New electric car

Paul Gorey

Looking to buy a new car and I'm going to change from diesel to electric.
The two cars I've looked at so far are the Nissan Leaf and the Hyundai Kona.
The Leaf has a nicer appearance and is more spacious (not a major issue for me).
But the Kona has a greater range in terms of miles before charging.
That's all I know about both of them. Haven't driven either, or any electric car for that matter.
Any drivers of the Kona or Leaf and what do you think of them? Would you recommend?
Any other electric car drivers could recommend a good car that's going well for them? I'm sure there are others I've overlooked.
Thanks in advance,
Paul.

geodesic

Paul Gorey wrote: »

Any other electric car drivers could recommend a good car that's going well for them? I'm sure there are others I've overlooked.

Also switching to an EV in the new year, got a VW ID.4 on order for delivery in a month or two.

You might want to consider that model also, similar range & size to the Kona but much bigger boot if you need that. Also there's the Golf-sized ID.3 out since last year.

If you like the Kona, have a look at the Kia e-Niro ... same Korean conglomerate, so lots of shared components with the Kona including the basic chassis. Slightly different form factor tho', again bigger boot capacity.

KCross

Paul Gorey wrote: »

Any other electric car drivers could recommend a good car that's going well for them? I'm sure there are others I've overlooked.
Thanks in advance,
Paul.

It depends on what you want really.

Size, range, looks, features etc.
Have you any must-haves?

Do you regularly drive long distance and if so, what distance?
Will you be able to charge at home on your driveway.... thats critical to EV ownership.

Black_Knight

Kona sold well in Ireland, but at 38k+ I don't think anyone here is/was recommending them. Bad spec in Ireland, dull interior, cramped and no boot.

Kia ENiro on the other hand is well regarded on here. It's the same as the Kona but interior isn't as dull, it's more spacious and has a boot.

Leaf gets somewhat mixed reviews here. IMO, they're falling behind the times. CHAdeMO socket is old tech, charging speeds are not 2021 standard (or anything near that), and range is only decent.

VW id3 might be a nice option too. Good range, good price, decent spec.

Test drive em all, get back to us with what you like, and we'll point you one direction or another.... Or all directions

Paul Gorey

KCross wrote: »

It depends on what you want really.

Size, range, looks, features etc.
Have you any must-haves?

Do you regularly drive long distance and if so, what distance?
Will you be able to charge at home on your driveway.... thats critical to EV ownership.

Yeah, would do a lot of driving across the country for work. Lots of motorway driving. Size I suppose, mid range, similar to leaf or kona.
No particular must haves, apart from being good for regular long distance journeys.

Idbatterim

https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/polestar/2/driving

KCross

Paul Gorey wrote: »

Yeah, would do a lot of driving across the country for work. Lots of motorway driving. Size I suppose, mid range, similar to leaf or kona.
No particular must haves, apart from being good for regular long distance journeys.

That’s an important requirement then as all EVs are not equal when it comes to fast motorway driving.

Are these motorway journeys all over the country or just a specific one?

How far are we talking?

Do you expect to be able to do a return journey without charging?

Can you charge at your destination?

Budget?

slave1

As said, extend the eNiro into your list. As driven both I wouldn't say the Kona is small, it's tiny, really is. The Leaf is a lot bigger, great room on the inside for driver and passengers
The eNiro though is the pick of those three, has the space and range.

Paul Gorey

KCross wrote: »

That’s an important requirement then as all EVs are not equal when it comes to fast motorway driving.

Are these motorway journeys all over the country or just a specific one?

How far are we talking?

Do you expect to be able to do a return journey without charging?

Can you charge at your destination?

Budget?

Yeah, go from Dublin regularly down the country to Athlone and even as far as Galway occasionally. I'd clock up big miles over the course of a year.

slave1

Paul Gorey wrote: »

Yeah, go from Dublin regularly down the country to Athlone and even as far as Galway occasionally. I'd clock up big miles over the course of a year.

Then forget about the Leaf as that does not take more than one rapid charge a day before killing the charging speed (rapidgate)

KCross

Paul Gorey wrote: »

Yeah, go from Dublin regularly down the country to Athlone and even as far as Galway occasionally. I'd clock up big miles over the course of a year.

