EVs are plain useless unless you want to drive a couple of kms to get a loaf of bread.
Having done several trips in Eastern Europe of more than 16,000 kms each time I can say that driving an EV in Europe doesn't make much sense. I always lease a new nippy Renault Clio diesel, its easy to park and great on the open road especially when driving the twisty mountain roads. You'd have to be a complete fool to drive an EV in Eastern Europe. The journalists who did the trip and wrote the story were only driving from Berlin to Madrid, not some out of the way place like remote parts of Romania or Serbia.
Its pleasing to see some commonsense conclusions by these journalists.
After Driving 2,500 Kilometers in Electric Car, they Reached an Irrefutable Conclusion: “Diesel” Is Still King on the Road
When a group of
Spanish journalists embarked on a 2,500-kilometer journey across Europe, their mission seemed clear: test the
viability of electric cars on long-distance trips. But after their trek from
Berlin to
Madrid, the team returned with an unexpected conclusion. The future of electric cars, it seems, is not quite ready to dethrone traditional vehicles for those in search of a
cost-effective and practical option on the road.
The Journey Begins in Berlin
The journey began in Berlin, where the group toured
Tesla’s Gigafactory. From there, they set out in two
Tesla models, the
Model Y Long Range RWD and the
Model 3 Highland, both with
Long Range versions designed for extended travel. The goal was to assess how these electric vehicles stacked up against their
diesel counterparts, particularly for long trips. The team’s route would take them through several European countries, ultimately ending in Madrid, offering ample opportunity to compare the
costs and
practicality of electric vs. diesel.
Testing the Real-World Efficiency
The journalists’ experiment was straightforward: drive the electric cars the same distance as a typical long-distance
road trip while stopping every
200 to
300 kilometers for recharging. The trip allowed the team to experience firsthand the potential challenges of
recharging an electric vehicle in real-world conditions.
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They primarily used
Tesla’s Supercharger network but also explored other public charging stations. As they went from one stop to the next, they were constantly evaluating the time spent charging and the
cost of electricity at each stop.
Despite the reliability of Tesla’s Superchargers, which provided a fast and efficient recharging experience, the team found themselves in frequent discussion over the challenges electric car users face. One major factor they couldn’t ignore:
the time spent waiting for the vehicles to recharge was often far longer than the time it would take to fill up a diesel car at a fuel station. This was particularly evident as they navigated through areas where charging stations were sparse or less efficient.
The Cost of Recharging: Diesel’s Financial Edge
When the journey came to an end, the team sat down to crunch the numbers. According to data from the
European Union’s official fuel price reports, the costs associated with recharging the Teslas were significantly higher than refueling a diesel vehicle. Over the course of
2,500 kilometers, recharging the
electric vehicles cost them
€53.62 more than if they had fueled a comparable diesel car.
This cost discrepancy grew even more when comparing the electric vehicles to a
gasoline car, with the electric vehicles’ total fuel cost exceeding the gasoline vehicle’s by
€136.61. The study underscored a stark reality for electric car enthusiasts: while electric vehicles are often advertised as more affordable to fuel, long-distance trips could incur unexpected costs—particularly if fast-charging options like Tesla’s
Superchargers are used.
Charging Infrastructure
While the cost of recharging was a concern, the type of charging infrastructure also played a significant role in the overall experience. Superchargers, known for their speed, are an expensive option. The journalists realized that opting for
slower charging stations could reduce the overall cost of the trip, but it would also mean adding more time to the journey.
The infrastructure of charging stations across Europe remains a work in progress. While fast-charging options are becoming more widespread, they often come at a premium. This challenge becomes particularly apparent when traveling across countries with varying
electricity prices. The team’s findings suggested that for drivers to get the best value out of their electric vehicles, they may need to carefully strategize their charging stops, balancing speed, cost, and convenience.
Diesel’s Practicality: Speed and Convenience
Despite the higher fuel costs, the
diesel vehicles proved to be far more practical for the long-distance journey. The
speed of refueling with diesel far outpaced the recharging times of the electric vehicles. This was a crucial advantage for the team, especially considering the nature of their trip. Diesel vehicles are widely available across
Europe, and refueling stations are common, meaning the team could stop at any point and resume their journey without significant delays.
Though electric vehicles may offer lower
maintenance costs and
environmental benefits in the long run, the immediate benefits of a diesel vehicle—
speed and
convenience—were clear. The team noted that for long-distance travel, diesel vehicles are likely to remain the preferred choice for most drivers in the foreseeable future, at least until the
charging infrastructure for electric vehicles becomes more widespread and efficient.
