Driving EV purchased in UK home

KildareMan

So if I buy a used EV in the UK how can I access charging in the UK during my drive back to dear old Ireland?

I ask because I believe there are multiple chains of charging stations and not free. Do I have to join?

Poly

I think the ferry has charge points on board if you can make it to Holyhead

KildareMan

Found this site

https://www.zap-map.com/charge-points/public-charging-point-networks/

major networks seem to need rfid access card or app - i think. All a little confusing.

KCross

Yes, you'll need to research what chargers are available on your route to the ferry and signup for those ones.

Some require an app (Ecotricity being the most "popular" on the motorway network).
Others might accept tap to activate but you have to check your specific route.

If you want to avoid it some dealers will deliver the car to a ferry port for you (for small money) and then all you have to do is worry about getting home on this side.

KildareMan

Was looking for an adventure!! Don't want to make it too easy :rolleyes:

KildareMan

Well have done a bit more digging. Zap-map is a very handy website. Seems a lot of the UK chains you can use an app to unlock charge point in place of an rfid card. Handy so long as you don't have phone issues! but also means, possibly, no waiting for a card to arrive in the post.

Strangely, or not, the only crowd insisting on rfid is esb ecars, here at home in IRE!!!!!!

Soarer

Yeah, but you can use your bank card at the ESB ones.

KildareMan

Soarer wrote: »

Yeah, but you can use your bank card at the ESB ones.

Ah so you don't need a specific esb card. I saw similar earlier while looking through zap map mentioned using a oyster card.

Gumbo

KildareMan wrote: »

Was looking for an adventure!! Don't want to make it too easy :rolleyes:

Where in the UK?

You also could fly over to view the car. If you like it, but it.
Then get it collected and delivered to your door for €400.

Silent Running

Ecotricity are mostly on motorway service areas. Get the app, attach your credit card to it. Arrive at the charger, open the app and follow instructions and put in your CVV number. The payment will be applied to your credit card when you've disconnected.

Instavolt require no app or sign-up. Arrive at charger, tap your bank card and charge. The amount that you pay will be displayed when you finish.

Polar are a shower of ****. Avoid if at all possible. If you have to use them you will have to find a way to download the Polar Instant app, which is geoblocked for UK mobiles only. You have to load your account with a non-refundable £20. The app has just been reworked and they managed to keep all the old problems and add new ones. Waste of space.

Use Zap-Map to find Ecotricity chargers on your route and plan accordingly. Just make sure your connector type is available where you plan to charge - CCS or Chademo.

...Ghost...

I collected 2 Nissan Leaf 24kWh from the UK. First time was in Luton, London 2 years ago and was a long journey. I used an eco-tricity card. Second time was near Birmingham (I think) last year and used the eco-tricity app. They have good coverage on the motorways and if it can be done in a 24 Leaf, it can be done in anything.

Both times I stayed overnight near the ferry, so there was no worry about chargers being offline, or busy, causing a delay.

Bring it home yourself. Enjoy the adventure.

liamog

Be careful with Ecotricity they have lots of issues with CCS, if the car you are bringing back is Leaf or Zoe they'll be fine.

KildareMan

Well thanks for all the info guys and girls. When it happens I'll be avoiding polar as expensive and plan on ecotricity but only if there's an improvement in their reliability. Instapoint and charge genie seen to be well regarded.

As for the car. Well research is ongoing but am drawn to a smallish German, especially as I am also a bike rider.

Old diesel

Soarer wrote: »

Yeah, but you can use your bank card at the ESB ones.

Some say that the bank card thing messes up the charging for subsequent users.

Ecars can remote start the machine if you ring the phone number on the charger.

That's the way to go as a 1st plan.

DrPhilG

Soarer wrote: »

Yeah, but you can use your bank card at the ESB ones.

Please don't. I know many people insist that it does no harm, but eCars constantly quote this as a reason for charger faults. And they are specifically able to tell people the date and time that a bank card was used so they're not just making it up.