Budget?

the_amazing_raisin

I'd recommend getting something with fast charging as well as long range. Big battery with slow charging around 50kW means any charging stops will take upwards of an hour

That rules out the Leaf, it's effectively 50kW since there are no higher power fast chargers with Chademo plugs

VW ID.3 and ID.4 are probably worth looking at
Peugeot e-2008 might be a good option
Kia E-Niro is definitely worth considering
Ioniq 5 is coming later this year and might fit your needs too

Dunfyy

Best cars

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/best-electric-cars-and-evs/

Black_Knight

Black_Knight wrote: »

Kona sold well in Ireland, but at 38k+ I don't think anyone here is/was recommending them. Bad spec in Ireland, dull interior, cramped and no boot.

Kia ENiro on the other hand is well regarded on here. It's the same as the Kona but interior isn't as dull, it's more spacious and has a boot.

Leaf gets somewhat mixed reviews here. IMO, they're falling behind the times. CHAdeMO socket is old tech, charging speeds are not 2021 standard (or anything near that), and range is only decent.

VW id3 might be a nice option too. Good range, good price, decent spec.

Test drive em all, get back to us with what you like, and we'll point you one direction or another.... Or all directions

In fairness to the Leaf E-Plus it's quite good when it comes to DC charging on a 150 Kw charger, how heat effects it now I'm not sure yet. But it's not fair to run it down now when it comes to DC charging at least when the battery temp is within range.

the_amazing_raisin

EV database is good for realistic range and charging info

https://ev-database.org/

cruisey1987

cruisey1987 wrote: »

I'd recommend getting something with fast charging as well as long range. Big battery with slow charging around 50kW means any charging stops will take upwards of an hour

That rules out the Leaf, it's effectively 50kW since there are no higher power fast chargers with Chademo plugs

VW ID.3 and ID.4 are probably worth looking at
Peugeot e-2008 might be a good option
Kia E-Niro is definitely worth considering
Ioniq 5 is coming later this year and might fit your needs too

The ESB are installing 150 Kw chargers with ChaDeMo but admittedly CCS is best. But the Leaf E-Plus can charge at a decent rate.

Personally out of the list above I'd go with the ID.4 because it's very quiet inside, and very quick off the line, Rear wheel drive makes a massive difference living on an Island with roads damp or wet most of the year, pulling out of junctions with spinning wheels is a big no no for me at least.

The S-2008 isn't supposed to be very efficient either.

The id.3 can charge at one of the best rates out there at the moment, I'd go for that alone, battery temp dependent of course.

ID.4 if within budget, larger and much nicer interior though the id.3 should have much better interior options now.

Patser

Of the type of car you've mentioned, another vote here for the Kia E-Niro best all round E.V. on market.

If money can stretch Tesla Model 3, if you want a bit more performance and fun.

If you can wait - Skoda Enyaq looks promising, bigger than VW id3 but with all its mechanics underneath.

Other soon to be released dark horses - Citroen e-C4 and Opel Mokka (both built on Peugeots current EV mechanics that are proving popular)

If money no object (in increasing price) VW ID4 - Jaguar i Pace - Tesla Model X - Porsche Taycan

zg3409

In terms of cars those with 60kWh+ batteries will go futher without needing to be charged up again but when they do go low you could be talking a 1 hour or more stop at the 50kW chargers to refill them.

If you are intending regular long distance trips you need to really research the true state of the public charging network and the lack of 50kW chargers in many places with most sites only having one charger that can be broken for months if not years. Northern Ireland is a disaster with most broken most of the time.

Are you willing to wait 1+ hour at a motorway services?

For example Athlone motorway services, one free charger that has been broken at least twice in the past year for weeks at a time, other chargers from ionity there cannot charge a leaf, and are crazy expensive and typically one or two are not working at any point in time, and athone is a good location compared to other towns.

You also need to research real worst case range at full 120km/h speed in worst case low battery temperature.(like winter conditions we are having now)You could probably be talking 300km between charges on a 64kWh battery car, assuming charger works, is not busy and then you are adding an hour to your trip.I love EVs but the public network is far from ideal and if travelling beyond EV range you must public charge to get back home. Factor in fuel savings, typical overpricing of EVs. Consider used for value and lower depreciation. An EV might not make sense for you right now, if more than 1% of your round trips are beyond the real range of the car.

liamog

zg3409 wrote: »

An EV might not make sense for you right now, if more than 1% of your round trips are beyond the real range of the car.

At 1% of trips, I think you'd be daft to discount an EV for a given requirement. You're basically saying if you need to travel outside your range more than 4 days a year you should ignore all the other benefits. I'd put the threshold closer to once a month.

