ESB eCars

liamog

I've always thought of Lidl/Aldi as a 20-30 minute kind of shop versus the larger supermarkets (Tesco Extra etc...) where your looking at 40-60 minutes.

eCars don't seem to be actively seeking out partnerships with supermarkets, not surprising considering the blowback when they were paid to operate Tesco's greenwashers ac charge points

AndyBoBandy

yeah, link up the loyalty cards so that instead of getting sent money off vouchers, you can build up charging credit for use on the 25kW chargers.

The first chain of retail that does this, wins charging.

I get sent between €12-€18 in Tesco vouchers every few months.. now if I had the option to turn that into EV charging credit (and didn't have home charging), I'd be all over it, and I'd be doing all my shopping in Tesco. No balance, no problem, pay 'club card' rate of €0.45/kWh. No club card account, no problem, card swipe and pay €0.60/kWh rate.

Install 2x 25kW DC chargers, CCS/CHAdeMO, and go from there, 2x more in when it proves successful.

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828148#Comment_118828148

I don't know why you see it as an issue. I see it as an opportunity. I charge while I shop. What are you to do in Blanch SC anyway? Shopping, it's in the name.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828775#Comment_118828775

In Blanch the favourable option would be to plug into AC, and spend many hours there not worrying about overstay, as opposed to using a DC plug, knowing that you need to be in and out in 45 minutes.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829120#Comment_118829120

Then do so in the red car park and leave the rapid chargers for those of us who need them and would prefer to spend time at the many fast food and coffee shops. Not all sites have to cater to a single need.

wassie

My ESB eCars adventure today on my work run:

• Applegreen Enfield eastbound - unit out of order for DC charging.
• Sandyford Luas Park & Ride - DC unavailable - someone still connected after 1hr 15mins
• Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan - ICE'd
• John Rogerson Quay - 1 car AC charging, 1 DC charging on other unit, third car bay ICE'd
• Port Tunnel - Finally able to get a charge, but unit randonly disconnected 4 times over 45 minutes.

AndyBoBandy

I don't need them, and will never use any chargers in Blanch, I'm just pointing out what's already the case at this site, the AC is the most used plug, meaning there's little point having the 3 DC plugs there as usually 1 of the 3 spots is occupied by a car on AC.

Go 2km out on the M3 though and there's a fairly new motorway services with not a single charger onsite.

...and even if I did want to plug into the eCars AC there, for 3 hours, I wouldn't be doing anything wrong, and wouldn't feel bad about doing it.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829651#Comment_118829651

.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828172#Comment_118828172

Part of the reason I mentioned batteries was so they could get around the need for a bigger grid connection. If we said something like a minimum charging power of 50kW per plug, the you'd need an extra 200kW over the shops requirements. I don't know what grid connection costs are but I imagine the difference between 200kW and 800kW would be quite a saving

I do agree that the charging would need to be provided outside of the shopping. If it was something like 40c/kWh but you got vouchers for free charging when you spend €50 or something in the shop would probably be best

Black_Knight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829651#Comment_118829651

https://ecars-stats.com/

Could have saved you some bother. Stillorgan Luas DC is crazy busy!

Talbot Hotel is one of the busiest in the country.

John Rogerson Quay is just a terrible location. Have they painted the bays yet, or is that still "next week"?

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118832755#Comment_118832755

Which charger in Dublin is not busy? All with the exception of Dublin Port, Sir Rogerson Quay and The Square in Tallaght are utilized over 10h a day. The one you've mentioned plus Airport and Clonshaugh are over 12h per day. That is absolutely crazy. Chances to drive by and get a free unit in Dublin are very slim. I'd say coming from N4 your best bet is the "taxi only" in Heuston car park.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829659#Comment_118829659

There is an argument that I fully support that the AC plug and DC plugs at Blanch should be separated, I don't think it's correct to say the AC plug is the most used there. Certainly any time I'm in the area (which is quite a lot) the DC plugs are in pretty much constant use. eCars should be providing DC charging hubs in district centres to service needs and Blanch is a great example of this. Blanch centre should also install way more AC chargers for people who see Blanch as a longer stay destination.

wassie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118832755#Comment_118832755

Still next week.

Only serves to highlights the sever lack of DC charging in Dublin - this impacts for folk who dont live in Dublin or have ready access to onsite charging.

AndyBoBandy

Thats my whole point, there is absolutely sane reason for an AC plug to be anywhere near those 150kW + 50kW units, but because it's eCars, and its a 3 spaces where 4 cars can charge site, it can easily happen, and it's not any fault of someone who plugs into the AC for 5 hours while blocking a DC space, because the site allows it.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118833197#Comment_118833197

It's yet another example of bad design. You can't produce a poor output and then blame the consumers - who are using one strand of product as intended. It's a design flaw and one that should be fixed. The easiest fix would be to blank out the AC there and have a sign directing people to the "AC lot"

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118833119#Comment_118833119

Circle k on templeville road is now a taxi charger. 6.10 every morning this week there are 2 mg taxis there. Every afternoon there is at least one leaf taxi and another mg there.

