Lidl Ireland installing chargers?

Silent Running

This could be interesting. I know they have already started this, but it would be great to see it rolled out.
http://www.abettertomorrow-lidl.ie/news/lidl-ireland-commits-to-the-largest-network-of-electric-vehicle-charging-points-across-irish-supermarket-sector/

unkel

Only if they are tethered DC (fast) chargers like in that picture. I think the one they installed in Drogheda is a DC carger. That would be great. Hook up and come back to a fully charged car. Fantastic!

If they are AC (slow) chargers - not so much. It's pointless hooking up your car while doing a 30 minute Lidl shop. It will gain you 3.6kWh max, which is worth just €0.25 and you will barely have gained significant range. And you will have lost several minutes getting your own cable out and back in.

liamog

€150,000 over 40 stores. That's €3,750 per store so definitely SCPs.

Is anybody really spending 2 to 3 hours at a Lidl to make getting a charge an influence in there decision to shop at that location.
If they want to make a difference they should be installing 50kW rapids.

D3V!L

All well and good until a customer opens up the charge station to see what's inside !! :pac:

Silent Running

They state that they have installed three. Are they rapid DC or slow AC? I think the one in Drogheda is a rapid isn't it? I haven't been there.

creedp

unkel wrote: »

Only if they are tethered DC (fast) chargers like in that picture. I think the one they installed in Drogheda is a DC carger. That would be great. Hook up and come back to a fully charged car. Fantastic!

If they are AC (slow) chargers - not so much. It's pointless hooking up your car while doing a 30 minute Lidl shop. It will gain you 3.6kWh max, which is worth just €0.25 and you will barely have gained significant range. And you will have lost several minutes getting your own cable out and back in.

Yea I have used the Drogheda FCP on a couple of occasions. Its a triple head unit. Great if you want a top up while shopping, but of course only if its vacant on arrival. The last time I used it there was a Leaf charging when I arrived so I went into the shop as I had enough range to comfortably get home but when I came out he was still charging and he waited until he had 100% SOC before unplugging. When I spoke to him, before I got an opportunity to admonish him on this practice (!!), he told me his max range was only 50km so I left him be as range anxiety must be a bit of a significant source of stress in his case!

unkel

Nothing says he can't do that. He's an ignorant prick all the same

ted1

Every LIDL helps

Silent Running

unkel wrote: »

Nothing says he can't do that. He's an ignorant prick all the same

Interesting story. I was coming back from Dublin a few weeks ago and NEEDED to stop at Coynes Cross for a charge. Just as I pulled in a red Leaf was just putting the plug in to charge. I had no choice but to wait, I was very low. After a quick chat he said he was going in for a sandwich. No probs.

Then another Leaf arrived. As we were chatting, the red leaf completed it's charge. No sign of the driver. I couldn't plug in as Coynes Cross is very poorly laid out and there was no way to get the connector to my car, as the Leaf was blocking.

The other leaf driver was cracking up so I offered him where I was parked so he could take the cable out of the red one. He was fuming and went in search of the red Leaf driver, but didn't know what he looked like. So, I went in and the driver was just sitting down behind a burger and chips. I told him that his car was FULLY charged and that he needs to move it to allow me to charge. "I'll be out in a few minutes" he says. I was fit to be tied. When I told the other Leaf driver what happened, he asked me to describe him and where he was sitting. I'm sure some choice words were used.

A short while later the driver emerged and unplugged. What an arsehole.:mad:

Any more chargers are to be welcomed, great if they're rapids, but maybe some more slow chargers would ease the local use of rapids.

pwurple

Lads seriously, how far do you drive for groceries to want rapids there? It's a shop. 
Slow chargers are allegedly better for the battery anyway. I'd be delighted with 30 mins of slow charge there, it would be plenty to get me home again. 
15 mins is all I ever spend at a rapid, and I'd be under a little pressure to get around a lidl and out the gap in 15 minutes.

liamog

pwurple wrote: »

Lads seriously, how far do you drive for groceries to want rapids there? It's a shop.
Slow chargers are allegedly better for the battery anyway. I'd be delighted with 30 mins of slow charge there, it would be plenty to get me home again.
15 mins is all I ever spend at a rapid, and I'd be under a little pressure to get around a lidl and out the gap in 15 minutes.

You buy a car with a 250km mixed mode range, in 30 mins you add 20km range. So either your return journey to Lidl is 260km and you really needed the charge, or its a completely pointless plugin which saved you 25c.


