out and restart it, where they take another £15 and readjust the amount at the end.

It's slightly annoying but since it's convenient and works I put up with it.

 

[DJP31]

Interesting feedback, thanks!

Just wondering which networks you guys find most reliable? Outside of home charging

Tesla superchargers as #1?

The Supercharger network is incredibly reliable and easily the standard others need to aim for. That's not to say it's 100%, but heads and shoulders above the rest. As mentioned above Instavolt usally get positive feedback, and with the rest it can be very patchy. The best advice is always to have a Plan B, and soemtimes even a Plan C.

 

[Tomtomz]

I've found a reliable BP Pulse charger near somewhere convenient for me to go while it's charging. The only real downside is they take £15 from your account at the start of the charging session, and once that has run out it stops. Instead of just taking any extra needed you have to go back out and restart it, where they take another £15 and readjust the amount at the end.

It's slightly annoying but since it's convenient and works I put up with it.

Is this with the credits from Vanarama deal or you own personal membership?

 

[Adopado]

Took BP as i cant install a charger in my place (my parking space isn’t right next to my home)

That makes sense! The wording of your original post seemed like you had a choice between home charge point and a public charger deal.