Ionity Chargers on the M4

[mj224]

On my return from Heathrow to Wales, I called into the Ionity Charger station near Chippenham.

I have used this station before, with difficulty.

But yesterday, it worked very well. The trick is to use a payment card, a Shell card in this case. It saves you being debited the deposit of what was £60 (which you do get back), and the charger fired up slowly but surely. Another Ev driver did have difficulties just used the QR code, and each time it fails, another £60 is debited...

Ionity is a little out od date, as it won't take a debit card, like most chargers do these days. and they charge £0.69 per Kw. Expensive I know, but sometimes the convenience of their location makes it worth it...

 

[rpannell]

If you use your Bonnet account on Ionity it is only 50p per kWh (or less if you have a subscription).

 

[duncerduncs]

I've ordered a Shell card and an Electroverse card, hopefully will be less trouble at Ionity as a result ?

 

[jamesie]

I am going up to the scottish Highlands this week and intend to charge up at Ionity Perth. Took out a £9 sub with Bonnet to get the charge at 45p kWh on the outward and homeward journey.

 

[mj224]

Thanks for the Bonnet tip. Most of my mileage is local, and I charge at home. But for the odd log trip, to Heathrow in this case, and a recent holiday in the Hay on Wye area, its worth having a way of paying which is less than the marked up price, and works conveniently...

 

[Gomev]

Might be worth having a practice with the bonnet app and add about 3 or 4 kWh (at 50p pay as you go rate).
To start the charge after selecting the charger and saying go, there are a lot of confirm this, confirm that, i.e. are you plugged in ...are you ready etc etc. before it actually starts. Also the app Interface is not that brilliant when it comes to stopping the charge, finding the clicky bit to do this is not obvious but when you do find the 'button' it works fine and stops charge. I even find the cable has been unlocked too if you are quick enough.

 

[Chrisjk]

Hi Related question about using DC chargers
If your battery still has a reasonable content, say 40% does the rapid charging still stop at 80%?

 

[Gomev]

Hi Related question about using DC chargers
If your battery still has a reasonable content, say 40% does the rapid charging still stop at 80%?

No.
The stopping at 80% is a random thing, associated more with the charger than the car. I have never had it stop at all, a few others have.
Recently due to a charger, an Osprey 150kW being faster than expected, and me drinking my coffee slower than expected I arrived back at the car to find it at 91% but charging at only 6kW according to the screen on the charger. At that rate, at high SOC I was reassured that even when leaving on a rapid for too long the car was controlling the charge to avoid damage.

.....and for the etiquette police, I was on a bank of 8 chargers with only 1 other car charging and of course no one waiting.