Saving: Running a Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicle is easy on the pocket. The cost of charging the vehicle at an average of 22kWh/100km was R228 for a range of 400km.
For most people, the electric vehicle (EV) remains a distant concept. Only those vested in sustainable commuting have gone out and learnt about it. A large chunk of the established market has denounced electric vehicles.
I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Jaguar’s I-Pace and this is my story of living with an EV for a week.
On the topic of infrastructure, there is no counter-argument to the one that there is a shortage of electric vehicle charge points. I’m with you on that. We’ve been, as a country, slow on adopting new ways.
A lot of the infrastructure responsibility has rested on the shoulders of the private sector, with
manufacturers driving the establishment of charging stations and maintenance.
A company called GridCars has been largely responsible for installing and managing the support system in its infancy.
The process of charging your vehicle is as easy as buying electricity for your home, once set up on the system. Simply park, swipe, plug in and walk away. Like all things in life, and especially when it comes to learning a new technology, there’ll be a learning curve navigating the nuances.
I found that the GridCars support system is rapid and the tech support is aimed at resolving any questions. If we’re able to maintain this type of service as infrastructure grows, we’re in good hands.
At this point, there are more than 148 charging stations in the Gauteng and northern surrounding areas, 19 in Durban, 38 in Cape Town and 22 stations scattered along the East coast and major routes connecting our major cities.
These numbers are expected to grow as other manufacturers jump on board. Audi announced an additional 70 charging stations to be rolled out this year.
I found that while charging the Jaguars I-Pace people are intrigued. How far? How much does it cost? Can you get to Johannesburg from Cape Town? At times I felt like some sort of evangelical missionary spreading the gospel that is greener commuting. It was tiring, but promising to see that everyone I spoke to was genuinely interested. I’m not entirely convinced that they will spend their money on an EV just yet, but these things do take time.
It’s a different way of thinking. Back in a past life, I subscribed to the corporate shenanigans of personality tests and other infringing assessments. I was subjected to a management psychological test based on the Briggs Meyers test, which divides personalities into four main colours. I fell into the sunshine yellow category … the ideas/fun category. Go figure. Anyway, the process, as ridiculous as I felt it was at the time, shone a light on the other colours we can tap into on a good day or bad.
What I discovered was, when associated with the blue category, the trait of planning and reflecting on life, I felt good. The point I’m trying to make is that the same corporate exercise got me thinking about the state of EV ownership in South Africa.
I don’t have a garage on my property and I certainly can’t leave a wall-mounted AC charger with street access, even in the seaside suburb of Sea Point. It’ll be repurposed in no time thanks to the street tax South Africans pay.
What I concluded was a change in thinking was needed and with some proper planning, I was geared for the week of living with an EV.
A quick charge while I was at a centre that has a DC box with GridCars and we went from 70% to 93% in about the time it took me to run into the shops and get what’s needed for a braai before the Boks took on the Welsh.
In the situation when I found the vehicle on 30%, I shifted my day around and worked from a coffee shop while the car was plugged in. All this while we were under stage three load-shedding.
Charging meant that I could easily manage my daily commute of just over 64km with an unplanned trip to the shops or to visit a friend.
(To ease peace of mind, having an AC charger at home and leaving the vehicle plugged in overnight will give you enough charge to cover your daily commute.)
In the week I drove the Jaguar I-Pace I covered just under 600km. Even at my average of 22kWh/100km (that’s the new efficiency metric) and with Eskom power it cost me R228 to get my range of 400km. This is substantially lower than if
I was driving anything with a combustion engine. I was living the EV life.
Although I had no issue with finding charging stations, I do appreciate the problem with long distances between charging stations in certain areas. Then again, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
As for “range anxiety”, the Jaguar I-Pace does just under 400km which, for city living, is more than sufficient. The newer EVs are pushing for better numbers.
Yes, EVs are expensive in the South African context, where the government hasn’t subsidised their cost, as has happened in European countries. The entry costs are among the highest but bear in mind that when cellphones first came out they were a novelty and seemed overpriced. Nowadays, just about everyone has a smartphone at a reasonably affordable price. With widespread adoption, the price of technology decreases.
Mind you, much of the country’s population isn’t privileged enough to even afford a basic car. But all South Africans can benefit from electric vehicles if the bus and taxi industry convert to electric vehicles.
Am I going to be spending money on an EV at this point? I wish I could afford one. But if I had the means, I’d get an EV. Perhaps not the Jaguar but something electric for sure.
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