1 Fully Electric Month. Is This The Way?

6 November 2023 Redazione Lifestyle, News

Words Andrea Balti / Photos Jay Tomei

This piece has been buzzing around in my head for some time, but for one reason or another I’ve never had the chance to sit in front of my laptop writing it. I’m not sure what the reason behind this unusual gestation is, but I think it must be found in the fact that when it first emerged in my head I thought one thing, while about thirty days later I had substantially changed my mind. And this, the fact of overturning a belief, is always a little scary. Due to a series of events I was able to spend an entire month with zero emissions. Two different cars, two ways of understanding electric mobility that we could define on the opposites, but both with the common aim of convincing skeptics that this is the future and that it does not involve any type of withdrawal. Whether this is true remains to be found out, but spending 720 hours replacing petrol with electricity is a good way to start getting an idea.

I want to underline a couple of things, namely that it doesn’t matter what car, much less the cost of charging, given that it is a factor that varies too much based on the type of charging station and contract, a scenario ideal for those who purchase an electric car. I don’t even intend to dwell on the consumption argument regarding the cost per kilometer, because even in this case it varies radically from one car to another. What I want to analyze is the practicality of living with an EV in today’s world, with all that entails. And since you’re reading Auto Class, let’s not leave the emotional factor behind either. The first few days are like unwrapping Christmas presents and discovering the many wizardries that these cutting-edge models are able to offer. Between gigantic screens, constant connectivity with the big network and stylistic features aimed at distinguishing a zero emissions model from its internal combustion counterpart, you find yourself almost distracted from what actually represents one of the key points in this type of product: average mileage and therefore freedom of movement.

With the increase in battery capacity, at least for medium-sized sedans or SUVs (as in the case of the first half of my electric month) we are talking about a minimum of 450 km on a full tank of electrons. But these are the optimistic values declared by the manufacturers, numbers that in the real world are cut like butter crossed by a hot blade and drop – significantly – especially depending on the driving style you go for. There are those who regenerate better and those who force more frequent recharging stops, a painful aspect not so much due to the waiting times at the charging station itself, but due to the insufficiency of the infrastructure, which sometimes happens to be malfunctioning. Each car has its own integrated system, there are Apps and there is obviously Internet as well, but depending on where you are and where you need to go, not all national areas are adequately covered by charging stations, much less the fastest ones. Just to give some reference to those less accustomed to this type of mobility: at 300 kW you recharge quickly (provided that the car is set up to receive a high voltage), at 110 kW it is acceptable as well as 50 kW (if you’re not able to find something faster), but with the Type 2 it becomes a pit-stop which implies a wait of at least 60 minutes for a few tens of kilometers of charge, let alone if you are in line waiting for the one before you to finish his charge. From home – even with a wallbox – it is necessary to use the entire night at the socket, provided you don’t have to fill up an empty battery.

Now, this is the crucial point of the discussion. Electric cars are not the problem, charging stations are, which are still scarce and inefficient. As fast as practicality of a medium car such as an SUV, electrification does not cause any loss in terms of drivability and comfort, quite the opposite. In the following two weeks I instead moved for a sedan with supercar performance. A completely different concept, where electrification is actually a way to give otherwise unthinkable performances at disposal. In this case the overall range drops right from the start, guaranteeing around 350 km, which in reality almost never exceeds 280, this being gentle on the throttle. Yes, because if you intend to take advantage of its acceleration and surprising behavior between curves, you risk driving just 100 kilometers and having to return to get some electric juice. Too many numbers, we said that what I was interested in understanding was whether in the end it would be a distressing month or a positively surprising month. Let’s go straight to the point.

The truth lies in the middle. The positive aspects of these thirty days were the rediscovery of being excited by innovative solutions and performances that were unthinkable for a specific type of car at least until a few years ago. It’s incredible how with over 2 tons of weight (on average) you can move so quickly and with such precision, a quality that must absolutely be acknowledged. Silence is something that always surprises and that bores you only when, putting down the accelerator, you would like that such a thrust would be accompanied by the rough noise of a petrol engine. A situation which with sedans and SUVs mainly intended for daily use does not weigh on the final judgement. Charging anxiety, on the other hand, is something that must be excluded before leaving home, or even better the day before, by planning the itinerary, stops and related waiting times as best as possible. In this way you avoid unpleasant surprises and you can give yourself some improvised pushes for high speeds. The electric car makes sense, depending on the type of customer. If you live in a hurry and are constantly late it is a nightmare – at least for the moment – otherwise it could turn out to be a pleasant surprise. We could talk about it for days, praising its merits and criticizing its drawbacks – as it happens for everything in this world – but now I have to leave. I have an appointment on a mountain road, where I’ll have to spank some old-fashioned horsepower on the ground. I’m sure we’re thinking the same exact thing.