Electric Disruption Should Be Taken Seriously

Originally published on EV Obsession.

Technology changes fast these days. How many iterations of cell phones or computers have we now lived through? How quickly have music-playing mediums changed? But there's a big difference between incremental changes in technology and "disruptive" technology shifts. A transition from cassette tapes to CDs was one thing, but a transition to MP3 players was something very different.

Even with a shift to digital cameras, we saw that a giant like Kodak could go under due to a slow reaction to a very fast-changing market… and difficulty capitalizing on the new technology.

In the automobile world, I can't imagine we will see anything short of a disruptive technology revolution. Electric vehicles simply have too many consumer advantages over gasoline-powered vehicles, including huge ones related to convenience (you "fill up" at home and can leave with a full charge practically every morning) and drive quality (not only with regard to the true joy that comes with instant torque, but also thanks to the quiet and smooth nature of electric cars). As battery costs fall (and they are falling quite fast), the big hurdle of higher upfront costs will continue falling away and the revolution will be underway at full speed.

On the one hand, automakers that try to inch into the EV market with gasoline-powered cars very simplistically turned into electric cars, or with a lineup of minimally electric plug-in hybrids, or with low-range pure electric cars that cost several thousand dollars more than a Nissan LEAF, will have their lunch eaten by Tesla and early movers in the market. Automakers need to be working now to design and manufacture long-range, fully electric, relatively low-cost cars that will be desirable enough to compete with the Tesla Model 3. But there's even much more to it than that.

Some of Tesla's huge competitive advantages hardly even concern its cars. For one, it offers very fast and "free" Supercharging across the US and Europe, as well as a growing number of other places. Realizing that the charging network is a critical component of an electric car product has served the company very well, but no other automakers seem to have picked up on the importance of such charging stations being nearly ubiquitous, free, and fast. A piecemeal supplement and potential membership in a tedious charging station network where you need to pay each time just doesn't cut it — that doesn't comprehensively tackle the "fuel" issue like Tesla's Supercharger network, and it will leave many consumers choosing a Tesla vehicle over a comparably priced and attractive EV from another manufacturer.

Another thing Tesla has realized is that improving its consumers' cars via over-the-air (OTA) software updates is now the most commonsense way to improve their vehicles over time. Tesla's vehicles get better and better from month to month. Other automakers need to follow suit and put a lot more work into their software development in order to make their tech packages and improvements as exciting as the driving experience itself. With electric vehicles, there's more opportunity to improve the driving experience over time via OTA updates, but it also requires a solid team of engineers constantly working to improve the cars in significant — not just superfluous — ways.

 

No doubt about it — batteries are some of the most critical components of an electric car. They determine a great deal of the cost of the car, and whether it is cost-competitive with market leaders. Being sure to use the most competitive batteries on the market is one thing, but manufacturers also need to work hard now to make sure they secure a massive supply of batteries in order to fulfill consumer demand. Tesla is working on its first "Gigafactory," and executives at the company have already indicated they are looking into the development of future gigafactories. What do other automakers have? What do they have planned? Is it enough to allow them to scale up as quickly as the market wants it to?

Lastly, for this article at least, the consumer purchase process and customer service are ripe for massive updates as well. Automakers' entire views of how these things work need to change, but not just change incrementally — transform fundamentally. The car market is at the beginning of a transformation, not just a technology transition. They need to realize this and transform themselves. Otherwise, they may soon have their own "Kodak moments." Tesla's intention is to speed up the transition to 100% electric vehicles. Not seeing anyone else leading the way, it decided to become a leader. Now, other automakers have the opportunity to be followers, to perhaps even catch up, or to face an "unimaginable" decline as the world passes them by.

Tags: Tesla, tesla gigafactory, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Superchargers

About the Author

Zachary Shahan is the director of CleanTechnica, the most popular cleantech-focused website in the world, and Planetsave, a world-leading green and science news site. He has been covering green news of various sorts since 2008, and he has been especially focused on solar energy, electric vehicles, and wind energy since 2009. Aside from his work on CleanTechnica and Planetsave, he's the founder and director of Solar Love, EV Obsession, and Bikocity. To connect with Zach on some of your favorite social networks, go to ZacharyShahan.com and click on the relevant buttons.

