Electric car

[ladymuck]

A friend has got his first car recently and went EV but some low-end model. He seems pretty happy even though he has no charge-point at home, but his workplace does.

That's a bit risky though, isn't it? I wouldn't buy a car based on the facilities my job offered as what happens if I lose that job? Does his employer charge him for using their charge-point - it's a huge saving if they don't. Losing that job means the car can't be charged as easily or as cheaply. It sort of makes you feel like you have to stay with that company because you've tied yourself to a perk that you really need.

I'm sure the work place facilities weren't the sole reason for him selecting the car but I'd be very wary of using those facilities as a justification factor in such a decision.

[d000hg]

That's a bit risky though, isn't it? I wouldn't buy a car based on the facilities my job offered as what happens if I lose that job? Does his employer charge him for using their charge-point - it's a huge saving if they don't. Losing that job means the car can't be charged as easily or as cheaply. It sort of makes you feel like you have to stay with that company because you've tied yourself to a perk that you really need.

I'm sure the work place facilities weren't the sole reason for him selecting the car but I'd be very wary of using those facilities as a justification factor in such a decision.

I suppose you can add "has charging point" to your criteria for a workplace. Around here it's mostly street parking and there is no infrastructure yet. He says it's surprisingly easy to find places to charge though. And he could just sell the car if he changed job...

[vetran]

I suppose you can add "has charging point" to your criteria for a workplace. Around here it's mostly street parking and there is no infrastructure yet. He says it's surprisingly easy to find places to charge though. And he could just sell the car if he changed job...

its £1k all in to get a charger fitted.

[eek]

its £1k all in to get a charger fitted.

But you need a drive or garage to connect it to. You can't have a cable dangling across a pavement.

[DealorNoDeal]

But you need a drive or garage to connect it to. You can't have a cable dangling across a pavement.

If you can't have a charging point at home, I suppose you could use a petrol or diesel generator.

[hobnob]

You can't have a cable dangling across a pavement.

I've seen people using cable protectors on the pavement, rather than just dangling the cable loose. I'm not sure of the legality, but this article implies that it's probably ok:
Can I run a cable to charge an electric car across the pavement? | This is Money

[DealorNoDeal]

I've seen people using cable protectors on the pavement, rather than just dangling the cable loose. I'm not sure of the legality, but this article implies that it's probably ok:
Can I run a cable to charge an electric car across the pavement? | This is Money

You might be asking to get sued.

[ladymuck]

I suppose you can add "has charging point" to your criteria for a workplace. Around here it's mostly street parking and there is no infrastructure yet. He says it's surprisingly easy to find places to charge though. And he could just sell the car if he changed job...

Yeah I guess so. It's just another thing to think about when looking for your next workplace. It used to just be "parking" now it's "parking plus..."

[d000hg]

its £1k all in to get a charger fitted.

As I said it's street parking on a terrace. You don't even know where exactly you'll be parking. Sometimes it's the other side of the street.
And it's a rental property.

I've seen people using cable protectors on the pavement, rather than just dangling the cable loose. I'm not sure of the legality, but this article implies that it's probably ok:
Can I run a cable to charge an electric car across the pavement? | This is Money

I'm actually quite surprised that this is allowed and councils don't simply take the "you can't run cables on our pavement" position.
But round many areas you have other concerns like bored kids trying to unplug your car, vandalism to the charging point, someone pinching the extension lead/cable protector.
I presume you can turn off your charge point to stop cheeky sods using it?

The big transition will be when councils install infrastructure in pavements/roads. That needs to be done at scale not per-household, but will be transformational.

[SueEllen]

But you need a drive or garage to connect it to. You can't have a cable dangling across a pavement.

You can.

Someone walking distance from me has their charging cable going across the pavement to their house. They do put a hard cover over it e.g. like a utility company does if they are covering a small but longish hole, so you can't trip over it and a wheelchair etc can go
over it.

The main problem they have is agreeing with their 3 other neighbours that they get the space in front of their house. Luckily one of the neighbours has a drive and uses it, but they still have to negotiate with the 2 other neighbours and then there is an issue of randoms parking there.