Pole to Pole, also known as husband and wife Chris and Julie, are here to share their early EV experiences and the changes they have observed in the industry since they first went electric!
If you’d like to know more about their decision to make the switch, head to Part 1 now!
Let’s get plugged in…
Ten years ago, our first EV had a range of approximately 70 miles. Fast forward to today, and we are seeing EVs with a range anywhere from 250 to 450 miles, depending on the model and brand. It is incredible to witness the advancements in technology in such a short space of time, and the charging infrastructure is no different. There are some who still believe that there is not enough infrastructure to support EVs. For us, most of our charging is carried out at home when our car is parked overnight, and using public charging infrastructure is limited to our long-distance drives. On the occasions where we do need to use public charging infrastructure, the great thing is that it is so vast, meaning you can go about your daily routine and charge as and when required, for example, at the local supermarket, gym, car park, or shopping mall.
In 2020, there were around 20,000 EV chargers in the UK. As of October 2024, there are now 71,459 EV chargers in the UK, and this number is constantly growing.
Sure, at first, having an EV took a little bit of adjustment, but within a few months, it fit into our lifestyle very easily, and we were able to manage the charging of the car with ease. For long-distance journeys, being prepared in advance is super important. Planning your stops ahead of time for those long journeys is also key, and having a backup option will help. Once you have all this planned, it will make your journey much more pleasant and stress-free. If you do this route often enough, it will then become second nature, with no need for planning, as you will know where the charge stations are located and can just drive without having to think about it.
For longer journeys, the infrastructure has improved and expanded vastly. Now, we don't think twice about jumping in our EV and driving long distances because there are EV chargers at motorway services or key locations that allow us to charge up in 20-30 minutes—just enough time for a comfort break and a quick coffee before we are back on the road. At a large number of motorway services, there are between 6 to 10 high-powered EV chargers. Thanks to apps like Electroverse, you can easily find available chargers and navigate to them. We often drive 500+ mile journeys up and down the country and can confidently say that the infrastructure is available to support long trips.
We took the leap of faith with a Nissan LEAF a decade ago, and it’s been one of the best decisions we've made. In the 135 years since the creation of the car, electric vehicles are the next evolution—they are more efficient, more cost-effective, more technologically advanced, and most importantly, with zero tailpipe emissions, they are kinder to our environment. They are also just as fun and exciting to drive as a combustion vehicle.
We were a two-car household, and switching one car to an EV set us on our journey. If you are a two-car household, this could also be a great way for you to begin your electric journey. Other ways to test the technology include arranging a test drive through your local dealer, visiting EV events where test drives are offered, or borrowing one from your local car club, often there will be an EV for hire within their fleet.
If you decide an EV is right for you, take advantage of the interest-free loans and EV charger funding on offer (currently Scotland only) and keep an eye out for further government support as these incentives change frequently.
We hope you have enjoyed reading why we love driving EVs so much and that our story of transitioning to EV driving will inspire you to consider doing the same. We made the switch over a decade ago and have never looked back.
Feeling enlightened or do you think something was missing? Let us know by sharing your feedback.
Interested in learning more? Head over to our Electroverse Community area for more electrifying content!
