As I do have some experience with various EVs (Tesla, Porsche, VW) I will say the following about them. I actually WANT to like them, but in nearly all cases I don't like them enough to warrant or consider purchasing one for myself. The emotionality, for lack of a better word, was only felt behind the wheel of the Porsche Taycan Turbo I briefly had, and I did appreciate it. Teslas are absolutely soul-less, and the VW ID.4 was so normal that it didn't even seem like an EV at all.
I think the EV that will ultimately capture my attention will have to have some sense of soul and character, and I do think it is possible to build that but I haven't experienced it for myself yet. I am too old to drive boring cars at this point, so I will remain stubborn about this point. For the record, I have never driven any Polestar models so cannot comment specifically about that marque and how it would make me feel. Thanks for another great article!
I was hoping you’d weigh in! I think I’ll always want a car with a “soul,” and I certainly think you’re right about the soulless nature of many of the EVs, notably the Tesla. In fact, that’s our big complaint about our XC40: it’s just kind of meh. EXCEPT, it’s silent, smooth, and incredibly convenient and enjoyable for most daily driving. Right now, the Polestar, Porsche, and Lucid are top of our shopping list. I haven’t driven the Macan EV yet; that’s going to be very interesting.
I agree that the Macan EV seems interesting, and we currently own a 2017 Macan GTS so would be extremely critical of that one should we find it lacking. I'd like to give it a try though!
Tom, first things first: from one writer to another, this was a great read :) But I never expected an article about “just a track event” to bring the beginning of tears to my eyes. You’re not wrong, we authentically love this brand and the people (like you and your talented artist wife!) that we meet along its journey. Of course, I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the vehicle and experience - but above all, I’m happy that you felt the “love.” Cheers! Cambria
Aw, thanks a lot! (Speaking of tears.) We DID feel the love, even though my radar was on high alert for falsity. You guys are the real deal. Here’s a funny story that I didn’t include: at the last dinner, as you guys were giving out the awards to people, I leaned over and said to Sara, “What are the chances that they’re giving awards to those people who seem most likely to purchase a car in the calendar year or who fit their target demographic?” But before she could answer, you guys called out my name for an award and I had to admit I was being too cynical.
I went deeeeep into vanlife research before I retired, convinced that was my next ride roaming the earth. Even gave it a name - The Amazing Spider-Van. It was a reassuring fantasy while I had to grind away those last couple of corp years.
Yesterday, we rented a brand new Mercedes Sprinter diesel to move my son back from college and now I want the Amazing Spider-Van again. Maybe I can get one - the diesel has 500 mile range - and then in a few years when we're sick of roaming the earth, EV charging stations will be everywhere and I can get a polestar with massaging seats and TORQUE
Chasing perfection can really make you crazy, can’t it? Sara sometimes thinks that I’ll get to the end of this journey and just decide to stand pat with the cars we have. Our V90 CC is as close to perfect as we’ve ever come but after driving an EV, I find the transmission performance INTOLERABLE! Oh, the things we can wrap ourselves around.
Fascinating - looks like a heavy-sell, not something I'd feel comfortable with. But yes, the car looks pretty decent - though whether it works in ordinary life as well as on the racetrack is worthy of thought.
I've been driving pure BEV electric since 2013 - a very early adopter, and I'm obviously a convert to the torque, comfort and convenience of EVs. I note that early Hyundai's were awful, but my oath, have they improved! After some deliberation, I bought my current car - an Hyundai Kona SE, top of the range with all the gadgets and a range of 270 miles, in May 2019, and feel in no hurry to replace it yet.
