EV chargers

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Thu 18 Nov 2021 18:15
EV chargers - sammy1

There is an interesting question in the Frequently Asked on this site. I have copied it here for ease of explaining

"" am purchasing a Kia e-Niro and my current electricity supplier has given me a choice of the three home EV chargers on their approved list, all around the £600 mark after the Government grant. This resembles blackmail as my initial choice wasn’t any of these. Is this legal?

What happens if I wish to change to a different supplier in future, could the new supplier then refuse to take over one of these approved chargers?"""

I am not in the market for an EV but this is another bit of important information gleaned.

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Thu 18 Nov 2021 18:25
EV chargers - badbusdriver

What's the answer or answers given?

I'm asking because I don't see what it has to do with your electricity supplier what type of charger you have?. I have not looked into it myself, but as far as I was aware the process would go along the lines of:

1, have an electrician or EV charger supplier check your wiring/electric supply to ensure it is safe for use.

2, (assuming no problems with the above) choose a charger and have it fitted by whatever company you buy it from.

3, pay the electricity provider for the electricity used.

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Thu 18 Nov 2021 18:34
EV chargers - mcb100
Any number of installers will fit whichever wall box you want. The energy supplier can’t dictate which brand of appliance you plug in - ‘Excuse me, British Gas, do you have an approved list of kettles and toasters?’
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Thu 18 Nov 2021 18:40
EV chargers - Engineer Andy
Any number of installers will fit whichever wall box you want. The energy supplier can’t dictate which brand of appliance you plug in - ‘Excuse me, British Gas, do you have an approved list of kettles and toasters?’

Maybe it's the government that has 'approved suppliers/installers' (who presumably achieve some 'standard' of installation or have some industry competence qualifications) to avoid comboy outfits taking the money and installing poor quality (or even danegerous) EV chargers, wasting the grant money.

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Thu 18 Nov 2021 18:52
EV chargers - mcb100
From a quick scoot around t’internet, there’s a City & Guilds covering specifically EV charge point installation, then the wall box manufacturers offer training courses.

Edited by mcb100 on 18/11/2021 at 18:53

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Thu 18 Nov 2021 21:28
EV chargers - Ethan Edwards

I've done this myself. The dealer will give you an amount towards their choice of wallboard. If you don't take it get the money off you car. From Mar22 you MUST install a smart charger that can be disconnected remotely aka a smart charger. It's so the network can manage peak demand. So maybe you come to use the car and find it hasn't charged. If you want the Government 350 quid olev grant amongst other criteria you MUST install such a smart charger.

I did not. You can pop along to your local electrical wholesalers and buy the wallbox of your choice. Have your own electrician fit it. Mine was qualified to. I fitted a cheaper dumb box when you plug the type 3 lead in its on. Pull it out and its off. Simple. Clever chargers can conflict with the EVs onboard smarts and decide to stop the charge. So give it some consideration. Its still legal up to Mar 22. Dumb boxes are a lot cheaper. Talk to your electrician. I had a big installer try to convince me I needed a beefier armored cable to my garage from the distribution board. Sparky tells me my cable rated up to 50amps.....I only needed 32. My point is there's sharks out there be careful . That little scam would have cost me a totally unnecessary 1000 quid plus. Oh I needed a new consumer unit as I had run out of elcb's .. oh check your main fuse on your supply it needs to be 100amp. Your sparky will want to do a pre installation survey. But be wary mate it's the wild west out there.

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 18:25
EV chargers - Wee Willie Winkie

Sounds to me that sammy really, really doesn't like EVs. That's fine, but I wish he would check the validity of the rubbish he posts.

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 19:04
EV chargers - Xileno

The reply from Sarah Tooze is:

My understanding from speaking to an EV charge point provider is that a charge point can work with any energy supplier. However, most electricity companies will have a preferred list of charge point suppliers for number of reasons: pre-approved integration with that specific supplier’s tariffs, discounted offering to give their customers best value or, most importantly, the supplier’s support team has been trained on how to help customers with that specific hardware.

I would suggest asking your electricity supplier directly what happens if you change suppliers.

You can read our full guide to electric vehicles for further charging advice here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/is-an-electric-car-right-for-.../

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 19:28
EV chargers - sammy1

Sounds to me that sammy really, really doesn't like EVs. That's fine, but I wish he would check the validity of the rubbish he posts

NOT true I only copied this question from this site and the"" official "" answer is given below "" but is readily available to those interested .

I would quite like a MINI e when we have finished with the A1 but will wait and see as it is like jumping into shark infested waters with EV at the moment. Only today I am reading a reliability report on Teslas and it is not good.

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 19:40
EV chargers - Wee Willie Winkie

No, what you have done on this thread is posted just enough to make someone who doesn't think to research what the answer was and make assumptions....

