MG4 SE LR, QUESTION PUBLIC CHARGING

[Tony60]

Hi, I've not used a public charger yet. Can anybody recommend the best app to use or should I just use my debit card? Any other advice would be appreciated, eg glitches etc?
Thanks

 

[siteguru]

There's no single, simple answer to your question. The actual answer depends on where you're going to be charging and who runs that charge site. And also whether or not that site currently accepts contactless card payments. Whichever charger you use, read the instructions carefully as different chargers may have different procedures to follow. (e.g. some require you to plug into the car first and then present your card/initiate in the app; others want the authentication of payment availability prior to plugging in).

A tip to help with ensuring that the comms between the car and charger work properly ... hold the plug into the car's charge port (i.e. supporting the weight of the cable) until charging starts. This advice is due to the weight of the cable possibly tilting the plug in the charge port and so causing a bad connection on the control pin between plug and charge port. Once charging starts things tend to be OK and so you can carefully release the plug/cable.

 

[Funks]

Try the Zapmap app, it shows various charging points and you can pay via Zap-Pay. This may save you having loads of apps on your phone.
Personally I use Electroverse because I'm an Octopus customer and often you get an 8% discount.
I also have an Electroverse card for tap and go.
Charging points supporting credit/debit cards are becoming more common, but places like Tesco with Pod Point need you to only use an app. Its a pain, but until the network has some standards it will be fragmented.

 

[Tight Git]

Tesla open to all are reliable and cheap and are quite common now - if doing more than around 100kWh in a month pay the £9 subscription to make them even cheaper.

 

[Tony60]

Tesla open to all are reliable and cheap and are quite common now - if doing more than around 100kWh in a month pay the £9 subscription to make them even cheaper.

Cheers

 

[dsimpkins]

The advice others have given is spot on. The only thing I would add is that if you have never used a public charger before, then go try using one near where you live before you go on a long journey so you have had some practice first, and know what to expect.

When you plan a long journey, give yourself several options along the way just in case chargers are in use/broken when you arrive. Zapmap is good for seeing if there are porblems with chargers along your route. ABRP (A Better Route Planner) is also useful for planning charge stops on long journeys.

Companies such as Costa, McDs, KFC, etc often have chargers in their car parks as it potentially will drive up sales for them. However, the supermarkets are also beginning to deploy rapid chargers. Sainburys is currently on a massive rollout UK wide, and their chargers only work via contactless, but are quick and easy to use. They use Kempower chargers (same as Osprey) which I personally like.

 

[Ian Key]

Get an Electroverse card. You don't have to be an Octopus customer to have one and they work on the majority of chargers.

Octopus Electroverse

One-tap access to 921,551 EV chargers across the UK & Europe

electroverse.octopus.energy

 

[NickHeynes]

When you're at a charger DON'T PANIC!! I was nervous as hell when I first used a public charger . The internet is awash with stories of terrible experiences with public chargers, mostly from people who have alterior motives or just clickbait . My experiences have without fail been good. If you're not sure ask a fellow driver , EV drivers are generally a friendly bunch I've found
Follow the instructions on the charger, Use an app . I use waze and it's been good . I also use the tesla app as well .
And as dsimpkins said practise first .
Oh, and enjoy your trip !