Applegreen own brand chargers

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119844174#Comment_119844174

Second that, pay peanuts and you get Ecars. For the handful of times a year I need public charging then I'll aim to use Ionity and only go for Ecars if I've no choice or it happens to be available as a destination charger

And it's not even peanuts anymore after the price increase a while back

liamog

Seen on Facebook some works going at Enfield. Not sure if its new chargers or just Applegreen building more trenches for their war with eCars

ELM327

Probably AG - they are going mad on the expansions lately

AndyBoBandy

Anyone any idea's when the units installed will start getting turned on?

The ones in Paulstown would be really useful to me over Christmas!!

It's great installing a sh1t ton of chargers, but if we're left waiting months (years) for Anna's cousin to hook them all up, we are doomed!!

TitianGerm

They better calm down or at the rate their going they'll actually have a decent network installed.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119857105#Comment_119857105

I wonder if they are waiting on Anna networks or are they waiting until they have a few sites to open at the same time as a kind of grand launch

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119857216#Comment_119857216

I would doubt it's for a grand launch. Every day these units aren't turned is lost revenue to them... They already have the app up and running (still only showing Birdhill), so it's not like we are waiting for a grand unveil!!!! I'd say it's 100% Anna's cousin in Networks... and given we are now entering storm season, I'd say all 'non essential' jobs get pushed to the back of the queue while the lads get all the chainsaws oiled up & sharpened...

Every MW of supply that gets connected up this winter is another MW of burden on an already strained grid, so I'd say they are in no hurry whatsoever to supply reasonably big hitters like charging hubs until at least more generating capacity is added... North Wall can't come quick enough!!

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119857137#Comment_119857137

That's what I was thinking, I know they've only a couple of chargers running at the moment but if they can get all the chargers that are installed up and running in before 2023 then they'll have blown ESB out of the water for number of new chargers in 2022

I would imagine that they've got the planning permission for the grid connection all sorted before they broke ground. So it's a question of whether ESBN will hook them up in time

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119857753#Comment_119857753

The thing to remember about Applegreen is that they have absolutely no reason to worry about pissing ESBN off, unlike Dublin City council or other government bodies

As soon as ESBN start dragging their feet I could very easily see Applegreen going on to social media and news channels screaming bloody murder that they're working to install a first rate charging network and solve the climate crisis, etc, meanwhile ESBN are not respecting the free market and favouring their own network

They've done it before, they'll do it all again

cannco253

Great to see something happening at Enfield, the existing SPOF is a disaster and usually broken (both sides of the motorway)

sh81722

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119858521#Comment_119858521

I tried to use the eastbound charger a few weeks back and it was down with no comms. The previous time, Nov last year, it was also semi broken only supplying 10 kW or similar. AG chargers are much needed there so fingers crossed.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119858521#Comment_119858521

Agree. And even as a Tesla owner, I'd prefer online charging over offline at a hotel, so I'd charge there if it made sense.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119857753#Comment_119857753

Yup, makes sense

kanuseeme

It amuses me sometimes to go look at these places on a map, Kinnegad, Bird hill, Enfield, Castlebellingham, etc.

I have no need or desire to visit any, I would not put myself in a position, where I would require a stop other than a call of nature and thats usually in and out, I am trying to remember the last time I bought fuel at a motorway service station, years ago.

Anyway, it's a good thing more chargers are installed, I live in hope that, I can end up driving GLE 350de or the new Mitsu outlander 22 kW with rapid charging just in case, I am passing and need to take a whizz.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119861019#Comment_119861019

Well that's why they need more high powered charging, so people can get away as quick as possible 😁

I don't mind the service stations, it's great having the play areas for the kids so they can run around for a bit and sometimes I just want food on the easy setting

I take your point though, they're not exactly tourist attractions and the services on the M1 have really gone downhill in the past few years

I'm hoping we see more charging closer to cities in the next couple of years. With bigger battery EVs it doesn't make as much sense to stop at the midpoint, better to do a single longer charge closer to your destination

I think that's behind Ionity's current expansion plans, and their decision to get into providing rest areas as well as charging

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119861019#Comment_119861019

They are all enroute on ways to places people go. Belfast, Galway, Cork, Limerick etc.

If they made a 350de (a product I really like the idea of btw) but with say 200km real world range or more then I'd buy that. EV for all normal driving but diesel for the super long trips.

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119861188#Comment_119861188

I did go to some of these cities and the only thing I see on the way is some sign for toilets, food, and fuel.

Most of the times coming from Dublin, I would stop in kilmacanogue for tea or a whizz, when I had the outlander the stop moved to coynes cross and a charge, if I needed it, other than that it was cruise control all the way.

Your normal driving is 3 times what I need.

liamog

Plenty of people do stop at service stations, the market was there for fossil fuel, the market is there for EV charging. Applegreen probably aren't going to change their go to market strategy because one person feels burdened by charging their car.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119862091#Comment_119862091

+1

And they are a for profit private company so they woudlnt be installing these chargers if there wasnt money in it for them. Either in increased footfall to the shop, or electricity margin, or both

mfceiling

Castlebellingham and Birdhill are perfect stops for me. Halfway points in my journey to my parents house in Tyrone and again on my trips to Kerry.