Source: Electric Disruption Should Be Taken Seriously

2015 Harris Poll: US Car Owners Slightly More Interested In EVs, 29% Would Consider PHEVs, 21% BEVs

Almost 1 in 3 Americans Would Consider A Plug-In Hybrid For Their Next Car Purchase Accord To The 2015 Harris Poll

A recent Harris poll took stock of the "electric car" pulse of America, and found that while interest in hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and pure electric cars was growing – it wasn't growing all that fast.

Out of 2,225 US car owners surveyed online, 29% said they would consider a PHEV such as the Chevrolet Volt or Ford Fusion Energi, a percentage that was just up 2% from a 2013 poll.

US Driver Wish List For BEVS: Lower Price, More Range – Makes Sense To Us

For pure electric cars – such as the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S, 21% said they would considering cutting out the gas station altogether; this figure was also up 2% from 2013.

Traditional hybrids still hold a firm lead over their 'greener' counterparts with 48% of respondents saying they would consider a car like the Toyota Prius for their next vehicle – a number that remained unchanged from 2 years ago.

Other points of interest we found in the survey results:

* – Men are more likely than women to consider an electric vehicle (25% men, 17% women)

* – Distance drivers – those who travel over 50 miles in an average day – are especially likely to say they'd consider a plug-in hybrid (38%, vs. 28% of those traveling 30 miles or less in a typical day), or a pure electric (32% vs. 18%)

* – Democrats and Independents are more likely than Republicans to consider a traditional hybrid (53% Dem, 52% Ind and 42% Rep), or a plug-in hybrid (34%, 32% and 20%) or a pure electric

* – Millennials drivers are more likely than their elder counterparts to consider a traditional hybrid, with 57% saying they'd consider one (vs. 49% of Gen Xers, 43% of Baby Boomers and 38% of Matures). This same trend holds true for plug-in hybrids (39% vs. 28%, 22% and 23%) and pure electrics (34% vs. 17%, 14% and 11%)

The survey also dug a little deeper into what may be holding back adoption of pure electric cars in the US.

When asked to select their top concerns related to pure electric vehicles, price (67%) and range (64%) rise to the top, followed by repair/maintenance costs (58%), reliability (53%), performance/power (50%) and the fact that it's still new technology (42%).

Top Concerns With BEVs (via 2015 Harris Poll)

Looking at some of the concerns potential owners had for BEVs, it is clear that more education is needed as electric cars have proven themselves to be very reliable overall, as well as costing only a fraction of a petrol car to maintain.

If interested, there is lots more data and swell charts over at the 2015 Harris Poll result page.

Source: 2015 Harris Poll: US Car Owners Slightly More Interested In EVs, 29% Would Consider PHEVs, 21% BEVs

800 hp all-electric Aston Martin Rapide confirmed’

Can you imagine an 800 hp all-electric Aston Martin? If it's up to CEO Andy Palmer it will be realised soon, Automotive News revealed. The electric all-wheel drive Rapide would have a range of 200 miles / 322 kilometres.

The British Sports cars manufacturer brings its four-dour Rapide to the market in two years and it would be followed by an all-electric version of the DBX crossover by the end of the decade, Palmer said at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Photos: This is the all-electric Aston Martin DBX Concept

"If you want to keep making V12 engines, then you've got to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum," Palmer said. It will be positioned as a premium electric car with a price tag between $200,000 and $250,000.

Palmer won't be focussing purely on acceleration but on overall performance instead. "We don't do 'Ludicrous mode' because that's stupid," Palmer said referring to Tesla's latest upgrade for the Model S, now capable of 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds.

Palmer: "I think that the fact that you could drive a few laps of a decent race course or race it around the Nordschleife is much more interesting than doing 500 metres in Ludicrous mode."

It would probably not take long after introduction that a Rapide EV hits the race track.

Source: 800 hp all-electric Aston Martin Rapide confirmed'

Audi plans all-electric SUV and announces pricing for A3 plug-in hybrid

The Audi e-tron quattro concept car

Tired of being left in the dust by Tesla in the electric-car derby, Audi is fighting back. 

The German carmaker today issued a teaser photo of an all-electric SUV -- currently dubbed the "the e-tron quattro" -- that it says it will soon launch to rival Tesla's forthcoming Model X.

Audi says its new SUV will have a range of more than 310 miles and will go into production in 2018. It will be the brand's first mass-market all-electric model.

Audi also recently announced pricing for its 2016 A3 Sportback e-tron, a Chevy Volt-type hybrid that combines battery and gas power. Pricing will begin at $37,900 when the car goes on sale later this year. It will be the first plug-in Audi sold in the U.S.

