Pod Point free charging

[Mick Evans]

Looking to see where all the free charge points are in my area.The only one I found was Tescos. I use Tescos once a week .
Do I pay a fee to use the one at Tescos?

 

[teepee]

Pod point free charging is just that. Check car park restrictions though as supermarkets often have time limits that apply.

 

[Mick Evans]

Pod point free charging is just that. Check car park restrictions though as supermarkets often have time limits that apply.

So does that mean if its pod point charging its free? Other than possible restrictions?

 

[Vipar]

It means that you still have to pay to park. But the charging is free.

 

[Jomarkh]

You still need to 'confirm' the charge within 15 minutes using the PodPoint app.
Same with BP Pulse at my local Asda ?

 

[Gomev]

So does that mean if its pod point charging its free? Other than possible restrictions?

NO. There are many Podpoints you have to pay for.
Download the Podpoint app, and use the map to show their chargers, click on them and they will tell you if they are free or paid for.
And as stated by @Jomarkh you need to confirm the charge on the app after you have plugged in or it will stop after 15 minutes.

 

[Alb]

You don't have to register any form of payment with them if you only use the free charge points.

 

[Harry]

Looking to see where all the free charge points are in my area.The only one I found was Tescos. I use Tescos once a week .
Do I pay a fee to use the one at Tescos?

At our local Tesco they have 3 charging options. 22kW AC, 7kW AC (bring your type 2 cable) and 50kW DC (CCS) tethered cable. The latter is not free, the AC chargers are. Simply connect and charging starts, but you need to confirm via the Podpoint App within 15 minutes or charging will then stop. Beware staying longer than 3 hours between approaching the parking facilities and leaving or you will be fined via number-plate recognition cameras operated by Horizon Parking.

 

[Slipstream]

It means that you still have to pay to park. But the charging is free.

Parking is free at all tescos for 3 hours.

 

[Susanna]

Parking is free at all tescos for 3 hours.

I don’t think all Tesco stores have 3 hours free parking. I know mine does.

 

[Gomev]

You don't have to register any form of payment with them if you only use the free charge points.

Not too sure about that. I was at a local free Podpoint and a guy parked up next to me to use the 2nd connection and it wouldn't confirm for him. We got talking about it and he said he had tried elsewhere on a Podpoint and it wouldn't confirm there either. I asked if he had set up payment and he hadn't. He then entered his payment details and it immediately worked.
Who knows, coincidence maybe ?

 

[Jomarkh]

I thought you had to have a balance on the account even for a freebie

 

[Deleted member 6627]

No balance required. I charged last night with no balance or connected payment details.

 

[Alb]

Correct, no payment details required.
I've used it this way for the past year.

 

[JimD]

I did my first ever public charge on a free pod-point (Durham, Prince Bishops car park) yesterday and it seemed to be demanding that I top up before it would let me confirm the charge. Maybe there's a way round that screen, but I just topped the balance up (minimum £5!!) to get it going.

 

[Deleted member 6627]

I did my first ever public charge on a free pod-point (Durham, Prince Bishops car park) yesterday and it seemed to be demanding that I top up before it would let me confirm the charge. Maybe there's a way round that screen, but I just topped the balance up (minimum £5!!) to get it going.

Check on the podpoint app. It shows those chargers are only free for 2 hours. After that it is £5 per hour. That is likely why you needed credit.

 

[JimD]

Check on the podpoint app. It shows those chargers are only free for 2 hours. After that it is £5 per hour. That is likely why you needed credit.

Yes, I realised it was limited to 2hrs, and assumed that was why I had to add credit. I wasn't sure if it would just cut off the charge after that time or charge me - I was reading it on the bottom floor of the car park and just wanted to get on with it, and I knew I was only going to be gone for about an hour.

I take it that some Pod-Points have unlimited free charging then?

 

[Deleted member 823]

You can get your £5 refunded from Pod Point - I asked them and they did ;-)

 

[JimD]

You can get your £5 refunded from Pod Point - I asked them and they did ;-)

Good to know, thanks. I'll probably leave it in there as there are a few paid (but cheaper than home) chargers near me.

 

[Deleted member 823]

That's what I did, left it there for a while then realised I didn't use the free Pod Point charge again as it wasn't fast enough for me and I don't use the supermarket who's carpark it was in! Great for people who shop there, you can leave with more miles on your GOM than you arrived with but I wanted my fiver back!