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My first few months of EV ownership, and it,s quite different.
Your methodology changes to the new regime, you make mistakes and you learn a lot.
The charging network navigation takes a lot of adaptation. I Thought it was just a case of rolling up and swiping the debit card ..erm..no. most times that doesnt work and it is always prudent to install the App for your favourite chargers. If swiping doesnt work, the App usually does and vice versa.
I got used to the new regime, and then had a look at my bank statements.
That was a shocker. My petrol car, I was spending £120 month on fuel, I only do 6K/year.
The EV its about £30/month.
It was expensive at first, until you sign up to the apps.
It does suit my short journeys and longer 120 mile ones easily.
But nothing beats getting into a warm and defrosted car….that is magic right there.
Only been waiting since August when I filled in the Ohme property survey.
Hopefully the charger gets fitted soon. I’ve been using the granny charger to keep the car topped up.
It works quite well.
This Ioniq Highway Driving Assist is awesome. The car does drive itself on motorways. That and the HUD should be mandatory on cars.
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There’s a lot to learn, in the same way using new technologies always requires learning how to get the best out of them.
Theres a lot around charging that makes life very much more convenient, which is the opposite of popular belief. Plug in and forget allows you to charge at home/work and get on with something completely different while the car fills up. Overnight timed charging means you end up paying pennies per mile a bad all done automatically (after a bit of learning while setting up) as long as you plug the car in when you get home.
There’s a lot to learn about efficiency, not driving like a snail, sneaking in behind an HGV and hypermiling but putting the car in eco mode and turning regen down/off when cruise control is taking the strain on long motorway trips gains a number of miles over doing exactly the same speed without taking those measures.
There is nothing better than going out watching your neighbours scraping ice and you simply get in and go, in a lovely warm car. Just don’t look smug, you get dropped from the dinner parties that way?
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
There is nothing better than going out watching your neighbours scraping ice and you simply get in and go, in a lovely warm car. Just don’t look smug, you get dropped from the dinner parties that way
I laugh at my neigbours too, for being so bone idol and not parking their cars behind their driveway gate. Unlike me who does and preheats there car on frosty mornings ?
Only used pre-heat once and it was very nice 🙂
One of the biggest improvements is the heating system, I could set the Ateca at 20 and it would take a fair while to actually feel warm enough to turn it down a bit. With the Enyaq (and no pre-heating) I have it at 17 and can be warm in a couple of minutes of getting in.
Still getting used to “almost” one foot driving, different to driving using ACC and trafic sign recognition where it slows to a stop behind cars in front at junctions, traffic lights etc. and automatically slows on bends, roundabouts and turning corners with the indicators on. I still keep my foot over the brakes just in case!.
Please excuse spelling/typos. Apart from being a clot it turns out I had one on my cerebellum that's now causing various problems!
If you filled the Ohme survey in back in August I’d be getting on the phone to find out what the chuff is going on. I filled it out between Christmas and new year and am getting an install in late February.
I’m confused about your charger delay too. I’m ready to order 10th Feb and am 90% sure I’m going BEV. I have off street drive parking and I thought my install for a fast charger would be simple and be in before any new car arrives or they’d be no point having the car?
If you filled the Ohme survey in back in August I’d be getting on the phone to find out what the chuff is going on. I filled it out between Christmas and new year and am getting an install in late February.
For the most part, its a simple install and there are no delays. But for others its complicated. Ohme were replacing Easee chargers and they had that job thrust on them.
Each have had at least 2x complaints,
Motability,
Ohme,
Ohme,s subcontractors, (2different firms)
the local DNO,
The local DNO,s contractors.
There is no single reason for the delays, just too many points of failure along the way. They all say they are sorry for the delays…and thats about it.
If you filled the Ohme survey in back in August I’d be getting on the phone to find out what the chuff is going on. I filled it out between Christmas and new year and am getting an install in late February.
For the most part, its a simple install and there are no delays. But for others its complicated. Ohme were replacing Easee chargers and they had that job thrust on them. Each have had at least 2x complaints, Motability, Ohme, Ohme,s subcontractors, (2different firms) the local DNO, The local DNO,s contractors. There is no single reason for the delays, just too many points of failure along the way. They all say they are sorry for the delays…and thats about it.
I wish I owned a company and offered a contract to replace perfectly good charger, with what I class as inferior ones. Where has all the money gone from the resale of all the Easee chargers? I can gurantee its not gone into MO’s pocket!
In your case, what do you think has gone so drastically wrong and what is holding the job up, other than what you have said?
Providing the correct form has been submitted to the DNO, minor works orders are normally completed within a maximum of 28days or 10days for new connections. Street works for looped supply’s for example, typically take between 8 to 12 weeks for completion and often sooner.
An adequacy of supply is required prior to installing a charger. This is determined from a load survey (did I say survey!), which calculates the new maximum demand with the charger fitted. This will deternine whether the DNO must be informed (a) prior to connector (b) connect and notify.