Its proven to be a stunningly convenient vehicle across the UK's varied roads, from twisty, potholed island single track country lanes, to the big motorways. I did have a very close look at both the e-Jaguar and the e-Audi, but they were almost twice the price, and yet rather heavy and inefficient - the Kona wins hands down on energy efficiency despite being a compact SUV with fairly similar dimensions. I'm getting around 3.5 miles a kWh, which is exceptional, and I do not drive like grandma! Actually I found the Jaguar driving position very cramped, if anything. So, I'd suggest you consider the Hyundai Kona or the Hyundai Ioniq - and note that the Kona - despite it being relatively affordable - is the UK Daily Telegraph's top tip: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/hybrid-electric-cars/best-electric-cars-this-year/
Oh and Rob, not a heavy sell at all. Not once did they push us to commit to buying a car. It felt very much like they were just trying to get a bunch of people to like their cars. Most (70%) of the attendees already owned a Polestar 2, so were already somewhat committed to the brand.
So, a fellow EV convert! I like the Hyundai’s and the Kia’s, both of which are killing it in their segment. If I wasn’t married, I’d get the Hyundai Ioniq 5N in an instant … but I have this limiting factor called a wife, and she demands the most exquisite seats. We’re going to test the Korean cars, especially the upmarket Genesis versions.
I bought my wife an MG -ZS-EV in 2019 as a special Xmas pressie, and she loves it - the seats are comfy, and high so theres more room and visibility - and she doesn't care about performance, just comfort. You could afford one with the savings you might make with the Kona instead of one of the fancier marques!
As the site is paywalled, heres their review: "We thought carefully about placing this in the top spot, but it’s here because it is a paean to common sense – an attribute sadly lacking in many an EV. There’s a rear wiper, for one thing; inside, there are proper buttons and stalks for pretty much every major function, rather than touchpads or a distracting touchscreen. The body control isn’t great around faster bends, but you’re not going to be slinging the Kona around anyway, so that doesn’t matter so much; what you do get, however, is a delightfully smooth ride, as well as lots of space in the rear seats and the boot. The 65kWh battery is big enough for a respectable range without being too heavy, while the price is pretty sensible, too; the Kona is roughly on par spec-for-spec with Hyundai’s hybrid Tucson. It may not be the EV everyone is talking about, then, but the Kona has quietly sneaked to the top of the class thanks to a dose of good sense."
Like everybody in the comments, the charging situation is the rub. I live in Texas, and distances are significant. We also love long road trips (Texas to Maine, and back, anybody?). Can't do in an EV. Like you, I have to fall in love with a car, from my old Mini Cooper to my Mustang convertible, and VW Corrado, even the Rav4 (with the wheel on the back) had personality. Sadly, finding a car to swoon over these days is an impossible quest. Blandness meh rules...
Yeah, I'd be up for Texas to Maine for sure -- but maybe not in an EV yet. I do have this notion that at some point there will be a Route 66 situation where everyone slows down and takes their time on the drive. But if that happens, it will likely only be for a few years before batteries get longer and longer lives.
Same distance problem here in Northwestern Ontario -- there are signs that say "No Gas for 220 Kilometres" (130ish miles). Those signs don't even bother to mention EV stations yet... lol
Its the other way around in rural Scotland - finding petrol can be quite challenging in the Highlands as there are few places open 24 hours, (and its also very expensive here compared to the USA) whilst charging stations are unmanned and 24/7, so I've found electric driving a lot more convenient - and a lot cheaper too. Distances are much shorter anyway in the UK, I can get to the very far tip of Shetland from home in just one charge heading north, or as far as Manchester heading south. Public charging is better - the government invested heavily over ten years ago, so every ferry port and town has at least one rapid charge point.
We spent part of our UK trip in Inverness with a (long) day trip to the Isle of Skye -- and finally got to rent our MG SUV! Unfortunately, it was as underwhelming as the Mercedes EV was overwhelming... lol. I didn't notice any particular problem fuelling up, but again, I come from a place where you always get petrol when you can on long trips or risk running out... lol
Beautiful country where you're from. Looks very similar to where we live in Northwestern Ontario. The rocks are slightly different and very much older in Scotland, and the coniferous trees are slightly different. But it's clear why so many Scots settled here. Part of the city I live in was once called Fort William, and you can see why...
