ESB eCars pricing introduction

Dardania

ELM327 wrote: »

Interesting.

So who is the regulatory body? If there is none then surely one should be created?!







IN this incidence it would seem that the licenced ESB supplier is supplying Ecars and not the end user

That's if indeed eCars are buying their electricity from ESB - maybe they're not ;-)

kennethsmyth

ELM327 wrote: »

Interesting.

So who is the regulatory body? If there is none then surely one should be created?!







IN this incidence it would seem that the licenced ESB supplier is supplying Ecars and not the end user

However the app and machines are showing esb logos, the customer is entitled to infer that they are the supplier.

ELM327

kennethsmyth wrote: »

However the app and machines are showing esb logos, the customer is entitled to infer that they are the supplier.

True, but ESB eCars =/= ESB Networks =/= ESB Transmission =/= ESB Distribution =/= ESB Customer Supply/Electric Ireland


It's a separated vertically integrated regulated structure of companies.

KCross

kennethsmyth wrote: »

If ESB is licenced as a supplier of energy then they are covered by CRU

Only those legal entities that supply energy to end users.

eCars do not supply energy to end users.... thats the CRU's ruling on it from about a year ago.

Its not just eCars either, its Ionity, EasyGo etc. None of them are under CRU pricing regulation either, so you cant expect eCars to be.

KCross

ELM327 wrote: »

So who is the regulatory body? If there is none then surely one should be created?!

There isnt one. Its a private commercial market which is currently expected to regulate itself via the open market... i.e. the users will vote with their money.

Obviously if they over charge you in error etc you have the normal recourse of consumer protection like any other service thats out there.

I thought you were in favour of no government interference and private market forces deciding the future? . ....

ELM327 wrote: »

I'll disagree with your political leanings (I'm a free market capitalist through and through)

ELM327

KCross wrote: »

There isnt one. Its a private commercial market which is currently expected to regulate itself via the open market... i.e. the users will vote with their money.

Obviously if they over charge you in error etc you have the normal recourse of consumer protection like any other service thats out there.

I thought you were in favour of no government interference and private market forces deciding the future? . ....

Absolutely I am , but there's a difference between a regulated market and an oversight body in the case of fraud.


If they are overcharging people that's not the same as having the government set the prices! Trust me, I know what that's like having worked in commercial energy pricing for both gas and electricity around the times of deregulation

ELM327

KCross wrote: »

Only those legal entities that supply energy to end users.

eCars do not supply energy to end users.... thats the CRU's ruling on it from about a year ago.

Its not just eCars either, its Ionity, EasyGo etc. None of them are under CRU pricing regulation either, so you cant expect eCars to be.

This is a good point actually.

ELM327

Ecars new app finally available on IOS
Looks great, flashy, seems like the website was actually designed to be an app. I like the UX.

charlieIRL

Just updating it here now as well.

ELM327

charlieIRL wrote: »

Just updating it here now as well.

I received the email and updated straight away. I'm a nosy crow at the best of times but I wanted to see what it was like.

MJohnston

It'd be great if they could add notifications for when stations become available/unavailable. But I suspect this app may not be changed for quite a while now, bugs aside.

charlieIRL

How long before it crashes?!!!!

Mickeroo

MJohnston wrote: »

It'd be great if they could add notifications for when stations become available/unavailable. But I suspect this app may not be changed for quite a while now, bugs aside.

That option is actually there on some chargers.

When I click into McHugh's Texaco in Ballindine, Co mayo I can see an option to enable notifications for when it becomes available but when I go into the rapid closer to my house no such option exists.

KCross

ELM327 wrote: »

Absolutely I am , but there's a difference between a regulated market and an oversight body in the case of fraud.

I dont get your distinction here. Regulation is to force the market in a particular way, usually pricing.

Fraud is a criminal matter for the courts. You dont need any regulation for that. Just sue them.

What benefit do you see to there being a regulator for EV rapid charging? Personally I think it would just hobble the industry.

If eCars make a mess of their pricing and charging infrastructure people will move over to Ionity, EasyGo etc. More competition is what we need, not regulation.

ELM327

KCross wrote: »

I dont get your distinction here. Regulation is to force the market in a particular way, usually pricing.

Fraud is a criminal matter for the courts. You dont need any regulation for that. Just sue them.

What benefit do you see to there being a regulator for EV rapid charging? Personally I think it would just hobble the industry.

If eCars make a mess of their pricing and charging infrastructure people will move over to Ionity, EasyGo etc. More competition is what we need, not regulation.

