Guest Blogger #3 (BMW i3)

The range, and more precisley the limitation of the range, is often cited as a reason not to buy into the EV dream. More often than not, you will hear about how EVs are only suitable for short trips but this month's guest blogger has a longer trip story or two to tell. Guillaume Séguin is the editor for www.irishevowners.ie ; of French origin he has been living in Ireland for over a decade and has been advocating EV adoption through the Irish EV owners Association. Contact: editor@irishevowners.ie - Instagram & Twitter : Lutecia44

For many, EVs are just good for the city, or maybe further if your range is enough to cover your daily commute plus some errands. But not made for long distance trips. They are right and wrong at the same time.

I'm based in Cork and bought my first EV exactly 5 years ago. A first generation used Leaf found in the UK. That's what my budget allowed.  So my first real EV experience (bar some short test drives) was also a long distance trip. I had never driven a Leaf before and here I am in Nissan Oxford picking up my new car when the salesman tells me, realizing I'm going to drive to Ireland the next day : "You're brave". I'm sure that in 2019 dealers believe more in their own EVs ! :)

So the next day I drive from Milton Keynes (where I was staying for a few days) all the way to Fishguard, 400km west. That first trip went actually quite smoothly, all chargers were available and operational (Ecotricity did a great job with their Electric Highway network back then), with a charge every 80km or so (winter range of the Leaf 1 isn't too impressive)... The key to that smooth trip was serious planning, with plan Bs, and plenty of extra time (12 hours total!), just in case something went wrong (and a flexible ferry ticket!). In hindsight, I can say that I've actually had more stressful trips later, just because I didn't plan correctly!

The Irish leg (from Rosslare to Cork) was actually quite interesting, as the existing network was not completed back then, and there were no fast chargers in Waterford. The range was too limited to drive from Rosslare to Dungarvan, so I actually had to drive to Kilkenny before driving down to Cahir and Cork. A 6 hour mini-adventure for a 200km distance. After a few months, the range anxiety faded, and I felt more comfortable with the capabilities of my car (and got myself the Leafspy app, a great investment for any Leaf driver going for long distances, allowing to have a more precise battery gauge).

I'm telling you that story to show that driving a mainstream EV could be quite a challenge, just a few years ago. Thankfully things changed since.

In 2015 I did my first trip to France. I usually drive to Nantes to see my family for Christmas but the fast charging network was just not there that year so for the first time I had to wait for the summer crossing to Roscoff which was much easier to manage (and without need for heating!) thanks to a better charging network on that route.

The following year (2016) I upgraded my Leaf to a 30kWh model. What a great feeling to see the range expanding! It meant, thanks to an ever improving network, that I could drive to France in winter and enjoy my first electric Christmas trip, all the way to Paris, even if the route to home was not straight forward and added a few hours to my trip.

In 2017 I decided to go to Scotland (great charging network!) and the north of England : it was so easy! And of course another French Christmas, this time, I could drive the 350km home just like in an ICE, bar the 3 quick charges (but without detour) and more moderate speeds. Very acceptable.

In Autumn 2018 I decided to go for a 33kWh BMW i3. The range is a bit better. Far from what Tesla or newer models can do now but a fair progress over the Leaf. Next week I will drive from Cork to Wexford. But won't go through Kilkenny, and it won't take me 6 hours. I'll actually do the 180km trip without recharging on the way. At the same pace as the other cars, with the added comfort, toll discount, and cheap "fuel".

My next EV will have an even longer range. Maybe it'll be a Tesla Model 3, a Kia e-Niro, or another of these newer EVs that have battery packs of over 60 kWh. I'll go from Cork to Dublin in one go, with some electricity to spare. The range anxiety will be gone, but then I will probably suffer from bladder anxiety.