We Charge Go

All Volkswagen ID.3 related discussions
Post Reply
3twins
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:39 pm

Post by 3twins »

Hi Folks,

I'll be picking up my New ID.3 in Kent and driving it to Liverpool or Cairnryan to get back to Belfast. I believe the Ionity chargers are reliable and may plan my stops to either destination based on the Ionity network. It looks like I can set up We Charge Go for free.(see below) But I was wondering if this is something that I can make active at the dealers when I pick the car up as I will be embarking on my road trip? Otherwise I will be looking at plan B

"Volkswagen Group Charging GmbH (Elli) offers customers who buy new ID. models with high-speed charging capability (charging capacity from 100 kW, subject to equipment) the We Charge Go plan at a discount with no monthly basic fee and the We Charge Plus plan for £7.99 per month for one year if they purchase a plan by 30 June 2022. The above plans each have a contract period of 12 months. The discount offer is not available to customers who buy used ID. models with high-speed charging capability."

Plan B might be to go to Liverpool with one stop at Rugby Gridserve which I believe can be accessed with a normal credit card, but which might be busy? For plans C,D etc what apps would you recommend I put on my phone :)

Many thanks.
Id.3 Family Pro Performance East Derry's Heat pump and cycle carrier prep.

sidehaas
Posts: 1788
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2021 7:04 am

Post by sidehaas »

Getting my car in a week so can't answer you on plan A, but on plan B/C:

Get zapmap if you don't have it.
I've done a bit of research in to this route as I'm near Liverpool and we have relatives in Ramsgate.
My suggestion would be to use Rugby as you suggest, with a plan B of Corley (the next services along) if you have trouble at Rugby - there is a bank of 8 Instavolts there. Not as fast but reliable and numerous.
Unless you have a Tour with close to 100%, then depending where you are starting in Kent, getting to Rugby in the cold might be close. So you might want to plan a short stop somewhere. There is a new hub being built at Thurrock which would be ideal, but I don't think it's open yet. In the meantime it probably makes sense just to use either the Gridserves at one of the services along the way (any except Welcome Break) or there are a few options for Instavolt and Osprey chargers just off the motorway that you can find easily on zapmap.
(Edit to add, all the above take contactless credit cards)
ID.3 Family Pro Performance (Jan 22), Makena Turquoise / East Derry alloys. Ohme Home Pro charger.
MotMot
Posts: 1213
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2021 2:04 pm

Post by MotMot »

If the M1 is busy/blocked the InstaVolts (8) at Banbury provide a M40 option.
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

You should be able to activate the We Charge plan at any time through the We Connect ID. app, but you will need the physical RFID card to be able to use all the Ionity chargers - sessions on some of them can be started directly from the We Connect ID. app now, but best to have the card in case…
User avatar
Utumno
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:34 am
Location: Oxfordshire

Post by Utumno »

MotMot wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:47 pm If the M1 is busy/blocked the InstaVolts (8) at Banbury provide a M40 option.

And very handy they are too. Way better than schlepping further up to Warwick Services and taking potluck dodging the Audi S4's and BMW X5's ICEing the semi-functional charging point spaces 😂
Tesla Model Y Long Range
CANCELLED : ID.3 Tour (long story :lol:)

ID3 Build & Delivery Info Tracker : https://tinyurl.com/id3tracker
Octopus Referral : https://share.octopus.energy/aqua-foal-203
3twins
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:39 pm

Post by 3twins »

Thanks for all the help folks. I'm picking the car up from Gillingham so Rugby is 130 ish miles away according to ABRP with the same again to Liverpool. I was hoping a 100% charge would get me to Rugby and ABRP recons that an 86% charge will get me to Birkenhead with 20% to spare. I only live six miles from the ferry terminal on the other side so plenty to get home. The route via the M40 sounds good too. I had a look at the ionity site and it says that they don't issue RFID cards now, or have I missed something?
Id.3 Family Pro Performance East Derry's Heat pump and cycle carrier prep.
User avatar
Utumno
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:34 am
Location: Oxfordshire

Post by Utumno »

IONITY uses either a partners RFID card, their app, or a mobile web browser. They don't offer their own RFID's.

For a one-time payment it's probably worth just using the one-off payment website on a mobile phone; you don't need to register or install an app for that. You'll pay top rate though.
Tesla Model Y Long Range
CANCELLED : ID.3 Tour (long story :lol:)

ID3 Build & Delivery Info Tracker : https://tinyurl.com/id3tracker
Octopus Referral : https://share.octopus.energy/aqua-foal-203
MotMot
Posts: 1213
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2021 2:04 pm

Post by MotMot »

Use contactless or the app for InstaVolt. Contactless only for Gridserve.