At least with 50kW charger, a 40kWh car can do 10% to 80% in 35 mins. I'd probably go to Lidl, do some shopping and be happy that I'd added 200km and saved €2.50 off my leccy bill.

creedp

Silent Running wrote: »

I couldn't plug in as Coynes Cross is very poorly laid out and there was no way to get the connector to my car, as the Leaf was blocking.

This is just bad planning .. why can't units be installed in a manner where at a minimum 2 cars (but no reason why 3/4 cars) can park and be able to access the charge at same time. This would allow people to unplug fully charged cars and plug in their own when some inconsiderate driver is gorging a double cheese burger and can't be bothered unplugging his own car.

creedp

pwurple wrote: »

Lads seriously, how far do you drive for groceries to want rapids there? It's a shop.
Slow chargers are allegedly better for the battery anyway. I'd be delighted with 30 mins of slow charge there, it would be plenty to get me home again.
15 mins is all I ever spend at a rapid, and I'd be under a little pressure to get around a lidl and out the gap in 15 minutes.

Why not use the rapid to gain the necessary extra range to cover your journey while doing a bit of shopping at the same time? It beats sitting at a rapid twiddling your thumbs for 20 - 30 minutes. At least with the triple headed unit a car can charge on DC and AC simultaneously so take your pick.

In any case, not everyone will be heading straight home or may be heading on further later and wouldn't be able to gain the necessary range from a home charger.

FriendsEV

Are they 22kW AC?

That would be perfect

Shefwedfan

creedp wrote: »

Yea I have used the Drogheda FCP on a couple of occasions. Its a triple head unit. Great if you want a top up while shopping, but of course only if its vacant on arrival. The last time I used it there was a Leaf charging when I arrived so I went into the shop as I had enough range to comfortably get home but when I came out he was still charging and he waited until he had 100% SOC before unplugging. When I spoke to him, before I got an opportunity to admonish him on this practice (!!), he told me his max range was only 50km so I left him be as range anxiety must be a bit of a significant source of stress in his case!

How does it work? do you need to scan something to let it know you are using the shop or can any random punter pull up and use it?

JohnnyJohnJohns

Lidl in Rathfarnham has one, it's an SCP.

I went to plug in one day to try it but when I got out to plug in there was a website to register and that was too much bother, I think there is a charge for it but I'm not sure.

colm_mcm

Is there any thought out into not putting the chargers in the most desirable spaces? I’m mean if your car is going to take a while to charge, you won’t mind the walk from the far corner of the car park?

unkel

Are you trolling Colm?

The charging is going to take just about the time for you to run in and do your weekly shop (25 minutes). No time to spare, EV parking should be right beside the entrance

colm_mcm

Yeah, but if you don’t want lazy ICE whatever ye call them - parking in the spaces, then it makes sense to have them in a less desirable place?

Shefwedfan

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is there any thought out into not putting the chargers in the most desirable spaces? I’m mean if your car is going to take a while to charge, you won’t mind the walk from the far corner of the car park?

Personally I agree with this. At the very back of car park, less chance of people parking in them



The issue you will find is when they retro fit they will have to run the power from the store so cheaper to install closer to the store. I would guess anyway.



So the charger will be located close to store, more chance of people parking in those spots out of laziness

unkel

You guys do have a point. At the Lucan fast charger, the EV charging spaces are never ICEd

creedp

Shefwedfan wrote: »

How does it work? do you need to scan something to let it know you are using the shop or can any random punter pull up and use it?

Just pull up and select your charging preference and plug in. No account required. Couldn't be easier!

Dont be at yourself

I charged in a LIDL in France recently. Interesting setup; they had 2x 22kw triple-headed units serving four spaces. Free to activate, but would automatically disconnect after 30 minutes.

Seems like a happy medium; charging at 22kw makes it worthwhile to hook up and connect while you shop, while the automatic disconnect prevents it being abused.

karltimber

Lidl have a brand new store in dunshaughlin, with a massive car park. a perfect place for an ev charge point. I emailed them 3 -4 months ago and they replied no ev point there. They must have criteria - like surrounding ev points etc. Dunshaughlin has none. A missed opportunity

biko

ted1 wrote: »

Every LIDL helps

Unfortunately it's not every LIDL getting this, so only some LIDL help.

quenching

JohnnyJohnJohns wrote: »

Lidl in Rathfarnham has one, it's an SCP.

I went to plug in one day to try it but when I got out to plug in there was a website to register and that was too much bother, I think there is a charge for it but I'm not sure.

