Electric car charging

[Poncherello1976]

We will soon be starting work on converting a building to a holiday let. We will try and put in a few things while the building work is being done as that is when it is easiest, and thinking of putting in an electric car charging point as an idea to help draw people to our cottage. Has anyone done this? Is it fairly straight forward? If you have done it, do you think it helps to sell the cottage? Will probably contact a few people next week to come and have a chat about it, just thought I would ask on here first. Do all cars come with the same charging socket? Or is it a bit like Betamax and VHS?

 

[Greenbeast]

There is some standardisation, a good idea i say, a small cost on an existing project i would think. just get the sparky to run the cable and install the suitable socket

 

[Recoil]

Only need to get power to the car park and fit a standard (weatherproof) socket I would have thought. Electric car owners then plug in their own adaptors.

 

[sjt01]

If you contact Tesla and get in their destination charging programme then you will appear in their sat navs and website, good free advertising. Their chargers can run from all sorts of supplies, up to 3 phase 32 Amp max. See the contact at https://www.tesla.com/en_EU/destination-charging
Their chargers can work on any type 2 car.

 

[Poncherello1976]

Only need to get power to the car park and fit a standard (weatherproof) socket I would have thought. Electric car owners then plug in their own adaptors.

Thanks, I did not think of adaptors, that could make life easy then!

 

[Scrambler]

Hi,
We have an electric car, and I would definitely see a charging point as a pig plus for a holiday let. Electric cars are getting more popular, so a charging point will become even more relevant as time goes on.
If it were me I would just put an ordinary 3 pin 13 amp plug socket there for now, but lay cable capable of the load from a dedicated single phase charger - around 7kw/h - so you can easily upgrade at a later date.

 

[vaderstad]

Will you be supplying the power for free? If not how are you going to collect payment?

 

[Greenbeast]

probably not worth worrying about charging. even a full charge on a renault ze40 would be £6 (at my leccy rates)

 

[Poncherello1976]

To start with the idea of having it is an incentive to come to our property. So in the early years I would not charge for it. However if it was to become more popular, both the cottage and electric cars, then I would have to think about charging for it in some way. We will be offering the use of our tumble dryer and washing machine, which is in our boot room. For this we are thinking of just having an honesty box and so if that worked then an honesty box for the use of the electric for charging the car could work as well. I was thinking that when we collected money for washing machine/tumble dryer use, that it would go to charity and the same could apply for the electric car. This may help people be more honest!!

 

[Andrew K]

You need to think about what these people will be doing whilst at your property waiting to be charged up.
How about including a vending machine for drinks or snacks or a carwash facility etc?
Also beware risks of health and safety to them or others in the yard.

Not all car drivers are honest either, but i,m sure electric car drivers are a nicer class of people!

 

[Scrambler]

A full charge for our BMW i3 uses around 18 kw. 18 x 15p = £2.70, and usually you are not charging from flat.

 

[Greenbeast]

You need to think about what these people will be doing whilst at your property waiting to be charged up.
How about including a vending machine for drinks or snacks or a carwash facility etc?
Also beware risks of health and safety to them or others in the yard.

Not all car drivers are honest either, but i,m sure electric car drivers are a nicer class of people!

sleeping (as in charging overnight)? or just chilling out watching a film on a soggy afternoon

 

[Andrew K]

sleeping (as in charging overnight)? or just chilling out watching a film on a soggy afternoon

The latest superchargers will charge much quicker than that. Tv might work though.

 

[ollie989898]

If you have any kind of facility that is involving members of the public to come to your place, for God sake make the most of it and sell them absolutely everything- farm yard milk eggs and bacon source from the most local and high end place you can get it (not regular supermarket carp), and yes sell them firewood for the stoves- Centre parcs do it and it is seriously expensive.

Forget the electricity for now unless you are forking out for a fast charger jobbie. The value of the leccy is too low. Just add £3 to your daily rate.

Build a fishing lake next as well.

And a kids climbing frame and play area (ask the NFU to insure it first).

If they want a guided tour of the farm, do it. Open a damned petting zoo if needs be.

The hospitality game is not really that different from farming, you may even come to enjoy it.