You’ll be fine (I’ve done Manchester to London and back a few times in freezing crap weather) using either Rugby or Banbury. As there are loads of chargers at both it’s worth waiting - unless there is a que of > 4-5 cars etc…

If it gets squeaky bum on range then there’s Gridserve at Lymm services, or as you’re going to Birkenhead - there are 3 GeniePoint chargers at the National Waterways museum at Ellesmere Port that not many people seem to know about… jist off the motorway. National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port
0151 355 5017
https://goo.gl/maps/LErKHXKhbPJNapWW9
DumfriesDik
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:56 am

Post by DumfriesDik »

Gretna services have Ionity.

And Stranraer is about 100 miles.

Top tip, carry on up north on the M74 to Lockerbie and come down to Dumfries on the A709. Then head to Stranraer enjoying the A75 with all the pleasures it has to offer. Lochs, sea, hills and red kites swooping around you.
Motability Customer
VW ID.3 Max
3twins
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:39 pm

Post by 3twins »

Aye its a nice part of the world. Quite often avoid the A75 altogether and run up through new Galloway and the single tracker to New Luce then the run down to Cairnryan past Castle Kennedy or up round Penwhirn reservoir......no traffic on those roads :)
Id.3 Family Pro Performance East Derry's Heat pump and cycle carrier prep.
3twins
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:39 pm

Post by 3twins »

Thanks Folks for all the advice. Decided to go with the Liverpool option in the end. The adventure begins on Thursday night and will hopefully ends with the car and I in Belfast on Sunday Morning :)
Id.3 Family Pro Performance East Derry's Heat pump and cycle carrier prep.
User avatar
Utumno
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:34 am
Location: Oxfordshire

Post by Utumno »

3twins wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:49 pm Thanks Folks for all the advice. Decided to go with the Liverpool option in the end. The adventure begins on Thursday night and will hopefully ends with the car and I in Belfast on Sunday Morning :)

Let us know how you get on!
Tesla Model Y Long Range
CANCELLED : ID.3 Tour (long story :lol:)

ID3 Build & Delivery Info Tracker : https://tinyurl.com/id3tracker
Octopus Referral : https://share.octopus.energy/aqua-foal-203
Scratch
Posts: 1166
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:22 pm

Post by Scratch »

Make sure the dealer charges the car to max. Some don't. I think ours did.
3twins
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:39 pm

Post by 3twins »

Hi Folks, just an update on collecting my new 58KWFamily Pro Performance From JCB Gillingham last Friday. My wife and I flew into Gatwick Saturday night and stayed with my son in Tooting. We collected the car at JCB on Friday at 1.00pm (it was charged to 100% as requested) and went back to Tooting (41 miles) in London traffic. We left on Saturday around 2pm to take the car home and we stopped at Banbury to charge (Instavolt contactless 5 out of 8 chargers in action Including mine). After a total of about 123 miles driving (since leaving Gillingham) it took around 40 minutes to get back up to 96% time for the loo a sandwich and coffee:) The route to Birkenhead for the boat took us another 156 miles and we arrived at 7:30pm with 23% battery and about 61 miles of range left according to the range display. I only live about 8 miles from the Ferry terminal in Belfast so plenty of range to get home. The car averaged 3.5 miles per KW with 5-7 centigrade temps over the Journey. The car was speced with a heatpump and cabin temp was 21C and there was a lot of slow moving traffic and speed restrictions round Birmingham other than that it was driven at the speed limits. The car was comfortable and quiet and the driver assistance package really made such a trip (mostly in the dark after Banbury) safe and relaxing. The matrix headlights are amazing! The car will mainly be used within its range from home here, but I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a road trip again as its range matches my need to stop so I wouldn't be any quicker in an ICE car. Short Journeys near home with the heat on its averaging between 2 and 3 miles per KWH in 7-9c temps but I wouldn't not turn the heat on to save a few KW's. To sum up I still have lots to learn about the car but I love it :)

IMG_20220127_122038882_HDR.jpg

Id.3 Family Pro Performance East Derry's Heat pump and cycle carrier prep.
User avatar
Utumno
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:34 am
Location: Oxfordshire

Post by Utumno »

