Hybrid cars using charging points?

[lornemalvo]

Apologies if this has come up before, I'm sure it must have.

I'm considering a plug in hybrid for my next car and I've been wondering whether I would use charging points at my destination to get some EV range on my return journey. A trip to IKEA for example would become a fully electric journey. On the one hand, I might be denying the use of the charger to a full EV, on the other hand, if I can charge the car for my return journey, I'm running on electricity and cutting emissions from my petrol engine, which is surely what it is all about?

I can visualise some EV owner having a right go at me at the charger or even damaging my car. Has this happened yet, to anyone's knowledge? I have limited sympathy for EV owners, if I'm honest, because they chose to go full Tonto and put all their eggs in one basket

[robsa]

I have a 330e and use chargers when I can, but I think this is going to turn into a big topic at some point. Demand for chargers is already increasing rapidly.

[MikeM6]

Not thought about that one too much, but surely it is simply first come first serve? If you are worried about vandalism etc, then I would probably not bother as you can't be saving that much money or emissions in that instance.

Maybe just guage how busy it is and take it from there? I'd always aim to go to IKEA when it's quieter anyway, so use that to your advantage.

[Scrump]

When I had a PHEV I used public chargers where I could.
I tried not to leave the car plugged in any longer than necessary and moved the car to avoid blocking the charge point.

[Rozzers]

My take is that many of these are generally provided to prevent pollution, not to enable long journeys. The latter being the preserve of the rapid charger or home charger.

There is one public charger in out village, the same Tesla is attached to it for 12 hours every night…..

[Watchthis]

So long as your vehicle is charging then you are every bit as entitled to use a charging point. The thing that winds people up is when cars are left plugged in after the charging has stopped

[paradigital]

I have no qualms whatsoever about using public chargers with our PHEVs for exactly the reason you stated, if I can manage a round trip that would have otherwise resulted in using the engine then I’ll charge if possible.

As I stated in another thread, one of the things I’ll likely STOP doing once I have my Model 3 next week is using any public charger that isn’t a supercharger/rapid/ccs. The way I see it, you only make a meaningful impact to SoC with a “slow” charger on a PHEV anyway.

[delta0]

Tesla have a system or charging you after the car has finished charging and you are still there. I can see that happening with other chargers if it doesn’t already.

[South tdf]

Rozzers said:

My take is that many of these are generally provided to prevent pollution, not to enable long journeys. The latter being the preserve of the rapid charger or home charger.

There is one public charger in out village, the same Tesla is attached to it for 12 hours every night…..

Have similar at the rapid charger a few minutes walk from home but it’s always taxis. They nearly always have a car on charge or at least parked blocking the charger and just swap the cars about as needed.

[off_again]

Dont some PHEV cars have very slow onboard chargers? I seem to remember Harry Metcalf mentioning this on his review of the RR Sport PHEV - took hours to charge the smaller battery when compared with the equivalent X40e BMW? Not that this should matter of course, but it does potentially mean that some PHEVs will be charging longer. Though from what I see of the sales numbers, PHEV’s arent selling as fast as BEV models - so maybe its not a problem?

[annodomini2]

off_again said:

Dont some PHEV cars have very slow onboard chargers? I seem to remember Harry Metcalf mentioning this on his review of the RR Sport PHEV - took hours to charge the smaller battery when compared with the equivalent X40e BMW? Not that this should matter of course, but it does potentially mean that some PHEVs will be charging longer. Though from what I see of the sales numbers, PHEV’s arent selling as fast as BEV models - so maybe its not a problem?

Older stuff tends to be limited to 3.6kw, newer stuff is 7.2

[georgeyboy12345]

As a PHEV driver, I consider it bad form to plug into a public charger - you don’t need it, you have a combustion engine, whereas someone with a full EV might be desperate for it. So I don’t do it.

[kurokawa]

If it is 3kW or 7kW charger or even 11kW charger you are fine. PHEV should be encourage to charge to minimize the use of ICE

DC charging/fast charging on the other hand I would suggest leave it to those capableto charge at such speed

Edited by kurokawa on Saturday 12th March 19:40

[WonkeyDonkey]

I wouldn't be bothered by what EV owners may think.

I'd imagine most people won't do a 200 mile round trip to go to IKEA so EV's will just be freeloading off charge points.

At least with a hybrid, the charge points enables a genuine pure EV return journey. Beneficial for everyone as that's one less car polluting.

[Phunk]

WonkeyDonkey said:

I wouldn't be bothered by what EV owners may think.

I'd imagine most people won't do a 200 mile round trip to go to IKEA so EV's will just be freeloading off charge points.

At least with a hybrid, the charge points enables a genuine pure EV return journey. Beneficial for everyone as that's one less car polluting.

On the flip side of you have a early EV with a low range. Trying to complete a journey that requires a rapid to get you to your destination and you arrive at the charger that is being used by an abandoned PHEV is infuriating.

This is mostly an issue with free chargers, chargers that Err charge tend not to have any issues.

[Bogga]

IF you look at what they do on the continent, rather than charge you per kwh of electricty, they charge you for the amount of time your at the charger, charging or otherwise. This encourages you to be as quick as possible, and may dictate your EV purchase choice.. ie one that accepts the fastest possible charger....

[Phunk]

Bogga said:

IF you look at what they do on the continent, rather than charge you per kwh of electricty, they charge you for the amount of time your at the charger, charging or otherwise. This encourages you to be as quick as possible, and may dictate your EV purchase choice.. ie one that accepts the fastest possible charger....

It’s a bit of a crap system though, those who can’t afford a car that can charge quickly are penalised. Made even worse by chargers that also have a ‘connection fee’

[TheDeuce]

Fine by me if they wish to charge - why should they not?

Demand for chargers is increasing rapidly. Chargers are also increasing rapidly. It's very much a supply and demand business

[Pooh]

Where I live in Perth and Kinross all the chargers are free, I have no problem with PHEVs using the chargers but it does piss me off if they leave them plugged in all day, particularly if it is a rapid charger.

[aestetix1]

It's generally fine as long as you don't wonder off and abandon the car on the charger. The biggest thing that winds people up waiting to charge is not knowing how long they are going to be there. If you are around to say "I just need another couple of minutes" then they will usually be fine with it. If they see a PHEV plugged in, pulling 3kW from a rapid and the owner not in sight, they might be tempted to hit the emergency stop.