My distinction is as follows:
Regulation: You must charge your customers in the following manner
Oversight: If you are billed incorrectly and the company rejects your dispute, contact us for resolution. Like an appeals board.

kennethsmyth

KCross wrote: »

I dont get your distinction here. Regulation is to force the market in a particular way, usually pricing.

Fraud is a criminal matter for the courts. You dont need any regulation for that. Just sue them.

What benefit do you see to there being a regulator for EV rapid charging? Personally I think it would just hobble the industry.

If eCars make a mess of their pricing and charging infrastructure people will move over to Ionity, EasyGo etc. More competition is what we need, not regulation.

Sorry KCross, I don't think there will be competition in the charging market in Ireland, thats not what we do. They are all watching what each other does and follow suit. The only variation will be that the chargers will be in different spots. In Norway there is various competitors at the same spot but I doubt that will happen in Ireland.

Silent Running

MJohnston wrote: »

It'd be great if they could add notifications for when stations become available/unavailable. But I suspect this app may not be changed for quite a while now, bugs aside.

There is. I tried it today on a slow charger that was busy on both sides. I got a message when one of the sides became free.

Silent Running

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Sorry KCross, I don't think there will be competition in the charging market in Ireland, thats not what we do. They are all watching what each other does and follow suit. The only variation will be that the chargers will be in different spots. In Norway there is various competitors at the same spot but I doubt that will happen in Ireland.

Isn't it happening already with ecars and Ionity at the same site?

KCross

ELM327 wrote: »

My distinction is as follows:
Regulation: You must charge your customers in the following manner
Oversight: If you are billed incorrectly and the company rejects your dispute, contact us for resolution. Like an appeals board.

That oversight already exists via consumer protection legislation. What would a regulator provide in addition to your normal consumer protection rights?

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Sorry KCross, I don't think there will be competition in the charging market in Ireland, thats not what we do. They are all watching what each other does and follow suit. The only variation will be that the chargers will be in different spots. In Norway there is various competitors at the same spot but I doubt that will happen in Ireland.

But there is already competition...?

And there will be even more competition over the next few years as eCars start to roll out their high powered charge network.

Maybe down the line if the market is deemed to not be functioning correctly and they are royally ripping us off then a regulator might be called for, but I dont see the need for it at this stage.

A regulator also has to be paid for which would drive up the costs to all of us so be careful what you wish for!

KCross

ELM327 wrote: »

Ecars new app finally available on IOS
Looks great, flashy, seems like the website was actually designed to be an app. I like the UX.

I see a nice little feature that when you find your charger there is a location arrow on the top right that you can click, which takes you into Google maps with the route from your current location to the charger already plugged in ready to navigate you there.... thats nice... simple but nice.

kennethsmyth

KCross wrote: »

I see a nice little feature that when you find your charger there is a location arrow on the top right that you can click, which takes you into Google maps with the route from your current location to the charger already plugged in ready to navigate you there.... thats nice... simple but nice.

Can't find the app on ios only have the old app, do i delete?

Dardania

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Can't find the app on ios only have the old app, do i delete?

it should update the old app. maybe restart the phone

Gwen Cooper

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Can't find the app on ios only have the old app, do i delete?

I just went to the app store, found ecar connect and it gave me an option to update the app.

ELM327

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Can't find the app on ios only have the old app, do i delete?

go to app store and update

kennethsmyth

ELM327 wrote: »

go to app store and update

I only get "open" not "update" and its the old app. Ios 13 etc.

Mickeroo

kennethsmyth wrote: »

I only get "open" not "update" and its the old app. Ios 13 etc.

This is the link from the e-mail, don't know if it's any use to you: https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/ecar-connect/id499852635

kennethsmyth

Mickeroo wrote: »

This is the link from the e-mail, don't know if it's any use to you: https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/ecar-connect/id499852635

Ok that allowed me to update - bit weird though that i couldnt from the norm app store without a direct link

Dardania

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Ok that allowed me to update - bit weird though that i couldnt from the norm app store without a direct link

They probably stage updates to tranches of people to prevent their servers from getting hammered simultaneously.

MJohnston

Silent Running wrote: »

There is. I tried it today on a slow charger that was busy on both sides. I got a message when one of the sides became free.

Does it allow the reverse - a notification when a free charge becomes occupied? That's often what I'm looking for when I'm travelling on the motorway.

KCross

MJohnston wrote: »

It'd be great if they could add notifications for when stations become available/unavailable. But I suspect this app may not be changed for quite a while now, bugs aside.

Silent Running wrote: »

There is. I tried it today on a slow charger that was busy on both sides. I got a message when one of the sides became free.

How do you set the notification for a charge point? I've clicked on one that is occupied but I dont see an option to say "tell me when that becomes available"?