Long trip advice for new EV driver
Discussion
It seems to me, it's all good if you EV has a range of 250 miles plus, and there are enough charging places to choose, close to your route.
A lot of more affordable EVs, range below 200 miles, you're soon into multiple stops and needing to plan carefully, be aware of chargers which might not be working or heavily queued up etc.
When you get to cheap used EVs it's a bit of a farce.
A lot of more affordable EVs, range below 200 miles, you're soon into multiple stops and needing to plan carefully, be aware of chargers which might not be working or heavily queued up etc.
When you get to cheap used EVs it's a bit of a farce.
Alickadoo said:
ashenfie said:
Driven up many times to Scotland often in a 320d. The only stop would be a 20min wee stop and if lucky swap drivers. So it's more like an 1hour slower than ice. So from what the OP is say that the average speed was around 70mph (6h20m-1h30 around 5 hours = 70mph). In an ice that would approx be 5h20mins, but typical you need to be very lucky and avoid all traffic to manage that.
I thought I was paying attention, but-What is the point that you are making?
ashenfie said:
Alickadoo said:
ashenfie said:
Driven up many times to Scotland often in a 320d. The only stop would be a 20min wee stop and if lucky swap drivers. So it's more like an 1hour slower than ice. So from what the OP is say that the average speed was around 70mph (6h20m-1h30 around 5 hours = 70mph). In an ice that would approx be 5h20mins, but typical you need to be very lucky and avoid all traffic to manage that.
I thought I was paying attention, but-What is the point that you are making?
All depends how often you stop, if you change your usage pattern because of an EV and the need to charge then it could take longer. Whilst you're using the toilet or eating or walking the dog, the car is charging.
Typically, when we do a 400 mile trip, it's either got a two hour break in the middle if we plan around e.g. visiting an NT place or something, or it's one loo/coffee stop and one 'swig of coffee from a thermos and change driver'.
Some people might make loads of stops in IC cars, but most of us don't. Most people can manage 3 hours at a stretch.
A lot of couples we know have on EV and one IC or hybrid. When they do longer trips, they all seem to leave the EV at home.
The exception being people with a long range Tesla as a company car.
Some people might make loads of stops in IC cars, but most of us don't. Most people can manage 3 hours at a stretch.
A lot of couples we know have on EV and one IC or hybrid. When they do longer trips, they all seem to leave the EV at home.
The exception being people with a long range Tesla as a company car.
About 18 months ago, we were looking at the logistics of moving from California to the Mid-West - around 2500 miles and had an i3 Rex at the time. Looking at the refueling / recharging options on the way was not good. The route planner for EV's (cant remember the name - a better road planner?) and it would have taken A LOT of stops to make it.
The i3 Rex is good but the generator is designed to keep the battery charged, not charge it. I guess the best way is to use the first 25% EV (you cant turn on the generator until you have used 25% battery) and then put it on gas to keep it charged as long as possible and keep filling it up (it has a tiny tank). Then stop at a decent charging station to go further - rinse and repeat. It would have been a nightmare! Thankfully dropped that idea - but it was getting super complicated.
Alternatively, road-tripped with my daughter in her Mazda 3 for approximately the same distance. 400 miles out of a tank and could either stop briefly or have lunch etc. Worked out great and importantly easy. Why mention this? You could do this in a longer range EV, and it would be fine. But for a shorter range one, its going to be a challenge. EV's are great, but for the rare time that you need to do a longer trip they do need some consideration. Its getting better, but still not quite there yet.
The i3 Rex is good but the generator is designed to keep the battery charged, not charge it. I guess the best way is to use the first 25% EV (you cant turn on the generator until you have used 25% battery) and then put it on gas to keep it charged as long as possible and keep filling it up (it has a tiny tank). Then stop at a decent charging station to go further - rinse and repeat. It would have been a nightmare! Thankfully dropped that idea - but it was getting super complicated.
