How many times have you been on holiday with your EV and where did you go?

I have not personally driven my EV across Europe yet, but am hoping to one year drive to Austria as our family often likes to go skiing in Kirschberg, Tirol. I have looked up the route in the past but have not yet done the trip. I use the mapping apps PlugShare and ChargeMap when looking at the routes through Europe. I signed up to KiWi and NewMotion cards already so I am ready to do the trip!

What was your most memorable trip and why?

My most memorable trip in the UK was when I drove from Surrey England all the way to Glasgow Scotland. It was about 430 miles one way. I stopped 6 times on the way over and only 5 times on the way back in my 30kWh Nissan Leaf. I mainly used the BP Chargemaster Polar Network. At £8 a month this card pays for itself if you charge more than twice per month on a rapid charger. I also stopped at a couple of Nissan Garages who kindly often give a free charge for CHAdeMO Leaf charging.

Which countries in Europe do you consider a go with an EV and which a no go

I couldn’t say as I have not travelled in the mainland of Europe with my EV yet.

Which MSP card or app would you advise E-drivers to use during their trip?

When visiting the UK I would certainly recommend to get a Polar Plus membership at £8 a month. Then Rapid charging is very cheap on their network which is widespread and usually quite reliable. BP Polar also has an App for non members but it occasionally can be less reliable. Fortunately many Polar chargers take debit cards now. You can access Ecotricity Highway on motorway services by downloading their App which accesses the network. Although this network can be sometimes unreliable, especially using CCS / Type2. It tends to be better with CHAdeMO. If you already have a NewMotion it will allow access to the Shell network. You can also use an App for this and many chargers now take debit cards. Instavolt network has CHAdeMO and CCS only and is very reliable. It supports debit cards and Apps. GeniePoint network uses a web app which is worth installing.

What is your golden tip for holidays with an EV?

Download the PlugShare App and plan your trip and the chargers you need. Always plan your next stop to leave enough power to get to a backup charger in case of issues with the charger. Drive 60-65 mph as this extends the range for slightly longer trips. Drive safe. After 2 hrs continued driving you should take at least a 15 min break. If driving a Nissan Leaf you can also stop at Nissan garages for free CHAdeMO charging. Ring ahead to check availability! Download and register Apps – Ecotricity , Polar instant, Shell, Geniepoint Web App, Pod-Point and you’ll be prepared for most things along with NewMotion Card, and debit card. Plan destination hotels by looking on PlugShare to see if any hotels have electric chargers so you can charge for free overnight.

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