EV using public chargers

Nebulous2

I run a van to carry bikes, shopping, tow a caravan etc. I retired and stopped work, but took a job with the NHS and am gradually getting sucked into more and more hours. The job is 25 miles away and leaves my wife without a vehicle. 

I’ve seen some cracking offers on leasing a Nissan Leaf, and am quite tempted by it as an additional vehicle. The problem is I don’t have access to fit a wall charging box. I could probably do it long-term, but it would involve rewiring my house and removing some flowerbeds. 

Is it it feasible to run an EV purely on public charging points? There are some in a car park about 700 metres away from my house. They are rarely used, cost 21p per kWh, but it wouldn’t be as safe as outside my house. There aren’t any at my work, and I occasionally need my car during the day for work use. 

AdrianC

When you say you don't have access to fit a wall charging box, do you have off-road parking next to your property?

Where is your consumer unit relative to the parking space and to other outside walls?

At 21p/kWh, roughly 50% more than a typical domestic tariff, I'm not surprised those public chargers aren't heavily used.

Nebulous2

AdrianC said:

When you say you don't have access to fit a wall charging box, do you have off-road parking next to your property?

Where is your consumer unit relative to the parking space and to other outside walls?

At 21p/kWh, roughly 50% more than a typical domestic tariff, I'm not surprised those public chargers aren't heavily used.

There is an entrance next to my house, with a gate and a lowered kerb which I could use, but it would involve removing several stone and cement flowerbeds and tonnes of earth. The other side has a pavement between the house and the road, so running a wire wouldn't be feasible.  More importantly though, the wiring is quite ropy. The consumer unit is old (1980s) and I think an installer would refuse to fit the box until I upgraded. Rewiring is on our list to do, but an initial enquiry to a friend-of-a-friend electrician suggested a price of £9k, which cooled my interest a bit. It's a listed building so I would need planning permission for a wallbox. 

The price isn't too bad by current residential tariffs. I've recently fixed for 2 years at 19.5p a unit. It's difficult (impossible?) to get a fix now below 20p. Of course I'd be hostage to charger rates going up. 

Ectophile

AdrianC said:

When you say you don't have access to fit a wall charging box, do you have off-road parking next to your property?

Where is your consumer unit relative to the parking space and to other outside walls?

At 21p/kWh, roughly 50% more than a typical domestic tariff, I'm not surprised those public chargers aren't heavily used.

Have you been keeping up with electricity prices these days? 21p/kWh doesn't seem too bad.

TadleyBaggie

No personal experience but I was chatting to someone recently that uses Polar charging points (£8/month) only. The nearest for him is a conveniently located one in a local Aldi. 

BP Pulse is a similar scheme: https://network.bppulse.co.uk/

DrEskimo

I did for about a year with my Zoe and it's certainly achievable, but depends on your day to day use of the vehicle and your regular habits.

I typically used a charger around a 5min walk from my old house, but then got a charge point installed at my parents that I regularly visited and did most of my weekly charging there. It helped that my mileage was low during the week.

When I got a job 40miles away I had to reconsider, but thankfully they had 6 chargers at the office, so I was able to keep it (then of course COVID and I barely go in now).

It takes some planning and getting used to, but you can fit it around your routine if you have the chargers where you usually go shopping/gym/people you visit. 

I now have moved house and it's obvious that the flexibility is much better with home charging....

shinytop

Nebulous2 said:

I run a van to carry bikes, shopping, tow a caravan etc. I retired and stopped work, but took a job with the NHS and am gradually getting sucked into more and more hours. The job is 25 miles away and leaves my wife without a vehicle. 

I’ve seen some cracking offers on leasing a Nissan Leaf, and am quite tempted by it as an additional vehicle. The problem is I don’t have access to fit a wall charging box. I could probably do it long-term, but it would involve rewiring my house and removing some flowerbeds. 

