EV charging is changing.

Nov 30, 2022
1,720
1,561
2,935
1000w charger? Get on! That the same as a TEN bar electric fire would use

Thats going to need a cable as thick as your wrist I would think! Are there ANY in existence yet?
 
Mar 14, 2005
18,680
3,939
50,935
Some mix up of units here
Now possible to charge an EV in 5 mins for 250 miles. If only you could find a 1000 kv charging point.
I'm sure you mean 1000kW not 1000kv

1000w charger? Get on! That the same as a TEN bar electric fire would use

Thats going to need a cable as thick as your wrist I would think! Are there ANY in existence yet?
1000W is only 1kW, A TEN bar electric fire would conventionally be 10kW
The 1000kW would actually be 1000 electric fires
As for the size of the cable required, yes it will be large but not as big as you think as these big kW capable chargers will be working on 800V or higher architecture which keeps the size of conductors down.

350kw is the max of any installed in UK.
That might be the case at the moment, but it could increase in the future.
 
Nov 11, 2009
23,590
8,121
50,935
Some mix up of units here

I'm sure you mean 1000kW not 1000kv


1000W is only 1kW, A TEN bar electric fire would conventionally be 10kW
The 1000kW would actually be 1000 electric fires
As for the size of the cable required, yes it will be large but not as big as you think as these big kW capable chargers will be working on 800V or higher architecture which keeps the size of conductors down.


That might be the case at the moment, but it could increase in the future.
I’m sure that it will go above 350kw with the developments being pursued by BYD and others, but 350kw is the max rating at present in UK.
 
Jul 18, 2017
15,120
4,642
50,935
I wonder what the cost will be to top up the battery per kw? Probably as much as a litre of petrol?
 
Last edited:
Jun 20, 2005
19,213
4,741
50,935
I’m sure that it will go above 350kw with the developments being pursued by BYD and others, but 350kw is the max rating at present in UK.
How much and who will fund the cost of the infrastructure? Can the Grid cope 🤔
 

Mel

Moderator
Mar 17, 2007
5,937
1,960
25,935
In the PC mag there was an article about Instavolt ( I think, can’t be bothered to get it to check) putting caravan accessible spaces on one of their big charging plazas. A good move imho as not being able to charge while towing is one factor in limiting EV use. Of course 1 charging centre is not going to be a game changer yet, but an interesting step.
Mel
 
  • Like
Reactions: otherclive
Nov 11, 2009
23,590
8,121
50,935
How much and who will fund the cost of the infrastructure? Can the Grid cope 🤔
I’m pretty ambivalent about it, as at present the very high charging rate has not been rolled out even in China. But I’d expect it would be attractive to owners of premium cars designed for faster charging.

My grandson has just had his order for an ID7 Tourer AWD cancelled by VW. If he wants to reorder it’s at a higher price with less specs unless added to the order. So he went over to the Tesla showroom in Bristol last Saturday to look at the new Model Y. Seems Tesla are doing very good deals via Octopus probably to get sales up. So he’s now driving a Kona EV from Octopus until the T car arrives in June. Strange times in the motor trade.
 

Sam Vimes

Moderator
Sep 7, 2020
2,254
1,781
5,935
How much and who will fund the cost of the infrastructure? Can the Grid cope 🤔
Good question.

Add to this the push towards Heat Pumps and now the AI bit barns being constructed are going to add considerably to the loading.

I've read that some data centres are being refused planning permission because the localised infrastructure can't support the power demands.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Dustydog
Jun 20, 2005
19,213
4,741
50,935
I’m pretty ambivalent about it, as at present the very high charging rate has not been rolled out even in China. But I’d expect it would be attractive to owners of premium cars designed for faster charging.

My grandson has just had his order for an ID7 Tourer AWD cancelled by VW. If he wants to reorder it’s at a higher price with less specs unless added to the order. So he went over to the Tesla showroom in Bristol last Saturday to look at the new Model Y. Seems Tesla are doing very good deals via Octopus probably to get sales up. So he’s now driving a Kona EV from Octopus until the T car arrives in June. Strange times in the motor trade.
Have Tesla redesigned their dashboards? Ie done away with everything controlled from a massive TV touch screen whilst you drive🤔
 
Nov 11, 2009
23,590
8,121
50,935
Have Tesla redesigned their dashboards? Ie done away with everything controlled from a massive TV touch screen whilst you drive🤔
It is still a large screen and no obvious buttons/switches, although he adapted to his previous Model Y, but he says it's nicer to sit in than his previous one which he parted with last year. He was reluctant to go back to a Tesla and really frustrated that VW cancelled his order, but happy that his lease will cover any "protest' marks that may come his way.

