Premier

My first 'long' trip since getting the car on 15th. Pn 16th did 33km. Today 256km to the appropriately named Freudenstadt in the Black Forest to meet up with daughter Kate & the family for a few days camping. They had travelled by ferry from Dublin to Cherbourg & driven through France to the German Version of Disney World  called Europapark at Rust for 2 days of rides and fun.

Although I didn't need to charge en route if I had driven sensibly, the car was such a dream and so much fun to drive that I overdid the Autobahn bit! I probably could still have got to the camping site, but I wanted a break, cup of coffee and try out so called HPC DC fast charging. And I encountered my first challenge of EV charging, it wasn't until later that I understood what/why it happened.

It was a beautiful day and ideal for charging. My car can charge at 135kWh max, not particularly fast but in most cases absolutely fine. There was someone else charging at the 150kWh charger but I didn't realise when two cars connected, the charge rate is split/halved between the cars. So mine was only charging at 75kWh. Even when the other person leaves, the rate doesn't go up to the full 150kWh.  You need to stop the charge & restart it. I didn't know this, but anyway shortly after, an Austrian medical company rep in a Luxembourg company car joined me. She was very friendly, knew what she was doing & tried to explain to me. I didn't really understand at the time! 

So the charge took 35 minutes instead of 25. I enjoyed my coffee and sandwich in the sunshine.