Why Charging Apps?
Discussion
For the first time in three years I gave my Leaf a rapid charge this morning, just because I fancied giving the Gridserve chargers a go now that they've replaced those woeful Ecotricity ones.
Plugged in.
Contactless card presented.
Charged.
So many chargers need a app of some description, another thing to go wrong with a system that is far more complex than just pumping in petrol. Are companies that obsessed with having your data?
Must admit that the Gridserve simplicity has made me consider journeying further afield.
For the record, cost was 48p/Kwh - That equates to £11.00 to charge my car from completely flat, to give me an expected range of 70-80 miles. Very similar cost to petrol to be honest, and almost 1000% more than I pay on Octopus Go, but as a rare occurance I don't mind that cost.
Plugged in.
Contactless card presented.
Charged.
So many chargers need a app of some description, another thing to go wrong with a system that is far more complex than just pumping in petrol. Are companies that obsessed with having your data?
Must admit that the Gridserve simplicity has made me consider journeying further afield.
For the record, cost was 48p/Kwh - That equates to £11.00 to charge my car from completely flat, to give me an expected range of 70-80 miles. Very similar cost to petrol to be honest, and almost 1000% more than I pay on Octopus Go, but as a rare occurance I don't mind that cost.
Maracus said:
It's bizarre.
Instavolt is equally as easy.
Instavolt do make a £15 pre auth on your card though, which is annoying - the last time I used one of their rapid chargers it stopped charging after 5 minutes, I moved to the charger next to it, which took a second £15 pre auth before deciding it was broken, called Instavolt who told me to move back to the first one which then worked perfectly - after taking yet another £15 pre-auth. Total charge cost was actually around £7.Instavolt is equally as easy.
The whole app/subscription model was them trying to corner their market and gather data on their customers, and it failed badly.
The government were going to mandate contactless for all new charge points. Not sure if it has happened yet, but the market is moving rapidly in that direction anyway because people want simplicity so prefer chargers where you can use contactless.
The government were going to mandate contactless for all new charge points. Not sure if it has happened yet, but the market is moving rapidly in that direction anyway because people want simplicity so prefer chargers where you can use contactless.
Yep, when I venture beyond the range of my Leaf 30, I set the filter on ZapMap to rapid chargers with contactless payment only. Osprey and Instavolt I particularly look out for. Like OP says, it's once in a blue moon so don't mind the occasional extra cost versus my 7p per kwh on Octopus Go at home. Often these are at pubs or a McDonalds or the like, so easy to take a 45 minute break and grab refreshments.
Haven't tried a Gridserve yet, they're common along the M4 at the services (a road I frequently travel), but they have so few connectors at each service station I'm nervous about them working or having to queue for one, so I usually go off the motorway to the nearest alternative. Pleased to see a big investment happening at Severn Bridge Services though. Looking forward to trying that out.
Apps, prepayment credit balances etc can get in the bin.
Haven't tried a Gridserve yet, they're common along the M4 at the services (a road I frequently travel), but they have so few connectors at each service station I'm nervous about them working or having to queue for one, so I usually go off the motorway to the nearest alternative. Pleased to see a big investment happening at Severn Bridge Services though. Looking forward to trying that out.
Apps, prepayment credit balances etc can get in the bin.
In my experience, contactless is not perfectly reliable. I had to use a different card at a Gridserve charger when it refused to accept mine (which was accepted by another Gridserve charger the same day - someone trying to get a charge on the same day only managed it on the fourth one he tried - this at Rugby services - so it was some of the chargers that had a fault not the card). I have had to use the Osprey app when a charger refused my contactless card (on the same day two Gridserve chargers were perfectly happy with the card). I have also had to use the Instavolt app when a charger refused my card. Ditto GeniePoint
It is a drag getting receipts when contactless is used whereas the apps make that easy - needed for company EV. And if you use a personal card the charge becomes taxable as the company has to pay direct for it not to be taxable
I have also had to use contactless on quite a few occasions when the apps didn’t work for Instavolt, and GeniePoint.
For reliability, rfid cards are best, but of course having several of them is a drag - I would happily have a Gridserve rfid though as it would make life simpler
It is a drag getting receipts when contactless is used whereas the apps make that easy - needed for company EV. And if you use a personal card the charge becomes taxable as the company has to pay direct for it not to be taxable
I have also had to use contactless on quite a few occasions when the apps didn’t work for Instavolt, and GeniePoint.
For reliability, rfid cards are best, but of course having several of them is a drag - I would happily have a Gridserve rfid though as it would make life simpler
doesthiswork said:
Maracus said:
It's bizarre.
Instavolt is equally as easy.
Instavolt do make a £15 pre auth on your card though, which is annoying - the last time I used one of their rapid chargers it stopped charging after 5 minutes, I moved to the charger next to it, which took a second £15 pre auth before deciding it was broken, called Instavolt who told me to move back to the first one which then worked perfectly - after taking yet another £15 pre-auth. Total charge cost was actually around £7.Instavolt is equally as easy.
One distinct advantage I can think of is that you can see which chargers are in-use or out of service before you arrive. A couple of times this has saved me a journey to my local charger for a free top-up (PodPoint). Once it happened to be out of order. The other time I was away visiting family in Bournemouth, could have used a little charge-up at Tesco but when I checked the app, all 4 were in use. I didn't then have to bother moving the car or 'casing the joint' in person!
Also; it's no biggy. Anybody who does any amount of travel in this country will have swathes of bloody car parking apps already; which seemingly change every few months to a new provider / new app.
Also; it's no biggy. Anybody who does any amount of travel in this country will have swathes of bloody car parking apps already; which seemingly change every few months to a new provider / new app.
Mahalo said:
Agree that the ability to see which chargers are in use and which are out of action is a big benefit of using the app.
Does Zap Map not realiably show which chargers are in use then? I've just checked a couple of my local ones and it seems to show real time availability and real time in use.Turtle Shed said:
Does Zap Map not realiably show which chargers are in use then? I've just checked a couple of my local ones and it seems to show real time availability and real time in use.
yeah Zap Map does show live updates of how many chargers are in use and which ones are availableMadMullah said:
yeah Zap Map does show live updates of how many chargers are in use and which ones are available
Zap Map I don't think is connected to all services simultaneously - I've just checked my local Pod Point free chargers - Zap-Map says that all are available, but the Pod Point dedicated app tells me that 3 of them are in use.Zap Map actually states 'Available 8 months ago' - if that's the frequency they update, or they rely on people 'checking in' on their app, then it's not really a reliable source of information!
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