Are the days of the motorhome numbered? (1 Viewer)

[LithiumConvert]

I suggest, Yes.

Why? Because the emissions regulations (among others), mean that the manufacturers are finding it increasinly difficult to build a motorhome that complies wth the regulations and is fit for the purpose that we are looking for.

 

[starquake]

At this point it isn't taxed as separating charging from regular power usage isn't possible (or needing to be declared) but even when/if it is taxed it's no different to my fuel benefit previously, only now I'm only paying 2% BIK which makes an enormous difference. I'm sure this will change, but I won't be any worse off, and have had 4 years of very worthwhile savings

It's not in HMRC's interest, and big oil-co I worked for DID charge for charging at their offices. But as there is a law saying you can't retail electricity unless you are a actual power supplier, they could not charge beyond their costs, so I was paying their net cost of charging last time I went to site, which was 4p a unit. They had cards to allocate to visitors so they could bill them after the event on a website.

 

[Mzracer]

It's not in HMRC's interest

Can you explain that a bit more?

 

[Ray-Vic]

It's not in HMRC's interest, and big oil-co I worked for DID charge for charging at their offices. But as there is a law saying you can't retail electricity unless you are a actual power supplier, they could not charge beyond their costs, so I was paying their net cost of charging last time I went to site, which was 4p a unit. They had cards to allocate to visitors so they could bill them after the event on a website.

That's interesting. How do the likes of Podpoint and Gridserve make their money as I assumed they buy electricity at a certain rate and then charge us a higher rate at the charge points?

I know some businesses charge, some of my Clients do also, but it's my business and I don't charge, including when I have visitors and they need to, it's a small price for a good customer provision.

 

[starquake]

Make the most of it HMRC will clamp down on this charging at work game, it is an untaxed benefit as far as I can see.

It also helps the customer (who may have their own net-zero goals) as it lowers their co2 emissions compared with a visitor using petrol to their site. Some customers of mine did account for that, and obviously preferred visitors to visit in an EV hence the banks of "free chargers".

It's not in HMRC's interest, as currently they don't allow (easily) home electricity use for working from home to be split. The moment they want home electricity use for business purposes to be charged, they'll gain a bunch of vat accounting on refunds of personal VAT and recharging to VAT registered businesses. Lots of paperwork for very little gain, given say even for our "busy" use of electricity for work driving purposes it's 20-30% of a £100 ish a mo bill.

Theres also a small point in their net charges allowed for charging on mileage for tax rebate is currently ~ 5p a mile, ie 15p a unit electricity. If they force businesses to charge full costs to their employees for charging at say 30p a unit, it demonstrates 15p is inadequate and suddenly they have to allow 10p ish a mile in customer expenses on personal milaege claims. Given home charging is 7.5p for say 3.5 miles ... theres a clear profit in milage reclaims then possible for home users, so not in HMRCs benefits.

My wife works for a government dept, and their charging at work sites is also "free". To encourage EV uptake amongst their staff for net zero benefits.

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[Mzracer]

My wife works for a government dept, and their charging at work sites is also "free". To encourage EV uptake amongst their staff for net zero benefits.

I disagree with that, so the government gives their employees free fuel at the tax payers expense, you could not make it up.

Let me know when that gets rolled out to the population in general !!

 

[starquake]

That's interesting. How do the likes of Podpoint and Gridserve make their money as I assumed they buy electricity at a certain rate and then charge us a higher rate at the charge points?

I know some businesses charge, some of my Clients do also, but it's my business and I don't charge, including when I have visitors and they need to, it's a small price for a good customer provision.

All the charger providers as a general rule are technically electricity suppliers in most case to get around this. Gridserve 100% are, and actually apparently make as much balancing the grid as charging the cars if you believe rumours! (They bid for whats called balancing contracts due to the large amounts of batterys at their charge sites) -> clue is in their name.

Podpoint when at customer sites when charging usually charge at what the providers costs are to avoid the issue (if you have a podpoint for business etc). (or nil as you say). Nothing stopping you giving it away, just charging > costs is not allowable.

I disagree with that, so the government gives their employees free fuel at the tax payers expense, you could not make it up.

Let me know when that gets rolled out to the population in general !!

It WAS ... many councils offered free charging 2020-2022 ish.

Leeds (where we have family) had an entire network of free rapids for an entire 2 year period. Funded by the local councils.

 

[Mzracer]

It WAS ... many councils offered free charging 2020-2022 ish.

Leeds (where we have family) had an entire network of free rapids for an entire 2 year period. Funded by the local councils.

Lord help us !!

 

[Ernesto]

I disagree with that, so the government gives their employees free fuel at the tax payers expense, you could not make it up.

Let me know when that gets rolled out to the population in general !!

It’s easy …. just buy an EV . We need all the breaks we can get to pay for the dodgy build quality and extortionate insurance

 

[starquake]

Lord help us !!

Should add the network of free rapids in Leeds was absorbed by Geniepoint, and as such now sits in disrepair. And early bird catches the worm in EV adoption. Our first 10K miles had a net cost to us of £75. (Agile/free charging for the most part) for a net cost of under 1p a mile in 2020-2021.

Public charging in 2020 even on motorways was also often free for reference. The provision may have been rubbish back then pre gridserve but it often was nil charged.

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[Jonno1103]

Agree on tyres it’s an issue on all cars. Top 10 heaviest cars are not EVs and most EVs weigh now the same as diesel suv. So to most parts tyres are similar between diesel and EV in terms of particulates.

However the big difference is brake dust. EV that’s already near 0 as it’s rare you even use brakes as the motor regen is that strong. You have to be doing near emergency stop levels to use pads on most EV. Quite a few studies on health aspects of brake dust and that’s an area already dekonstatably better by the facts of most ev owners on first set of pads at 100k miles.

One of the problems is that EV's come with some form of auto box and many manual drivers don't really know how to drive them... they simply speed up until they have to brake as they're so used to using the gears to retard power.

 

[starquake]

Agree but most modern EVs ( well my 3 year old one does) have adaptive breaking such that the brake is on relative to how close you are to a vehicle in front. Adaptive cruise is something else. If I don’t touch brake at all and approach vehicle behind without doing a thing the car will auto brake to almost a stop.

This makes driving such a car far easier. Sad to say adaptive cruise and regen means driving the rush hour I don’t need to touch acceleration or brake for an hour on m25. I would not go back to a car ev or ice without that but it’s a shame such features are usually 3-4k on an ice.

 

[nabsim]

Agree but most modern EVs ( well my 3 year old one does) have adaptive breaking such that the brake is on relative to how close you are to a vehicle in front. Adaptive cruise is something else. If I don’t touch brake at all and approach vehicle behind without doing a thing the car will auto brake to almost a stop.

This makes driving such a car far easier. Sad to say adaptive cruise and regen means driving the rush hour I don’t need to touch acceleration or brake for an hour on m25. I would not go back to a car ev or ice without that but it’s a shame such features are usually 3-4k on an ice.

Adaptive cruise is okay until another vehicle joins the carriageway, I tend to turn it off then as it slows you too much maintaining too great a gap