I rented an EV for a long weekend. this is what i learned

bBefore renting the electric Skoda Enyaq Coupe for a long weekend, I had only one other experience with an electric vehicle (EV). And it was quite stressful.

I was in the south of France during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. My husband and I had our child together, and I was pregnant with our son.

I had visions of driving up to a fancy French café, getting out, and plugging in my vehicle. Then, perhaps, I can sit in the sun and enjoy a (decaffeinated) coffee while my husband takes care of our daughter. And after the car was fully charged, we smiled as we jumped back and headed into the French forest for a day exploring, followed by some sports activities in the evening.

Sadly, that was not the case.

In fairness to the car and the car rental company, I didn’t do any research. I rented the car with no idea how it would work, how it would charge, what apps I should download – nothing. This was a significant error.

What followed was a stressful week with the battery draining constantly and the fear that we would run out of charge midway. And when I finally did find a place to charge it, the stations were extremely confusing and it seemed like the charge was overcharging.

Now I know there’s a term for it: “charge anxiety”. And, honestly, I’ve given up on EVs forever. So far.

When Skoda asked if I wanted to try its family-focused all-electric Enyaq coupe, I decided to give EVs another chance. With 0-60 mph acceleration of just 5.4 seconds and a driving range of 339 miles, the Enyaq looks as impressive as it is great. It can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 26 minutes on a 185 kWh EV charging point. And it takes about eight hours to charge at an 11kWh home point. so far so good.

The car arrived Thursday morning, and because it was a vibrant shade of “Elsa Blue,” my daughter immediately fell in love with it. So, we clicked the car seats onto the Enyaq’s ISOFIX points and took it for a spin, making running errands and attending baby classes as easy as pie. At night, I plugged it in at home using the cord provided (I don’t have an EV point at home), making the most of the cheap electricity rates overnight.

But then, the real test came. I was going away for the weekend with a group of friends. This meant long journeys and trying to charge while out and about.

These are three things I learned from taking an EV on a road trip.

it’s very quiet

Full disclosure – I drive a large, diesel Volvo XC90 seven-seater every day. In comparison, the Enyak Koopa is a silent killer.

It took some time to get used to it. I am not proud to admit that in the beginning I spent a lot of time thinking about how to turn off the vehicle when I reached my destination. Of course, it was already closed. I just needed to get out and turn it off.

Also, when you are driving on big roads, it is a bit frustrating in the beginning that you can’t hear it running. You kind of keep sliding. However, this soon subsides and – especially on motorways – it’s quite lovely with very little driving noise. It made interacting with passengers during our trip much more enjoyable and – frankly – easier.

It’s about the journey, not the destination

I hate to state the obvious, but going long distances in an EV means you’ll have to make some stops. Although you’ll be able to take far fewer charge breaks in more modern vehicles than you did five years ago due to advances in EV technology. As mentioned, the Enyaq Coupe is comfortably capable of going a long trip (over 300 miles) without charging, but, to paraphrase the famous saying, when you’re behind the wheel of an EV it’s not just about the destination but the journey.

This, especially when going away with some friends, is part of the fun. You just have to embrace it.

We planned our two-hour, 100-mile route around charge stops (not that we needed more than one, we just got into the spirit of things!). Using charging map apps like Zapmap, you can very easily find suitable points to stop during your journey – and, importantly, whether there’s an M&S service station nearby to pick up some Percy Pigs. With only 26 minutes of charge time at some ultra-efficient points, you’ll barely have enough time to use the toilet and grab a Pret coffee before it’s time to go.

So yes, gone are the days of waiting for hours to charge your EV – although at some locations you may have to queue or wait for a spot. I was quite disappointed at not being able to nab EV-charging parking spots at one of my planned stops. Let me tell you, it was quite difficult to walk the extra 10 meters to M&S.

Handily, the Enyaq Coupe’s in-built navigation system even shows charging points on the route you’re driving so you can, theoretically, just pull in and charge while you’re down the road.

Charge anxiety is still a thing, it’s just different

the big one. And if I’m honest it’s still something I struggle with.

First and foremost, when you’re new to EVs it takes a while to stop worrying about running out of charge.

In contrast to my experience in France, I found there are now almost as many charging apps to download. It was actually quite difficult to decide which brand to choose – do you download Octopus? Tesla? ovo? does it matter? What’s the difference? To be honest, I’m still not really sure.

Finally, for my first charging session, I took a BP station and used a pay-as-you-go EV charging point that was as simple as ‘tap and go’. Charging from 50 to 80 per cent cost me about £25, which sounds high but is probably in line with the cost of running a conventional car.

Skoda recommends that drivers use the PowerPass card, a card and app that provides access to more than 850,000 charging points in the UK and Europe. It’s also compatible with most public AC and DC charging stations, including the super speedy IONITY fast-charging network. It also works in harmony with the MyKoda app, through which you manage the car’s technical systems, and provides real-time information on the location, availability and price of chargers.

And of course, if you have an EV, you probably have an EV charging station at home. And, over time, you’ll find apps and providers that work for you and the routes you commonly travel. But that’s not the case when it comes to EVs so you’re a little green (excuse the word…)

Like many things in life, it gets easier the more you do it and the more you become familiar with the car, the technology and the national EV charging network.

in conclusion

Overall, I loved driving the Skoda Enyaq Coupe. All my friends enjoyed riding in fresh, clean, fancy cars and loved making the most of the journey through charge stops. And my kids were very disappointed to see it go. Which, really, is the strongest indication that this is an excellent car because, let’s be honest, kids are always the harshest critics.

Fun Facts: Charging an EV is actually similar to charging your smartphone! For optimal battery performance, manufacturers like Skoda recommend charging any EV up to 80 percent. Charging from 0-80 percent is significantly faster than 80-100 percent due to the tapering effect, where the charging speed decreases as the battery gets closer to full capacity.