Four passengers The Audi A3 e-tron Sportback

Audi said the e-tron quattro is "designed from the ground up as an electric car," and isn't just an existing model with a large battery stuffed underneath. However, like some other electrics, it seats only four, thanks to the large lithium-ion battery situated between the axles under the passenger compartment.   

Perhaps more impressive, the car shares some aeronautical ideas more commonly found on aircraft. Movable aerodynamic elements at the front, on the sides and at the rear improve the air flow around the car.

The aerodynamically optimized underbody is completely closed, reducing drag and optimizing mileage. Its length is between that of the Audi Q5 and the Q7.

Source: Audi plans all-electric SUV and announces pricing for A3 plug-in hybrid

Aston aims to launch 800-hp, all-electric Rapide in 2 years

Palmer: Electric DBX to follow

Palmer: Electric DBX to follow

Andy Palmer declined to be specific about the price of an electric Rapide, but hinted it would be in the $200,000 to $250,000 range .

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Aston Martin is betting that even James Bond won't mind an 800-hp electric car.

The longtime builder of British sports cars will bring an all-electric version of its four-door Rapide to market in two years, CEO Andy Palmer confirmed to Automotive News.

Speaking at Sunday's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance -- a target-rich environment for a high-end brand such as Aston Martin -- Palmer said the electric Rapide would be followed by an all-electric version of the DBX crossover by the end of the decade. Palmer's confirmation comes several months after he indicated Aston was considering an electric Rapide in April.

While it's too early to confirm powertrain specifics, Palmer did reveal his eye-watering expectations for the Rapide: all-wheel drive, around 800 hp and a 200-mile range.

Two key factors

This newfound emphasis on electric cars is driven by two key factors.

"If you want to keep making V-12 engines, then you've got to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum," Palmer said of the company's defensive strategy. Emissions-free models are necessary in the immediate future to balance out the emissions of its powerful V-8 and V-12 sports cars, especially in markets such as China.

At the same time, Aston is also going on the offensive, noting an opportunity for a powerful, seductive electric car that's positioned well above a loaded version of Tesla's most powerful Model S. The P90D currently tops out around $142,000 before any incentives.

"What Tesla clearly shows you is we haven't hit the ceiling in terms of price," Palmer said. "But I think it's hard, though not impossible, for them as a relatively new brand to keep pushing up and to go into that super premier area."

Palmer declined to be specific about the price of an electric Rapide, but hinted it would be in the $200,000 to $250,000 range (a current gasoline-powered Rapide starts at $205,000). Buyers in that range are looking for "something beyond a pure technology play, they start now looking for legacy," Palmer said. 

And he didn't mince words about Tesla's recently announced "Ludicrous mode" upgrade that drops the Model S 0-to-60 mph acceleration time to 2.8 seconds.

"We don't do Ludicrous because Ludicrous speed is stupid," Palmer said.

"I think that the fact that you could drive a few laps of a decent race course or race it around the Nordschleife [famed track in Germany] is much more interesting than doing 500 meters in Ludicrous mode."

The electric Rapide will use batteries sourced from an "established supplier" such as LG or Samsung -- though not Panasonic -- according to Palmer. Production will be in the hundreds annually, and none of the Rapide's components will be shared with any Mercedes, which owns 5 percent of Aston Martin and is currently developing engines in conjunction with Aston.

With a goal of starting production within two years, Aston already has an all-electric Rapide test mule on the road.

Several years after the Rapide EV goes on sale, an all-electric DBX will join it. The four-door, awd crossover coupe will be introduced around 2019 as a plug-in hybrid, then a gasoline model, and finally the all-electric version.

DBX EV

It's too early to know whether the DBX EV would use the same (or similar) powertrain as the Rapide, or whether it would use a new system, Palmer said. He did confirm that Aston was considering a two-door version of the DBX as well.

Aston will use the DBX range to broaden its customer base, particularly in markets such as China and Russia -- something Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce are also planning with future SUV models.

The DBX models will be the second of three pillars Aston is relying on to become a profitable company with a sustainable business model selling around 7,000 vehicles a year (the company sold around 3,400 globally in 2014). The first pillar is revamping its lineup of two-door sports cars, the first of which is the successor to the DB9 expected to debut in 2016, likely as the DB11.

The third pillar will be cash from Aston's burgeoning Lagonda sub-brand of high-margin, custom-built models, as well as two specialty models a year -- like the track-only Vulcan hypercar and the Vantage GT12 introduced this year.