 
Jun 20, 2005
19,213
4,741
50,935
👍
I was curious to find out if the latest “ mobile phone”legislation had impacted the massive complex Tesla screens , whilst driving
 
Jul 18, 2017
15,120
4,642
50,935
👍
I was curious to find out if the latest “ mobile phone”legislation had impacted the massive complex Tesla screens , whilst driving
Apparently no need to touch any screen as you use voice commands. Being old fashion I prefer to flip through the screens, but when stationery or gat I get OH to flip through them however the Lexus only has about 7 sub screens.
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
Reactions: Dustydog
Jun 20, 2005
19,213
4,741
50,935
The XC40 Recharge latest. Fully charged before leaving Harrogate .Down to 20% needed a charge at Worcestershire Services.
They had a new 350Kw charger waiting .

7 minutes of charging took her from 20% to 45%, enough to reach Royal Wootton Bassett. Cost 79 p per Kw.

Now it’s spring the range is vastly better than last December. This weekend the usable safe range is circa 180 miles.Mostly 70 mph on motorways.

April 2025 all business use around NorthYorkshire needed 10 full charges , all,at home off peak. Actual total cost a miserly £22.48!
 
  • Like
Reactions: otherclive
Nov 11, 2009
23,590
8,121
50,935
The XC40 Recharge latest. Fully charged before leaving Harrogate .Down to 20% needed a charge at Worcestershire Services.
They had a new 350Kw charger waiting .

7 minutes of charging took her from 20% to 45%, enough to reach Royal Wootton Bassett. Cost 79 p per Kw.

Now it’s spring the range is vastly better than last December. This weekend the usable safe range is circa 180 miles.Mostly 70 mph on motorways.

April 2025 all business use around NorthYorkshire needed 10 full charges , all,at home off peak. Actual total cost a miserly £22.48!
Tempted ?
 
Jun 20, 2005
19,213
4,741
50,935
I was thinking more as a Cee’d replacement
Not since they fixed our headlights👍.
The Cee’d does a regular 200 mile return trip,2/3 times a month . But you never know. It’s not off the possibilities especially the way the EV prices are dropping.
 
Jul 23, 2021
901
833
5,135
Just completed our return trip from the lakes yesterday towing, First leg was 107 (2hrs 12 mins) miles with about 17% / 22 miles left in the battery (130 mile full to empty range). Recharged to 89%, though charger was not outputting full power, and next leg was 92 miles (2hrs 7 mins) arriving at 20% / 26 miles left. A much shorter charge there up to 45% to get the remaining 40 miles home with a bit to spare. Got home with 13% / 17 miles towing or 26 miles solo left.

What interests me here is over the 4 years I have towed with this car,
1) after 54000 miles and 4 years, I cant detect any real degradation in the battery capacity. When we started towing, I reckoned up to 130 or so miles full to empty and that is exactly what I am still getting.
2) the actual towing experience is still sublime. The linearity of the power delivery and sure-footedness of the car still makes for a great drive.
3) The stops are only somewhat governed by the battery range. Each main "leg" was over 2 hours, and by the end I was ready for a comfort break anyway.
4) Finding a stopping location was easy. The 1st was a Garage outside Warrington with a Starbucks, Greggs and 8 high powered chargers. There were 5 available when we arrived.
the 2nd was Corley services on the M6 near Coventry. Again - plenty of chargers and parking available (8 there with 8 more going in). All of this on a sunny bank holiday Monday.

It's still not for everyone - having home charging makes life MUCH easier and MUCH cheaper. But as has been pointed out on other threads, near new used EVs are a bargain at the moment. A 2022, 56000 miles, 400hp AWD Polestar 2 like mine can be had from Polestar for just under £24k. Thats a huge amount of car for the money, and can be run for just £5.25 for 200 miles of driving.
 
Nov 11, 2009
23,590
8,121
50,935
Thanks for the update it brings real world experience to towing with an EV. Even in a Bank Holiday chargers availability was good, but that’s not of interest to the media. They only want queues of EVs waiting for a charger. The availability of charging points seems to be getting much better given the increased rate of installation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryB
Jan 20, 2023
1,158
993
2,435
@Tobes how do you go on parking the caravan while charging? I think that's the real "fear" for a lot of folks (me included). I know that one of the motorway services has the caravan parking area past the normal parking, making it impossible to park the caravan there then go back to a charger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dustydog

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts