This morning I went to work and tried charging my car at a POD Point charging unit. I swiped my car, plugged in it and waited, staring at the charging unit screen for the confirmation message saying that the charge had started. Nothing happened. I went to the car to look and see if it was still completing its 'checks'. This is what I found.
Battery charging impossible?? How can an electric car come up with the error message 'battery charging impossible'? I took out the Zoe Driver's Handbook and checked the advice. This is what it says:
I couldn't believe it. I've had the Zoe a week and it's already having to be returned to the dealer. I only had 11 miles left on the battery and I wasn't sure that I would make it to the nearest dealer (any I didn't know where my nearest dealer was - being on a campus in the middle of nowhere with limited phone signal and a 10 minute walk to the building), so I had no choice but to abandon work and phone Renault Assistance. Unfortunately, although the phone number provided by the onboard computer is an 0800 number, to call the number from a mobile (as you're most likely to be doing given that it's a car breakdown) cost me 14p per minute.
This is getting better and better. First, my car breaks down meaning that I have to get it fixed rather than going to work. Secondly, the number I need to call to fix it is 14p per minute. I am not impressed.
Given the fact that the telephone call is costing so much, you'd think that it would be answered by the most eloquent, gentile and understanding of people who are happy to help and understand your predicament. The gentleman who answered my call had other ideas. He asked what was wrong, then abruptly asked if I'd at least attempted to take the car to my nearest dealer. I explained that I was on a campus that I didn't usually work at and I didn't know where my nearest dealer was. The conversation went something like this (not verbatim, but the gist):
Me: My car has broken down
Renault Assist (RA): Have you tried taking it to the nearest dealer?
Me: No, I only have approximately 11 miles left and I don't know where my nearest dealer is.
RA: Well haven't you looked?
Me: Isn't it your job to help me? I haven't got many miles left on the battery and I don't know how to get to the nearest dealer.
RA: So you're telling me that you haven't even looked?
Me: I'm telling you that I can't look and I need you to help me.
RA: Well you need to get it to the dealer there's one in Bath.
Me: Is there any point in phoning this number?...
Eventually, he agreed that is was probably best for me to stay where I was and for them to attend the car. Although, because it's a Zoe, Renault don't authorise anyone to work on the cars by the side of the road, so the car HAS to be towed to the nearest Renault dealer.
After about an hour, a lovely man from Hinton Rescue turned up to take EV away. EV was loaded onto the back of his lorry, and I joined the fella in the front while we made the journey back to City Motors Bristol, where I bought the car from.
Work? Completely out of the window now.
Probably about three hours after the 'battery charging impossible' message came up on the screen the City Motors Bristol mechanic looked at the EV. He explained that there was a problem with the POD Point charging unit and as a result the car's computer had shut down. I asked him if there was something wrong with the car. He told me that the POD Point unit was to blame. I asked him if the car would have reset itself if I'd tried to charge it at a different unit. I was told that once the 'battery charging impossible' message is displayed the car will not accept charge from any source and it will need to be reset at a Renault garage (as per the handbook advice).
This all seems a bit dodgy to me, I can see there the potential for me to be spending a lot of time in and out of towing trucks if the system has to be reset every time it suspects a problem with the charging points. But the mechanic has assured me that it doesn't happen very often and that most charging points are fine. So, we'll have to see how this one goes.
Once at home, I telephoned POD Point and told them that their charging point had broken the car. They told me that the charging point was functional and had been serviced the week before.
Is it really possible that Renault have made an electric car that isn't able to accept charge from public charging points? Also, if it suspects a faulty charging point it actually shuts down to the point that you have to be towed back to a Renault dealer? The plot thickens. All in all, not happy with my decision to be an EV pioneer at this moment in time. Wondering whether I've purchased a car or a very expensive golf buggy.
Today's final thought: Is it the car, or the unit? That is the question.
I have zoe 2012,it's not charging at all, not mooving, at all
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