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.
- 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”.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
