Charging planner for Ireland trip?

DavidS78

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Appreciate the help here folks.

I will be taking delivery of my TCT4S in January and want to get the opinion of Irish Taycan owners re: the best charging planner/planners!
I am confident I can make home charging (7kw unit) and work charging (22kw unit) work for the majority of my charging needs but I'd like to be prepared for those longer trips where i may need to lean on other charge facilities?

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MrBlueSky

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Nice build 👍.

I’m in the North and the charging network is a wee bit behind the rest. I downloaded the ESB app (covers the island) as they are the main provider where I am but, to be honest, there are others on here with a lot more experience and knowledge (@tigerbalm for example) who can probably give you the best advice.
 

W1NGE

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Appreciate the help here folks.

I will be taking delivery of my TCT4S in January and want to get the opinion of Irish Taycan owners re: the best charging planner/planners!
I am confident I can make home charging (7kw unit) and work charging (22kw unit) work for the majority of my charging needs but I'd like to be prepared for those longer trips where i may need to lean on other charge facilities?

Build: http://www.porsche-code.com/PPSUKHN8
I toured Ireland last summer and just relied on the NAV and didn't use any apps other than My Porsche. No drama and no stress. Plan charging locations before you travel is key.

Make sure you have an ESB RFID card for Republic of Ireland - order it now.
 

tigerbalm

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Yep agree with both @MrBlueSky and @W1NGE here. The three charging service cards I use most here in Ireland are:
  • Porsche Charging Service RFID card to access IONITY (currently great prices considering raising electricity costs)
  • ESB Charging Card to access ESB eCars network
  • EasyGo RFID fob to access EasyGo (which I rarely use but its a handy backup depending where you are)
App wise, the Porsche Navigation in PCM is fine – but I also have a subscription to ABRP (https://abetterrouteplanner.com/) to do any "desktop" planning ahead of a large trip.

Additionally, PlugShare (https://plugshare.com) is a good resource to check if chargers are in good working order.

Note: as your build doesn't include the optional 22kW AC charger – you'll be limited to 11 kW charging at your workplace – even if the EVSE there supports 22 kW.
 
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DavidS78

DavidS78

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Yep agree with both @MrBlueSky and @W1NGE here. The three charging service cards I use most here in Ireland are:
  • Porsche Charging Service RFID card to access IONITY (currently great prices considering raising electricity costs)
  • ESB Charging Card to access ESB eCars network
  • EasyGo RFID fob to access EasyGo (which I rarely use but its a handy backup depending where you are)
App wise, the Porsche Navigation in PCM is fine – but I also have a subscription to ABRP (https://abetterrouteplanner.com/) to do any "desktop" planning ahead of a large trip.

Additionally, PlugShare (https://plugshare.com) is a good resource to check if chargers are in good working order.

Note: as your build doesn't include the optional 22kW AC charger – you'll be limited to 11 kW charging at your workplace – even if the EVSE there supports 22 kW.
Thanks for the help @tigerbalm @MrBlueSky and @W1NGE

Great to hear the Porsche Charging Service is a solid option. I've got no Ionity units within an hour of my location so I'll be limited to using these on longer trips.

The optional 22kW charger was a consideration at build time but I couldn't justify the premium. Right now I am somewhat glad given many of the EVSE on site where i work are being throttled down anywhere from 0.5KW - 5KW!
 


W1NGE

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Thanks for the help @tigerbalm @MrBlueSky and @W1NGE

Great to hear the Porsche Charging Service is a solid option. I've got no Ionity units within an hour of my location so I'll be limited to using these on longer trips.

The optional 22kW charger was a consideration at build time but I couldn't justify the premium. Right now I am somewhat glad given many of the EVSE on site where i work are being throttled down anywhere from 0.5KW - 5KW!
There are 50kW DC EVSE dotted around the west coast. The closer you get to large cities and motorways then ultrafast EVSEs become an option (even sign posted on motorways).

AC dominates but to be honest a 11kW option will be of some use.

Some hotels offer charging but 3kW at best (that includes Ashford Castle in Cong!!).

Armed with your RFID card(s) and preplanning will just work out fine. PAYG can be an option but not everywhere.

Porsche Centres (Dublin & Belfast) are on the east coast but watch out for opening hours and barriers (Belfast closes at 18:00 and are behind barriers, weekends too). Ionity does exist in rare locations.
 

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Just back from a half term trip to Ireland and wanted to say thanks for the heads up on the ESB card. Only used it in Kenmare on the 50kw DC there but did so several times over the week. Forgot to check if the Porsche card worked but it gave me a lot of peace of mind knowing I had the right card.

Despite roofbox and bike carrier I managed to get from London to Kenmare on 3 IONITY stops, Stafford, Kill and Cashel. I did 10 minutes at Tesla Flint to give the dog a walk but would have got to Kill without that percentage added anyway.

On the way back we left Kenmare on c.80%, charged at Cashel, City North and then as we were on the slow ferry got a very useful 33% top up which made Stafford reachable.

Porsche Taycan Charging planner for Ireland trip? 1686228850818
 

tigerbalm

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Forgot to check if the Porsche card worked but it gave me a lot of peace of mind knowing I had the right card.
It does – but is more expensive with the energy + time element and 50 kW isn't too fast. You're defo better off using ESB directly in this case – especially if using it a few times on a trip.

Glad you enjoyed Kenmare. The drive between there and Killarney via Ladies View (via the N71) is one of my favourite roads to push the Taycan on!
 


tigerbalm

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I managed to get from London to Kenmare on 3 IONITY stops, Stafford, Kill and Cashel.
That's pretty impressive – especially with all the "disruption" to aero you were carrying. Glad you got a charge at Cashel – its an awful spot – very subject to being blocked/ICE'd when car park is busy.
 

Poshfpg

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It does – but is more expensive with the energy + time element and 50 kW isn't too fast. You're defo better off using ESB directly in this case – especially if using it a few times on a trip.

Glad you enjoyed Kenmare. The drive between there and Killarney via Ladies View (via the N71) is one of my favourite roads to push the Taycan on!
It is but the road I really got carried away on was Sneem to Waterville, turned on the sport sound and didn't have the dog in the boot or any racks/boxes on the car. That was amazing fun, best drive I've had in the car yet, the sound really adds to the experience, much more than I expected.

Kenmare is one of the most beautiful places on earth, if you get good weather, which we did this time.
 

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That's pretty impressive – especially with all the "disruption" to aero you were carrying. Glad you got a charge at Cashel – its an awful spot – very subject to being blocked/ICE'd when car park is busy.
I got lucky both ways and got straight on but by the time I was leaving there were queues. I noticed there are stands for 2 more chargers which they badly need.

Speaking to a friend who works for ESB and comparing it to France where 300kw+ are everywhere he said the issue is that the power has to go in on overhead cables in Ireland and that generates huge problems locally. He thinks the French go underground so no hassle or they have the required power near all the motorways already.
 

tigerbalm

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got lucky both ways and got straight on but by the time I was leaving there were queues. I noticed there are stands for 2 more chargers which they badly need.
Every IONITY station has those two "spares" and no station has more then four active. Why? Well, in Ireland – 4 chargers don't require planning permission but more than 4 do. Why is this – goodness knows, but it needs to go away soon! Stupid government planning inefficiencies.

Speaking to a friend who works for ESB and comparing it to France where 300kw+ are everywhere he said the issue is that the power has to go in on overhead cables in Ireland and that generates huge problems locally. He thinks the French go underground so no hassle or they have the required power near all the motorways already.
I'd say there are a lot of reasons. Near urban areas – cables would for sure be underground. There is also a case that the electricity grid was orientated towards industry and therefore, there often isn't the grid capacity out on the motorway network where its now required.

Also, the ESB is a law onto themselves! That Irish love afair of "semi-state": neither public or private enterprise.
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