007 better clear some room in his garage.

You can reach David Undercoffler at undercoffler@crain.com.

advertising

Source: Aston aims to launch 800-hp, all-electric Rapide in 2 years

Immortus Electric-Car Concept Claims Solar Running Up To 35 MPH

Many electric-car owners use solar panels to generate power that they can use in home charging stations.

But what if they could actually put those panels directly on their electric cars instead?

Solar-car racing is nothing new, and solar panels have been used to a very limited extent to supplement battery power in a few production cars.

DON'T MISS: New Stella Solar Electric Car Produces More Energy Than It Uses

But until now there have been few--if any--serious attempts to make a solar-powered car for ordinary consumers.

The Immortus is an electric car whose creators claim it can drive at speeds up to 60 kph (37 mph) on solar power alone. It will achieve that feat, they say, with 75 square feet of photvoltaic cells spread over its body.

The Immortus project was started by Australia's Aurora Solar Car Team, but is now under the stewardship of Melbourne-based firm EVX Ventures, according to Gizmag.

It has the low-profile shape of a sports car, a design reportedly created to make room for the solar cells and minimize aerodynamic drag.

The covered wheels should help in the latter area as well. Those wheels will be very thin, and shod in low profile tires, to enhance efficiency--similar to the production BMW i3 electric car.

However, space inside the Immortus is limited to two occupants, along with a small amount of luggage.

ALSO SEE: Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept: Using The Sun To Charge Electric Car (Jan 2014)

Performance goals include a 0-to-100-kph (0-to-62-mph) acceleration time of under 7 seconds, and a top speed of "over" 150 km/h (93 mph).

That will be made possible by a pair of 20-kilowatt (about 27 horsepower) motors--one for each hub of the drive wheels.

Solar energy will be supplemented by a 10-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged with a plug, just like in a conventional battery-electric car.

Photovoltaic solar power field at Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Enlarge Photo

Higher onboard energy capacity was deemed unnecessary because of the onboard solar panels.

Despite the weight of its battery pack, EVX claims the Immortus will have a curb weight of just 1,212 pounds.

It also claims a minimum range of 400 km (248 miles) for the car, and up to 550 km (342 miles) if driven on a sunny day at a steady 53 mph.

MORE: Luminos Solar Electric Car For Australian Race Cruises At 55 MPH (Jul 2013)

EVX doesn't plan to mass-produce the Immortus. It will build cars to order, to avoid the enormous expense of meeting different crash-test regulations in various nations and regions.

It doesn't expect to build more than 100 cars, each priced at around $370,000. The company says it still needs $1.5 million to start production.

It plans to bring a scaled-down Immortus prototype to the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this November, to drum up more interest in the project.

[hat tip: Hugh K. Crawford]

_______________________________________________

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Source: Immortus Electric-Car Concept Claims Solar Running Up To 35 MPH