Totally agree: it won’t work in some locations. I always tell people that they shouldn’t even consider an EV if they can’t charge at home or if it’s their only car. We love long road trips too …
We’ve done Reno to Bellingham half a dozen times in our Model 3 without issue. Supercharging takes 15-20 minutes and usually needs to be done every 2-3 hours (and the car is from 2018 so not the longest range anymore). Maybe once we’ve had to change the route to make sure we had power to cross a more remote section. We’ve also driven it to LA and Salt Lake City.
That said, meandering road trips for fun we do in the Sprinter van so we can sleep where we land that night.
Now that the Superchargers are open to all, this becomes much more viable. I tried to plot a trip from Seattle to Albuquerque when we first got our XC40 and just couldn’t make it work. It might be different now.
Home charging is a non-negotiable, for me too. But for long distance touring, I tend to stay overnight at Air B&Bs or friends homes, and just charge up overnight on the granny-lead, starting every day with a full battery and 270 miles range. Then pick somewhere en-route for a rapid boost or two (and lunch) - and in the UK we are plastered with rapids, so its rarely a problem here.
We rented an EV a couple of years ago in England, and there were certainly charging challenges. We're used to driving hundreds of miles in a day, which proved tricky with an EV, even though they have a decent charging network and apps to show you the way. I'm all for EVs, but it would be even more limiting here at home and long-distance trips can be dangerous, never mind difficult!
But yeah, to have a day like that on the Sonoma track. I imagine just hanging out with all those car afficiandos alone made it a great day. And hey, a spreadsheet to find the right car for you? Nothing wrong with that. Anything to help you get what you want.
BTW - I watched that Jag video, and I 100% agree with you. Sometimes, you can see where the company and the marketing team were trying to go with it, and maybe it just missed because of the acting, or too many execs tweaking the script, or the idea fell a little flat. This isn't one of those times...
Happy New Year, Tom! Hope you get to have more driving adventures in 2025.
Oh yeah, I would have made the same choice! Just the other day my brother walked into a blind EV rental and really had a devil of a time with it. How’d you like the Mercedes otherwise? For my tastes, they’re a bit ugly, but I’m sure the interior is pretty exquisite.
I find the novelty of most luxury cars wears off quickly for me, so it's not necessarily something I'd buy. But yeah, it was great to tour around in for a few days. It had amazing pick-up and the handling was, of course, beautiful, even for an SUV that size. The first time we stopped at night and the bright Mercedes-logo flashed onto the asphalt to light the way, it felt like some sort of red carpet.
It was a little big for UK driving. We got caught in a long alleyway that dead-ended, so I had to make a 27-point turn to get us out or back up a half-mile! Parking especially could be a challenge. But there was just something... right about the whole driving experience. I had fun and don't regret the decision in the least!
Thanks Graham. I think handing someone an EV as a rental—without first inquiring whether they’re ready for the challenge or have a known location for a charge—is really shoddy behavior. I’m an EV owner, and I wouldn’t want one as a rental unless the circumstances are perfect. As for the presence of car aficionados … I’ll just say it was lighter at this event than at many, but I’m just a real car nerd. The track was really cool though, I’d love to drive there again on a dry day and in a real track car.
Oh, we had a choice. We rented an MG SUV, because, you know, MG, but they were out. So, they gave us a choice of a Ford Focus or a Mercedes 350 EQB.
We didn't take the Ford...
I walked into it with my eyes open and promised my wife I'd take care of all the details, which I did. It meant some late nights and early mornings charging, but it was all part of the adventure. We got the hang of the charging thing on or about the day we had to take it back, lol.
Glad you survived - a lot of people have a tough time learning the ropes at first - thats why I'm glad I started 12 years ago with a 24 kWh Leaf - very low range but it taught me how to conserve energy and plan ahead. It was a lot of an adventure in those days, as public chargers were like hens teeth!
Very interesting, Tom. But unless I missed it, you didn't mention charging points. In the UK, different cars have different charging connections, and there aren't enough charging points anyway. There have been stories of people being delayed for several hours on a long journey because they've had to wait in line for a charging point to be available. It's a really stupid situation, and one that puts me off buying an EV. We have been thinking that our next car is likely to be a hybrid. What do you think of hybrids compared to EVs? I'm impressed that you maintain a detailed spreadsheet: a man after my own heart!