Glad they have them at petrol stations. You can have a toilet break, grab a coffee or something more substantial and there's room to let the dog out for a pee.

cannco253

I wonder will Applegreen introduce signage for their ev pricing. Would be great to see something like the sign below …

https://twitter.com/dschoelens/status/1591135936775344128?s=46&t=8BKPgbkObiNd76GtsrSyGw

the_amazing_raisin

I think there was a recent EU parliament resolution that said charging stations have to display their prices

I don't think it's passed yet but I wonder if some providers are getting ahead of the game

Chris_5339762

It makes perfect sense but more importantly it normalises the idea of electric cars that bit more.

zg3409

I would like it displayed like for like with petrol and diesel so a direct comparison "per litre" could be made as in a per litre equivalent price. This would highlight the difference in fuelling but I would worry it might be more than 2 euro a litre with latest prices.

I passed coynes cross recently and the new chargers had professional bags over them with " charger not in use" on it or similar words. They seem to have purchased protective covers for when broken or not yet in use. I wonder has rain already damaged some units as the rain was sideways recently with the wind.

wassie

All well and good to advertise prices, but it's meaningless until we actually have a decent charging network in this country.

As a regular user of DC charging, at the moment I am far more concerned with availability of fast charging units than I am with price.

Busman Paddy Lasty

+1 on availability. ESB 50kW near a mate's house is impossible to get on. Taxis using it anytime I pass which is fantastic for localised emissions but reveals the outdatedness of single charger sites.

ELM327

Yes, SPOF are very much 2012!

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119871939#Comment_119871939

I see your point but I disagree, the pricing structure needs to be simple and should be in the unit that's being sold. So price per kWh or per minute depending on what the provider goes with

I'm also not sure comparisons of DC charging to petrol make much sense since a lot of people use home chargers most of the time, and those who don't tend to use subscription plans

Like I've said before, it isn't the cost of an individual trip, it's the cost per kilometre over a year that really shows the savings of an EV

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119862091#Comment_119862091

They do stop yes, mostly because they are running out of fuel, a need for the bathroom or to consume something, but the fuel is more expensive, the food not great and the bathrooms sometimes need a hazmat suit.

Generally, I would fill up before my trip, fuel and travel mug, drive to my destination enjoy my time, do my business, eat etc, on the way back stop for tea and a whizz, not necessary but it happens, I can feel the urge to whizz, I can see a sign with a toilet on it and follow the directions, I don't need to remember the name of the place or plan way ahead to know I need a 20 minute stop if the 150 kWh unit is working or blocked by a clamped tesla, and that I now need a 40 minute stop on the 50 kWh unit after the outlander and the leaf.

I am not asking them to change, I am just saying, I do not know these service stations, I have no interest in knowing how many 400 kWh chargers that are there and what plug they have, to create some sort of EV charging Mecca which will only appeal to the fanatical EVangical, which will be overloaded on a busy bank holiday anyway. See below.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=electric+cars+queuing+

A burden? I know nothing about it sorry, as for charging it's very easy, if it's there, available and I am doing nothing else, it takes what 30 seconds at the most to plug in?

lawred2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/111208190#Comment_111208190

you've taken comparative samples I presume :/

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119872014#Comment_119872014

True, but I think EV chargers could also do with some advertising to make them more appealing

Often I've seen the ESB charger is chucked around the back of the shop or petrol station where it's practically invisible. In Maxol in Lusk for example it's literally beside the bins

I'm sure it's convenient to put it near the substation, but it isn't a good look

And often when I hear from ICE or new EV drivers that there's "no chargers around" and I mention several chargers in the area, they weren't aware they existed. Again because they're hidden away

So yes, we need a good network, but that network needs to be very visible so everyone can see it. This is another thing Tesla do well, their Superchargers tend to be well placed and instantly recognisable. I think Ionity tend to try to do the same

Those ABB units on the other hand and are definitely an example of functionality over form

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119872195#Comment_119872195

Well this is the EV forum, of course we're going to get excited about new chargers 😉

FWIW I agree, motorway services are nothing to be excited about, and the state of some of them in Ireland are pretty shocking

In general I get the impression that it's much better in continental Europe, where there's a lot more long road trips

I'm hoping that as the charging network improves that facilities also improve with them. Some better food and a lounge area would be nice

From a recent trip to the UK, I found that the car was waiting for me more than I was waiting for charging. Had to make unscheduled bathroom stops on almost every leg. I guess 3 hours is too long to expect of my bladder after drinking a mug of tea 😂

I was lucky that I hit no charging queues despite it being a bank holiday weekend. In general the shops were nice enough, Costa and Starbucks seem to have a big foothold on services there. Definitely better than McDonald's

If I'm being honest, I needed the break that those charging stops provided. I know others can tough it out for longer, but I felt that 3-4 hours and ~300km between stops was really all I could manage. The 20 mins break was enough to mentally recharge for the next leg