Electric Joy - An effortless drive

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Yes I went electric in my last blog.  And no regrets.  Nope. None. Well, actually, the only regret is having to answer all the questions people ask - hence these blogs. All EV drivers and owners are ambassadors for this new technology. Wether we like it or not, we have to sit in the sometimes uncomfortable space of being quizzed and judged on our decision to go electric and to provide patient and subtle education to those family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues. You can now direct them here if you feel the need for some timeout!


The day I collected my new EV was, well, ELECTRIC!


There was a fair amount of anticipation as I sat in my new Kona EV on the show room floor.  The salesman was waiting for me to drive out.  The quiet in the cabin unsettling.  A gentle whir as I click the column shift to Drive. Gently press the accelerator and feeling the car inch forward, quietly, effortlessly.  The joy and calm of the moment spreads to a smile on my face- it feels childish to be smiling at this moment.


My heart beating loudly as my body tells me this movement is foreign.  Where is the vibrations of an ICE engine , the clunk of a gear shift, a clutch and revs to move forward. 

I steer my EV out past the display of ancient ICE vehicles, through the carparks, and sit at the intersection, waiting ready to pull out into the traffic for the first time.  I miss time my entrance and look in my rear view mirror as cars race up behind me. Planting my foot down on the accelerator the EV winds up, pushing me back in my seat, and leaving the approaching cars in my slipstream.  The EV shows no signs of topping out as the acceleration continues.  Beeps sound around the cabin and speed limit signs flash on the driver display.  I back off the power and the regenerative breaking kicks in and slows me down to a steady eighty km/h. 

 

I notice that wide stupid smile is back on my face.  Is it pride, joy, or just a smug feeling of zero carbon travel?

 

The salesman’s briefing is echoing in my mind, I hit the lane guidance mode and the steering wheel pulls me closer to the center line.  I fight it. Gripping the wheel to hold the cars line where I want. Eventually I relent.  Loosely holding the wheel between thumb and forefinger, just like piloting a small plane and allowing the car to find its position in the lane.

I feel the micro movements of the guidance system through the steering wheel as the EV gently oscillates between the centreline and the road edge.


Flicking the cruise control on gives me a chance to enjoy the sensation of whirring silently along. The road and wind noises are my only reminder that I’m effortlessly cruising at 100km/h.

Beeping and flashing brings me back to the needs of the car.  A little eye on the dash reminds me to keep my eye on the road and not the display. The car starts to decelerate by itself with more beeps. Oh, it picked up a change of speed limit.  More beeps. Another speed limit change.  But no deceleration. Puzzled I gently brake and the cruise control switches off and I regeneratively brake to a sedate 60 km/h.  I make a mental note to start reading the manual to figure out the intricacies of the technology I am driving.

 

I continue heading out of town to Yackandandah for lunch and a coffee. Now how do I engage one pedal driving?  I play with the paddles on the steering wheel and the iPedal icon lights up.  It’s like riding a highly responsive roller coaster.  


As I get used to the heavier accelerator pedal and the distances the car takes to regenerative slow down, my driving becomes smoother.  No heavy braking.  I feel the EV respond to micro movements of my foot. 


My focus shifts to my surroundings.  I anticipate what other cars will do, I give a cyclist more room and chill at a roundabout while pedestrians play frogger to get to the other side (yep, you guessed it - that infamous Beechworth roundabout).


I am no longer concerned about having to brake because each time I take my foot off the accelerator in iPedal mode regenerative braking kicks in charing the car's battery. 


I could do this forever.










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