Electric Mini

[NRM1979]

We headed through to Inverness yesterday and had a few test drives. Then we ended up at HF for a drive in the i3 and mini.
The i3 was really good but Julie thought it was just too boxy. The test drive in the mini was a different experience from any mini I’ve driven before, Julie had never driven a mini before and was blown away with the handling and the acceleration.

So, we have ordered a BRG Level 2. It has everything we need and a few extras thrown in.
It doesn’t arrive until October so I’m sure the six months will absolutely drag itself in

Welcome to the Electric MIni Club! All the best ones are BRG level 2s
We've had ours nearly two years and have racked up 23k miles on it - if we don't need to tow or carry at the weekend we use it over the bigger family car because it's a hoot for the driver and so much cheaper to run compared to petrol. I use it for work once a week on a 108 mile round trip, with charging faciilties at the other end.

My key advice to manage range anxiety and the car is:

• ABC - Always Be Charging, we charge at home every night on the drive so have a full battery every morning.
• Get a Chargeplace Scotland card for tapping on their chargers. Allegedly the app can be a bit flaky. A surprisingly good network with many still free (though that is shrinking).
• Download Zap Map on your phone now. Use it to plan your journeys before you leave (if there's a free charger near where you're going, why not use it?)
• Watch 'Maddie Goes Electric' on the Fully Charged YT Channel - seriously, you want to understand what the differences are between a 7kW AC and 50kW+ CCS DC plug. E.g. on the MIni Electric FB page someone bemoaned how their journey across England was a nigh-on marriage wrecking trial with 3hr charging intervals at every stop.......... Someone then pointed out from their photo that if they'd used the CCS plug still in the holster on the side of the charger they'd have been charged in about 30 mins........
• Try and charge in natural 'dead' time when you wouldn't be driving anyway - Overnight, when eating/visiting friends, etc.
• Ignore the Guess-o-meter, change the bottom right of the display to percentage and work to 1% = 1 mile. That way you're never caught short. Sat-Nav route, etc can all mess with the range estimate, erroneously. E.g. went from Biggar to Dunkeld, charged at the CPS 50kW when having lunch, walked round the Braan, coming home the Sat-Nav said we wouldn't clear the Edinburgh bypass without a stop, turned of route navigation (the car no longer knew which roads it might be travelling on) and range increased to nearly home. In reality got home with 10 miles spare.
• If you're on a Smart Meter look at off-peak tariffs such as Octopus Go, currently charging at 5p/kWh between 0030 and 0400. On a 7kw home charger that's enough to fill the battery in that window. Albeit I think we're in for a shock when our current tariff ends!
• If you don't have a Smart Meter - get one so you're ready!
• Like all cars - drive like you stole it and consumption will suffer!
• Get a 'Smart' home charger to manage charge windows at off peak times or solar PV assisted top up (esp if you already have panels), that way the car can be left set to always accept a charge for ease on the road whenever you plug in.

Having basically 'Beta-tested' electric with our c.100 mile range 2nd car we're so confident at how to make it work I've put a deposit down on a family EV that can replace my Outback in the carrying, towing, off-roading, full day working stakes. Hope you find the above useful and enjoy the car when it arrives (hold on tight, the torque steer when you're having fun is 'interesting')

Niall