EV Discussion thread

ed110220

thevilla said:

Close to 21 million installed and 99.3% network coverage so far.   Policy can't be held back by those outliers to the detriment of the rest.  I don't live in a rural region so I hear far more people refusing meters as a result of "daily mail" style rumours than unable to get them.

Of course work should continue to get everyone who wants one included but the benefits need to start paying for the enormous costs too.

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/network-data-dashboard/

Edit: corrected network coverage.

My parents are in the latter category. They were complaining about high bills and asked me to look into it. It was hard to tell how much they had used because they had submitted so few meter readings and switched suppliers less then a year ago. I suggested that they get smart meters fitted so they could keep track of usage more easily. They looked at me suspiciously, as if I'd suggested some strange, potentially dangerous device. They didn't have any specific reasons for not wanting one, they have just fallen for the tabloid scaremongering.

EricMears

There are indeed problems with communicating with SMETS2 meters in some areas.  However, SMETS1  meters are much less prone to such problems - as long as there's some sort of mobile data connection (if necessary boosted with a suitable aerial) a SMETS1 meter can report its data.  For just this reason,  Octopus provided a SMETS1 meter here when they were advised that a SMETS2 one wouldn't have worked.  It's bizarre that they don't seem able to do that still !

thevilla

Yet "all" SMETS1 meters will be upgraded to SMETS2 via software.  I doubt the comms transport will be changed?

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/current-programmes/smets1-enrolment-and-adoption/

JKenH

thevilla said:

JKenH said:

Drivers warned of new electric car rules that kick in on Thursday - what you need to know

Rather than quote a few lines and be accused of being selective I would suggest reading the whole article. Those of us with older chargers like my Zappi may have more control of their charging than than those getting the new smart chargers. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/drivers-warned-new-electric-car-27338109

So drivers are warned new chargers will attempt to save them money and the grid some gas but they can easily override those settings.  Is that news?

No, that’s why it is on the discussion thread. 😉

I think there is also talk of randomly delaying charging starts on TOU tariffs as well. 

But will National Grid smart chargers always give you the cheapest tariff if, say, you are on Agile? There are some that do now but they are not being controlled by NG. In theory they should/could but managing demand/supply is their objective not saving the customer money. 

The reality is NG need to control demand because as we move into an era of intermittent generation they cannot control  supply. 

thevilla

JKenH said:

thevilla said:

JKenH said:

Drivers warned of new electric car rules that kick in on Thursday - what you need to know

Rather than quote a few lines and be accused of being selective I would suggest reading the whole article. Those of us with older chargers like my Zappi may have more control of their charging than than those getting the new smart chargers. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/drivers-warned-new-electric-car-27338109

So drivers are warned new chargers will attempt to save them money and the grid some gas but they can easily override those settings.  Is that news?

No, that’s why it is on the discussion thread. 😉

I think there is also talk of randomly delaying charging starts on TOU tariffs as well. 

But will National Grid smart chargers always give you the cheapest tariff if, say, you are on Agile? There are some that do now but they are not being controlled by NG. In theory they should/could but managing demand/supply is their objective not saving the customer money. 

The reality is NG need to control demand because as we move into an era of intermittent generation they cannot control  supply. 

Maybe the Mirror's headline could have been "owners of older EV chargers risk overpaying for their charge"?

JKenH

thevilla said:

Close to 21 million installed and 99.3% network coverage so far.   Policy can't be held back by those outliers to the detriment of the rest.  I don't live in a rural region so I hear far more people refusing meters as a result of "daily mail" style rumours than unable to get them.

Of course work should continue to get everyone who wants one included but the benefits need to start paying for the enormous costs too.

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/network-data-dashboard/

Edit: corrected network coverage.

Not just Daily Mail.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/jun/04/why-are-so-many-smart-meters-turning-dumb-great-britain

Grumpy_chap

Well, this is entirely anecdotal one-off case so does not make a base-line or anything but it was interesting to me.

A couple of weeks ago, I looked at the electric Toyota.  Lead time was advised as "sold out until at least April 2023".

Last week, my brother ordered one of the electric Toyota.  Different dealer and likely low priority customer as it is via work SS lease scheme so the lease company probably get some discounts making the purchase an less attractive sale.  Lead time "end 2023".

This evening I was walking past the Toyota dealer and a chap with a 71 plate PHEV RAV 4 started chatting.  He was waiting while charging even though he had the ICE engine back-up, was away from home and it was something to do (so he said).  He mentioned that he'd been offered a car "from stock" if he went for the all-electric change as the Dealer was keen for his RAV to sell-on.  Given this complete stranger had no reason to have lied to me, I take what he said as truth - I even mentioned that I was told the long lead time and he agreed that was strange.

It seems to show that there are cars (even in-demand EV cars) available if you are in the category that makes you a "preferred" customer for some (tangible) reason.  

JKenH

Electric cars could pay tax by the mile

Article in the Telegraph today which is also available in a non fire walled version (2nd link)

Potential approaches, it added, range from “a simple charge per mile driven, which could be levied based on annual odometer checks, to more sophisticated schemes that vary the charge based on the time of day or the location/type of road being used, based on vehicle tracking technologies.”

The CCC said the government needed to explore the policy now so it is ready to be implemented this decade. The sale of new petrol and diesel cars is set to be banned in 2030. Introducing a new tax system at an “early stage” will help avoid a situation where drivers “begin to assume that EV driving will always be tax free,” the CCC said.   

The pay-by-mile proposals are among a wide-ranging set of recommendations from the CCC for Government in its latest progress report on tackling climate change. They include shifting the costs of subsidising older renewable energy projects from electricity bills and onto taxation. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/06/29/electric-cars-should-have-government-tracking-devices-tax-mile/

https://olxpraca.com/electric-cars-must-be-fitted-with-government-mileage-tracking-devices-climate-advisers-urge/

1961Nick

JKenH said:

Electric cars could pay tax by the mile

Article in the Telegraph today which is also available in a non fire walled version (2nd link)

Potential approaches, it added, range from “a simple charge per mile driven, which could be levied based on annual odometer checks, to more sophisticated schemes that vary the charge based on the time of day or the location/type of road being used, based on vehicle tracking technologies.”

The CCC said the government needed to explore the policy now so it is ready to be implemented this decade. The sale of new petrol and diesel cars is set to be banned in 2030. Introducing a new tax system at an “early stage” will help avoid a situation where drivers “begin to assume that EV driving will always be tax free,” the CCC said.   

The pay-by-mile proposals are among a wide-ranging set of recommendations from the CCC for Government in its latest progress report on tackling climate change. They include shifting the costs of subsidising older renewable energy projects from electricity bills and onto taxation. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/06/29/electric-cars-should-have-government-tracking-devices-tax-mile/

https://olxpraca.com/electric-cars-must-be-fitted-with-government-mileage-tracking-devices-climate-advisers-urge/

I still think that there will be an interim stage with steadily increasing VED for all EVs to start with, later expanding to VED based on kW or kWh or both.

JKenH

Tesla cuts 200 autopilot workers as California site closes

http://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/tesla-lays-off-hundreds-of-autopilot-workers-in-latest-staff-cut-1.1785179