[Blackseries]

I think it's becoming increasingly apparent that access to a network of high-speed chargers are needed for us to drive the I-Pace as god intended, however, if you look at the Ionity website there is one glaring omission on their map ……the UK.

According to the Ionity site no charger sites are being constructed (planned), let alone being put into service in the UK.

This after the announcement earlier in the year that 3 (I think) UK sites would be announced (and I had assumed opened) by the end of September (again, I assumed 2018).
Also a recent press release by Ionity also said that the price of using a Ionity charger is 8, 8 Euros, 8 pounds, 8 CHF - so again, one has to assume that at least one UK charger will be operational before the end of 2018.

Also emgf said that having spoken to ABB at the Paris Motorshow 300 of the 400 Ionity sites have already been acquired, so surely someone must know where these sites are going to be.

My understanding is that Ecotricity has a monopoly on non-Tesla charging at UK motorway service stations - is that correct?
If so, it does seem very short sighted of the British Government and a very bad deal for the UK driving public because where are the superfast IONITY chargers going to go if not on Motorways?

Has anyone bumped into any of these Ionity chargers in the UK?

Maybe they have had a soft launch - and they are already operational (the end of September was quite some time ago), It would be great to get a handle on where these chargers are going to be as it will be fundamental to the usefulness of the car.

Does anyone have any more info?

 

[Guest]

Shell seem to have set up a deal with Ionity to install rapid chargers in a number of their service stations, but very limited numbers so far (just 3 50kW chargers in the London area?), but more roll-out promised in 2019.

See this website (unfortunately the site locator does not seem to have an 'EV' filter yet):

https://www.shell.co.uk/motorist/welcome-to-shell-recharge.html

 

[johnd]

See this website (unfortunately the site locator does not seem to have an 'EV' filter yet):

Isn't the filter Fuel Type | Shell Recharge? But as expected Shell do not appear to have heard of East Anglia at all!

 

[SammyD]

This article may help
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/101586/shell-ionity-network-opens-fleet-of-fast-chargers

The first rapid charger will be in Maidstone.

 

[DougTheMac]

See this website (unfortunately the site locator does not seem to have an 'EV' filter yet):

Isn't the filter Fuel Type | Shell Recharge? But as expected Shell do not appear to have heard of East Anglia at all!

Not just EA - my attempt with their website indicates only 2 recharge sites outside M25 - Reading & Burton upon Trent. Or am I doing something wrong?

 

[SammyD]

Isn't the filter Fuel Type | Shell Recharge? But as expected Shell do not appear to have heard of East Anglia at all!

Shell are not alone in that.
Go look at the Tesla Charger map. One SC in East Anglia (in Thetford) and one under construction (Ipswich). The rest are destination chargers.
It is almost as if people don't drive EV's in that part of the world. /s

I visit several friends in Norfolk 4-5 times a year so this was a consideration to me when looking at EV's. One of them has a 50kW CCS charger less than a mile from her home. To charge a Tesla on anything but a DC or a Type 2 charger would involve a 50 mile round trip.
Norfolk is not only one of the few english counties with zero miles of motorway but very deficient in good EV charging points. I don't consider a CP outside a fast food outlet a good CP but that is just my POV.

 

[Blackseries]

Maybe the Shell-Ionity and BP-Chargemaster deals are ways of circumventing the Ecotricity monopoly of chargers on the Motorways.

I would hope that a fast charger would be installed somewhere on the A14..... and at the mid points between London & Birmingham, London & Bristol, Bristol & Birmingham Birmingham & Manchester etc.....

It wouldn't take that many locations to cover the intercity needs of most people in England who leave home with a full (ish) battery.

 

[SammyD]

Maybe the Shell-Ionity and BP-Chargemaster deals are ways of circumventing the Ecotricity monopoly of chargers on the Motorways.

I would hope that a fast charger would be installed somewhere on the A14..... and at the mid points between London & Birmingham, London & Bristol, Bristol & Birmingham Birmingham & Manchester etc.....

It wouldn't take that many locations to cover the intercity needs of most people in England who leave home with a full (ish) battery.

Don't you mean multiple fast chargers? A single one is pretty useless unless it can have 100% uptime.
You don't see single Tesla Superchargers any more so why single fast chargers?

 

[Blackseries]

Don't you mean multiple fast chargers? A single one is pretty useless unless it can have 100% uptime.
You don't see single Tesla Superchargers any more so why single fast chargers?

