Plug in hybrid downside

[brightncheerful]

Having charged the battery night before taking my Octavia plug-in hybrid to my local garage for an oil change, when I collected it a few hours later the battery charge was almost depleted. It was then i realised that when the car is being serviced the engine only runs on petrol when the battery is low.

Another thing, unsure whether I've got this right but the cost of electricity via electric charging points is not subject to an Ofgen price cap.

[BullDog]

Your latter point. It is uneconomic to recharge my PHEV at most public charging stations. Recently I was pleased to see a vacant charger outside a hotel I stayed at a couple of nights. I didn't plug in. Why? 45p per unit. The breakeven on my PHEV is around 18p a unit. Above that, it pays to use petrol not electric.

[scotview]

We were in Elgin the other day and charged at a "Charge Place Scotland" point which was free. How much longer this will last I don't know. I am sure the Barnett Formula will be involved in this largess somewhere.

The other dilemma with using this charger, even though a fully public charger, was that it was located at two parking spaces at the main door to Dr Grays hospital. We didn't feel too comfortable about that since we weren't visitors.

[DrFfybes]

Having charged the battery night before taking my Octavia plug-in hybrid to my local garage for an oil change, when I collected it a few hours later the battery charge was almost depleted. It was then i realised that when the car is being serviced the engine only runs on petrol when the battery is low.
.

I'm surprised there isn't an override to run on petrol - they'd obviously need to warm the fluids do drain (or pump out) the oil and check the other oily bits.

Paul

[bungeejumper]

I'm surprised there isn't an override to run on petrol - they'd obviously need to warm the fluids do drain (or pump out) the oil and check the other oily bits.

I'd be astounded if there isn't a switch somewhere, even if it's only available via the CPU.

Funny, I'd always understood that the problem ran in the other direction? An AA patrolman once told me that he'd had his head inside somebody's bonnet, fiddling with the electrics, when suddenly vroom, the engine had fired up without warning because it had decided it was time to switch out of battery power and onto petrol. The way he told it, it could have been nasty.

BJ

[BullDog]

I'm surprised there isn't an override to run on petrol - they'd obviously need to warm the fluids do drain (or pump out) the oil and check the other oily bits.

I'd be astounded if there isn't a switch somewhere, even if it's only available via the CPU.

Funny, I'd always understood that the problem ran in the other direction? An AA patrolman once told me that he'd had his head inside somebody's bonnet, fiddling with the electrics, when suddenly vroom, the engine had fired up without warning because it had decided it was time to switch out of battery power and onto petrol. The way he told it, it could have been nasty.

BJ

The PHEV I have has exactly that button.

[DrFfybes]

An AA patrolman once told me that he'd had his head inside somebody's bonnet, fiddling with the electrics, when suddenly vroom, the engine had fired up without warning because it had decided it was time to switch out of battery power and onto petrol. The way he told it, it could have been nasty.

BJ

The PHEV I have has exactly that button.

Your car has a button labelled "mechanic maimer"?

Can you get an ejector seat as well?



Paul

[BullDog]

An AA patrolman once told me that he'd had his head inside somebody's bonnet, fiddling with the electrics, when suddenly vroom, the engine had fired up without warning because it had decided it was time to switch out of battery power and onto petrol. The way he told it, it could have been nasty.

BJ

The PHEV I have has exactly that button.

Your car has a button labelled "mechanic maimer"?

Can you get an ejector seat as well?



Paul

[redsturgeon]

Mine has three easily switched modes.

Auto - Car decides which fuel to use
Save - Switches to petrol and saves battery
EMax - Uses battery power when available.

John

[Dod101]

We were in Elgin the other day and charged at a "Charge Place Scotland" point which was free. How much longer this will last I don't know. I am sure the Barnett Formula will be involved in this largess somewhere.

The other dilemma with using this charger, even though a fully public charger, was that it was located at two parking spaces at the main door to Dr Grays hospital. We didn't feel too comfortable about that since we weren't visitors.

And why were you there if you were not an out patient or at least a visitor? Do you go around scouting for cheap or free charging pointsd no matter where?

Dod

[swill453]

We were in Elgin the other day and charged at a "Charge Place Scotland" point which was free. How much longer this will last I don't know. I am sure the Barnett Formula will be involved in this largess somewhere.

