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Q&A: 12 months in an EV

18 March 2022

 Q&A: 12 months in an EV

It’s exactly a year since high-mileage driver Peter Beach, sales and marketing manager with welfare cabin manufacturer Genquip Groundhog, started using an electric vehicle. I have been monitoring his progress on the blog and to mark the anniversary I asked him to summarise the journey so far… 

To recap, what vehicle did you buy and why did you buy it?

A Jaguar I-Pace, for three reasons. First, Genquip Groundhog is focused on carbon reduction so I wanted to do something about my vehicle. Second, I wanted to change my driving and working habits. I was doing far too many miles a year (around 35,000 to 40,000) and at times it was very tiring. I would think nothing of jumping in the car and travelling many miles for a short meeting that can now be done on Zoom or Teams. I also thought having an EV would encourage me to take breaks while it recharged. The final factor was the tax benefits. 

How many miles have you done in it? 

26,000. 

What sort of trips do you do?  

Mainly business. I do use the car for some short private journeys, but on longer trips we usually travel in my wife’s car, which is not electric. 

What's the driving experience been like? 

The car is very easy to operate and gives a really good, comfortable drive. But the range is nowhere near the published figure of 290 miles, which was a real disappointment. I get around 230 in summer and around 190 in winter, albeit all motorway miles. I had a few technical issues with the car at first but I think that was due to not having a proper handover – it was during the pandemic. 

Has anything particularly surprised you? 

The acceleration! The car is also very quiet on the roads with very little cabin noise from the tyres. The handling is amazing, as is motorway cruising. When you need instant power it is there in abundance, but if you do this too much, ensure that a charging station is close by!

What are the best things about an EV?

I wouldn’t say there is anything particularly better about driving an EV over a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The current fuel price increases following the Ukraine conflict means that the cost of recharging works out lower, although some charge point operators are now increasing their rates – some up to 48p per kWh. I have a home charger on an EV tariff which costs 9p per kWh. 

And the worst? 

Range, and the inadequate charging network. Winter driving has a massive effect on range. This becomes a real issue on long journeys. Travelling to the Groundhog factory in Neath from my home in Sheffield, I was having to stop twice whereas in summer I wouldn’t have to stop at all. Range is very temperature dependent and I can lose up to 20% on a dark, rainy cold winter’s day.

Have there been any particularly memorable experiences?

Driving home the first day I got the car. I had to travel 200 miles but had no apps installed on my phone for charging. I arrived home with two miles left! Needless to say, I very quickly sorted out the abundance of apps required for the different charge point operators. I also remember burning off a BMW M3 at some traffic lights: that was fun, although I did have to stop to charge sooner after that...

Are you keeping the car?  

Yes, but if I could change it easily I would. My honest opinion is that the infrastructure for charging is nowhere near where it needs to be just yet. 

Looking back, has it been a success? And have you saved money?  

I have enjoyed the car and it has certainly changed my driving routine. I have saved on tax and, of course, saved on fuel costs (I had a Land Rover Discovery before the Jaguar). But charging up at service station EV points is not that cheap now. Also, given the fact that EVs typically have to be charged via the Grid, and scarce resources are used in battery manufacture, I’m not convinced it is the way forward as a sustainable form of transport. I guess time will tell.

From your experience, would you recommend an EV?

If you are driving for business, say 100 miles or less a day, then no problem. Any more than that, then really think about it and the impact it will have on your daily schedule. If you have a charger at home or work which is rated at 7kWh, that will be fine for steady recharging, but when out and about on the road, anything less than 50kWh is a complete waste of time. 

Anything else you want to add? 

The actual driving experience is great. I would also say that for any long journeys, make sure you plan your charging stops. You also might have to use many different apps. And ensure you have a backup strategy: I have frequently found charging points out of order or very busy [as covered earlier on the blog], especially as more people are buying EVs now. 

What would make things easier?

An enormous amount of work still needs to be done by manufacturers and charging companies. More charge point availability is required quickly. I find it incredible that not every service station on the motorway network doesn’t already have at least two charging stations. Going into the eastern and western regions of the UK is a real lucky dip in terms of availability, and having to take a detour to find a supermarket with a working charging point is not ideal. Getting rid of the myriad of apps needed would be good, and a contactless payment method would be a start.

Final thoughts?

Most of my driving has been long motorway journeys which, of course, has a huge effect on charging frequency. I’m sure that for a shorter city commute an EV would be perfect. 

● Other drivers will have different experiences, as the blog has previously reported – especially those with Tesla vehicles who enjoy a dedicated and comprehensive charging network. I’ll continue to follow Peter on his electric journey…  

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