Lantus

Model 3 long range or e soul would be top contenders.

Your motorway av speed will affect range significantly. Look up real world tests and ignore manufacturer ratings.

Athlone trip is doable on one charge but galway needs a charge most likely.research how and where this will be done.

Big battery id3 is coming I think. Another one to watch.

Edit: 77kw tour is available at 42k and a theoretical 550km range.

zg3409

zg3409 wrote: »

In terms of cars those with 60kWh+ batteries will go futher without needing to be charged up again but when they do go low you could be talking a 1 hour or more stop at the 50kW chargers to refill them.

If you are intending regular long distance trips you need to really research the true state of the public charging network and the lack of 50kW chargers in many places with most sites only having one charger that can be broken for months if not years. Northern Ireland is a disaster with most broken most of the time.

Are you willing to wait 1+ hour at a motorway services?

For example Athlone motorway services, one free charger that has been broken at least twice in the past year for weeks at a time, other chargers from ionity there cannot charge a leaf, and are crazy expensive and typically one or two are not working at any point in time, and athone is a good location compared to other towns.

You also need to research real worst case range at full 120km/h speed in worst case low battery temperature.(like winter conditions we are having now)You could probably be talking 300km between charges on a 64kWh battery car, assuming charger works, is not busy and then you are adding an hour to your trip.I love EVs but the public network is far from ideal and if travelling beyond EV range you must public charge to get back home. Factor in fuel savings, typical overpricing of EVs. Consider used for value and lower depreciation. An EV might not make sense for you right now, if more than 1% of your round trips are beyond the real range of the car.

+ add to that cold batteries take longer to charge.

Regarding Ionity, if someone isn't using them every day then the cost isn't a big issue of most charging is done at home on night rate, the savings are still massive.

Lantus

Lantus wrote: »

Model 3 long range or e soul would be top contenders.

Your motorway av speed will affect range significantly. Look up real world tests and ignore manufacturer ratings.

Athlone trip is doable on one charge but galway needs a charge most likely.research how and where this will be done.

Big battery id3 is coming I think. Another one to watch.

Edit: 77kw tour is available at 42k and a theoretical 550km range.

The largest battery id.3 is a 4 seater only.

If it were I and I had to choose I would be choosing a car that offered the fastest charging and this would be the id.3 or model 3 at this point in time, however when the battery is cold charge time increased but still the id.3 M3 have the best charging times.

Do people really stop at motorway services to fully recharge or do they top up to have enough to get them to their next destination?

I think the 1hour+ stops are only required if you are literally covering hundreds of kilometres per day without sleep / rest.

I was extremely concerned about stoppages and taking 'huge chunks of time' for my journey 'standing still' but actually it's far more likely if you have a 60kWh+ battery and you can't quite make it on a single charge, that you'll only be needing 15/20 kWh added to get you to your final destination.

Ireland is not that big! If your car requires 80 kWh for your journey, and you 'only' have a 60 kWh battery, a 50kW chargee at some stage gets you that additional required 20kW in < 30mins. If you can hit a 150KW charger that comes down to further. (note - no LEAF - https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/esb-introduces-pricing-for-ultra-fast-ev-chargers-1.4411554)

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Do people really stop at motorway services to fully recharge or do they top up to have enough to get them to their next destination?

I think the 1hour+ stops are only required if you are literally covering hundreds of kilometres per day without sleep / rest.

I was extremely concerned about stoppages and taking 'huge chunks of time' for my journey 'standing still' but actually it's far more likely if you have a 60kWh+ battery and you can't quite make it on a single charge, that you'll only be needing 15/20 kWh added to get you to your final destination.

Ireland is not that big! If your car requires 80 kWh for your journey, and you 'only' have a 60 kWh battery, a 50kW chargee at some stage gets you that additional required 20kW in < 30mins. If you can hit a 150KW charger that comes down to further. (note - no LEAF - https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/esb-introduces-pricing-for-ultra-fast-ev-chargers-1.4411554)

The problem is the charging curve, it's pretty crap on most electric cars + cold batteries can take 20 mins or more to charge.

There are a few cars with a good charging curve, battery temp depending of course.

the 94 + 120 ah BMW i3
Audi E-tron

There's a few others I can't think of atm.

jordan191

If your budget allows a Tesla model 3 Long Range or even SR model might be an option, even year old car might be cheaper

Lumen

Model 3 SR+ range is crap for the money compared to the eNiro, but it charges faster.