Funny - we commented close together. I was just saying how easy it was in England to charge! But that was SW England, and it was two years ago, so it's quite possible things have changed and/or things are different in other parts of the UK.
The charging network is definitely a challenge in Canada. I'm not sure what it's like in the larger centres -- I'm sure it's better -- but smaller towns spaced an hour apart makes long-distance travelling a relatively brave thing to do...
I imagine it's like most chicken-and-egg situations with technology. People have to be there to make it financially viable. But the network has to be there to make people want to buy in to the new technology. But to build the network you need money. But... There are government programs building the network, though that has slowed down now until the EV batter industry can start producing at full force.
Ha! That's funny. We live in London, and I was thinking especially of motorway service stations. I think some cars are better serviced than others. But my information is a bit old too, so maybe things have changed for the better. I agree with you about the chicken and egg situation. I liken the situation to that of railways in Britain. When they first came on the scene, all different guages were in use. Eventually, the government got involved, and passed an Act stipulating the standard width of guage. I sometimes wonder if a similar solutioon is needed today. Mind you, that would require international co-operation. I've just spotted a herd of flying pigs!
I loved the motorway service stations -- we could get out, have a picnic lunch, and charge the car at one the of the fast chargers. As I say, we never had a line-up, which would have soured the experience for us tremendously. And yeah, the non-fast chargers were brutal, but those were mostly at the grocery stores. Some of the more rural parts of Wales we went to could be dicey, but even then, there was usually a fast charger within a hour of us, so we could easily detour, have some dinner, and charge up.
It would get old on me really quickly if that's the life I lived, but it was adventure enough as part of the travels! Sort of like swinging from vine to vine...
Hi guys. First, I’ll say that the chargers used at this event were at the hotel, and thus all the cars did the entire track day on a single charge. That seemed critical to the functioning of the event, the need not to have to go around and get charged up. The infrastructure here lags demand, for sure, as you’ve said Terry. But my experience is that I NEVER need a public charger. I do all my charging at home and it’s both convenient and a real joy not to have to visit a gas station. Now, I will say that we have both an EV and an ICE, so that if we know we’re doing a trip long enough to require a public charge, we simply take the ICE. As Graham says, the network simply isn’t there … yet. The convergence of a better charging network and extended car range is coming, it’s just not there yet. And Terry, I think hybrids are great. Their greater complexity creates more opportunities for failure than an ICE, but not so much more that I’d avoid a hybrid. However, I think the experience of an EV is superior to either ICE or hybrid for regular usage.
Thanks, Tom. I suppose it depends what you use the car for. We have a petrol one and the only time we use it is to do a large shop or to visit friends and relatives who don't live near a station. Most of our travelling is in London on public transport, and long-distance travel (which is rare) is by means of a train. When you say the experience of an EV is superior, by what criteria? EG smoothness of travel, ease of use, noise? My only eperiences of EVs have been in taxis, and I was imporessed by how they seem to just glide along in near silence.
Ah, here in semi-rural Washington we only trip of viable public transport! Without a car, living where I do would be really hard. Superior: the quiet, the smoothness of the drive (no lurching transmission), the simplicity of operations. Every day when we leave the house we face a choice—EV or ICE—and it’s very rare that we don’t choose EV.
I've never really been a car person, but your writing is so evocative I can almost imagine becoming one.
wow sweet experience! I hear there's some need for a new top gear-esque show 👀 also I've driven by that raceway pretty often!
You don’t see much of it when you drive by, that’s for sure. It was a really cool track, hope to drive there again sometime.
Great summary bro - go drive that Genesis!!
Thanks buddy, it's definitely on my list.
