What ev charging card do you use and what's the best?

dshakey · 16-10-2022 9:22am #1

With so many Ev cards out thier what is the best and cheapest?

I've been member of powerpass since got my enyqa this year. But looking at rates compared to ESB, considering switching membership.

Cards I have and let me know if there are others.

- powerpass: (signed up 2.99euro per month) AC 0.39, DC 0.49, IONITY 0.73 (pygo) AC 0.55, DC 0.76, IONITY DC 0.73

- esb (paygo) AC 0.33 DC 0.39 fast, 0.42 (Signed up 4.79euro per month) AC 0.37 DC, 0.43 Fast 0.46

- easygo: AC 0.40, DC 0.45, fast 0.46, ionity 0.76

- ionity: 0.73 (0.34 if sign up for 17euro per month)

So makes sense to me just to use ESB membership as cheapest?

the_amazing_raisin · 16-10-2022 5:42pm

Are you doing the mileage that make the paid plans worthwhile?

I've an ESB and We Charge card that came with my ID.4. I think having the ESB card on PAYG makes sense because they're the most common and cheapest if you go direct

I seem to remember the ESB paid plan isn't worthwhile unless you're doing over 15,000km or something

For now, the only other game in town is Ionity and Easygo. Easygo it's worth registering for the app as they've got a fair number of chargers around the place

If you're doing enough charging at Ionity then the paid plans make a lot of sense. I think it takes something like 3000km to pay for the subscription charges for the year

So it might be worthwhile getting the Ionity passport, or if Skoda are doing a deal then that could be better value

Gumbo · 16-10-2022 5:59pm

Work out what you need first.

Will you be charging on the public network often?

I don’t use public chargers but I do have the ecars and easy go from the early days.

dshakey · 16-10-2022 8:03pm

90% charging is at home. But at weekend head down to Wexford driving around there. So need charge to get home. Usually stop at Gorey service station. It has IONITY but to pricey. Was using powerpass as got with Skoda. But as you see above ESB is cheaper.

the_amazing_raisin · 16-10-2022 8:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753377#Comment_119753377

I'm gonna guess that you're heading from Dublin or thereabouts?

So you probably need about 15-20% to get home, or 15kWh roughly

Price difference between the basic Ionity rate and the discount rate is 39c/kWh. So the Ionity passport saves you €5.85 every time you use it

The subscription is €18 per month or €216 per year

So you'd need to use it 37 times for it to pay for itself

Bit of a steep payoff, but if you do a lot of other long trips it could be useful

Personally, I wouldn't sign up to the Ionity passport for a couple of months. Applegreen are installing chargers at Coynes Cross and they might be better placed, and they'll probably have their own subscription plan which might be better

If it were me, I'd probably stop into Gorey and if the ESB charger is free I'd use that, otherwise I'd pay the Ionity rate

Gumbo · 16-10-2022 8:43pm

Could you charge back up in Wexford where your staying?

cannco253 · 16-10-2022 8:54pm

The We charge plus plan (from VW) is €9.99 per month for 12 months, same for Skoda charge faster plan.

Ionity is then €0.35 / kWh.

No brainer if you regularly use/pass Ionity. Also don’t underestimate how busy Esb chargers can get, my experience of Ionity (so far) has been positive and I don’t worry about SPOF.

the_amazing_raisin · 16-10-2022 9:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753610#Comment_119753610

I was thinking there was a plan similar to We Charge for Skoda, I couldn't find it for ages

So for comparison, the Charge Faster plan would pay for itself after about 20 trips, which is a lot more achievable than the Ionity passport

brownej · 17-10-2022 3:51pm

I am new to the EV world. I got a bmw ix3 which came with a BMW charging card. says its powered by "Charge Now"

€4.99 per month (first year free), AC 27cent, DC 32 cent, Ionity 73cent

There is an Ionity add on for €13 per month (first year free) which makes Ionity 27cent

So you would need to be using 28.2kW per month at Ionity for it to pay for itself.

the_amazing_raisin · 17-10-2022 4:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756616#Comment_119756616

Well, first year free is definitely worth while 😁

It really depends on how likely you are to be using the Ionity network. As you mentioned you need to be charging a certain amount every month, but a Dublin to Cork day trip could easily use that, so it's far from unachievable

One other thing to look at is if you've any big road trips planned to Europe or the UK. The savings from one big trip could potentially pay for the subscription for 6 months, so it might be worthwhile signing up before you go

I did a trip recently to the UK where I had to charge twice at Ionity each way. I think the savings would have been worth around 6 months subscription costs so I'm slightly kicking myself that I didn't do it since I've a few other road trips planned in the next 12 months where I'll probably be using Ionity

brownej · 17-10-2022 4:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756798#Comment_119756798

Exactly! The value of these is entirely proportional to your need to use the public charging infrastructure. Its not as if they give you anything other than price advantage. There is no convenience justification like you might have with a toll tag in addition to the price.

dshakey · 18-10-2022 8:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753430#Comment_119753430

Wish I was using 15/20% it more like 35/40% and before people say it heavy foot, I don't believe I have. My all time average for 6000km is 16.7kwh. leaving greystones and driving at 110km all way down would be averaging 19/20 kwh. Driving enyqa 60iv

The motorway driving really upsets the trip computer.

Going to try the old road one of the days, so what difference that makes.

dshakey · 18-10-2022 8:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753610#Comment_119753610

Screenshot_2022-10-18-08-25-03-70_14c16e309cc738f6061f10594ed729e2.jpg

Found the Skoda version .

DC is still pricey.

the_amazing_raisin · 18-10-2022 8:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759136#Comment_119759136

Ah, you've got the 58kWh battery, I assumed you had the 77kWh. The calculations still work out similar since it's a roughly similar number of kWh.

About 19kWh/100km sounds right for the Enyaq, that's roughly what I'm getting on the motorway in my ID.4 which is basically a clone of it

I took the old road from Waterford, past Wexford as far as Gorey. It's more efficient, generally because you're stuck behind a tractor

It sounds like for you the Charge Faster plan would make sense. Discount on Ionity but lower monthly payments than the Ionity passport

Assuming 20kWh from the charger, and a saving of 38c/kWh, then you're in profit after 16 trips, assuming you don't do any more long distance driving

If it's a regular trip, then I'd say it's well worth it

cannco253 · 21-10-2022 12:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759143#Comment_119759143

ecars payg is 46.1c/kWh for 150kW charger or 42.3c on the €4.79 monthly subscription.

swings and roundabouts

the_amazing_raisin · 21-10-2022 8:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759143#Comment_119759143

You can always have an ESB PAYG card for using the ESB chargers, and the Skoda card for others

zg3409 · 15-11-2022 12:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759136#Comment_119759136

Old roads won't help but dropping speed to 100km/h or 80km/h will reduce consumption. Personally I like to drive at the limit but I sometimes I drop speed if I know it means I can make it home without needing to stop.

Typically I would use ESB's own app or card as most others are more expensive and try to charge when battery is low as car fills up quicker. I only grab enough charge to arrive home with 10-20km spare and then put car on charge at cheap home night rate. I do same long trip regularly so I know what car is capable of

Beware in winter range decreases.

In rain with head wind range decreases.

On quiet road with no traffic and higher speed range decreases.

When temperatures drop below 5 degrees range can really drop as in month of January.

Always allow a bit extra for traffic jams, head wind, and plan for public chargers being busy, blocked or broken. I am lucky I have the option of 5 X 50kW chargers on my route so ai can charge on way down or back.

What ev charging card do you use and what's the best?

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