Referral codes for charging networks ?

[ilscoupe]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to EV's and looking forward to getting a BEV finally...

But of course half of this is working out which charging network to join - or do I just join all of them ?

... And does anyone want me to use their referral code ? For example, Polar network on joining is asking me for a referral code...

If you feel this is too offtopic please let me know. Otherwise, anyone who can recommend a network and has a referral code they want me to sign up with please reply below ?

Thanks and happy driving !

~coop~

[londiniumperson]

I'm not aware of any referral codes, that's one of the reasons that I've been putting off joining any charging network until I have my own BEV because I want to benefit from any offers available for as long as possible.

So I'll wait here on the off chance someone else posts something of use.

[keithr]

But of course half of this is working out which charging network to join - or do I just join all of them ?

It really annoys me that you need to register, and use a smart phone app, in order to use most public chargers. We don't need to do that in order to buy petrol or diesel, so why should we need to in order to buy electricity? For decades banks have provided three ways to pay for things - cash, cheques or bank cards. For vending machines like EV chargers I can understand why they would not want to use cash or cheques, but what's wrong with bank cards, especially as they're now contactless cards? Even Tesco car park chargers, which are completely free to use, require you to use an app on a mobile device in order to tell the charger to start charging. Why?! Why doesn't it just start charging, or at the worst require you to press a button to start the charging (although there's no need for that)?

I don't own a smart mobile phone, and I don't want to pay loads of money to have one just so I can use a vending machine. It's absurd! Nor do I want to pay a registration fee. Why pay money when I may never use one of their chargers? Is it reasonable to pay a registration fee so that you can then have the privilege of buying petrol from Esso, or to go shopping at Asda?

Rant over.

[Reuben80]

I agree with keithr but maybe they want to be able to give discounts to customers according to different plans. However they should make both available, app or direct credit.

[ilscoupe]

Yeah I am the same with Keithr & Reuben80 - just right now have absolutely no idea about charging network or whether they need me to join or not.

However, I do have one solution to the "link to your phone" rubbish : I have an ancient ( but still serviceable ) android phone. I have a £0.00 pay by use sim in it. I have it linked to a gmail account called "My.E.Charger.spam@gmail.com" I plan to register with that and leave it in the glove box of the car - basically it becomes a fuel loyalty card that does nothing and links to no other of my "social media" accounts.

... but on the original topic, I am still interested in what existing BEV users do. Perhaps that's for a different forum though so aoologies if it is.

Regards

~coop~

[londiniumperson]

It's a given that the disjointed EV charging network is a mess.
You have to realise that they are run by businesses and as any private business they can do whatever they want as long as they conform to the legislation.
So until the government passes laws to enforce some sort of control over them, then we the consumer is stuffed. The problem here is that the wealthy control the government laws.

The biggest issue is that most if not all of the charging companies are owned/bank rolled by fossil fuel companies so they are deliberately putting obstacles in the way of encouraging EV take up by the public.

So we have choices, put up with the status quo, go elsewhere (i.e. buy an ICE car), create our own EV charging network, lobby politicians to enforce a law on standardisation.

[keithr]

maybe they want to be able to give discounts to customers according to different plans. However they should make both available, app or direct credit.

Okay, it makes sense that if they want to encourage you to use their chargepoints rather than their competitors' chargepoints, or to reward frequent users, then they could encourage you to register to get the discounted rates, much like supermarket loyalty cards, but as you say you shouldn't be forced to register just to use their chargers, it should be voluntary. And they can send you a card to use instead of a bank card, but please don't mess about with mobile phones/devices.

I saw a review of the Mercedes EQC recently (fullychargedshow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8VGVOgWPpA), where they said Mercedes offer a single registration called Mercedes Me Charge that allows you to use many different chargepoint company's chargepoints/chargers, but with just one registration and one monthly fee. That may simplify it a bit, but again, why is there a monthly fee? You'd have to do a lot of traveling about and charging to make it worthwhile in my opinion, and with EV cars' ranges getting longer most people will increasingly rarely need to use a public chargepoint.

If they want to encourage people to convert to using electric cars then they should be trying to make it as convenient to recharge as it is to refuel an ICE car. All this unneccesary registration and using their apps, etc. is not making it convenient (well, at least not for someone like me who doesn't have a smartphone!). I just happened to look at a chargepoint in a car park a couple of days ago where you could pay by credit card, but you had to phone a telephone number in order to use it. That's not convenient (and it may cost you money to make the call). It should be just as simple as paying at a supermarket checkout - using contactless payment or swiping your card and entering your PIN. And carrying a bank card is much more convenient than carrying a smartphone, and you don't need to keep recharging its battery!

Rant over again.

[rickwookie]

I don't own a smart mobile phone...

[londiniumperson]

I don't own a smart mobile phone...

^+1

[Joolsdc]

I believe I saw or read somewhere that the government has legislated that EV chargers will need to be accessed by rfid credit/debit cards as well as smart phones. So you won’t have to join a range of different charge network “communities”. Although if you do, it might be cheaper

I think Honda e:Progress will deliver access to Charing networks (like the Mercedes service) but I think they need to develop it. It will bring home charging (expensive) and I hope in the future V2G

Whilst I understand some reticence for smart phones, they can bring a huge benefit. And your e will link securely to your phone. Those with iPhones will be able to open and lock them. And you will be able to Remotely control them (both described elsewhere)