ID.3 has good combo of fast charging, good range plus cheaper Ionity charging, but depends on spec.

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

Model 3 SR+ range is crap for the money compared to the eNiro, but it charges faster.

ID.3 has good combo of fast charging, good range plus cheaper Ionity charging, but depends on spec.

RWD and a lot faster though

The faster charging is a plus too.

the_amazing_raisin

Lumen wrote: »

Model 3 SR+ range is crap for the money compared to the eNiro, but it charges faster.

ID.3 has good combo of fast charging, good range plus cheaper Ionity charging, but depends on spec.

ID.4 also charges at 125kW peak, same as the bigger battery ID.3

Should make Dublin to Galway and back with a single 30 mins charge at Galway plaza, assuming you have no destination charger available

Yeah, these days if faster charging is available I'd be going for this if the budget allows.

jordan191

Lumen wrote: »

Model 3 SR+ range is crap for the money compared to the eNiro, but it charges faster.

ID.3 has good combo of fast charging, good range plus cheaper Ionity charging, but depends on spec.

I suspose for 34k, the Id3 ain't too bad but it's range isn't great around 260-300kms looks a bit plain compared to a model 3, but then again not everyone is interested in having the extra range, power or speed, tech wise model 3 is years ahead of VW at the moment, they will catch up and no doubt the ID range will make billions for VW but I think they're just playing a bit too safe with the looks. I had a deposit on an ID3 but ended up buying a model 3 once I drove one

liamog

Deleted User wrote: »

There are a few cars with a good charging curve, battery temp depending of course.

the 94 + 120 ah BMW i3
Audi E-tron

There's a few others I can't think of atm.

I'm really noticing the cold battery difference between the Ioniq and the Mini (same battery as the 94Ah I3). The Ioniq 28kWh maybe adds about 4/5 min during cold weather so I never really understood what you were talking about.

unkel

cruisey1987 wrote: »

Should make Dublin to Galway and back with a single 30 mins charge at Galway plaza, assuming you have no destination charger available

Did that last week in cold and wet weather. Round trip from Dublin to about 20km north west of Galway. 20-25 minutes at Galway plaza on the way back, the car was charging at up to 130kW


Not bad for a 7 year old EV

Edit - was actually 38 minutes! Only just about time to go to the rest room and get some carvery dinner in me and relax for 5 minutes. Used 42kWh at a cost of €14, so average charge speed was 66kW

innrain

Deleted User wrote: »

The problem is the charging curve, it's pretty crap on most electric cars + cold batteries can take 20 mins or more to charge.

Things are improving though.


This is Kona charging @1°;C. 48kW at 50kW charger is the best you can hope for.

liamog

liamog wrote: »

I'm really noticing the cold battery difference between the Ioniq and the Mini (same battery as the 94Ah I3). The Ioniq 28kWh maybe adds about 4/5 min during cold weather so I never really understood what you were talking about.

I have no Idea what the prerequisites for battery heating are on the Ioniq but it has to heat the battery because there's no Li battery immune to greatly increased internal resistance due to a cold battery. It's only got a fan heater and it can't warm up that fast.

I would like to know if setting off in the ioniq with a cold battery when the car hasn't been plugged in over night in cold weather would increased charge times be noticed ?

The i3 only heats the battery when plugged in and a charge timer and depart timer are set 4 hrs prior to departure and it only heats to 10 Deg C which was designed only to allow max acceleration and regen, charging the battery even at 10 Deg C is quite slow but you wouldn't be charging in those circumstances yet because you just set off with a fully charged battery and I've discovered that when the battery is charged to 100% and pre-heated that by the time I need a charge on a long drive I get near enough full power or full power.

The trick with the i3/mi or any EV is after a long drive even if inconvenient try charge it up when you get to your destination while the battery is still warm because even in the height of an Irish summer the temps can get as low as 8 Deg C at night and this is plenty low enough to cool the battery a lot.

The thing about the i3 is that it's really sluggish when the battery is around 3 or 4 Deg C, I really notice the drop off in acceleration and you can see it on the power meter.

Not even a Tesla is immune to decreased acceleration with a cold battery or increased charge times, in fact, Bjorn did a recent video on it, I haven't watched it yet but there have been complaints.

Some batteries will suffer more than others, the more powerful the car the more noticeable it will be, I did not notice reduced acceleration with the leaf but it only had 109 hp but I did see as little as 18Kw on regen when the battery was very cold.