Properties with a new total maximum demand ≤60A and meeting all other relevant requirements, the installer can connect the charger and notify the DNO within 28days using the relevant form.
If the total maximum demand is >60A or between 60 and 100A and not CT metered or the total maximum demand exceeds 100A the installer must apply for a connection prior to installation, using the correct form.
Depending on the age or condition of the DNO’s equipment, the installer may need to contact the DNO prior to connection.
Thats the basic’s of it anyway and applies to all DNO’s for both Charge points and Heat Pumps. If your not happy, with your DNO or they have taken longer than they should, you are perfectly in your rights complaing to Ofgen. However I imagine much of your complaint is centred around the middle man – Ohms contractors 🙂
Nicely done Kezo.
Part of the problem was Ohme.s subcontractor sat on the survey for 10 weeks. But their local install electrician was messing them about, he has left the contract and a new local sparks is picking up the pieces.
Anyway, my DNO,s contractor came out done his survey, and de-looped my supply from next door. Their boss was out and said, I was getting 3 phase installed into the property.
I know not a lot of domestic supply is 3 phase. The sparks installing the cable says yup 3 phase supply, but you wont be able to use it unttil I have a 3 phase meter installed.
But still waiting on the install sparks to contact with a date. Its a one man outfit running out of a one unit shop in an industrial park. He has a bit of a mess to sort out. Ohme did suggest they may send of if their engineers from 300 miles away. I.ll email Ohme tomorrow see if I can get an update.
Am not bothered anymore, its not worth getting stressed out about crap that is outwith your control.
Most of all I am enjoying this spaceship. Its unbelievable.
All things considered, I just use any excuse to go out for a drive. I.ve only seen one other Ioniq 5 out on the road.
At the moment, you are only using one of the 3 phases (polyphase) , so essentially have single phase like most, as the other two phases are in essence capped off.
Although your supply is now future proofed, is having a charger installed, increasing the electricity demand required in your home above that required single phase 100A 13.8kVA.
It is you electricty supplier who will be installing a three phase meter. Ohme or their contractors aren’t allowed to do this.
The important bit!
Not all electricty supplier’s are yet able or willing to upgrade you to a three phase meter. Those that can would likely install a traditional three phase meter without smart metering, however some energy companies are in the process of trialling three phase smart meters.
Because domestic three phase is still few and far between, there is very few meter engineers across the country (god help!) trained to install a three phase meter in a domestic property and most uppliers are charging around £300 to have a three phase meter installed.
However not all area’s of the country are yet covered or if you have a 2 rate meter (economy 7/10)you may have to make do with what you got.
My advice, unless it is necessary is to keep with single phase now and let your charger installation to go ahead as such and notify your supplier, you wish to stick with single phase metering for now. It will make the process alot easier.
Should you wish to cnvert to three phase now or in the future, I would discuss with your supplier what additional costs if any are for single rate three phase above the installation cost – There should be no extra fee’s or stand charges these days for three phase assuming its a standard service head, which it will be. Once dmest 3 phase becomes more common, its likely the fee for installing a 3 phase meter will be reduced or free.
It might be worth asking the installer if he can upgrade the cable supplying the charger (as a cash job) Then in the future or when you connect three phase you can just swop the Ohme charger to a supersonic 22kW charger ⚡?
Thx Kezo, that answers and reasons some of the replies I received from energy suppliers.
I had asked Octopus and British Gas if they can install 3 phase meters. But replied they do not have these meters for my property. In essence they currently do not have 3 phase domestic meters.
I gathered that currently having a 22Kw charger is not feasible at the moment. But it should happen in the future.
But yeah, got a big grey box with 3x 100amp fuse covers an only one connected to the meter.
I didnt know how they connected it to the mains on the pavement until I saw the connecting the 3 cables on a live wire. They had on a pair of big black gauntlets, and connected them to the mains. Covered it with a large torpedo shaped cover which was oozing out grey fluid which I think they filled the torpedo with. Very interesting
It will be a standard (grey) 100A 3 phase service head.
Octopus, OVO and possibly EDF are pehaps the better supplier’s if you want 3 phase metering.
Providing you are willing to change to a supplier offering domestic 3 phase metering and agree to have a 3 phase meter point, you can install a 11kW or 22kW charger at anytime that suits you. However, its worth noting, have a charger that is rated higher than the cars onboard charger, will cause your charge point to throttle, in which case a variable charger, that is able to switch between 7,11 and 22kW may be worth it, especially if you have 2 EV’s, who’s onboard chargers are rated differently. (Most EV’s today come with 11 or 22kW onboard chargers)
3 phase chargers are common;y available for not a lot more than the equivulent 7Kw chargers, with variable costing a bit more. ProjectEV, Easee, Zappi, Pod point along with some decent lesser known commercial brands do sing or dual 22kW. Wallbox Copper SB is one of the cheaper recognised brands 22kW charger, which can be had for under £600. Unlike Ohme they all offer lifetime 4g/wifi capability.
Something to think about in the future mabe 🙂
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