Sorry, yes each Ionity site will have a minimum of 6 chargers - so when I said fast charger - I meant fast charger site (ie 6 chargers)

 

[DougTheMac]

Yes, what we need, and what Tesla have done and I think Ionity are doing, is a relatively small number of strategically placed sites with lots of chargers at each. This is a far better solution than lots of sites with one or two chargers each. You can plan your stops with a much higher probability of charging where you plan to, rather than having to hunt around multiple locations to find a working, free charger.

 

[DougTheMac]

Isn't the filter Fuel Type | Shell Recharge? But as expected Shell do not appear to have heard of East Anglia at all!

Shell are not alone in that.
Go look at the Tesla Charger map. One SC in East Anglia (in Thetford) and one under construction (Ipswich). The rest are destination chargers.
It is almost as if people don't drive EV's in that part of the world. /s

I visit several friends in Norfolk 4-5 times a year so this was a consideration to me when looking at EV's. One of them has a 50kW CCS charger less than a mile from her home. To charge a Tesla on anything but a DC or a Type 2 charger would involve a 50 mile round trip.
Norfolk is not only one of the few english counties with zero miles of motorway but very deficient in good EV charging points. I don't consider a CP outside a fast food outlet a good CP but that is just my POV.

I travelled from Rougham (the one near Bury St Edmunds) to Norwich on Friday. According to my Go-Ipace app, I did so at an average of 74mph and an I-Pace would have consumed 68kW-hr per 100 miles, which would have given a rather disappointing range of 125 miles. But as this was in a Cessna 152 as part of my PPL training, I wasn't too worried about not being able to charge; though I'd still have had enough for the return journey! :lol:

 

[Billy Bunter]

the 1500 feet climb probably didn't help !
You should try a spin and see how much regen you get ! (but not from 1500')

 

[mbart777]

Yes, what we need, and what Tesla have done and I think Ionity are doing, is a relatively small number of strategically placed sites with lots of chargers at each. This is a far better solution than lots of sites with one or two chargers each. You can plan your stops with a much higher probability of charging where you plan to, rather than having to hunt around multiple locations to find a working, free charger.

Agree completely

An interesting, if slightly long -winded, piece which contains in the comments a tale of my recent voyage of long distance charging discovery in the UK:

 

[wilco]

Off on a slight tangent BP now own Chargemaster, it will be interesting to see what their strategy & timescale is. They are not short of cash & are keen to diversify away from oil.

 

[nipri]

Also Shell own New Motion so it seems big oil companies are muscling in as there where the future lies.
Thanks.

 

[southd]

Having just made my first journey where I had to recharge away from home, I certainly agree with a lot of these points. I couldn't use my normal route because the chargers at Oxford Services had been out of service for a while. The CCS charger at Toddington north wouldn't work and the other was just AC - but was better than nothing (just). The CCS charger at Newport Pagnall south initially refused my connection and then started to give me a free charge (result!) and worked well. The prospect of the chargers being in use on arrival does seem quite high and will only get worse. Any sites without a Tesla Supercharger will also have the Teslas competing for connection. This could be a problem when the model 3 arrives eventually. Large charger arrays with a simplified payment mechanism and the ability to charge as fast as the I-Pace are what's needed. I don't mind if there are less sites as long as I can expect to get on a charger and it works.

 

[Jelle v/d Meer]

Ionity network continues to expand although spread of their stations is a bit erratic. For example 24 in Nordics but none in Finland or very few in the Netherlands or UK despite high number of BEV.
View attachment 480

Stations are now live/constructed in 15 countries in Europe with Spain and Hungary added this week. In total there are now 69 stations live and 50 being constructed with 11 going live and 11 starting construction in last month.

 

[ChrisMc]

There are two being built in the UK, but they were started before Xmas, so are not happening very fast at all.

 

[J2T2]

Called into Maidstone services today to see how the Ionity chargers were getting on. Looks very near to going live.
Good sized parking bays and very bright blue tarmac.

 

[Jelle v/d Meer]

Called into Maidstone services today to see how the Ionity chargers were getting on. Looks very near to going live.
Good sized parking bays and very bright blue tarmac.

Cable looks short - certainly as charger is place to the back.

In general I find chargers not placed optimal and with short cables, this also because most chargestations are parkingstyle not drive through style. This combined with the not optimal placement of the chargeport on the I-pace already forced me a few times to very creative parking.

You say good size parking bays but if those tiles are 50x50 it looks to be just 2.40m wide, so with 4 I-paces next to eachother there is 40cm space between them.