3twins wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:29 pm Hi Folks, just an update on collecting my new 58KWFamily Pro Performance From JCB Gillingham last Friday. My wife and I flew into Gatwick Saturday night and stayed with my son in Tooting. We collected the car at JCB on Friday at 1.00pm (it was charged to 100% as requested) and went back to Tooting (41 miles) in London traffic. We left on Saturday around 2pm to take the car home and we stopped at Banbury to charge (Instavolt contactless 5 out of 8 chargers in action Including mine). After a total of about 123 miles driving (since leaving Gillingham) it took around 40 minutes to get back up to 96% time for the loo a sandwich and coffee:) The route to Birkenhead for the boat took us another 156 miles and we arrived at 7:30pm with 23% battery and about 61 miles of range left according to the range display. I only live about 8 miles from the Ferry terminal in Belfast so plenty of range to get home. The car averaged 3.5 miles per KW with 5-7 centigrade temps over the Journey. The car was speced with a heatpump and cabin temp was 21C and there was a lot of slow moving traffic and speed restrictions round Birmingham other than that it was driven at the speed limits. The car was comfortable and quiet and the driver assistance package really made such a trip (mostly in the dark after Banbury) safe and relaxing. The matrix headlights are amazing! The car will mainly be used within its range from home here, but I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a road trip again as its range matches my need to stop so I wouldn't be any quicker in an ICE car. Short Journeys near home with the heat on its averaging between 2 and 3 miles per KWH in 7-9c temps but I wouldn't not turn the heat on to save a few KW's. To sum up I still have lots to learn about the car but I love it :)

Marvellous stuff, thanks so much for sharing. That InstaVolt facility just off the Banbury M40 junction is such a good location I think (we're 10 minutes off the next M40 junction down, Cherwell Services, so it's "local" to us). The dark stretch of the M40 after Banbury going north would really have shown off just what a difference those matrix lights can make even on a motorway I reckon, if they're as good as the ones in our old mk2 Tiguan.

Very solid efficiencies there for motorway low temperature driving too. Very glad to hear you've got yours home after that long journey and are happy with it!
Tesla Model Y Long Range
CANCELLED : ID.3 Tour (long story :lol:)

ID3 Build & Delivery Info Tracker : https://tinyurl.com/id3tracker
Octopus Referral : https://share.octopus.energy/aqua-foal-203
G43FAN

Post by G43FAN »

Utumno wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:37 pm
3twins wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:29 pm Hi Folks, just an update on collecting my new 58KWFamily Pro Performance From JCB Gillingham last Friday. My wife and I flew into Gatwick Saturday night and stayed with my son in Tooting. We collected the car at JCB on Friday at 1.00pm (it was charged to 100% as requested) and went back to Tooting (41 miles) in London traffic. We left on Saturday around 2pm to take the car home and we stopped at Banbury to charge (Instavolt contactless 5 out of 8 chargers in action Including mine). After a total of about 123 miles driving (since leaving Gillingham) it took around 40 minutes to get back up to 96% time for the loo a sandwich and coffee:) The route to Birkenhead for the boat took us another 156 miles and we arrived at 7:30pm with 23% battery and about 61 miles of range left according to the range display. I only live about 8 miles from the Ferry terminal in Belfast so plenty of range to get home. The car averaged 3.5 miles per KW with 5-7 centigrade temps over the Journey. The car was speced with a heatpump and cabin temp was 21C and there was a lot of slow moving traffic and speed restrictions round Birmingham other than that it was driven at the speed limits. The car was comfortable and quiet and the driver assistance package really made such a trip (mostly in the dark after Banbury) safe and relaxing. The matrix headlights are amazing! The car will mainly be used within its range from home here, but I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a road trip again as its range matches my need to stop so I wouldn't be any quicker in an ICE car. Short Journeys near home with the heat on its averaging between 2 and 3 miles per KWH in 7-9c temps but I wouldn't not turn the heat on to save a few KW's. To sum up I still have lots to learn about the car but I love it :)

Marvellous stuff, thanks so much for sharing. That InstaVolt facility just off the Banbury M40 junction is such a good location I think (we're 10 minutes off the next M40 junction down, Cherwell Services, so it's "local" to us). The dark stretch of the M40 after Banbury going north would really have shown off just what a difference those matrix lights can make even on a motorway I reckon, if they're as good as the ones in our old mk2 Tiguan.

Very solid efficiencies there for motorway low temperature driving too. Very glad to hear you've got yours home after that long journey and are happy with it!
Thanks for the update and congratulations on collecting the car.

@Utumno - The Matrix lights are a step up again from the Tiguan ones.. I loved mine on the Tig and it was one of the must have items for my Tig replacement but these are soo much better. Problem is I want the HD Version now so I can project movies.
Post Reply