Going to the UK with a new Model Y

[MBdriver]

Hello everyone,

I ordered a model Y LR in black/black with the 20” wheels on January 21st in the Netherlands. This summer we are planning to spend our vacation in England, making a round trip from Harwich > Yorkshire > Wales > Cornwall > Dover.

Of course the route planning with SuC is fairly simple. But I was wondering if you could give me some tips how to find regular charging points? What is the most used app/website to find them in the UK? Most of the time I would probably need to charge somewhere in a village or small town, as we mostly stay in rather remoted B&B’s.

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[MovingSouth]

I'd start with Zap-Map and ABRP. More guidance on a thread I maintain at Public charging networks in the UK and route planners....

 

[Astrape]

A Better Route Planner is popular. ZapMap is often mentioned but others prefer Plugshare as having an easier to read view.

Beware that small chargers are often found not working due to poor maintenance. Main charging chains / supermarket sites are more reliable.

 

[Krokkodillo]

Zap-Map app is your friend, especially if you’re going to Cornwall, you can find some rapid chargers in supermarkets but Tesla charging network has improved around there.

 

[MBdriver]

Thank you for your answers, very helpful. I will check them out!

 

[Andywil]

Thank you for your answers, very helpful. I will check them out!

Good luck in Yorkshire

 

[Considered1]

Elli: Charging tariffs from the consumer test winner for your electric vehicle.

if this works all over Europe its worth it just for the app to show you where some of the chargers are, a lot of Networks, Ionity etc so other rapids and town slow chargers with a discount. Part of VW Audi group but anyone can use it, I charge at Porsche regularly! (for half price!) But we also used it for the BP slow chargers in Bakewell, Peak District. Were In North Yorkshire if you need anything around York area +20 miles

 

[Mr H]

Good luck in Yorkshire

I should think that more luck is needed in Wales. I'd be looking at hotels with destination chargers if venturing into remote parts of Wales but don't be surprised if you see some chargers being run from a coal fire

Tesla is including a lot of third party chargers now. Instavolt chargers (shown in the car) need only a contactless bank card as do Gridserve which are to be found and virtually all Motorway Services.

Avoid travelling during UK Public holidays as most chargers will have a lot of queues.

UK bank holidays

Find out when bank holidays are in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - including past and future bank holidays

www.gov.uk

 

[Drew57]

...remote parts of Wales but don't be surprised if you see some chargers being run from a coal fire

....but do ewe know if they are sheep to run?

 

[WannabeOwner]

ZapMap is often mentioned but others prefer Plugshare as having an easier to read view

I suggest you need both. The crowd sourced "User Comments" may not be recent on one-other, so checking both for "This is not working" comment is worthwhile to get latest-data.

As per @Astrape I personally find the layout on Plugshare far easier to navigate

 

[init6]

This summer we are planning to spend our vacation in England, making a round trip from Harwich > Yorkshire > Wales > Cornwall > Dover.

Top Tip: Wales is not in England

 

[Silent_Growler]

And while you're in Cornwall/ Devon the car might suggest Exeter Services for SC, but 10 minutes away is Dart Farm, Topsham which is infinitely more enjoyable place to spend a few hours.

 

[Lee Davis]

We’ve been driving Midlands down to Kent, Cornwall and currently in Wales and Plugshare has been great. Up to date status on chargers. Although we've mostly used Tesla SuC as it happens.

 

[Mrklaw]

Everywhere is (mostly) pretty small as a country so if you top up at superchargers you can often likely get to your remote B&B, have some charge for local drives, and get back out to a supercharger on route to yoru next location. I don’t think you will always need local chargers - at least for the journey. Maybe as an optional ‘top up before the next leg so I can get going without a charge needed in the first 30 minutes’ and for that you’ve already been recommended zap map/ABRP

 

[qwickshot]

If you need a ‘roaming app’ for AC chargers, I’d suggest Shell recharge, ChargePoint and Charge Map. You should be able to use an existing account from the Netherlands and RFID card if you have one. Likewise a local roaming provider in the Netherlands probably covers the U.K.

Other common ones are Podpoint, Mer (eu wide?), BP pulse and SWARCO.

For reliable DC rapids off the tesla network, Gridserve (motorway service areas), Instavolt, Osprey, Apple Green (the rest of the motorway areas not covered by grid serve), Fastned and Ionity. *Note everything non-tesla will be at least 50% more expensive.

 

[spdpsba]

And while you're in Cornwall/ Devon the car might suggest Exeter Services for SC, but 10 minutes away is Dart Farm, Topsham which is infinitely more enjoyable place to spend a few hours.

But I think nothing is open on the dart farm - Easter and Christmas and Boxing day - so you can’t even use the loo. On other bank holidays they close at 6pm. On regular days they close at 7pm and Sundays at 4.30 again you can’t use the toilets. So only charging is possible if you end up outside these hours.

 

[Jason71]

It's nice of everyone to try to help but I think the op got the answers he was looking for back in February!

 

[MrBadger]

It's nice of everyone to try to help but I think the op got the answers he was looking for back in February!

But did they safely get back or have they run out of energy and still stuck somewhere in the depths of Wales or Yorkshire

Please follow up OP and then we can call off SAR who are still out looking for you

 

[spdpsba]

But did they safely get back or have they run out of energy and still stuck somewhere in the depths of Wales or Yorkshire

Please follow up OP and then we can call off SAR who are still out looking for you

Summer isn’t finished yet, so they are somewhere there - hopefully charging from one of those council sponsored charger near the Lakes hoping to brim their car with free electrons made in Britain

 

[MBdriver]

Hello all, a small update from me as I am on holiday in the UK now.

So far I use SC’s, I just charge over 80% and that gives enough range for local getaways in areas without a SC.

However, the network of public chargers is a bit dissappointing so far. In the Netherlands I am used to a charger on almost every parking lot, garage and street corner. That’s not really the case here in the UK. The range of my Tesla is good enough, but with other car brands it would be a little inconvenient now and then.

For example in York, I plan to park at Q-Park Barbican. Google Maps tells there are 4 chargers in the garage. In the Recharge and Plugshare app they don’t exist. And website of the owner of the charger doesn’t work, so the tariffs are unclear.

Nonetheless, we enjoy our holiday and our umbrellas