Old diesel

In my opinion the longer recharge time for 60 kwh batteries only comes into play if you need the big fill to continue your journey.

So if you needed to do 220 miles today but the car had 170 miles range - you wouldnt need a long stop to make up the gap at a rapid.

Youd need to just put say 40 percent into the car and not go to full 80 percent

innrain

innrain wrote: »

Things are improving though.


This is Kona charging @1°;C. 48kW at 50kW charger is the best you can hope for.

@ 1 Deg C, ambient but the Battery temp is obviously way higher.

I could show charging the i3 @ 50 Kw @ -5 Deg C if the battery was up to temp.

unkel

unkel wrote: »

Did that last week in cold and wet weather. Round trip from Dublin to about 20km north west of Galway. 20-25 minutes at Galway plaza on the way back, the car was charging at up to 130kW


Not bad for a 7 year old EV

Edit - was actually 38 minutes! Only just about time to go to the rest room and get some carvery dinner in me and relax for 5 minutes. Used 42kWh at a cost of €14, so average charge speed was 66kW

And you did all that at 120-130 Km/hr I bet ?

Would be good if that could be brought down to 10 mins.

unkel

Deleted User wrote: »

And you did all that at 120-130 Km/hr I bet ?

Mostly, yes

Deleted User wrote: »

Would be good if that could be brought down to 10 mins.

I had to take a break and eat dinner anyway, half an hour or even a bit more was perfectly fine. But in summer I could probably do that same journey with just a 15 minute charge. The Teslas (even this old beast) charge really fast when they are almost empty, but start to taper almost immediately

innrain

Deleted User wrote: »

@ 1 Deg C, ambient but the Battery temp is obviously way higher.

I could show charging the i3 @ 50 Kw @ -5 Deg C if the battery was up to temp.

I drove 5 mins to get to the charger. It started at 41 kW and charged 36.430 kWh in 45 mins averaging 48.43 kW, slightly less than in warm weather but not even 10% less. The highest average charging rate at the same charger was 50.22kW in September. If the battery was warm it was because of its thermal management and not due to driving.

Paul Gorey

Thanks a million for all the replies everyone! Given me a lot to consider!!

innrain

innrain wrote: »

I drove 5 mins to get to the charger. It started at 41 kW and charged 36.430 kWh in 45 mins averaging 48.43 kW, slightly less than in warm weather but not even 10% less. The highest average charging rate at the same charger was 50.22kW in September. If the battery was warm it was because of its thermal management and not due to driving.

Interesting, I'd like some hard data to see what temp the 64 Kwh Korean cars is at and at what KW on a DC charger.

Patser

Paul Gorey wrote: »

Thanks a million for all the replies everyone! Given me a lot to consider!!

One of the biggest problems at the moment with buying an EV, especially a new one is that the range and development is suddenly exploding as all manufacturers are jumping on board. So suddenly there's a big choice, especially regards to soon to be released - and with this interest there's a lot of development and improvements on the way. So the 'next car' syndrome of what is coming kicks in.

Gone are the days of do you choose between a Leaf or a Zoe. Now its Tesla model 3 vs id3 vs Kona vs Niro vs 208 vs Honda e vs.... , oh and this year you also have Model Y, id4, Enyaq, Mokka e....

Choice has improved dramatically over last 12 months, and is going to explode again over next 12 - Ford are joining party with new Mustang, Seat have their el Born sporty take on VW trch to come, Jaguar are rumoured to be working on more affordable i Pace alternative.... so it can be a good time to join EV club, just don't get too hung up on what's to come.

liamog

I think a big reason the original Ioniq can maintain it's charge speed when cold, is that the battery was capable of charging at around 70kW. If the cold battery causes a 30% drop off in charging capability, the Ioniq is now stuck at 49kW versus and I3 at 35kW.

liamog

liamog wrote: »

I think a big reason the original Ioniq can maintain it's charge speed when cold, is that the battery was capable of charging at around 70kW. If the cold battery causes a 30% drop off in charging capability, the Ioniq is now stuck at 49kW versus and I3 at 35kW.

i3 at 35 kw ? I wish, if cold enough can show 22 Kw at the charger. Big difference from 50 Kw when around 21 Deg C and interestingly the Model 3 needs to be 45 degrees C give or take for max charge and can see 50 odd degrees when charging, I'd like to know the impact on longevity due to that.

I'd like to see the ioniq on a 150 Kw charger and with known battery temp.

