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Irish EV Owners Association (IEVOA)?

  • 08-11-2018 5:21pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 754 ✭✭✭


    Hey,

    Curious if anybody here knows much about the IEVOA or sits on the board or anything like that?

    I see them mentioned as consulted parties in the likes of the Low Emission Vehicles Taskforce documents (September update was interesting actually - https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/energy/publications/Documents/21/LEV%20Taskforce%20Phase1%20Progress%20Report.pdf).

    I "joined" when I got my EV but have never received any communications from them. Tried to join the discussion forum but looks like the Register functionality hasn't worked in quite a while.

    The statistics they post on their site are quite interesting, but at a time when EV sales are finally taking off in-anger here but charging infrastructure is creaking badly, it seems like their time to shine. Would love to here more from them and get some insight into the likes of the eCars planning for next year etc.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,684 ✭✭✭waynegalway


    Zenith74 wrote: »
    Hey,

    Curious if anybody here knows much about the IEVOA or sits on the board or anything like that?

    I see them mentioned as consulted parties in the likes of the Low Emission Vehicles Taskforce documents (September update was interesting actually - https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/energy/publications/Documents/21/LEV%20Taskforce%20Phase1%20Progress%20Report.pdf).

    I "joined" when I got my EV but have never received any communications from them. Tried to join the discussion forum but looks like the Register functionality hasn't worked in quite a while.

    The statistics they post on their site are quite interesting, but at a time when EV sales are finally taking off in-anger here but charging infrastructure is creaking badly, it seems like their time to shine. Would love to here more from them and get some insight into the likes of the eCars planning for next year etc.

    The website is pretty static. They do post new stuff regularly enough, but I don’t think the discussion forum functions very well. Most discussion within the membership takes place in their Facebook Page.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,152 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    Don't mention the war...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,684 ✭✭✭waynegalway


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    Don't mention the war...

    Really? I’ve been following all things EV both here and on the IEVOA Facebook page for just over a year now. I’d love to know the history of it all. (Not to mention the other Facebook group....was there a split, or just a coincidence that 2 very similar groups sprung up at the same time?)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 417 ✭✭Mancomb Seepgood


    There was a lot of drama with them in the past but I believe the worst offenders are no longer involved and things are a lot better now.I was a member for a while myself but most of the activity takes place on the Facebook group and I'm not on Facebook so didn't see the point.

    I can see the need for some sort of lobby group though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 754 ✭✭✭Zenith74


    I can see the need for some sort of lobby group though.

    The Facebook group does look to be very active, which is cool, will keep an eye on it. But really this lobby bit is what I'd love to hear more about.

    They do seem to be getting a hearing, being listed in documents like this, but I'm just a curious that as a member for 6-7 months I have not heard an update on their activities. Maybe they're furiously beavering away, or maybe they've lost the will after so many years of trying, but either way now seems like a good time to re-energise it.

    Maybe they'd do a Reddit style AMA here some time, given this seems to be one of the bigger Irish EV discussion forums?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    What Phil said.... really don't mention the war. The idea behind the IEVOA was a great one but alas the people who were running it were not. Thankfully they are mostly gone, but as what has been seen in some posts by new admins some things live on. There was a split about 6-7 years ago, for the most part this was down to difference of opinions to how things should be run. If you want to correspond with a page stick with the original which is the IEVO. I could comment about a lot of the history but really there is no need for varying reasons.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    As said above, most of the IEVOA's online activity is in the FB group, which is open for all to see (need to be a member of the group to post though).

    There is the IEVO as well, but their FB group is closed. I don't thing they do anything aside from being a FB group.

    I joined both when we got the Leaf, at which time the IEVO group had the greater following. I left that group a few months later as there are a number of head bangers on it that are seriously off putting. I believe the IEVOA is the bigger group now and in the long term I'd say the other one will fade away.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    I should add, I'm not a paid member of any group and have no axe to grind, just a neutral observer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,880 ✭✭✭stesaurus


    I hate the fact that the association page is open on FB. I'm a member on both but I have zero interest in my friends or family seeing my EV charger rants etc. The group should be closed to members only.
    There's a lot of weird history between the two groups. Silly stuff that adults really shouldn't be bothering with. It's only in the last year that the association site has grown bigger. Easier to find I guess.
    A lobby group makes sense in theory but realistically it's a waste of time. Take 5 EV owners and you'll likely get 5 different opinions on everything from charging fees to green credentials. There's not a whole lot we all agree on that we could lobby for.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,152 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    n97 mini wrote: »
    There is the IEVO as well, but their FB group is closed. I don't thing they do anything aside from being a FB group.

    Is there a list of what the IEVOA have actually achieved? Other than being the token representative on a lot of groups and committees without have any real power or influence?

    n97 mini wrote: »
    I believe the IEVOA is the bigger group now and in the long term I'd say the other one will fade away.

    The IEVO fb group is closed so that membership requires approval by admin. The IEVOA group on the other hand has open membership in order to boost numbers, as those numbers have been used in the past to give a falsely inflated impression of their actual size.

    The former PRO of that group used to spam every EV page on the planet trying to get people to join. I read a post from someone once who saw him posting links to the IEVOA on an Israeli ev page, lol!

    The IEVO page is smaller in numbers than the IEVOA, partly because new members are actually vetted and partly because they don't advertise left right and centre by spamming membership cards on chargers and under people's wipers.

    It is still steadily growing though and recently launched a buy & sell page for members, which has so far given away a free home charger and a 50% discount off a full set of tyres.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,152 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    stesaurus wrote: »
    I hate the fact that the association page is open on FB.

    This also.

    I'm a member of the NI EV owners page, (one of the many which was spammed so hard by the former PRO of the IEVOA that a number of members reported him to their admin).

    I don't post that much there though because it's an open group and as you say, I don't like my non EV friends thinking that all I do is rant about broken chargers and ICE-ing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,224 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    This also.

    I'm a member of the NI EV owners page, (one of the many which was spammed so hard by the former PRO of the IEVOA that a number of members reported him to their admin).

    I don't post that much there though because it's an open group and as you say, I don't like my non EV friends thinking that all I do is rant about broken chargers and ICE-ing.
    I was one of those that reported him too.
    It got very tedious having to listen to the same crap in the NIEVO page too.

    Thankfully that chap seems to have stopped (or he's blocked me for taking the piss anytime he commented something positive about ecars on a broken charger report post) but either way I don't see his posting any more!


  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    DrPhil as you know, being along time EV driver, there was a period that you will remember on IEVOA page where you could not post or have any sort of a negative opinion. Anything like that was attacked and ridiculed by a particular group. For a while this was also the case on the IEVO page by the same group of people that were also on the IEVO page. Very unfortunately this happened to be the board that was in charge. There was no conversation permitted, positive or negative; it was like being part of a political party.... toe the line or else.

    I personally think it make more sense to have the page closed, it then just means that people who are interested will go looking and those who are not will not, therefore your site will have a true reflection of your numbers and not something that's artificially inflated with random likes.


  • Registered Users Posts: 754 ✭✭✭Zenith74


    From the sounds of it, these groups are more about EV owners communicating with each other rather than an organisation with a mandate to represent EV owners? Is that a fair assessment?


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,224 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    Zenith74 wrote: »
    From the sounds of it, these groups are more about EV owners communicating with each other rather than an organisation with a mandate to represent EV owners? Is that a fair assessment?
    I think the aim of the "IEVOA" initially was to form a lobby group to represent EV owners, and to derive the mandate to act as such from its membership. Due to infighting it would seem that that has not happened, not 100% anyway.

    As "Jedi Training" said above, it was a good idea but the implementation - or some of the heads behind the scenes - have made it not so.


  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    Zenith74 wrote: »
    From the sounds of it, these groups are more about EV owners communicating with each other rather than an organisation with a mandate to represent EV owners? Is that a fair assessment?