I'll never understand the mindset of people who refuse to use a freely available card and instead insist on using one that the provider says is causing faults.

Of course it shouldn't cause faults, but the fact is that it does.

DrPhilG

Poly wrote: »

I think the ferry has charge points on board if you can make it to Holyhead

Very few of the ferries do. I nearly got stranded when bringing my Leaf home because I relied on bad info that the ferry had a charger.

DrPhilG

KildareMan wrote: »

So if I buy a used EV in the UK how can I access charging in the UK during my drive back to dear old Ireland?

I ask because I believe there are multiple chains of charging stations and not free. Do I have to join?

Might be worth asking on www.speakev.com as it is mainly UK based.

Aside from that I believe Instavolt use a pay as you go model and you don't need to register. Just tap your card. I used one last year bringing my i3 home although it was on free vend at the time.

zg3409

DrPhilG wrote: »

Poly wrote: »

I think the ferry has charge points on board if you can make it to Holyhead

Very few of the ferries do. I nearly got stranded when bringing my Leaf home because I relied on bad info that the ferry had a charger.

I would not rely on it but https://www.irishferries.com/ie-en/frequently-asked-questions/general-information/electric-cars/ There is now a fast charger near Dublin port. Use plugshare and zapmap and filter by fast charger type.

ED E

DrPhilG wrote: »

Please don't. I know many people insist that it does no harm, but eCars constantly quote this as a reason for charger faults. And they are specifically able to tell people the date and time that a bank card was used so they're not just making it up.

I'll never understand the mindset of people who refuse to use a freely available card and instead insist on using one that the provider says is causing faults.

Of course it shouldn't cause faults, but the fact is that it does.

That's a strong hint that theres no input validation at all. If so shame on the developer.

DrPhilG

ED E wrote: »

That's a strong hint that theres no input validation at all. If so shame on the developer.

Absolutely, it wouldn't surprise me at all that they've made such a crappy job of the chargers.

But the fact that people insist on using bank cards etc to start then even though its free to charge and free to get an eCars card is very irritating.

ED E

They may have one in a wallet...with other cards. Wood cause the faults but also work so they'd never really know.

KildareMan

Thanks for all the input, with only a little thread drift

Zenith74

FWIW I brought two EVs back from the UK, both cases doing 3-400km. I actually really enjoyed the experience, it was a great way to get familiar with the car. I'd happily go and drive back an EV for somebody if they were worried about it.

Only used Ecotricity chargers and there were loads of them available. Did not encounter any that were faulty on either journies and in most cases there was more than one, so I really would not be concerned about this faulty chargers.

As others have said, there are fast chargers at Holyhead and Dublin Port, so would not worry too much about whether you can charge on the boat or not.

Main thing is to leave yourself plenty of time so you can relax moving from charger to charger and enjoy it. I'd definitely book a Flexi ticket for the ferry, that way there's no cost to missing one if it happens for some reason.

Silent Running

Zenith74 wrote: »

FWIW I brought two EVs back from the UK, both cases doing 3-400km. I actually really enjoyed the experience, it was a great way to get familiar with the car. I'd happily go and drive back an EV for somebody if they were worried about it.

Only used Ecotricity chargers and there were loads of them available. Did not encounter any that were faulty on either journies and in most cases there was more than one, so I really would not be concerned about this faulty chargers.

As others have said, there are fast chargers at Holyhead and Dublin Port, so would not worry too much about whether you can charge on the boat or not.

Main thing is to leave yourself plenty of time so you can relax moving from charger to charger and enjoy it. I'd definitely book a Flexi ticket for the ferry, that way there's no cost to missing one if it happens for some reason.

This will only apply to non CCS cars. The CCS chargers are normally 1 per site with Ecotricity. CCS seems to be a bit flaky with Ecotricity. Also there are still Ecotricity sites without CCS.