AMKC

At OP Mazda also have an electric car the MX30 it's called and it's worth looking at. Also the Kia E-Soul is another.

Silent Running

Deleted User wrote: »

Interesting, I'd like some hard data to see what temp the 64 Kwh Korean cars is at and at what KW on a DC charger.

Not hard data... but from memory of winter 2019-2020. I remember the Niro at an Ionity unit pulling 76kW at a battery temperature of 14C according to Torque pro. It wasn't a cold day though, I think we had about 12C that day.

I captured the dash at 76kW, but didn't capture the phone readout showing the temperature.

The temperature rose steadily during the charge.

liamog

AMKC wrote: »

At OP Mazda also have an electric car the MX30 it's called and it's worth looking at. Also the Kia E-Soul is another.

Based on the OP's needs, I wouldn't go near the MX30. The e-soul is a good option though. OP mentioned regular Dublin Athlone trips, that's a 256km return journey. Based on that I'd be looking at cars with at least a 350km WLTP range if it's going to be the main family car.

fricatus

liamog wrote: »

Based on the OP's needs, I wouldn't go near the MX30. The e-soul is a good option though. OP mentioned regular Dublin Athlone trips, that's a 256km return journey. Based on that I'd be looking at cars with at least a 350km WLTP range if it's going to be the main family car.

Yes, the MX30 is a good car by all accounts, but Mazda have decided to keep the cost down by offering limited range and betting that the charging infrastructure will take the strain. It’s a brave move and I can see why they did it. I suspect it would work for anyone who was used to an old Leaf or Zoe, or whose daily mileage is limited and predictable, but not for the “600 km, recharge in 5 minutes” brigade.

the_amazing_raisin

Old diesel wrote: »

In my opinion the longer recharge time for 60 kwh batteries only comes into play if you need the big fill to continue your journey.

So if you needed to do 220 miles today but the car had 170 miles range - you wouldnt need a long stop to make up the gap at a rapid.

Youd need to just put say 40 percent into the car and not go to full 80 percent

I read an article a while back where there was a survey of drivers to find the ideal length of a charging stop. Apparently they worked out that 15 mins was generally the maximum amount of time people would be willing to wait

Realistically I'd say 15 mins is a bit ambitious unless you've a Taycan or a Model 3 on a v3 supercharger, most other cars won't add a huge amount of range in that time

But it's probably worth thinking about how long you'd consider a reasonable charging stop and work from there.

Personally I'd consider 25 mins a reasonable amount of time to stop. That's enough time for a bathroom break, grab a coffee and donuts and consume said coffee and donut without giving myself indigestion

So in an ID.4 that's probably enough to add 200-250 km of range. Add that to the 300-350km of motorway range you started with and you've a realistic range of 500-600km

the_amazing_raisin

[Deleted User] wrote: »

And you did all that at 120-130 Km/hr I bet ?

Would be good if that could be brought down to 10 mins.

Personally I'd be tempted to charge at Ionity Athlone both ways if I'm doing Dublin to Galway and back

It's the most inefficient way possible on the outward journey because the battery is too full, so it's 2 15-20 min stops versus a single 25-35 min stop

But Ionity has 4 chargers versus 1 HPC in Galway plaza. To me the 15 mins I lose by charging twice is worth the certainty of a charger being free.

If I arrived at Galway plaza just after unkel plugged in, that quickly becomes a 1 hour charging stop where I'm either on 50kW or waiting for a charger

EDIT: Just did the numbers in ABRP and the timing works out the same, 35 mins in Galway plaza versus 13+19 mins at Athlone.

Ionity is of course more expensive but I think it's worth it for the certainty of having a charger available. Also my ID.4 comes with 3 years of discounted Ionity rates (€0.53/kWh)

AndyBoBandy

I'd probably favour the Athlone stop on that route simply because of power (pardon the pun) in numbers.... I'd still try and use the (free) Circle K 50kW if available, but would have no qualms about using the Ionity as it would only ever be a once off to make a trip like that...

(Although looking on PlugShare, it appears the Circle K CCS plug is deactivated? and it's CHAdeMO only now?, which would kind of make sense given there are 4 (albeit expensive) CCS plugs there).

Having said that, if on the return to Dublin I was passing Galway Plaza and saw that one of the CCS plugs was available*, I'd probably stop at it and fill up enough for a non stop return to Dublin (200km from the plaza to my home).

*the joys of having an internet browser in your cars display, with eCars saved as a favourite..