As I do have some experience with various EVs (Tesla, Porsche, VW) I will say the following about them. I actually WANT to like them, but in nearly all cases I don't like them enough to warrant or consider purchasing one for myself. The emotionality, for lack of a better word, was only felt behind the wheel of the Porsche Taycan Turbo I briefly had, and I did appreciate it. Teslas are absolutely soul-less, and the VW ID.4 was so normal that it didn't even seem like an EV at all.
I think the EV that will ultimately capture my attention will have to have some sense of soul and character, and I do think it is possible to build that but I haven't experienced it for myself yet. I am too old to drive boring cars at this point, so I will remain stubborn about this point. For the record, I have never driven any Polestar models so cannot comment specifically about that marque and how it would make me feel. Thanks for another great article!
I was hoping you’d weigh in! I think I’ll always want a car with a “soul,” and I certainly think you’re right about the soulless nature of many of the EVs, notably the Tesla. In fact, that’s our big complaint about our XC40: it’s just kind of meh. EXCEPT, it’s silent, smooth, and incredibly convenient and enjoyable for most daily driving. Right now, the Polestar, Porsche, and Lucid are top of our shopping list. I haven’t driven the Macan EV yet; that’s going to be very interesting.
I agree that the Macan EV seems interesting, and we currently own a 2017 Macan GTS so would be extremely critical of that one should we find it lacking. I'd like to give it a try though!
Tom, first things first: from one writer to another, this was a great read :) But I never expected an article about “just a track event” to bring the beginning of tears to my eyes. You’re not wrong, we authentically love this brand and the people (like you and your talented artist wife!) that we meet along its journey. Of course, I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the vehicle and experience - but above all, I’m happy that you felt the “love.” Cheers! Cambria
Aw, thanks a lot! (Speaking of tears.) We DID feel the love, even though my radar was on high alert for falsity. You guys are the real deal. Here’s a funny story that I didn’t include: at the last dinner, as you guys were giving out the awards to people, I leaned over and said to Sara, “What are the chances that they’re giving awards to those people who seem most likely to purchase a car in the calendar year or who fit their target demographic?” But before she could answer, you guys called out my name for an award and I had to admit I was being too cynical.
I went deeeeep into vanlife research before I retired, convinced that was my next ride roaming the earth. Even gave it a name - The Amazing Spider-Van. It was a reassuring fantasy while I had to grind away those last couple of corp years.
Yesterday, we rented a brand new Mercedes Sprinter diesel to move my son back from college and now I want the Amazing Spider-Van again. Maybe I can get one - the diesel has 500 mile range - and then in a few years when we're sick of roaming the earth, EV charging stations will be everywhere and I can get a polestar with massaging seats and TORQUE
Chasing perfection can really make you crazy, can’t it? Sara sometimes thinks that I’ll get to the end of this journey and just decide to stand pat with the cars we have. Our V90 CC is as close to perfect as we’ve ever come but after driving an EV, I find the transmission performance INTOLERABLE! Oh, the things we can wrap ourselves around.
Is true; analysis paralysis. Seeing more of those cool flat blue V60s around - are they hybrid?
No, those are pure gas powered, as far as I know.
Fascinating - looks like a heavy-sell, not something I'd feel comfortable with. But yes, the car looks pretty decent - though whether it works in ordinary life as well as on the racetrack is worthy of thought.
I've been driving pure BEV electric since 2013 - a very early adopter, and I'm obviously a convert to the torque, comfort and convenience of EVs. I note that early Hyundai's were awful, but my oath, have they improved! After some deliberation, I bought my current car - an Hyundai Kona SE, top of the range with all the gadgets and a range of 270 miles, in May 2019, and feel in no hurry to replace it yet.
