[SinglePointSafety]

Hi everyone, my first posting here. About to purchase a Soul EV and it's my first electric vehicle and - apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - I have several choices for the installation of a home 7 kW charger:

(1) Sign up via my Kia Dealer with Pod Point or BP Pulse
(2) Go to my energy provider (Octopus) although at the moment I still have a dumb SMETS1 meter (and yes, I have asked for a SMETS2 install, but guess I'm 'in the queue')
(3) Go direct to another independent installer

I would welcome your views please

Thanks

 

[KDMB]

Hi everyone, my first posting here. About to purchase a Soul EV and it's my first electric vehicle and - apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - I have several choices for the installation of a home 7 kW charger:

(1) Sign up via my Kia Dealer with Pod Point or BP Pulse
(2) Go to my energy provider (Octopus) although at the moment I still have a dumb SMETS1 meter (and yes, I have asked for a SMETS2 install, but guess I'm 'in the queue')
(3) Go direct to another independent installer

I would welcome your views please

Thanks

Hi, we got our Soul First Edition back in April 2021 and we’re pleased as Punch with it, have done over 4,500 miles since we got it.

The wife mainly drives it for school runs etc and we’ve also done a few runs of around 260 miles without charging, as we have a BP Pulse 7kw home charger.

So far we have only charged at home on Octopus Go 5p per Kwh rate, of 4hrs per night, which suits us fine.
I let the dealer choose who fitted the charger as I was a newbee to EV cars, but given the choice, I wouldn’t choose them again after the problems I had getting them to fit it.
Their (BP Pulse) admin is terrible to say the least with multiple repeat request for photos of my electrical systems etc.
I’m still getting numerous application form links to sign up to them via email, despite me informing them many times I’m already their customer!!

I can’t fault the charger though, as it has performed perfectly, even if their mobile App doesn’t seem to want to play ball, but I use UVO App for remote applications, so it’s no big loss.

I was lucky with my meter fitted 3 years ago by SSE, as it is a “SECURE” SMET1, but is capable of being read by Octopus and it only took 2 days to be transferred to their Octopus Go rate, once they had confirmed the meters ability to be read remotely.
Quite how long you may have to wait for a SMET2 meter to be fitted is anyone’s guess I’m afraid.

When I signed up to OctopusEnergy, I was put onto their standard rate, but after 2 days was transferred to their cheap Go tariff and that tariff is the only one we have used to charge the Soul. We also run our washing machine and 2 Neff Steam ovens during the cheap 4 hr rate, so we’re saving quite a bit of money compared to running an ICE car.
Their App is also great for keeping an eye on electric consumption and Direct debit amounts etc.

Back to the Home wall Charger, given what I know now, I’d give BP a miss and go for another company like Pod Point, as long as you can get the OLEZ Grant through them, which you should be able to.

Good luck with the Soul. 🤗

 

[SinglePointSafety]

Thanks KDMB, that's all very useful info. I might end up with an Octopus-provided charger but stuck with SMETS1 meter until I can get a new meter and change to their Go tariff. Or perhaps the EV charge point installation will spur Octopus into installing SMETS2 - I'll try and contact them and find out. Or I'll take your advice and go with Pod Point instead if I do it via Kia

My local dealer is trying to source a First Edition car in our colour choice 'somewhere in the UK dealer network'.....(if another dealer is indeed prepared to let it go)

 

[SinglePointSafety]

Well, after a disastrous experience at a Kia dealer when we arranged to view and buy an ex-demo First Edition Soul EV (the car was suddenly 'no longer available') and realising there were no new or even nearly-new Soul EVs anywhere in the UK, we have shifted our allegiance and will be buying a pre-reg VW ID3.

Thanks again for the help with the charging issue - that info will already translate quite nicely to our situation with the ID3. I've now arranged for Octopus to install the Wallbox Pulsar Plus EV charging point and will take the advice and use the charging point app to do the charge timing: evidently the VW app and/or in-car system, is as trustworthy as, well, a car salesperson.....

So I guess that's goodbye from me. I wish you all well, this looks like a well-run forum with polite, friendly and knowledgeable contributors.

 

[mr.macspot]

@SinglePointSafety thank you for the update. Sorry to hear your Kia experience was so poor, but I'm pleased you have a car that suits your needs. Best wishes for the future.