Yep, that was my experience too. You also has to activate the charger via the website (I think). Can’t remember the name of the website, I did email them asking if their chargers could be activated by text/card/PIN etc but never got a reply. Seemed a stupidly complicated way to gain minimal charge. I never bothered going near it again and our car would be in that Lidl several times a week.

Padraig Mor

colm_mcm wrote: »

Yeah, but if you don’t want lazy ICE whatever ye call them - parking in the spaces, then it makes sense to have them in a less desirable place?

Absolutely, a bugbear of mine and many other EV drivers. I realise there are technical constraints but, if possible, put the f'ing charge point at the far end of the car park, preferably around a corner!

ELM327

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

I charged in a LIDL in France recently. Interesting setup; they had 2x 22kw triple-headed units serving four spaces. Free to activate, but would automatically disconnect after 30 minutes.

Seems like a happy medium; charging at 22kw makes it worthwhile to hook up and connect while you shop, while the automatic disconnect prevents it being abused.

22kW DC?

That's perfect for shopping, charge for 45 mins-1 hour while shopping and you're nearly full/


If it's 22kW AC it's next to useless as almost nothing can charge at that speed on AC

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Absolutely, a bugbear of mine and many other EV drivers. I realise there are technical constraints but, if possible, put the f'ing charge point at the far end of the car park, preferably around a corner!

+1
Ideally not even visible to the great unwashed ICE brigade!

22 kW AC/DC triple would be just about perfect balance between cabling/cost/utility.

Dont be at yourself

ELM327 wrote: »

22kW DC?

That's perfect for shopping, charge for 45 mins-1 hour while shopping and you're nearly full/


If it's 22kW AC it's next to useless as almost nothing can charge at that speed on AC

Yep, 22kW triple-headed, CCS, Chademo & Type2.

Shefwedfan

From my point of view, any charger is a bonus. AC-DC or whatever it is :-) I did think that was a band when I was a young lad....maybe I am just getting senile in old age

Anyway if Lidl do it then expect Tesco/Dunnes/Aldi etc to all follow suit.....

I will say a fast charger is not suitable for a shop. If I got to local XYZ shop and plug my car in, I can bet you 100 euro my car will be fully charged by the time I get around the shop(had 4-5 arguments with kids in process) and get back to car....probably to be met by some grumpy IEVOA member who has splashed my car all over facebook because they want to get to Mozambique in a Leaf 24kWh:P:P:P:P:P:P

liamog

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Absolutely, a bugbear of mine and many other EV drivers. I realise there are technical constraints but, if possible, put the f'ing charge point at the far end of the car park, preferably around a corner!

If they plan to install SCP's may as well stick them front and center, they are near useless for actual EVs during the average Lidl shop, so may as well get the free advertising of hey we're green.


If they do install two 22kW DC chargers, it's a different ball game. They'd actually be worth a wee top up for most cars, so would be better off sticking them away from the door.

ELM327

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

Yep, 22kW triple-headed, CCS, Chademo & Type2.

Excellent.

Shefwedfan wrote: »

From my point of view, any charger is a bonus. AC-DC or whatever it is :-) I did think that was a band when I was a young lad....maybe I am just getting senile in old age

Anyway if Lidl do it then expect Tesco/Dunnes/Aldi etc to all follow suit.....

I will say a fast charger is not suitable for a shop. If I got to local XYZ shop and plug my car in, I can bet you 100 euro my car will be fully charged by the time I get around the shop(had 4-5 arguments with kids in process) and get back to car....probably to be met by some grumpy IEVOA member who has splashed my car all over facebook because they want to get to Mozambique in a Leaf 24kWh:P:P:P:P:P:P

A 22KW 'fast' charger is perfect for a shop. You'll get 50-75% in the time it takes you to shop compared to 10% on an SCP
Ignoring the rest of the anti-IEVOA rant (no idea what that has to do with the subject)

Shefwedfan

ELM327 wrote: »

Excellent.



A 22KW 'fast' charger is perfect for a shop.
Ignoring the rest of the anti-IEVOA rant (no idea what that has to do with the subject)

It's not an anti-IEVOA rant....

How many times do people post pics of electric cars on IEVOA facebook page because they are blocking the fast charge points?


For a car like mine with 26kWh battery or a Leaf 24 a fast charger is pointless at a shop as it will be finished charging long before you get out of shop. So in that case I wouldn't use because I would be afraid I would block someone. So it defeats the purpose of the charger in the first place....example is Blanchardstown which I dont even bother going to see if free anymore because I know I wont be in & out in 20 mins.