Its proven to be a stunningly convenient vehicle across the UK's varied roads, from twisty, potholed island single track country lanes, to the big motorways. I did have a very close look at both the e-Jaguar and the e-Audi, but they were almost twice the price, and yet rather heavy and inefficient - the Kona wins hands down on energy efficiency despite being a compact SUV with fairly similar dimensions. I'm getting around 3.5 miles a kWh, which is exceptional, and I do not drive like grandma! Actually I found the Jaguar driving position very cramped, if anything. So, I'd suggest you consider the Hyundai Kona or the Hyundai Ioniq - and note that the Kona - despite it being relatively affordable - is the UK Daily Telegraph's top tip: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/hybrid-electric-cars/best-electric-cars-this-year/
Oh and Rob, not a heavy sell at all. Not once did they push us to commit to buying a car. It felt very much like they were just trying to get a bunch of people to like their cars. Most (70%) of the attendees already owned a Polestar 2, so were already somewhat committed to the brand.
So, a fellow EV convert! I like the Hyundai’s and the Kia’s, both of which are killing it in their segment. If I wasn’t married, I’d get the Hyundai Ioniq 5N in an instant … but I have this limiting factor called a wife, and she demands the most exquisite seats. We’re going to test the Korean cars, especially the upmarket Genesis versions.
I bought my wife an MG -ZS-EV in 2019 as a special Xmas pressie, and she loves it - the seats are comfy, and high so theres more room and visibility - and she doesn't care about performance, just comfort. You could afford one with the savings you might make with the Kona instead of one of the fancier marques!
As the site is paywalled, heres their review: "We thought carefully about placing this in the top spot, but it’s here because it is a paean to common sense – an attribute sadly lacking in many an EV. There’s a rear wiper, for one thing; inside, there are proper buttons and stalks for pretty much every major function, rather than touchpads or a distracting touchscreen. The body control isn’t great around faster bends, but you’re not going to be slinging the Kona around anyway, so that doesn’t matter so much; what you do get, however, is a delightfully smooth ride, as well as lots of space in the rear seats and the boot. The 65kWh battery is big enough for a respectable range without being too heavy, while the price is pretty sensible, too; the Kona is roughly on par spec-for-spec with Hyundai’s hybrid Tucson. It may not be the EV everyone is talking about, then, but the Kona has quietly sneaked to the top of the class thanks to a dose of good sense."
Like everybody in the comments, the charging situation is the rub. I live in Texas, and distances are significant. We also love long road trips (Texas to Maine, and back, anybody?). Can't do in an EV. Like you, I have to fall in love with a car, from my old Mini Cooper to my Mustang convertible, and VW Corrado, even the Rav4 (with the wheel on the back) had personality. Sadly, finding a car to swoon over these days is an impossible quest. Blandness meh rules...
Yeah, I'd be up for Texas to Maine for sure -- but maybe not in an EV yet. I do have this notion that at some point there will be a Route 66 situation where everyone slows down and takes their time on the drive. But if that happens, it will likely only be for a few years before batteries get longer and longer lives.
Same distance problem here in Northwestern Ontario -- there are signs that say "No Gas for 220 Kilometres" (130ish miles). Those signs don't even bother to mention EV stations yet... lol
Its the other way around in rural Scotland - finding petrol can be quite challenging in the Highlands as there are few places open 24 hours, (and its also very expensive here compared to the USA) whilst charging stations are unmanned and 24/7, so I've found electric driving a lot more convenient - and a lot cheaper too. Distances are much shorter anyway in the UK, I can get to the very far tip of Shetland from home in just one charge heading north, or as far as Manchester heading south. Public charging is better - the government invested heavily over ten years ago, so every ferry port and town has at least one rapid charge point.
We spent part of our UK trip in Inverness with a (long) day trip to the Isle of Skye -- and finally got to rent our MG SUV! Unfortunately, it was as underwhelming as the Mercedes EV was overwhelming... lol. I didn't notice any particular problem fuelling up, but again, I come from a place where you always get petrol when you can on long trips or risk running out... lol
Beautiful country where you're from. Looks very similar to where we live in Northwestern Ontario. The rocks are slightly different and very much older in Scotland, and the coniferous trees are slightly different. But it's clear why so many Scots settled here. Part of the city I live in was once called Fort William, and you can see why...
