Pro's and con's for buying an electric vehicle

Considering the prospect of a long EV journey with possibly two stops you can plug the car in for a charge and toddle off for a coffee etc. 

More expense there then!

There is only so much tea / coffee I can drink on a long journey.

All I want to do is get where I'm going in the shortest time possible.

As stated, currently, with the very few charging points available, what happens if there is a queue, more lost journey time or more drinks?? 

If I was visiting relatives in Bristol using a Nissan Leaf, in optimum conditions using the maximum ranges they quote, I could get to Strensham  services and still have 20% in the battery. So if a charger was available, 40 minutes to fill up, plus stop/start/parking, so closer to 50 minutes. About 3 times as long as I would normally spend at a services. Then on to Bristol with enough left in the battery for running about while there. However, would again have to find a charger as not possible where we are visiting. On the way back I could just about get to Tamworth Services with 20% left. 50 minutes for recharge, then home from there.

All the above is optimum conditions, in the rain or dark or strong winds, extra stops could well be required. Neither are my journeys generally time sensitive these days. For anyone who's journeys are, the uncertainties would make long journeys unviable until ranges increase substantially.

Great idea for town and short journeys. 👍 

However, for long distances my view is currently👎

Have a look on zap map....Scotland has good plans for chargers. 

Numerous areas of the UK have "plans" for EV charging points but as the councils have said not at the cost of our residents,only if comercial enterprises pick up the bill ,the same as "fuel" stations for non EVs

There are so many now installed it's not a problem at present. However if you look at the OLEV scheme you'll see how the government is working on these issues in workplaces etc.

Go on Zap map and look at Welwyn Garden City and see how many are "public"

Your probably OK as long as it stays dry and is daylight. If it's dark / dull and raining, in a Smart at least, you could well expire before the next one.😂

Zapmap shows one 11 miles away and from there, heading north next one is at Ullapool 67 miles away. Do if at Kinlochewe and low on power to go north to the next station I would have to travel as far as Ullapool for the next top up. That would be 11 miles to Annat and 67 miles to Ullapool so a total of 78 miles. 1 hour 50 mins drive. + an hour for a full charge and coffee.

From Kinlochewe to Ullapool is 56 miles and 1 hour 15 mins if filling with diesel on the way. 

So 20 additional miles and more than twice as long. Might be OK with your car Brue if enough capacity but not convenient and touch and go for latest Smart EV in Northwest Scotland. 

Smarts are for town dwellers, I think? Although we've both said if our driving was only local, doing the 16 mile round trip to town once a week and just short trips it would be fine. 

Basically I think I'm on a thread where some are debating whether they should get rid of their horses yet.  I guess it took years for cars and fuel pumps to match up, didn't early cars have to get fuel from the chemist or similar? So it's early days all round but the technology is now there and before I become a total EV bore I must leave it at that....