Lidl is a shop, they are investing in charger so their customer can use them. Not for people on a long journey hoping for a top up. Inevitably if I use a fast charger I will come out to someone on a long distance drive who is angry because I am blocking them.....

I am not ranting at all...it was just a joke.....a poorly written one but a joke

ELM327

Shefwedfan wrote: »

It's not an anti-IEVOA rant....I was messing.....


How many times do people post pics of electric cars on IEVOA facebook page because they are blocking the fast charge points?


For a car like mine with 26kWh battery or a Leaf 24 a fast charger is pointless at a shop as it will be finished charging long before you get out of shop. So in that case I wouldn't use because I would be afraid I would block someone. So it defeats the purpose of the charger in the first place....example is Blanchardstown which I dont even bother going to see if free anymore because I know I wont be in & out in 20 mins.

Lidl is a shop, they are investing in charger so their customer can use them. Not for people on a long journey hoping for a top up. Inevitably if I use a fast charger I will come out to someone on a long distance drive who is angry because I am blocking them.....

I am not ranting at all...it was just a joke.....

That's a 50kW charger which is the result of a research project with no planning.


2*22kW DC chargers would be a better use of the blanchardstown setup, and a row of 22kW DC chargers would be better again. 22kW is not a fast charger, it's a DC mild fast charger, or a slower DC charger where you expect to take 1-1.5 hours to charge at. I wouldnt even bother plugging in to a 7kW slow charger at lidl, considering i'm in and out in <1 hour. It wouldnt even give me back the juice to get to the store and back.
Therefore there's no value added to them for the investment.

PS: If you're blocking a charger and your picture is put on facebook, my question is why you were blocking a charger.
I don't post on facebook that often, only signed up this year and to be honest I'm not that bothered with it. But I think I saw the picture you are talking about (egolf and badly parked leaf?) if so then the egolf was clearly blocking the charger so I don't see the problem with the photo being taken.

Shefwedfan

ELM327 wrote: »

That's a 50kW charger which is the result of a research project with no planning.


2*22kW DC chargers would be a better use of the blanchardstown setup, and a row of 22kW DC chargers would be better again. 22kW is not a fast charger, it's a DC mild fast charger, or a slower DC charger where you expect to take 1-1.5 hours to charge at. I wouldnt even bother plugging in to a 7kW slow charger at lidl, considering i'm in and out in <1 hour. It wouldnt even give me back the juice to get to the store and back.
Therefore there's no value added to them for the investment.

Hence my reference to AC-DC at start of post


So correct me if wrong, I have a 3.3kW charger in car which works on the AC(home charger). But if a DC charger I connect into the same connection as the fast charger and it will charger "faster"?


Or am I still in mumbo jumbo :-)

Shefwedfan

ELM327 wrote: »

That's a 50kW charger which is the result of a research project with no planning.


2*22kW DC chargers would be a better use of the blanchardstown setup, and a row of 22kW DC chargers would be better again. 22kW is not a fast charger, it's a DC mild fast charger, or a slower DC charger where you expect to take 1-1.5 hours to charge at. I wouldnt even bother plugging in to a 7kW slow charger at lidl, considering i'm in and out in <1 hour. It wouldnt even give me back the juice to get to the store and back.
Therefore there's no value added to them for the investment.

PS: If you're blocking a charger and your picture is put on facebook, my question is why you were blocking a charger.
I don't post on facebook that often, only signed up this year and to be honest I'm not that bothered with it. But I think I saw the picture you are talking about (egolf and badly parked leaf?) if so then the egolf was clearly blocking the charger so I don't see the problem with the photo being taken.

If I think I might block a charger I won't use them. That is my simple rule. If I need to use the charger I will either sit in car or go into shop where I can see car and monitor on app.




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Alkers

Was just at Lidl in Swords and there were two charging spaced signed as "rapid chargers" but they looked much less beefy than the standard ESB installations. Each of them also had a Tesla logo on an add-on plate on the post housing the charger but none of the slick installation that normally exists at the Tesla branded chargers.

ELM327

Simona1986 wrote: »

Was just at Lidl in Swords and there were two charging spaced signed as "rapid chargers" but they looked much less beefy than the standard ESB installations. Each of them also had a Tesla logo on an add-on plate on the post housing the charger but none of the slick installation that normally exists at the Tesla branded chargers.

Those are not rapid chargers they are slow chargers.
I have advised them of this in the past but they seem unwilling to listen