Alternatively, road-tripped with my daughter in her Mazda 3 for approximately the same distance. 400 miles out of a tank and could either stop briefly or have lunch etc. Worked out great and importantly easy. Why mention this? You could do this in a longer range EV, and it would be fine. But for a shorter range one, its going to be a challenge. EV's are great, but for the rare time that you need to do a longer trip they do need some consideration. Its getting better, but still not quite there yet.
oop north said:
First thing, before going on the trip, have at least one go charging on a dc rapid / ccs charger where it’s not a disaster if things go wrong.
Not sure what route you will take, but based on experience of regular trips from Preston to Edinburgh and having seen what other EV drivers say on routes I haven’t been on your best bets will be:
Instavolt at Banbury just off M40 - 32 ccs chargers (120kW) and hopefully at least one will be available.
From there, MFG Crow Orchard near Wigan is 120-130 miles so an easy jump. 8 x150kW chargers. I think you may need to provide your registration in the garage to avoid a parking fine
Burton in Kendal services has six 350kW chargers plus some 50/60 kW ones. If you are feeling brave you could get here maybe from Banbury but might be cutting it fine. It’s only maybe 60-70 miles from Crow Orchard
At Penrith the Rheged centre has some Gridserve chargers. Never seen anyone using them. Just five minutes west of the M6. Too near home (Preston) for me to use really
After that there is Gretna (a whole load of apple green chargers just installed) though that is probably too near Burton in Kendal (maybe only 65 miles further, or 130 from Crow Orchard). From there it is 90 or so miles to Edinburgh where there are a couple of MFG high power forecourts on the west side of the city centre (but otherwise not great). Haven’t been near Glasgow myself but there seem to be reasonable number of chargers around there. Dundee has lots
I would avoid the Gridserve locations where there are only one or two chargers. Too risky
Hope that helps
Glasgow airport has some new mgf 150kwh chargers just installed Not sure what route you will take, but based on experience of regular trips from Preston to Edinburgh and having seen what other EV drivers say on routes I haven’t been on your best bets will be:
Instavolt at Banbury just off M40 - 32 ccs chargers (120kW) and hopefully at least one will be available.
From there, MFG Crow Orchard near Wigan is 120-130 miles so an easy jump. 8 x150kW chargers. I think you may need to provide your registration in the garage to avoid a parking fine
Burton in Kendal services has six 350kW chargers plus some 50/60 kW ones. If you are feeling brave you could get here maybe from Banbury but might be cutting it fine. It’s only maybe 60-70 miles from Crow Orchard
At Penrith the Rheged centre has some Gridserve chargers. Never seen anyone using them. Just five minutes west of the M6. Too near home (Preston) for me to use really
After that there is Gretna (a whole load of apple green chargers just installed) though that is probably too near Burton in Kendal (maybe only 65 miles further, or 130 from Crow Orchard). From there it is 90 or so miles to Edinburgh where there are a couple of MFG high power forecourts on the west side of the city centre (but otherwise not great). Haven’t been near Glasgow myself but there seem to be reasonable number of chargers around there. Dundee has lots
I would avoid the Gridserve locations where there are only one or two chargers. Too risky
Hope that helps
Alickadoo said:
What happens when you say to the children, 'this is the way it is, we have to wait here for an hour while the car charges'?
The older one would need to use the toilets 4 times, get hungry twice, and tell me about all the cars parked around us in excruciating details while I tried to get some work done on my phone.The baby would poop the second I got comfortable, and then again just as we were all charged up and ready to go.
And we'd get to our destination 4 hours past their bedtime because I'm generally disorganised and late even at the best of times.
I took an ICE car for the trip that I wrote this thread about. Mostly on the M6 - stopped at a few services along the way to deal with the various child nonsense mentioned above and had a look at the chargers on offer in each one.
Most of them had two 50kw chargers in total, of which either both were always in use or at least one was broken.