Even at random times of the day I will always see at least one taxi there.

ELM327

Yes that's always been a busy spot but has gotten worse and worse now.

Wonder why these taxi drivers don't get a home charger installed.

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118833394#Comment_118833394

Honestly for me is not relevant if it is a taxi or not. Another car charging at an under-powered charger. Is not their fault but the policy makers who won't do anything but photo shoots at some token installations.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/missing-the-point-ross-posts-picture-of-inactive-car-charger-in-latest-gaffe-38439817.html

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118833394#Comment_118833394

Is it officially a taxi charger, or just used by a lot of taxis?

I don't mind taxis using the chargers, saves some pollution, but it would be nice if the taxi companies would get together and install some dedicated chargers at taxi ranks

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118833729#Comment_118833729

To be fair it's a 50kw charger but there are only a few of these inside the M50 so it's always going to be pure luck to get it free.

I've pulled in there at 11.30 at night and got a quick charge and have seen 2 or 3 cars drive in and leave when they saw me charging there.

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118834047#Comment_118834047

It's not a taxi charger but it seems to have become an "unofficial" charging station for them!!

liamog

A lot of the chargers in Dublin get used by Taxi's, it's good as the more use a charger gets the more likely it is that a profit can be made which will lead to an increase in the supply of chargers.

We have a lot of EV drivers who believe that their 4 charges a year is going to make a profitable network whereas in reality they are terrible customers and won't create a sustainable network. The charging network needs regular customers not one off day trippers.

cannco253

I used the Sandyford Luas charger last week when I was in Dublin.

First night I went at 7pm, the place was empty but within 10 minutes a Leaf taxi arrived. He parked beside me but didn’t charge and waited until I finished. He told me that the all the taxi drivers use the 50kW chargers all the time. When they need to charge they check the app to see how long the unit has been in use.

They then WhatsApp their buddies to see if anyone is in a queue or passing by to see what’s going on.

Hard to beat that type of communication!

The second night when it went to charge, it was in use….

Dublin needs more 50kW units all over the city.

Dubwat

I'm a taxi driver albeit on the northside of Dublin so I've never used either the Templeville Rd or Sandyford chargers. In my own case, I need the meter tailings upgraded in my house. I can't find an electrician who will do just that - they all insist on upgrading the entire house at a cost of ~€14k. I only have my MG5 about 5 months but, back of the envelope calculations, I'd save ~€800-1,000 if I could homecharge. I can't justify paying €14k upfront to save ~€1k/yr.

And as has been said before, if you basically live anywhere without a driveway, you pretty much can't homecharge. We taxi drivers are just easily identifiable.

There are/were Govt plans to put taxi chargers on some ranks but I don't know what happened to that plan. In Dublin, there are taxi-only chargers at Heuston Station and Dublin airport but they've never been promoted. I only heard about them on this site! Of the two rapid chargers at Heuston, one can only charge at 10kWh even though it was reported broken a long time ago. I also believe some of the the staff at Heuston (ID4 & BMW) regularly use the working 50kWh charger. And a member on here recently suggested Heuston as a charging point for non-taxis coming down the N4 so...

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835876#Comment_118835876

Why would you buy an electric car to run your business if you don't have access to a home charger?

As more and more EVs appear on the road you're going to find it harder to reliably access a charger (outside going at mad hours) and if you can't charge fully before a shift you're seriously going to limit your ability to earn a living.

Your situation seems to me to be a classic case of horse before the cart.

Black_Knight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835973#Comment_118835973

To be fair "are the tails up to scratch" isn't really something Joe soap is going to think about when buying a car. Most will think, I have a driveway, I'm all good to get a home charger!

Dubwat

Horse before the cart? I'm not an electrician. Can you link to official Irish advice about checking one's house wiring before buying an EV?

In any event, (very approx) I'm believe I can save ~€1k annually with external charging instead of ~2k (home charging) over diesel.

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118834886#Comment_118834886

It is under powered as the input power into that charger is less than it should be. (~100kW) If any plugin activates the Type 2 your DC power drops to 25kW.

The taxi driver @cannco253 met at Stillorgan most likely knew about this and didn't connect as it will prolong his own waiting time. Around five of the 50kW Dublin units are like that.

innrain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835876#Comment_118835876

Can you ask if you can get a 16A commando socket or even a 16A EV charger? Blue socket is half the current of the regular chargers.

Charging @ 3.6kW will get you about 32kWh on night tariff. Is not ideal but beats the waiting at public. Every morning you start with the full range.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835876#Comment_118835876

Out of curiosity what's the typical daily mileage like for a Dublin taxi? I wonder would even using the granny lead help, you could get at least 100km range out of a 12 hour charge, and if a chunk of that is at night rates then it'll be a decent saving