northwest
Searching for the Holy Grail.........
- Messages
- 6,252
- Location
- Manchester UK
Yesterday I had my first and probably last adventure in an all electric car, a Volvo VX40 to be precise. My son works for a Local Authority and there is some sort of scheme (fiddle) whereby you get an electric car (must be all electric, no Hybrids) at a knock down price, the deal was so good I told him he would be daft to let it pass.
Anyhow he came down to see me yesterday, bringing my grandson with him, predictably I had bought him a Gun launched airplane toy, George managed to catch and eat only one, great fun though, I digress.
For whatever reason deemed "dangerous" by the supply company, they cannot install an electric charging unit at his house. The reason is there is an 18" high wall that the wire would go over (if it were laid in a straight line) and because it would be dangling over the wall it could create a trip hazard? So he set off with 70% charge but enough range to get to my house, but not back.
No problem I told him as there are plenty of charging points scattered around here. So when he arrived I immediately plugged the car into one of my workshop outlets in order to start the charging process while we played in the garden and had lunch.
After lunch we set of to the "Mega Volt 150 Amp" Charging facility at the MFG charging point at the BP garage near the M60 at Ashton. I knew 150 Amps were unachievable but figured the reviews said 70 Amp and that would be better than most which had 30 Amp. Pulling up to the charging point set the scene for things to come, bloody lead wasn't long enough. Back in the car and then a sort of Mr Bean inspired back and forth finally wrapping the lead round the back of the charging station to make it reach! Then we needed the App for this company.
FAILURE was in big red warning letters on the dashboard when connected, so unhook the connection and start again (this was fatal but we didn't realise until later). We did this three times in total, carefully following the instructions each time with no success, so after spending half an hour in this pantomime we decided to abandon this station and try elsewhere, driving to the next spot which was ASDA, there is no charging point at the ASDA car park in Ashton for future reference, so I suggested Morrisons. Guess what, yes, another App (downloaded four in total). I decided not to download the App and just follow the instructions which did not mention "account" or "Guest Checkout", finally after much button pressing, presenting my "payment card" and other modern rituals we were able to sit in the car whilst it started the charging process. Went from 20% to 33% then stopped. After repeating the rituals a couple of times I caved and called the Hell desk, fully expecting to be diverted to a call centre in the Punjab, instead to was a rather pleasant chap somewhere in England, how refreshing to be able to just get straight in to a conversation without first giving up a comprehensive family history and blood type. A little surreal to be honest.
Anyhow it was explained to me that I had to connect to the app through the website as a "guest" and take it from there, this was all pretty straightforward and the charging began. This had taken an hour and a half and we sat there for a further forty minutes until I was comfortable that they would get home all right. Whils we were sitting contemplating life, the universe and fluff of the navel, my son checked his previous app and discovered the charging station had rinsed him of £120, that was £40 for each attempt, so a quick check of my bank showed that £8 had been taken four times! Each time the vehicle had been unplugged and plugged back in. On the way back I called my good lady and asked her if she remembered how to load a shotgun, she confirmed she did and enquired why. "Because if I ever suggest we get an all electric vehicle, shoot me" was my reply! She was quite rightly horrified by our experience and I am left wondering how it would have been for someone who only had £120 in their bank account? Sit here until the money was refunded?
No, the whole episode has convinced me, the world is not yet ready for all electric. Not by a long chalk.
Anyhow he came down to see me yesterday, bringing my grandson with him, predictably I had bought him a Gun launched airplane toy, George managed to catch and eat only one, great fun though, I digress.
For whatever reason deemed "dangerous" by the supply company, they cannot install an electric charging unit at his house. The reason is there is an 18" high wall that the wire would go over (if it were laid in a straight line) and because it would be dangling over the wall it could create a trip hazard? So he set off with 70% charge but enough range to get to my house, but not back.
No problem I told him as there are plenty of charging points scattered around here. So when he arrived I immediately plugged the car into one of my workshop outlets in order to start the charging process while we played in the garden and had lunch.
After lunch we set of to the "Mega Volt 150 Amp" Charging facility at the MFG charging point at the BP garage near the M60 at Ashton. I knew 150 Amps were unachievable but figured the reviews said 70 Amp and that would be better than most which had 30 Amp. Pulling up to the charging point set the scene for things to come, bloody lead wasn't long enough. Back in the car and then a sort of Mr Bean inspired back and forth finally wrapping the lead round the back of the charging station to make it reach! Then we needed the App for this company.
FAILURE was in big red warning letters on the dashboard when connected, so unhook the connection and start again (this was fatal but we didn't realise until later). We did this three times in total, carefully following the instructions each time with no success, so after spending half an hour in this pantomime we decided to abandon this station and try elsewhere, driving to the next spot which was ASDA, there is no charging point at the ASDA car park in Ashton for future reference, so I suggested Morrisons. Guess what, yes, another App (downloaded four in total). I decided not to download the App and just follow the instructions which did not mention "account" or "Guest Checkout", finally after much button pressing, presenting my "payment card" and other modern rituals we were able to sit in the car whilst it started the charging process. Went from 20% to 33% then stopped. After repeating the rituals a couple of times I caved and called the Hell desk, fully expecting to be diverted to a call centre in the Punjab, instead to was a rather pleasant chap somewhere in England, how refreshing to be able to just get straight in to a conversation without first giving up a comprehensive family history and blood type. A little surreal to be honest.
Anyhow it was explained to me that I had to connect to the app through the website as a "guest" and take it from there, this was all pretty straightforward and the charging began. This had taken an hour and a half and we sat there for a further forty minutes until I was comfortable that they would get home all right. Whils we were sitting contemplating life, the universe and fluff of the navel, my son checked his previous app and discovered the charging station had rinsed him of £120, that was £40 for each attempt, so a quick check of my bank showed that £8 had been taken four times! Each time the vehicle had been unplugged and plugged back in. On the way back I called my good lady and asked her if she remembered how to load a shotgun, she confirmed she did and enquired why. "Because if I ever suggest we get an all electric vehicle, shoot me" was my reply! She was quite rightly horrified by our experience and I am left wondering how it would have been for someone who only had £120 in their bank account? Sit here until the money was refunded?
No, the whole episode has convinced me, the world is not yet ready for all electric. Not by a long chalk.