Yes - I understand that I could have:
- Stopped more often and charged early
- Made contingency plans for each stop in case the chargers were unavailable
- Queued for the chargers and then sat patiently while it charged at less than half the speed the car's capable of charging
But the alternative was... When the fuel light came on, I had enough range to reach approximately 15 petrol stations and didn't have to plan in advance. Each petrol station had 10+ pumps with at least 5 available. Filling up took 3 minutes. I only had to fill up once.
I missed my EQC - I love driving it and would have preferred it. But I am very glad I chose not to take it.
off_again said:
About 18 months ago, we were looking at the logistics of moving from California to the Mid-West - around 2500 miles and had an i3 Rex at the time. Looking at the refueling / recharging options on the way was not good. The route planner for EV's (cant remember the name - a better road planner?) and it would have taken A LOT of stops to make it.
The i3 Rex is good but the generator is designed to keep the battery charged, not charge it. I guess the best way is to use the first 25% EV (you cant turn on the generator until you have used 25% battery) and then put it on gas to keep it charged as long as possible and keep filling it up (it has a tiny tank). Then stop at a decent charging station to go further - rinse and repeat. It would have been a nightmare! Thankfully dropped that idea - but it was getting super complicated.
Alternatively, road-tripped with my daughter in her Mazda 3 for approximately the same distance. 400 miles out of a tank and could either stop briefly or have lunch etc. Worked out great and importantly easy. Why mention this? You could do this in a longer range EV, and it would be fine. But for a shorter range one, its going to be a challenge. EV's are great, but for the rare time that you need to do a longer trip they do need some consideration. Its getting better, but still not quite there yet.
This is the competitive advantage the U.K. has over other G7-G20 nations. High wealth but with a more even distribution and over a much smaller distance. The i3 Rex is good but the generator is designed to keep the battery charged, not charge it. I guess the best way is to use the first 25% EV (you cant turn on the generator until you have used 25% battery) and then put it on gas to keep it charged as long as possible and keep filling it up (it has a tiny tank). Then stop at a decent charging station to go further - rinse and repeat. It would have been a nightmare! Thankfully dropped that idea - but it was getting super complicated.
Alternatively, road-tripped with my daughter in her Mazda 3 for approximately the same distance. 400 miles out of a tank and could either stop briefly or have lunch etc. Worked out great and importantly easy. Why mention this? You could do this in a longer range EV, and it would be fine. But for a shorter range one, its going to be a challenge. EV's are great, but for the rare time that you need to do a longer trip they do need some consideration. Its getting better, but still not quite there yet.
In the States people must consider very long distances and where there may currently be huge expanses between cities without significant supplies of electricity. In the U.K. it's basically some people who have moved to the SE to feed off London and feel obliged to go back to their parents once or twice a year and their only real issue is that they all decide to do so on the same weekend and some just aren't smart enough to work out how to do that with the car they've chosen to use.
The U.K. has far more simplistic usage and the bulk of the issues today stem from a few folk rushing to buy the latest toy without thinking through how it will fit into their lifestyle needs. Such as moving to London for work but needing to travel 300 miles+ to visit parents.
Having just ordered an EV this thread has made for interesting reading 
.
It'll be fine for nearly all road trips, charged at home. However, I'm not looking forward to busy/broken chargers en route when required ... I go out of my way to avoid that type of hassle... I'll now just have to add this to my hassle management list!
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Edit: some hassle management expected, and notwithstanding that, I'm looking forward to quiet motoring and home refueling.
.It'll be fine for nearly all road trips, charged at home. However, I'm not looking forward to busy/broken chargers en route when required ... I go out of my way to avoid that type of hassle... I'll now just have to add this to my hassle management list!
.Edit: some hassle management expected, and notwithstanding that, I'm looking forward to quiet motoring and home refueling.
Edited by number2 on Wednesday 7th June 01:40
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