Totally agree: it won’t work in some locations. I always tell people that they shouldn’t even consider an EV if they can’t charge at home or if it’s their only car. We love long road trips too …
We’ve done Reno to Bellingham half a dozen times in our Model 3 without issue. Supercharging takes 15-20 minutes and usually needs to be done every 2-3 hours (and the car is from 2018 so not the longest range anymore). Maybe once we’ve had to change the route to make sure we had power to cross a more remote section. We’ve also driven it to LA and Salt Lake City.
That said, meandering road trips for fun we do in the Sprinter van so we can sleep where we land that night.
Now that the Superchargers are open to all, this becomes much more viable. I tried to plot a trip from Seattle to Albuquerque when we first got our XC40 and just couldn’t make it work. It might be different now.
“A Better Route Planner” website and app is super helpful but if the chargers aren’t there then what?
I remember seeing the 2019 road trip articles where they didn’t even mention Tesla and thinking that was crazy.
This one:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/12/electric-vehicle-road-trip-takeaways-00085508
Home charging is a non-negotiable, for me too. But for long distance touring, I tend to stay overnight at Air B&Bs or friends homes, and just charge up overnight on the granny-lead, starting every day with a full battery and 270 miles range. Then pick somewhere en-route for a rapid boost or two (and lunch) - and in the UK we are plastered with rapids, so its rarely a problem here.
“Plastered with rapids”! Definitely not our problem here.
Wow - looks like you had an amazing day!
We rented an EV a couple of years ago in England, and there were certainly charging challenges. We're used to driving hundreds of miles in a day, which proved tricky with an EV, even though they have a decent charging network and apps to show you the way. I'm all for EVs, but it would be even more limiting here at home and long-distance trips can be dangerous, never mind difficult!
But yeah, to have a day like that on the Sonoma track. I imagine just hanging out with all those car afficiandos alone made it a great day. And hey, a spreadsheet to find the right car for you? Nothing wrong with that. Anything to help you get what you want.
BTW - I watched that Jag video, and I 100% agree with you. Sometimes, you can see where the company and the marketing team were trying to go with it, and maybe it just missed because of the acting, or too many execs tweaking the script, or the idea fell a little flat. This isn't one of those times...
Happy New Year, Tom! Hope you get to have more driving adventures in 2025.
Oh yeah, I would have made the same choice! Just the other day my brother walked into a blind EV rental and really had a devil of a time with it. How’d you like the Mercedes otherwise? For my tastes, they’re a bit ugly, but I’m sure the interior is pretty exquisite.
I find the novelty of most luxury cars wears off quickly for me, so it's not necessarily something I'd buy. But yeah, it was great to tour around in for a few days. It had amazing pick-up and the handling was, of course, beautiful, even for an SUV that size. The first time we stopped at night and the bright Mercedes-logo flashed onto the asphalt to light the way, it felt like some sort of red carpet.
It was a little big for UK driving. We got caught in a long alleyway that dead-ended, so I had to make a 27-point turn to get us out or back up a half-mile! Parking especially could be a challenge. But there was just something... right about the whole driving experience. I had fun and don't regret the decision in the least!
Here's the "red carpet":
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XKqYBMFqnzfW92Pn6
Thanks Graham. I think handing someone an EV as a rental—without first inquiring whether they’re ready for the challenge or have a known location for a charge—is really shoddy behavior. I’m an EV owner, and I wouldn’t want one as a rental unless the circumstances are perfect. As for the presence of car aficionados … I’ll just say it was lighter at this event than at many, but I’m just a real car nerd. The track was really cool though, I’d love to drive there again on a dry day and in a real track car.
Oh, we had a choice. We rented an MG SUV, because, you know, MG, but they were out. So, they gave us a choice of a Ford Focus or a Mercedes 350 EQB.
We didn't take the Ford...
I walked into it with my eyes open and promised my wife I'd take care of all the details, which I did. It meant some late nights and early mornings charging, but it was all part of the adventure. We got the hang of the charging thing on or about the day we had to take it back, lol.
