Biggest tips for an EV/id3 newbie?

All Volkswagen ID.3 related discussions
Post Reply
AEC94
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2021 2:42 am

Post by AEC94 »

Hi all,

I'm a bit overwhelmed by the amount of info on EVs and the id3. To complicate it I will not have a home charger as I can't park anywhere near my property, I'm planning on using rapid chargers and work's 7kW chargers; more of a feasibility trial at the moment rather than a decision to move electric straight away.

What would your biggest tips be for a new EV driver to get the most from their car in terms of comfort, range and enjoyment?

I look forward to updating on my journey with my own tips once/if I get the hang of it! :)

Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

Get one for a month through Onto, see if you could live with one.

https://on.to/
User avatar
Daveion
Posts: 881
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:24 am
Location: South Essex RM15

Post by Daveion »

Hi AEC94
Having access to a works charger is a big plus. You are parked at a filling station!
How far are you from work?
What is your general mileage?
Weekends and vacations need a plan with public chargers but just how much depends on your non commuting mileage.
Other than that just be aware range varies throughout the year depending on temperature over and above your particular driving style.
A year on in my first EV the ID3 is now no different to any other car I have ever had except.....
Its silent, powerful, has instant torque and has zero emissions.
1st EV Life Pro Performance sold 2022
Born v2-Tech L Pack
White, 19" Typhoon Wheels.
Collected June 22
Smitten
Posts: 254
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:39 pm

Post by Smitten »

If you have charging at work that's great. Still waiting for my ID3 but drive another EV. I would say the biggest thing is learning how to make longer distance driving less stressful. It can be quite nerve wracking in the beginning to have 15% charge and be driving on the motorway wondering if you will get home or find a charger. They trick I found to help me is have a clear plan and a backup, and a back up back up. Have a look at chargers on your route and check them on Zap Map for comments and have postcodes saved somewhere easy to access. Another thing I do is plan the journey on A Better Route Planner or similar so you can see how far it thinks you can get with a safe margin of charge. Takes the guesswork out of longer journeys
Tour Pro S 77kWh, heatpump, 19" Andoya wheels, Glacier White
Ordered 21.8.21
Order No: 314400**
Build week 24 unconfirmed
Delivery Q4 2022 delayed from Q1 2022
Cancelled order and replaced with in stock Kia EV6
durhamlad
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:17 pm

Post by durhamlad »

This is a great topic.... I'm listening as well.

I have downloaded Zap Map and played with it to see how to go about planning trips.

Is there any protocol to finding the EV chargers in use at a charging station? Do you park close by and wait?
id.3 Family Pro Performance ordered 8/11/21, build week 17, then 23 then 40, then 45, then 50, then delivery expected in January, 2023, picked up the car on January 16th. Yay!
Order number 31316***
rawws
Posts: 156
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:17 am

Post by rawws »

As of now in late 2021 its more than feasible to have an EV with no home charger epecially if you live anyway near a built up area and your mileage of course.

ID3 180 mile range per charge miminum means you can easily just use a rapid charger once a week on weekends and that will cover most trips people do.

there are more and more public chargers around i live in kent and have about 5 rapid chargers or 10 fast chargers with in 5 -10 mile more within 5 miles.

If you live in a flat etc and no off road parking an EV is very much viable it wasnt the case though this time last year.

Home charger is a nice to have but definitely not a deal breaker to owning an EV depending ion the area you live.

From experience have no home charger and have done 5000 miles since July
ID3 Business Pro Performance 58kw
AEC94
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2021 2:42 am

Post by AEC94 »

scott28tt wrote: Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:12 am Get one for a month through Onto, see if you could live with one.
Luckily my scheme is similar, can dump it at any time if I wish. I’m hoping this is a true try before you buy and I can sell my ICE car and buy one, although the delivery times are quite off putting right now.
rawws wrote: Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:00 pm From experience have no home charger and have done 5000 miles since July
Great to see you’ve made it a success, hopefully I’ll be in the same boat as you soon. I’m fairly confident the charging infrastructure here is nearly perfect, spent many hours on Zap Map working out worst case scenario journeys such as annual holidays to Wales etc and haven't seen any deal breakers yet.
durhamlad wrote: Mon Dec 20, 2021 12:28 pm Is there any protocol to finding the EV chargers in use at a charging station? Do you park close by and wait?
Interesting question, if you’re in the sticks and a car is hooked up with nobody around it may get a bit frustrating not knowing if they’ll be back in 10 mins or 10 hours. I see a lot of chargers in my area have 60-90 minute maximum stays, staying overstay fees apply if you stick around longer; I wonder how effective those rules are though.
Smitten wrote: Mon Dec 20, 2021 12:14 pm Another thing I do is plan the journey on A Better Route Planner or similar so you can see how far it thinks you can get with a safe margin of charge. Takes the guesswork out of longer journeys
Cheers Smitten, good tip. I’ve found my bladder has meant I’m doing route planning like this nowadays anyway, so hopefully there’ll be plenty of charging places with en-suites everywhere I go. :lol:

Thanks for being so helpful already, spent a good few hours reading through this forum and it seems a great community. Looking forward to becoming helpful as I learn.
Smitten
Posts: 254
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:39 pm

Post by Smitten »

Other than observation I don't have evidence that chargers are getting a lot busier but it does feel like that. When our EV was new back in February I visited quite a few chargers to figure out how they all worked, what apps and RFID cards were best to have so that could bb what is happening. There seem to be quite a crop of 21 and 71 plate cars at all the ultra rapid chargers near me. My local Shell has two and since they were repaired (that's another story..) every time I have driven past both have been occupied, same with the local 50kW Pulse. MFG are building another 5 nearby but I suspect its a case of infrastructure lagging well behind EV adoption in some areas. That being said on a busy Sunday two days ago I came across 2 Gridserve chargers at a motorway services on the M1 both available....and drove past a Tesla Supercharger nearby that was fully occupied. Hopefully all the announcements of charger expansions and hubs will speed up in 2022.
Tour Pro S 77kWh, heatpump, 19" Andoya wheels, Glacier White
Ordered 21.8.21
Order No: 314400**
Build week 24 unconfirmed
Delivery Q4 2022 delayed from Q1 2022
Cancelled order and replaced with in stock Kia EV6
rawws
Posts: 156
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:17 am

Post by rawws »

Public chargers tend to be busier at weekends or shopping peak hours, even then most of them there are hardly full up
ID3 Business Pro Performance 58kw
Post Reply