    To an extent. I am an opponent of the IEVOA in its current form and therefore an opponent of them so in the interests of fairness I will put that out there now. I will also say it is a very regrettable situation that I find them find themselves in.

    A situation developed over time within the IVEOA where they placed them self's as the body for all EV drivers, which clearly they weren't. Due to personalities and very over inflated ego's this became very in the face of people who wanted to engage in conversation and who did not want the fore mentioned standing for them. Instances came up where the IEVOA placed themselves at meetings and other events proclaiming influence and parading it afterwards as if they had made progress. In actual fact it was actually causing more damage than good.

    It is a real shame, I do say that sincerely as it is something that I would like to get involved with but unfortunately won't due to the historical problems that are there. At this point, it is my opinion, the IVEOA will have to be disbanded and possibly reformed in a completely different light


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,641 ✭✭✭zilog_jones


    The Facebook group these days seems to be mostly people moaning about chargers, there's rarely any interesting discussion. Complaining about these things on Facebook just seems like pissing in the wind TBH...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,684 ✭✭✭waynegalway


    The Facebook group these days seems to be mostly people moaning about chargers, there's rarely any interesting discussion. Complaining about these things on Facebook just seems like pissing in the wind TBH...

    I'm a member of the IEVOA and also a participant in their FB page. I have no affiliation with them, and I have never attended or voted in any of their meetings. I only paid the €10 fee this year by way of saying thanks, because when I was researching buying my LEAF last autumn, I found the FB members extremely willing to help.

    Over the past 12 months, most posts on the FB page are centred around charging issues. Usually the theme is "there's not enough of them, get over it until there is" or "look at this gob****e in an ICE parked in a charging bay" or "look at this selfish EV driver hogging a charger". These are all valid points, but it's tiresome.

    I suggested that a new FB page be set up for EV owners so that they could communicate easily about charge points that are working/broken/blocked when planning longer trips, on a county by county basis. And a separate FB page for more general consumption, which the public could go through if they are thinking about getting an EV. Currently, the type of posts on the FB page is likely to put a prospective buyer off, as it shows a bias towards the negative. I know that the reality of EV ownership is important to get across, but there could be a better balance.

    Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Not a dig at anyone in particular, and it's nothing I haven't said already on the FB page.


  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    Wayne do revisit the IVEO page. While I take on board what you are saying there is a huge change in culture there. Admins have done some great work growing and expanding it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/irishevowners/


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,684 ✭✭✭waynegalway


    Wayne do revisit the IVEO page. While I take on board what you are saying there is a huge change in culture there. Admins have done some great work growing and expanding it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/irishevowners/

    I'm on that page too! :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    Cool :-). I can see the changes. Can you? Honestly. Sorry I don't mean to put on the spot or ask you to pitt one against the other but I do think there is more conversation points on that page now than there is else where.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,684 ✭✭✭waynegalway


    Cool :-). I can see the changes. Can you? Honestly. Sorry I don't mean to put on the spot or ask you to pitt one against the other but I do think there is more conversation points on that page now than there is else where.

    Yes, I agree. That's not to say there isn't room for two groups. I think one that's for owners and has useful up to the minute news on things like individual chargers is a good idea, as long as the negativity is kept in check and it's a closed group. And there is also room for a publicly open group, which should be aimed at owners and potential owners....on that group the charger statuses should be actively discouraged and passed over to the "owners" page.

    At the time I was researching (Sept/Oct 2017), the IEVOA page was the only one I knew about. I only discovered the IEVO group very recently.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    A situation developed over time within the IVEOA where they placed them self's as the body for all EV drivers

    That went round and round in circles, with the IEVOA arguing they represented their members only, not all EV drivers. Some people refused (and probably still refuse) to accept that and threw a strop iirc.
    Wayne do revisit the IVEO page. While I take on board what you are saying there is a huge change in culture there.

    Has the mud slinging at the IEVOA and a handful of its members stopped? There seem to be a few in there with extreme personal vendettas, which is why I left.


  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    n97 mini wrote: »
    That went round and round in circles, with the IEVOA arguing they represented their members only, not all EV drivers. Some people refused (and probably still refuse) to accept that and threw a strop iirc.

    Mini unfortunately that is still the IVEOA's stance. Historically they have said one thing and done another. This is indicative of their whole ethos and only highlights how fractured they are. Regrettably it is not an opinion it is a it is a fact which formed part of the issue with them and has been pointed out to them through documentation and media many times. The strop you refer to was anger and frustration at not only this matter but many more.


    Has the mud slinging at the IEVOA and a handful of its members stopped? There seem to be a few in there with extreme personal vendettas, which is why I left.

    I won't comment on this as it is an opinion that you are entitled to and it is up to you if you stay off or not. As was pointed out by the admins many times you are welcome to come and go as you please. What I will say is this, the mud slinging you refer to is highlighted in the paragraph above.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,224 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    Don't mention the war...
    Prophetic as ever Dr Phil!:pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,152 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    ELM327 wrote: »
    Prophetic as ever Dr Phil!:pac:

    I thought it was Dr PHEV now?


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,030 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    It is a real shame, I do say that sincerely as it is something that I would like to get involved with but unfortunately won't due to the historical problems that are there.

    Its like being on the political opposition bench. You cant do much to affect change by just giving out. If you want to make real change you do so by getting on the front bench.

    Whether you like it or not the IEVOA are the ones at the committees and I bet they will be the ones that eCars communicate with for the upcoming charging for charging. You have to decide whether you want influence or not.

    Staying out means you have no influence unless you can get your own organisation up and running that has more influence.

    At this point, it is my opinion, the IVEOA will have to be disbanded and possibly reformed in a completely different light

    What would disbanding and reforming achieve? Its a group that is up and running. It is being invited to important government committees and you can join or leave as you feel fit. If you join you can influence, from within, like every organisation.

    What does disbanding and reforming achieve?


  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Jeditraining1


    KCross. That bring me back to the point that I made to MIMI which I feel I do not need to repeat. They a standing for what, about 100 members, if even that and accomplishing an even bigger mess. It is a shame, it could have been a great idea. However to answer your last point, why would I want to associate with something that has become so toxic and arguably irrelevant that it would be more damaging to me. You, like others, seem to have the impression that they have influence or even that the opinion of the IVEOA is listened to. Its funny you have mentioned politics, sometimes a politician yields to a person or group and makes them feel important and welcome and in reality the agenda is something very, very different. It is a shame that the IVEOA and the people sitting at the tables they did sit at didn't see that and they had the illusion that they were making or initiating change. They weren't and paraded their egos of being reps for the EV community through social media. Which once again brings me back to mimi's point, it angered a great many people who could see past that rhetoric, and wanted a stop put to it.


    In saying all that I do take your point abut being involved but in order for that to happen two things would have to occur. 1 The individuals who are responsible for the mess that are still on the board as non functioning entities would have leave and give commitments not to or attempt to return for a period of time. 2. Mass reform on transparency. I realise this is in contradiction to your point however, my name in that mix. No thank you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,030 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    You, like others, seem to have the impression that they have influence or even that the opinion of the IVEOA is listened to.

    Well, what is influence to you?
    To me it means you are getting the opportunity to at least air your views to the people that matter. Does it mean that those people will take everything you say and implement it... of course not, but at least you've been asked your opinion and its being considered. IEVOA have that.

    If all you have is your keyboard and boards.ie you have no influence really.

    Note: I'm not an IEVOA member and have no vested interest in them.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 21,224 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    KCross wrote: »
    Well, what is influence to you?
    To me it means you are getting the opportunity to at least air your views to the people that matter. Does it mean that those people will take everything you say and implement it... of course not, but at least you've been asked your opinion and its being considered. IEVOA have that.

    If all you have is your keyboard and boards.ie you have no influence really.

    Note: I'm not an IEVOA member and have no vested interest in them.
    I suppose it comes down to, a seat at the table is better than no seat!


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