What happens when you attempt a UK road trip in an electric car

Range, we don't have enough range. This is getting ridiculous. We can't partner. We can't plug in. Owning and operating an electric car in a big city like London is pretty straight forward when there are charging points on almost every street corner. But what happens when you take an electric car out of the city and into the countryside where places to charge are few and far between? That's what we're here to test with a drive that takes this electric vehicle around some of the most beautiful parts of the nation. The atmosphere is electric, so let's charge up and hit the road. Our car of choice for the trip has been Nissan Leaf, currently the most popular all-electric car in Britain, boasting a theoretical range of up to around 100 miles on a single charge. [MUSIC] Our 500 mile route will take us through ancient university towns, through national parks and even into the beautiful hills of Wales. Stopping the car to charge along the way at slow, medium or fast charging points. The slowest would take up to eight hours to recharge the car, while the most powerful gets 80% charge in only half an hour. It's these that we'll have to rely on if we hope to complete our trip in the two days we have. Driving as eco as possible, our range has gone up a few miles to 49. I've also got the Regenerative braking active, which is, it's kind of like engine braking, except that when it does it, it's actually restoring power back to the battery. We would soon be relying on that regenerative braking very heavily indeed, but for now an easy drive led us into scenic Cambridge. Okay so leg one is done, we're in scenic beautiful Cambridge. Andy, what have you found so far? I've found that I like the car. It's quite smooth to drive, but really you've gotta be So careful in how you're driving this thing. You put your foot down on the accelerator, you'll see the range on the battery drop dramatically. How far is it until the next stop? It's about 70 miles I think. What's the range of the car, roughly? About 80-90. So, pushing it, but we should be okay. [MUSIC] And okay, we were wending our merry way up to a nearby Nissan dealer, our first charging point. The drive was enjoyable, the noise of the electric engine, still a novelty. [SOUND] [MUSIC] Keep going. [NOISE] I'm taking the fuel cap off but there's no fuel. So I've got this thing which looks like a space weapon. [LAUGH] It is working well apparently we'll see We've got 47% at the moment, and Yea, 48 there we go, I'm not leaving until we're at 100. Charging an electric car is slowly filling them up with petrol however, so getting to 100% in this instance gives it a little time to kill. [MUSIC] Because we're doing this in an all electric car, we wanted something with a bit more bite. We found this GTR is their top hand petrol sports car. Be honest would you rather go in a road trip in this? Yeah. The next stop is Grantham, 71 miles away. In theory it's well within the car's range, but when we enter the details into the GPS You might not be able to reach destination Oh well, onwards and upwards. My first time driving an electric car and the eerie silence you're used to because of hybrids. But what I wasn't used to was how smooth the take off and driving away is. It's really, really fun to drive. 17 miles to Grantham and we've currently gone 38 miles of range remaining. It looks like we're doing pretty well Thanks to my ambition. We have made it we're in Gransom Services and so the truth's interesting because the car said we're not going, we don't have enough range to make it from Cambridge to grant them and we've done it with probably about 20 miles to spare.>> Yup.>> That good. we are at another rapid charge point so we've got roughly an hour to kill and kill it we did. [MUSIC] We are well and truly in the countryside now. Look at all this green, we've left the gray and the smoke of London. We've done from Grantham to Bakewell and we've got about 37 miles remaining. Which is more than enough then to get us to on Buckston how far are we right now from the nearest charging point, what is the [UNKNOWN] part of the country like for charging?>>There are basically none in the Pete district.>>So we're hoping that the next one we visit is in working order>>Yes, I'm told on good authority that it is.>>Brilliant efficiently That good authority, is a local bed and breakfast owner in Buxton, who's kindly agreed to let us use their medium grade charge point, after we load up on Bakewell's most famous food. It's all very pleasant, but back on the road, things suddenly get tense. So what's happened to Dandy? Well, we were That the buffrin is held at about 28 miles of range. It's now gone to 12 in only about maybe 3 minutes of driving. Maybe that's just because we've been going uphill so I've had to keep my thoughts On the accelerator, now we're going downhill a bit. It's going to hopefully extend that range a little. C'mon, so close. So close. I don't know where this guy's charging point is. It's there, and there are cars in it. No! No, what do we do? We can't park there, we can't plug in. Except we could, because as the BNB's proprietor helpfully explains, our cable was long enough to perch behind the other guests, and suck down some much needed power. A near miss, but we left the leaf charging again, feeling that at last we'd got the hang of this whole electricity thing. We are technology experts after all. So as it turns out, plugging the car into the outlet isn't the whole story. You actually have to turn the power on, lesson learned. What that does mean is that the hour and a half we just gave it uncharged, it actually hasn't given the car any more range, so what we've done is Pumped it on charge again. Yeah it's only going to get 10-15 minutes charge so we're not going to have the same range we would we had before. So we have got to alter our plans a little bit. This is getting ridiculous we left the BnB with about 21 miles of range. We've come about a mile and that's 16 miles of range because we've had to go uphill quite a lot. Luckily though we're about to go down into what's called [UNKNOWN] Valley, all downhill. Finger crossed. Fingers and toes crossed. Cross everything, Luke. I don't know that AA comes out here, Andy. 18 miles of range! We are racking up the