The other dilemma with using this charger, even though a fully public charger, was that it was located at two parking spaces at the main door to Dr Grays hospital. We didn't feel too comfortable about that since we weren't visitors.

And why were you there if you were not an out patient or at least a visitor? Do you go around scouting for cheap or free charging pointsd no matter where?

Maybe because they're listed as public chargers on the apps that tell you that sort of thing.

Scott.

[Dod101]

We were in Elgin the other day and charged at a "Charge Place Scotland" point which was free. How much longer this will last I don't know. I am sure the Barnett Formula will be involved in this largess somewhere.

The other dilemma with using this charger, even though a fully public charger, was that it was located at two parking spaces at the main door to Dr Grays hospital. We didn't feel too comfortable about that since we weren't visitors.

And why were you there if you were not an out patient or at least a visitor? Do you go around scouting for cheap or free charging pointsd no matter where?

Maybe because they're listed as public chargers on the apps that tell you that sort of thing.

Scott.

I guess you did not acknowledge your discomfort in your post

Dod

[scotview]

Maybe because they're listed as public chargers on the apps that tell you that sort of thing.

Scott.

Exactly Scott, it is on the Zap-Map and Charge Place Scotland apps as a public charge point, that's precisely why it was a dilemma.

Just another good reason why we need to invest in a lot more charging points. The Scottish Gov. seem to have run out of steam on this after an initial enthusiastic surge, maybe they've run out of dosh.

[richlist]

I think most supermarkets have chargers.

[kiloran]

We were in Elgin the other day and charged at a "Charge Place Scotland" point which was free. How much longer this will last I don't know. I am sure the Barnett Formula will be involved in this largess somewhere.

The other dilemma with using this charger, even though a fully public charger, was that it was located at two parking spaces at the main door to Dr Grays hospital. We didn't feel too comfortable about that since we weren't visitors.

And why were you there if you were not an out patient or at least a visitor? Do you go around scouting for cheap or free charging pointsd no matter where?

Dod

In the words of the famous Eccles "Everbody's got to be somewhere"

--kiloran

[didds]

I think most supermarkets have chargers.

Not here they don't.

there are two chargers in our town (18000 population) - both in a public car park.

And they haven't worked for two years or so.

That's it.

didds

[staffordian]

I think most supermarkets have chargers.

Certainly some do; several of the big Tescos near us have four free of charge (pun not intended ) charging bays, but as I understand it, they are 7kWh chargers, similar to home chargers in output, so hardy suitable for anything other than a quick splash and dash whilst shopping.

[BullDog]

I think most supermarkets have chargers.

Not here they don't.

there are two chargers in our town (18000 population) - both in a public car park.

And they haven't worked for two years or so.

That's it.

didds

It's rather concerning. On the odd occasion I try to charge but the charger is faulty***, I just drive away a bit miffed using petrol in my PHEV.

After the banning of hydrocarbon powered cars, if I need a charge and the charger is broken, what will I do then? Driving away on the petrol engine won't be possible because I won't have one!

***On one occasion, it was raining hard and water had got into the charger socket. Simple thing. But it rendered the charger useless.

[AF62]

I think most supermarkets have chargers.

Certainly some do; several of the big Tescos near us have four free of charge (pun not intended ) charging bays, but as I understand it, they are 7kWh chargers, similar to home chargers in output, so hardy suitable for anything other than a quick splash and dash whilst shopping.

Some of the Tesco free chargers are 22kWh and there are some Tesco that also have payable 50kWh chargers.

My local Tesco has the 7kWh chargers but no time limit for parking and is a short stroll from my home, so I have been known to leave it there for eight hours until fully charged.

Similarly a local retail and leisure park has twenty or so free chargers, a mix of 7 and 22kWh, and it is quite handy to get a free top up whilst watching a film.

Although with the rise in electricity prices it will be interesting how long these chargers remain free, and also whether their usage increases as people avoid charging at home more - currently a full charge for me is around £2.60 so a free charge is nice but not a vast saving. However that is due to go up to £3.90, but if you were charging on a normal peak tariff it could be £15.60.

[pje16]

***On one occasion, it was raining hard and water had got into the charger socket. Simple thing. But it rendered the charger useless.

That's been well designed then
WHO would have thought it might rain in the UK