Hi again everyone, we’re almost into the last month of our 6 month trial of the car and as can be expected from my previous dialogues, I’m still as keen on it as ever. Following my attendance at the recent forum at Newcastle University as part of the EV Trial, it was really pleasing to note that all of the electric car drivers, at least all of them that I attended with, were as happy with their involvement as I was. It was very clear that apart from a few very minor aspects, all of the participants did not have a bad word to say about the vehicles, whichever one it happened to be.
The subject of which, leads me to the main thrust of my blog this time around!!!!
Over the past couple of weeks there have been a number of both High’ and ‘Low’ profile press articles and television programmes, relating to electric vehicles of all types, but especially the Nissan Leaf, which is the vehicle that I drive.
Has anyone noticed that there seems to be trend in the tone of nearly all of the articles in as much as they generally start off on a positive note, in some cases very positive, then seem to degenerate into slagging off the vehicle in no uncertain terms. In the majority of cases even the most minor of issues is given major importance and being careful not to overstate my own case, they definitely appear to have a bias against the concept of ‘electric is the future’.
One very obvious element is missing in all cases and that is the opinions and experiences of ‘real life’ drivers of electric cars and not just the perceptions formulated in a 30 min (slightly more in some cases to be fair) test drive that most journalistic articles appear to be based on.
The writers appear to have all of the stereotypical terminology at their disposal, ‘Range Anxiety’, ‘Lack of Charging points and Infrastructure, ‘Strange looking Vehicles’ etc, but do they really have an understanding of what they are actually writing about? I THINK NOT in some cases.
Ask a real time driver owner about his/her experiences and get a true feel for the vehicles that they are reviewing.
As I have written in previous blogs I am a normal everyday commuter who normally uses a standard but fairly upmarket (by some standards) diesel vehicle for getting to work and general running around. Regardless of whether I was using electric or diesel, if I ever have to travel significant distances my first choice would be either the train, if it was available, or by air if that was an option.
Using the Leaf with all of the problems that the journalists would have us believe were inherent in the vehicle, has not caused me, nor will cause me, to change my routine in any way whatsoever, I use it as I use my other vehicles.
I drive to work and home every day (75+ miles) without any issues whatsoever. If I get into a traffic jam as I sometimes do at the Tyne Tunnel Crossing, it costs me almost no fuel to move slowly through the queue, the exact opposite to driving a carbon fuel based vehicle. I use the vehicle as a general run around at weekends and during days off and I have never had a problem with the worry of lack of fuel.
It would be nothing short of common sense than to plan journeys further afield, which is what you would do in any vehicle (at least I would) so why is it that journey planning is seen to be so much of a problem where electric is concerned. If you can’t do it electrically then you wouldn’t use that method.
One very nice guy at the forum is about to travel to Glasgow from Newcastle and has very easily been able to route his journey to include a couple of fast charging points on his way. It’s that easy when you take the time to plan things first.
Finally (I can hear the sigh of relief) I must comment on the Jeremy Clarkson, TOP GEAR, programme on the box last week. Of all of the recent piffle that’s been written and talked about, this is the one item that really needs to be commented upon.
The first element that really needs to be understood is that the programme is in essence ‘entertainment’ and sets out to do just that. Who would be really interested in crossing the channel in a converted car or racing a Bentley against other unaffordable vehicles to Monte Carlo or some other far flung place (previous episodes). It’s what you get from it in terms of entertainment value that makes it watchable and dare I say it enjoyable.
When we come to factual content we need to look at it differently, it can be influenced entirely by the overall slant that you give to the dialogue and other elements within the production!
It’s already been confirmed that the majority of the ‘issues’ that arose were staged for effect so why do it if you’re trying to provide a balanced and unbiased review of vehicles capability.
I especially take issue to his comment about speed and overtaking when Clarkson spoke about finally gaining enough speed to ‘consider overtaking’ James May in the ION. Dare I use the words TOTAL C**P. As I have said many times in previous blogs, the acceleration and top speed are equal to most and better than some conventional vehicles and are definitely not problematic or worthy of such attention as the programme suggested.
Other comments and visual effects were equally misleading but space limits any further ramblings, suffice to say I’ve gone off watching the programme in a big way.
My bottom line on the whole issue remains unchanged. The Leaf is a great vehicle which achieves all that it claims to be. It has served me well and impresses everyone that can get up close and intimate with her.
Decisions, decisions in September when it finally goes back to Nissan, it will be finances that are the deciding factor and not in any way the limitations of the vehicle.
Mick English
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