This last week has been strangely quiet for me. I have a week’s holiday booked from work, and had planned a trip to Peterborough, then Norfolk to visit family and friends. That would have made an interesting EV story, as the last time I went to Norfolk the public network let me down and I ended up taking more than twice as long as it would normally take, with the tedium of an 11 hour drive saved only by my delightful niece (who may read this, so I have to be complimentary).
However, sensing that something may be on the cards, I cancelled it last week. I think my family are very glad that they don’t now have to share their loo roll with me for an extended stay.
I did manage to visit my mum in Devon last week though, taking off at short notice to get her safely ‘locked down’ for the coming months. This trip requires two charges, one on the way there and one coming home, and I can now do it knowing that there are several options for charging if one fails me. Luckily, both were working, with one on free vend.
So my holiday is being spent at home and the car has hardly been moved. I’m going therefore, slightly ‘off piste’ today, but it’s all related in some way.
Firstly, I am hugely excited to have been offered free charging from one of the companies that provide the public network. They are called Alpha power, and I’ve been signed up with them for some time as you just never know which company you’ll need when out and about. Having done so, I’ve never yet been anywhere near their chargers, but they are one of the many businesses that are providing freebies to NHS workers. So rather like the offer from Costa, and McDonald’s etc, which I also didn’t manage to use as I was on holiday, I may never get to have a free charge either, but it’s great having the offer.
Freebies happen sometimes with EV fuelling, but never with fossil fuelling. As I charge on the public network, which costs more than home charging, the odd freebie balances out the costs and causes great excitement. Sad, but true.
Secondly, I noticed the sky this week and the lack of plane trails. Is it just me, or does the air seem cleaner? There have been some really encouraging reports that show the difference in air quality between now and this time last year, with massive variation between the two. The hopeful face of this demonstrates that if we take drastic action, the air quality improves incredibly quickly and IS worth doing. All the many reasons why we CANT make changes have been thrown upside down in the last few weeks, and there may be some things that can be carried forward for the better.
Finally, once ‘this’ is all over, there will be a new EV salesroom, with both new and used cars, opening in Cheltenham. It will be run by Cleevely Motors, who have serviced my car and are fully trained in looking after EVS. It’s great to be able to support a local family business like this and to see them expanding. They have always been helpful and friendly, and are able to give answers to lots of questions people have about electric cars.
For now, I plan another quiet couple of days before I go back into the madness next week.
