Touring the UK in an IONIQ

I am just over one year in being a full BEV car owner. I bought an IONIQ last March 2018. Within a week I was driving from the Wirral to Thetford. Then shortly after down to Southampton. I have driven for work around Liverpool and longer journeys up to Inverness and over to France. In fact I am off to France again in August. Talking to people over the past year I have been asked about various issues.

  1. What happens when you run out of charge? My rely s always, “the same as your car, it stops.” I then ask them how any times they have run out of energy. The answer Is always, “never”.
  2. You can’t go up hills. I think this really is stating that EVs have no oomph to get anywhere. I may say that apart from getting to the top of the steepest road pass in England, the Hard Knott pass. I often follow motorcycles away from the lights and keep up as they race away. My EV has more than enough oomph.
  3. There just isn’t the infrastructure yet. Well this is partially true. Although almost all motorways and expressways have rapid charge stations, the Ecotricity stations can be a little unreliable. But there is plenty of choice nearby.
  4. You have to keep stopping. True, but many think I stop for over an hour while I refill. I generally a lot 30 mins for a recharge. Not much longer than stopping off for a toilet stop, or a food stop.
  5. Electric cars cost too much. True. But, the five thousand extra for my car will be more than paid back by the savings in fuel. I reckon after 15 months I have saved about £1600. There are a few niggles that need to be sorted out soon. There are a few different charging companies running charging stations. They all (with one exception) need either a smart phone app or an RDFI card. I have managed to collect seven different cards so far, two of which are for northern France. Yes it is the same problem across Europe. Only one company have a contactless method to pay with no ‘enrolling’.

My EV is by far the best car I have driven over the forty something years I have been driving. My best extra is the variable cruise control. I can set it on a motorway say for 70mph. If the traffic slows the car automatically slows as well. I usually use it to trail behind tall lorries and ‘slip stream’ them gaining some of their energy.

I am on a 4year PCP but aim to buy the car at the end of the contract.

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How’s the car now working out for you? Is it still working well in winter? Any differences? Would be great to have a photo of it… :blush: