Plug-In Hybrids as a policy issue: using the Volvo T8 as an example.

Calahonda52

Came across the Volvo T8 hooked up to, but not charging, in Malahide DART Station yesterday.
Researched it when I got home to discover it is a Plug In Hybrid.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/volvo/volvo-xc90-t8-twin-engine-2016-review-/

This beast has 3 power sources in it:
a 316-hp turbo­charged and supercharged four-cylinder 2.0l ICE
a gas powered engine used for charging the battery
an electric motor
a 9.2-kWh battery pack

"....In electric mode, the T8 operates as a rear-driver, and if you go easy on the accelerator, you can travel up to 13 miles before the gas engine kicks in. At other times, only its front wheels are driven, and selecting the battery-saving mode will force the T8 to use the gas engine to recharge the battery, adding about five miles of electric range...."
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-volvo-xc90-t8-plug-in-hybrid-test-review

So this 2.3 tonne beast can be plugged in, all day, for free parking in the Dart station our other charging points.
It only needs 2.5 hrs to charge.

It appears from the reviews that it is bought just for the lower tax, (50% of its existing PHEV owners don’t plug them in.) Why would you for 13 miles? especially when it charges when braking etc.

My guess is the owner does not even have a charge card, just plug it in.

Maybe the impending monetary charging model will eliminate this beastly behaviour.
I don't know.

ps I presume all the PHEVs are the same, such as the 330e BMW

stesaurus

Thread already discussing most of this:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057695011

goz83

Calahonda52 wrote: »

ps I presume all the PHEVs are the same, such as the 330e BMW

What does "the same" mean in this context?

If you mean that a PHEV won't get the same range in electric mode as a BEV, then yes. But that doesn't matter to someone who does a 5-10km round trip. The Volvo owner probably drives a couple of kilometres to the station and charges there for nothing, with no need to charge at home, or use any gas/petrol.

I am considering an Outlander PHEV with a claimed range of 50 kilometers (real world 30-35) and that would cover almost all of my driving needs in electric mode only.

Evd-Burner

Calahonda52 wrote: »

So this 2.3 tonne beast can be plugged in, all day, for free parking in the Dart station our other charging points.
It only needs 2.5 hrs to charge.

Free parking?

slave1

Evd-Burner wrote: »

Free parking?

24hrs free parking if charging a (EV?) car

Evd-Burner

slave1 wrote: »

24hrs free parking if charging a (EV?) car

Seriously? Is that in all the dart stations?

Good to know, there's one around the corner from the GF's house that I had looked at using if I ever needed a full charge while staying over (no access for granny cable), thought I would have to pay the parking though.

zilog_jones

It doesn't matter what car it is - they should not be hogging a public charging point while not charging. I would be all for introducing fines or some way of penalising people for doing this.

On the subject of PHEVs: Mine (Prius Plug-in) only has about 14-15 km range, but I can do over 30% of my driving in EV mode and average 76 MPG (compared to 56 MPG average of the equivalent non-plugin Prius). People who buy a PHEV and don't charge are doing it wrong

liamog

zilog_jones wrote: »

It doesn't matter what car it is - they should not be hogging a public charging point while not charging. I would be all for introducing fines or some way of penalising people for doing this.

If that's the case, then slow chargers at train stations only make sense for 3.3kW Leafs.

if I plugged my Ioniq in for the day, I'd be finished at lunch time, would I have to come back for lunch to move my car?

n97 mini

PHEVs need to be barred from using fast Charge Points as they can only draw power at the same rate as if they were in a slow charger. That's number one.

Number two is regular parking fees (if applicable) should apply to all cars benefitting from free parking once they've stopped charging.

liamog

n97 mini wrote: »

PHEVs need to be barred from using fast Charge Points as they can only draw power at the same rate as if they were in a slow charger. That's number one.

Number two is regular parking fees (if applicable) should apply to all cars benefitting from free parking once they've stopped charging.

Nearly had that today with another 330e, 162 Leaf blocking one of the charging spots and the 330e wanted to use the AC on the fast charge so that he didn't have to use his cable.

The point of the slow chargers in train stations is to encourage commuter use. If I have to come back after 4 hours its basically useless.