miles now. We're getting it back. Yes, give me more power. So, we definitely made it to the country side in an electric car. Yeah, we have. Whether we make it out. [LAUGH] A much more person in question right now because we've only got 14 miles of range which is going to be just enough to get us to our overnight location that's a push. So we're very close to our next charging point but we've encountered an unusual obstacle. This is one of the benefits of living in the country. You don't so much get traffic jams, you get dairy jams. [SOUND] Cattle proved no obstacle, however, and with a close eye on our regenerative braking, we let the Leaf carry us to our final stop of the day. It's being tense but ultimately successful and as we pull up, we really feel we've cracked the code to rural electrical automobiling, careful driving and a lot of planning. That's it. This is the end. Indeed we're so sure we've got it down, we even recorded an outro for this video thinking there probably won't be much to say on day two. Stay tuned to CNET.com. [MUSIC] We are idiots. [MUSIC] A few hours into day two we're already dancing with danger The 75 mile drive from Buxton to our first stop, a service station in Osworthstry, is pushing our fully charged Leaf to it's limits. As we approach the charge point, the range indicator isn't looking too happy. We're half a mile away from services, we're so close. We don't have anymore power. It's been on zero for probably about a mile. We're flat lining, but we're close. Absolutely nothing Oh, that was close. But there's problem, the service station's sole changing point isn't working. With the screen unresponsive and no power flowing. After prodding ineffectually of a display, we call the support number at the front of the charge point. Thanks for calling the [INAUDIBLE] electric highway. Our offices are currently closed, our open hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. I'm ridiculously low as well. [BLANK_AUDIO] [INAUDIBLE] A fellow [UNKNOWN] driver pulls up behind us, but our combined efforts aren't enough to get the charger rebooted. Which a little Google searching suggests is what we need to do. [MUSIC] It doesn't do anything. [UNKNOWN] Have you encountered this before, ever? I've encountered chargers down. But not charge you, shall we say so far, in the wilderness. Right now, uw, I'm going to have to go and look at my map and try and work out what plan B is. Have you been a happy Leaf owner, generally? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I love the car. Absolutely superb driving. Beautiful to drive. [INAUDIBLE] works great. Unfortunately, they went from 24/7 customer service to Monday to Friday, office hours. Right. There was a time you could call them anytime, day or night. [CROSSTALK] [INAUDIBLE] Had you had to do that before? No, I haven't. But I've met people that have.>>Right. Things break down. Things don't work all the time. You know, it happens. Petrol pumps. You go into a petrol stations, petrol pumps are out all the time. But in that situation, there are many, many more. So, I've had to call for a tow. And the annoying thing is they are going to have to come and tow the car It's only towing it just a few miles down the road, into the town center, into where there is a Nissan dealership which has a charger. It's just that we arrived with such a little amount of power left we just can't risk driving it ourselves. Did you get an ETA? Within the hour. [MUSIC] [UNKNOWN] Before cabin fever can truly take hold, it's time to get towed. [SOUND] It's not a great feeling but at least we're moving, even if it's not under our own steam. At the closest charge point in nearby Nissan dealer, we meet another intrepid Leaf owner who's family holiday has been disturbed by charging issues. He probably's gonna be charges but see the problem we have now which is may I stay the night in [INAUDIBLE] I mean would you still recommend to let your cast [UNKNOWN]? Definitely yes. The cast is great but we need more money in the infrastructure to make sure there are more enough charging points to maintain [UNKNOWN]. Do you want the good news or bad news? Good news. [UNKNOWN] [INAUDIBLE] Yeah. This one's out of order too. [NOISE] On the tow truck again, this time headed to a [UNKNOWN] in Shrewsbury where there's a medium strength charger with our names on it. Third time's a charm. [BLANK_AUDIO] Now we're [UNKNOWN] towed, rather to This outlet to charge here. Problem is that none of the cars we have are vallied with this charging service. Apparently this is a different service than the ones we've been using already. We didn't know that and now we can't access the plug. So again, no way of charging the car And the tow truck has gone. Oh my God, it's Pay as you go. This is so exciting. It's pay as you go. I just had to download an app. I put money on the app. It worked. And this. Look. And it's in. Is it charging? Please, please please. Please, please, please. please, please, please The light's blue. Our new car is judging right now. With the car sucking down power, we could get on the road again, but our mission to drive a cross country route in an all electric car could only be called a failure. We would soon make tracks for home, but not before shooting a real [UNKNOWN] and here it is. So Andy, electric cars on long drives in the UK, what's the verdict? Well it doesn't look to good to be honest. We planned our route and charging point down to the mile and we drove extremely economically, yet still because of only one charging point being out of order, we had to rely on a tow truck to get us out of trouble. Now these long drives are possible, it just takes a hell of lot of planning and a certain amount of luck. Yeah I think, maybe surprisingly, this experience hasn't really put us off Electric cars. And we had a really good time driving this one but the support's just not there. I mean this technology has so much potential but it needs that infrastructure to really push it forward. Electric driving definitely is the future it just has a long way to go yet. But do let us know what you think about electric cars and wether you would consider buying one yourself and make sure to stay tuned to CNET. [BLANK_AUDIO] I think we nailed it. Yea. [MUSIC]

Source: What happens when you attempt a UK road trip in an electric car