Glad you survived - a lot of people have a tough time learning the ropes at first - thats why I'm glad I started 12 years ago with a 24 kWh Leaf - very low range but it taught me how to conserve energy and plan ahead. It was a lot of an adventure in those days, as public chargers were like hens teeth!
Very interesting, Tom. But unless I missed it, you didn't mention charging points. In the UK, different cars have different charging connections, and there aren't enough charging points anyway. There have been stories of people being delayed for several hours on a long journey because they've had to wait in line for a charging point to be available. It's a really stupid situation, and one that puts me off buying an EV. We have been thinking that our next car is likely to be a hybrid. What do you think of hybrids compared to EVs? I'm impressed that you maintain a detailed spreadsheet: a man after my own heart!
Funny - we commented close together. I was just saying how easy it was in England to charge! But that was SW England, and it was two years ago, so it's quite possible things have changed and/or things are different in other parts of the UK.
The charging network is definitely a challenge in Canada. I'm not sure what it's like in the larger centres -- I'm sure it's better -- but smaller towns spaced an hour apart makes long-distance travelling a relatively brave thing to do...
I imagine it's like most chicken-and-egg situations with technology. People have to be there to make it financially viable. But the network has to be there to make people want to buy in to the new technology. But to build the network you need money. But... There are government programs building the network, though that has slowed down now until the EV batter industry can start producing at full force.
Ha! That's funny. We live in London, and I was thinking especially of motorway service stations. I think some cars are better serviced than others. But my information is a bit old too, so maybe things have changed for the better. I agree with you about the chicken and egg situation. I liken the situation to that of railways in Britain. When they first came on the scene, all different guages were in use. Eventually, the government got involved, and passed an Act stipulating the standard width of guage. I sometimes wonder if a similar solutioon is needed today. Mind you, that would require international co-operation. I've just spotted a herd of flying pigs!
I loved the motorway service stations -- we could get out, have a picnic lunch, and charge the car at one the of the fast chargers. As I say, we never had a line-up, which would have soured the experience for us tremendously. And yeah, the non-fast chargers were brutal, but those were mostly at the grocery stores. Some of the more rural parts of Wales we went to could be dicey, but even then, there was usually a fast charger within a hour of us, so we could easily detour, have some dinner, and charge up.
It would get old on me really quickly if that's the life I lived, but it was adventure enough as part of the travels! Sort of like swinging from vine to vine...
Swinging from vine to vine is a great analogy for it.
LOL. Love the analogy. I agree that the service stations are well-set up.
Hi guys. First, I’ll say that the chargers used at this event were at the hotel, and thus all the cars did the entire track day on a single charge. That seemed critical to the functioning of the event, the need not to have to go around and get charged up. The infrastructure here lags demand, for sure, as you’ve said Terry. But my experience is that I NEVER need a public charger. I do all my charging at home and it’s both convenient and a real joy not to have to visit a gas station. Now, I will say that we have both an EV and an ICE, so that if we know we’re doing a trip long enough to require a public charge, we simply take the ICE. As Graham says, the network simply isn’t there … yet. The convergence of a better charging network and extended car range is coming, it’s just not there yet. And Terry, I think hybrids are great. Their greater complexity creates more opportunities for failure than an ICE, but not so much more that I’d avoid a hybrid. However, I think the experience of an EV is superior to either ICE or hybrid for regular usage.
Thanks, Tom. I suppose it depends what you use the car for. We have a petrol one and the only time we use it is to do a large shop or to visit friends and relatives who don't live near a station. Most of our travelling is in London on public transport, and long-distance travel (which is rare) is by means of a train. When you say the experience of an EV is superior, by what criteria? EG smoothness of travel, ease of use, noise? My only eperiences of EVs have been in taxis, and I was imporessed by how they seem to just glide along in near silence.
Ah, here in semi-rural Washington we only trip of viable public transport! Without a car, living where I do would be really hard. Superior: the quiet, the smoothness of the drive (no lurching transmission), the simplicity of operations. Every day when we leave the house we face a choice—EV or ICE—and it’s very rare that we don’t choose EV.
thanks for the clarification