Also, you've just done it again with your last sentence of your reply. Are you referring to the US survey? If so then that refers to US built Model 3s. UK sold Model 3s are now made in China and are a different beast. I will freely admit I've had issues with my Model 3, but no more than I had with my previous diesel Octavia, and Tesla have been infinity better at sorting things out than Skoda.

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 19:41
EV chargers - badbusdriver

Only today I am reading a reliability report on Teslas and it is not good.

Robert Llewelln has owned his 1st gen Nissan Leaf for 10 years during which nothing has gone wrong on it, he hasn't even had to replace a bulb!

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 20:26
EV chargers - Xileno

I didn't even know Tesla made some of their cars in China. Learn something new on 'ere every day. Are these USA kits or use local parts?

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 22:18
EV chargers - alan1302

I would quite like a MINI e when we have finished with the A1 but will wait and see as it is like jumping into shark infested waters with EV at the moment. Only today I am reading a reliability report on Teslas and it is not good.

From all your posts I've never seen you say anything positive about electric cars and always thought you hated them...I am now in a state of shock!

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 22:46
EV chargers - Ethan Edwards

Mini E? Crucial problem for those is the minuscule range 135miles?. Try looking at the Fiat 500e 42kwh that has 200m range in a smaller package. That is if you really want a small city car. I spoke to a dealer today about the 500e asking how the 24kwh version was selling? It isn't The 42kwh one is going like hot cakes. Apart from price no difference at all except for range.

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Sat 20 Nov 2021 10:13
EV chargers - sammy1

Mini E? Crucial problem for those is the minuscule range 135miles?. Try looking at the Fiat 500e 42kwh that has 200m range in a smaller package. That is if you really want a small city car. I spoke to a dealer today about the 500e asking how the 24kwh version was selling? It isn't The 42kwh one is going like hot cakes. Apart from price no difference at all except for range.

This would suit the wife just fine has she only drives about 12 miles a week. Thank you for the info on a Fiat but having had a MINI before it is a no contest.

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Fri 19 Nov 2021 23:06
EV chargers - sammy1

""No, what you have done on this thread is posted just enough to make someone who doesn't think to research what the answer was and make assumptions....""

NO all I have done is post word for word a question that was asked yesterday to the panel on HJ. If you where interested you could have gone looking for the answer that Xileno was kind enough to post.

The person who is asking the question is giving the facts on chargers that he has come across. My personal thoughts are I can quite believe him.

I did not know that you had a Tesla or that some are made in China. But what I have read is that they are not the quality product that some are led to believe and indeed the latest cars are being released to the markets incomplete because of component shortages. I also am reading that the CEO is unloading shares in his company which may or may not affect confidence in his company.

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Sat 20 Nov 2021 07:18
EV chargers - Wee Willie Winkie

"The person who is asking the question is giving the facts on chargers that he has come across. My personal thoughts are I can quite believe him."

Well, you need to do your own research then. You'll soon find it's nonsense.

"The latest cars being released to the market incomplete"

Sounds very dramatic doesn't it? In reality it's in the US, not the UK, and they're missing, as far as I recall, a rear USB-C charger.

You may have read another 'sensational' headline yesterday how Tesla drivers were 'unable to use their cars' yesterday evening due to an app outage. What the article fails to mention is the cars also have a key card that worked just fine. Just goes to show you need to read beyond the headlines.

Edited by DieselBoy on 20/11/2021 at 07:24

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Sat 20 Nov 2021 12:35
EV chargers - sammy1

"""You may have read another 'sensational' headline yesterday how Tesla drivers were 'unable to use their cars' yesterday evening due to an app outage. What the article fails to mention is the cars also have a key card that worked just fine. Just goes to show you need to read beyond the headlines""

Just read an article on the BBC site re Tesla owners being locked out of their cars and not being able to use them. Not being a Tesla owner I was not aware that you used an APP to access and start your car. All very tech driven until as what happened yesterday the APP went down. OK I also read that you can access the car using a card but as usual in this day and age people tend to rely on their phones. Sorry but this tech is not for me, bad enough when I am sat at home and the broadband goes down.

Whilst on the Tesla theme a recent survey in the USA ranked Tesla 27th on reliability and build quality Lexus being number 1.

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Sun 21 Nov 2021 18:44
EV chargers - Ethan Edwards

OK I've had an EV for a couple of months now. Just wanted to pass on my conclusions about costs. I had a pretty economical petrol car doing 41mpg on supermarket unleaded. I also have a smart meter that tells me the cost of power used charging the car. I know how far that charge is going to take me. So....I can work out given a litre cost of 1.40 my petrol car would cost me 19quid to drive the same distance my EV costs me 7quid. Or put it another way...and I like this one. Everytime I recharge the EV I save 12 quid. Everything else going pretty well , still have not used a public charger, or managed to run out of juice. In fact...my wife has just ordered a Fiat500e 42kwh......purely on the basis of how my Mokka e experience has worked out.

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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?