Charging electric cars on Club sites.

A motorhome towing an EV has paid for its pitch inclusive of electric, therefore quite entitled to charge for leisure use. Similarly if a caravan and EV towcar paid for pitch plus EHU then also acceptable as its all inclusive.

Its no different to having EHU and a 2/3 kW heater running in the colder months and as EHU charges are the same most times summer or winter, it will just mean being careful what you have on at any one time.

Apparently there are two Club sites with dedicated charging bollards with a view to more, but there is a charge to use them and they are away from the pitches.

The Club will have to move with this trend but whether it will be acceptable, adequate or even safe to put the lead through a window on a pitch, as at present remains to be seen.

Any electrical usage ultimately has to be paid for. At the moment the club provide a 16 amp supply, which the majority do not use to its full potential. The CAMC have a handle on usage and prices are fixed accordingly. Overall usage will almost certainly increase if folk are charging cars and prices would have to compensate for this. 

Of couse there is also the question as to if the site infrastructure is up to it, and if not could it be increased and at what cost.

If two sockets were provided on a bollard, the second would have to be charged for separately, either flat rate or metered. This would perhaps be the best solution as then those without electric vehicles would not have to pay.

Offering free charging to electric cars is as daft as offering me free diesel. 

I think the only fair way to go until "all" vehicles are needing to have charging facilities, is to have dedicated charging points made available on sites that are metered ,and no charging allowed from/via the standard site EHUs,

the cost of installation would not be much different from the amount being spent on new/upgraded Dedicated MVSPs

I suppose if a EHU bollard delivers 16A then the hirer of that pitch and bollard is entitled to use that 16A in the way it suits him/her best. If a car is being charged it’s unlikely the electric heating or microwave or Foreman grill is being used so what's the difference?

Having said that, if the EV was mine, I’d rather charge it off pitch and have full 'normal' use of the EHU.

The club have stated an EV car can be charged on site along with other safe  EHU usage. I take this to be a tow or trailered car.

What hasn't been clarified is whether an extra car brought on site can also be charged up from the inclusive pitch fees. Are extra cars normally charged a £2 parking rate and could this cost be reviewed in future as a way forward? Just an idea.

With so many different charging systems, I don't think installing charging points other than standard 13 amp slow ones would work. Might as well meter all pitches and be done with it. 

Interestingly I have just been reading an article which points out public free to charge points are becoming less and less available with many now having to be paid for, some as much as 25p per Kw.

peedee

The OP asks how do you think the club should address the issue. As brue states they have already done this and it is permissible. However, I don't see this as a long term solution as EV's become more common. Although the club provide a 16 amp supply, and as TW states the hirer is entitled to use that in the way that suits them best, currently for most of the year average consumption will fall well below the maximum possible. Rightly or wrongly the club has based their pricing structure around this. If a car is pulling say 10 amps for 12 to 15 hours overnight and that is replicated many times, electricity consumption in the warmer months is bound to rocket. Unless the club want to lower its margins, this means significantly increased prices for all. Perhaps putting the club at a disadvantage to other providers that charge separately.

At the moment the club is happy to provide free electric to EV owners whilst not providing free diesel or petrol to other users of it's sites, see post by Rowena here...

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/sites-touring/uk-sites-touring/charging-electric-vehicles-on-club-pitchs/?er=P459193#P459193

I imagine this will change at some stage in the future when...

a) sufficient members complain about the very obvious discrimination, or...

b) EV's become more prevalent, site electric costs increase and it becomes worthwhile to do something about it......

But for now, crack on and get something at your neighbours expense...!

Some sites allow members pitched, to allow visitors cars as long as they can park within the pitch boundary. As the member can do what he likes within the allocated 16a supply, I assume the visitors EV is allowed to 'top up' whilst on site?