Is it it feasible to run an EV purely on public charging points? There are some in a car park about 700 metres away from my house. They are rarely used, cost 21p per kWh, but it wouldn’t be as safe as outside my house. There aren’t any at my work, and I occasionally need my car during the day for work use. 

Are you going to be doing the 50 miles a day in the Leaf?  If so you're going to be charging every 3 days.  So you'd have to take the car there, leave it for a few hours and then pick it up. If you can find a charger that works; otherwise you'd have to go elsewhere. It sounds like a bit of a faff.  The difference in running cost compared with a newish petrol car is unlikely to be enough to make up for the more expensive EV.  I can't see public chargers staying at 21p/kWh either.  If it's a runaround for your wife then charging might be less of an issue but the economics will be worse.    

If you want an EV then go for it but it doen't look like a good economic or practical choice.  I would quite like one but even though I could have a home charger I'm struggling to make it work for me. 

Nebulous2

shinytop said:

Nebulous2 said:

I run a van to carry bikes, shopping, tow a caravan etc. I retired and stopped work, but took a job with the NHS and am gradually getting sucked into more and more hours. The job is 25 miles away and leaves my wife without a vehicle. 

I’ve seen some cracking offers on leasing a Nissan Leaf, and am quite tempted by it as an additional vehicle. The problem is I don’t have access to fit a wall charging box. I could probably do it long-term, but it would involve rewiring my house and removing some flowerbeds. 

Is it it feasible to run an EV purely on public charging points? There are some in a car park about 700 metres away from my house. They are rarely used, cost 21p per kWh, but it wouldn’t be as safe as outside my house. There aren’t any at my work, and I occasionally need my car during the day for work use. 

Are you going to be doing the 50 miles a day in the Leaf?  If so you're going to be charging every 3 days.  So you'd have to take the car there, leave it for a few hours and then pick it up. If you can find a charger that works; otherwise you'd have to go elsewhere. It sounds like a bit of a faff.  The difference in running cost compared with a newish petrol car is unlikely to be enough to make up for the more expensive EV.  I can't see public chargers staying at 21p/kWh either.  If it's a runaround for your wife then charging might be less of an issue but the economics will be worse.    

If you want an EV then go for it but it doen't look like a good economic or practical choice.  I would quite like one but even though I could have a home charger I'm struggling to make it work for me. 

To some extent it is a toy - a want rather than a need. I'd intend commuting in it, as the van works for personal use, but I could take the van and leave the leaf. My wife could charge it during the day if she had it. 

I work long shifts and I'm only contracted for 2 days a week, but have often been doing 3, which has tipped the balance for needing a second vehicle. I wouldn't expect to do more than 2 return trips without charging, especially as I might need to do some work miles while I am there. 

troffasky

Nebulous2 said:

 The problem is I don’t have access to fit a wall charging box.

If physical fitment of the box + feeding it with 7kW is the "only" problem, then don't, just charge it slowly off an extension lead to a normal 13A socket. I don't know how long a Leaf takes to charge at 10A but from the description of your usage, it doesn't sound like you'd need to fill it every day.

ElefantEd

A Leaf will charge overnight at 10Amps from a normal socket. If you do this make sure the extension cable is high quality and can take that current for an extended period as it would get hot. Perfectly do-able so long as you can leave the cables safely. Leafs come with a cable for charging from a standard socket so you might not even need an extension lead - this would be better really, but obviously depends on the geometry of your situation!

Nebulous2

ElefantEd said:

A Leaf will charge overnight at 10Amps from a normal socket. If you do this make sure the extension cable is high quality and can take that current for an extended period as it would get hot. Perfectly do-able so long as you can leave the cables safely. Leafs come with a cable for charging from a standard socket so you might not even need an extension lead - this would be better really, but obviously depends on the geometry of your situation!

I can't get a plug to it without running it across a public pavement, which would be a trip hazard. I have considered putting a pole out of a first floor window with a cable attached, and then dropping it straight down to the car. Worth experimenting once I get the car.