Survey: Are you aware of NeedToCharge?

Completed survey.

Aware of it, not interested in using it.

Filled it in yesterday. Wasn't aware of it (but there were a few other ones before it, weren't there?) and not interested in it.

I almost never need to public charge. And when I do, I am in my car. Or at a supercharger with 7 empty stalls beside me

unkel wrote: »

Or at a supercharger with 7 empty stalls beside me

Show off, lol

unkel wrote: »

Filled it in yesterday. Wasn't aware of it (but there were a few other ones before it, weren't there?) and not interested in it.

There was one before it, ChargeBump. It had a pretty good following, but the developer retired and stopped supporting it so it died.

NeedToCharge is better anyway. ChargeBump didn't work well because the system was fussy about the format for Irish plates. The developer of needtocharge took the failings of ChargeBump on board and made sure that it would work internationally.

It's not going to work. In the early years, sure there was a sense of community and helping each other out. Same way as there was pretty decent charging etiquette. You talked to others at a fast charge point and based on need you would stop early or let someone else ahead in the queue. But that evaporated quickly from early 2018 when a lot more EVs came on the scene, a lot of which needed a long time to fast charge (well over an hour instead of the usual 20-30 minutes most owners took before then) and a lot of the new owners ignorant to the plight of others and leaving their cars at fast chargers (where only 1 car could charge at a time) for hours on end

DrPhilG wrote: »

I used to do that, I had a dry wipe board and would write my number and expected time of return. 2 problems with that though.

1 - what if I'm late, my plans change, I get held up?

2 - I kept losing the dry wipe marker or forgetting to write a note.

With needtocharge you register, print a notification disc and display it in the car. Then forget about it. Permanently reachable at all times. No need to check in, no need to write a note, no need to leave my number on show.

I think in Ireland its probably not a big deal, here on the continent I have 4 cards and around 10 apps already for different charging providers.

Don't need another app, number is fine, they text and ask when I'll be back if they really need it.

DrPhilG wrote: »

Not having a dig, but this is another position I don't understand.

Even the most basic of smartphones can have hundred if not thousands of apps installed. Whether you need them or not.

NeedToCharge uses 12mb of storage.

In comparison the ESB app uses 60mb and Plugshare 119mb.

That said, if you leave your number all is good. So long as there is some way to contact you.

I just personally find needtocharge to be an extremely simple solution.

Ya but a piece of paper with my phone number works just fine, they can send a WhatsApp message asking how long I’ll be.

Nothing against it but it’s just another little thing I need to do that I don’t really feel is necessary to start a charging session.

Likewise, I rarely use public chargers and always stay with the car. Once or twice I went to grab a quick takeaway coffee and left my mobile number on the dash - couldn’t be bothered firing up an app tbh.

PS @Sabre Man

If you're looking for someone to interview for your episode, the developer Chris has done a few already so provided you could set up a video link he might be open to it if he has time.

You could gather questions (or even criticisms) here and on Facebook and then hold a live Q&A with him.



He'll possibly shoot me for suggesting this, but he's used to it by now.

Laviski wrote: »

There are lot of apps out there that would work really well if it had mass adoption, doesn't happen. If people don't want to install it, they don't want to install it.

That's the problem. It would have worked (and worked to an extent) a few years ago when there was a bit of a community. Too late for that now. It will never work. And there shouldn't be much of a need for it anyway, now the fast chargers are all empty (because we have to pay for them now). Do the same with the slow chargers, and they will be empty too. And of course we need to rapidly build up our fast charging infrastructure for when EVs are starting to be sold by the tens of thousands per year or more.

I don't think it is relevant if DrPhilG is or is not connected to the app. It is clear to me that anyone promoting it does so in an altruistic way. To benefit all EV owners.

Laviski wrote: »

Just a question DrPhilG, are you connected to NeedToCharge in any way?

Depends on your definition of "connected to", lol.

Go to 15:47 of that PlugSeeker interview for the explanation.

Basically I became aware of the app via one of the UK EV owners pages. I had previously been registered on ChargeBump, but in 4 years of EV driving had never been "bumped" nor successfully bumped anyone.

One reason was lack of user base, another was that ChargeBump didn't adapt to different number plates. If my reg is 162 DL, and you enter 162-DL, it just wouldn't work. Too much guess work and variables.

I tried contacting the developer without much joy and eventually ChargeBump went bump when the developer retired and (I think) emigrated.

When I found out about NTC, I did the same thing. Contacted the developer, asked about Irish plate format issues, and he got back to me right away. Explained how it should work, (the system ignores spaces and hyphens so only reads the numbers and letters) and then tested it with me to confirm.

I went back and forth with a few other issues and helped him test a few Android queries as the app was fairly new on android having been ios only initially.

I was very impressed with his openness to suggestions. Someone else on Facebook suggested offering other licence plate formats rather than the standard UK design, so Chris went and added the European format plate, and all (or at least most) of the country codes and gave the option in the app to change your plate. Makes no difference to the functionality, just a nice design touch in response to a request.

The site gives the option to download a tax disc sized notice for your car. I laminated one and added a suction cup to hang in the car. Like this:


I posted the picture online, a few people commented on it, so I offered to do the same for anyone who wanted one. No charge, just pay for the postage.

That has ended up with me posting out more than 150 discs to individuals in Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and Holland.

I've also sent about 200 discs, laminated adhesive signs and other documents to EV owners clubs in the UK and Holland.

When the first European request came in, following that PlugSeeker video, I helped to get translations in place and Chris has now expanded the site to offer documents in 8 languages.

Overall the app has grown by nearly 4000 users in less than a year and with the European language options only coming in recently, that should continue to grow. I tagged a few chargers in Spain recently while on holiday, lol.

So long story short, I'm not connected as in app owner or developer, I'm just an enthusiastic supporter.

unkel wrote: »

I don't think it is relevant if DrPhilG is or is not connected to the app. It is clear to me that anyone promoting it does so in an altruistic way. To benefit all EV owners.

Exactly. It is a free app, non profit, no adverts etc. I promote it because I see many positives to it and zero downsides. I may only have used it successfully twice, (that's twice in under a year which beats the 0 in 4 years with ChargeBump) but both of those occasions helped another driver out and in one case, saved him a parking ticket.

When something is free, requires no effort beyond the initial registration, and has the potential to make someone's life easier even once, its a no brainer to me.

redcup342 wrote: »

Ya but a piece of paper with my phone number works just fine, they can send a WhatsApp message asking how long I’ll be.

Nothing against it but it’s just another little thing I need to do that I don’t really feel is necessary to start a charging session.

Sounds kinda backward. It's like saying why we need email if we can post letters on a piece of paper. Integrated solution is always better.

Also I don't want to share my number with the whole world!

Well in fairness McGiver, the main reason ChargeBump never took off here is because it didn't work here.

And of the 150+ laminated discs I've posted out to individuals:
England - 79
Ireland - 34
N Ireland - 9
Scotland - 8
Wales - 2

Netherlands - 14
Belgium - 2
Denmark - 2
Germany - 1
*

So given the population, Ireland is doing OK. And it's not just because I'm in Ireland, I'm active on UK Facebook pages too.




* yes I'm a nerd and I counted.