by Gary / 0 comments - Orginally published:8th October 2024
Was it as painless as I thought it would be?
If you read my 'Planning a French road trip with an EV' post, you may be intrigued to find out how all that planning worked out. If you are here because you want to know how easy it was and if there are any pitfalls, disasters, or issues along the way, then you're in the right place. If you want a short answer to the heading, well, it's a yes and no.
This will be an honest appraisal of our first reasonable distance road trip of over 1,000 miles in our Polestar 2, after the Wells & Salisbury road trip and the 2024 Normandy road trip. I will cover the costs of this road trip in detail as well to give you a comparison against an ICE vehicle (ICE = Internal Combustion Engine)
And if you want to know why this was our first major EV road trip then check out 'Inspiration to tour France with an EV'
Why not Pin it for later?
Preparation for a road trip with an EV
It is simpler than an ICE car.You may have read 'My 30 point checklist for a road trip.' Well, with an electric vehicle, you can follow those steps, but as you may already know, an EV is much simpler to maintain.
The front storage area
It can be as simple as topping up the screenwash and inflating the tyres to the touring setting, which is usually higher to accommodate the higher weight. Of course, you must remember the Werther's Originals!
Let me know what you think, anything I have missed? leave me a comment below.
Planning for a road trip with an EV
Is it necessary?I guess, from the experience of our French road trips, no. To be more comprehensive, I need to get a few more road trips under our belt in other European destinations, but with the integrated Google Maps system on our Polestar 2, I feel confident I could have navigated our way around France without a plan, but that's just not me.
Our tour factored in a lot more than just charging stops; in fact, our tour was pretty much spot-on. We came back wanting more.
There are so many incredible places to discover in France, so many regions, and I love planning road trips. I often use the DK Guides,
I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into searching for more
Issues on our EV Road Trip
The good, the bad, the uglyThis is our warts 'n' all experiences, and they break into seven categories. Also, for clarity, I will use the standard terms, 'Destination' for AC charging up to 22kWh (Also known as 'Fast'), 'Rapid' for DC charging up to 120kWh, and 'Ultra' for everything higher than that. I will also introduce the concept of 'Domestique.'
One final point in my decision-making process is that I received £900 credits with Electroverse when I purchased the Polestar 2, which has a three-year time limit. So, I want to use it before I lose it.
FASTNED Charging on the A4
So here are the issues;
1) Destination: A few hotels offered destination charging; a few did not dedicate these spaces to EVs, so it is not uncommon to find an ICE car filling these places.
In a couple of the hotels, their EV Charging was 'Domestique' That meant their charging was from a standard French power socket offering 2kWh charging. Firstly, I didn't have the correct cable; secondly, at 2kWh, a full charge would take at least 40 hours; in the 16 hours we had, we would be lucky to get a 40% top-up.
2) Destination: In busy destinations, dedicated charging points, ICE vehicles may occupy the spaces. It wasn't a massive impact for us, as we always found a charger, but it could have been. We often use the Electoverse app to check charging points for availability, but that only works if a vehicle is actually connected to the access point.
3) Destination: We have, on occasion, arrived at a charger and found it not to be working, or our authentication has failed; frustrating but not critical.
4) Destination: In the ibis budget Sète centre there were two dedicated, clearly marked, bays - both had EVs in them charging away. I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles. Other than that, it was an excellent location for the night.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
5) Destination: Our hotel in St-Remy-de-Provence, the wonderful Hotel Gounod, had EV charging facilities. Actually, it didn't advertise them on Booking.Com, but on checking with them, they did, so we booked a space. It was a 'Domesique' connection, but they had two others on the 'Charge Facile' network. That meant we had to install an app, set up the details, etc. Plus, a schoolboy error by me meant we had issues, and the whole process took 45 - 60 minutes to resolve. Our biggest single delay. We did get it working and set off the following morning with 100% though - And we were charging whilst I had a well-deserved pastis.
6) Ultra: Okay, this is not a real charging issue (although it was at the time). Leaving Bergerac and heading to Poitier, we knew we had to charge en route. We had a 'rule', no charge, no breakfast at the hotel. The idea was we could Ultra charge at hypermarket and grab a coffee and a bite whilst we charged. It means you waste no time charging. The problem was it was Sunday, and we were early - too early, it seems - even for McDonalds. Even though we were there at 9:05, and they opened at 9:00, their doors were locked, and there was little activity.
7) Destination: Okay, another non-issue, just a surprise. At the lovely Hotel Relais De La Cote D'or in Semur-en-Auxois, they had chargers, but had told us they couldn't reserve them. However, when we arrived they had crated off one of the bays for us, but the next question was a surprise. How much charge do you want? They had a laminated sheet with a sliding scale of cost per kWh. I had arrived with 69%, I have an 82kWh battery, but only 79 is usable, so after a little mental arithmetic, I arrived at 20kWh for €6. The following day, we left with 97%.
What were the hotel charging facilities like?
And where did you get charged?This 2,282-mile trip through France featured ten destinations. Type 2 is a standard connection that normally offers around 7kWh charging speed.
Provins - Hôtel Aux Vieux Remparts
Type 2 available: Yes
Used: No, socket was a distance from a non-dedicated parking bay so you had to drape the cable over a path. We were unable to get close, but a Tesla was using it.
Semur-en-Auxios - Hotel Relais De La Cote D'or
Type 2 available: Yes
Used: Yes, as described above
The Polestar at the Hotel Relais De La Cote D'or
Sisteron - Hôtel de la Citadelle
Type 2 available
Used: No private parking, although there was a public car park out front. There was a destination charger in the car park that was free, but I believe it had idle fees. So, there is a fee after charging is complete, you pay as you're occupying a space. However, I am not going to move the car in the middle of the night, when the car park is free.
Antibes - Hôtel Journel Antibes
Type 2 available: No, only 'Domestique'
Used: No
Saint-Remy-de-Provence - Hotel Gounod
Type 2 available: Yes
Used: Yes, as described above.
Sète - ibis budget Sète centre
Type 2 available: Yes, 2 Clearly marked bays
Used: No, as both occupied
Albi - Hostellerie Du Grand Saint Antoine
Type 2 available: Yes, of sorts
Used: Yes. The wall socket is 3 phase, and the Hotel Manager has the cable(s) - there are two types, and one is Type 2
Bergerac - Brit Hotel Europ Bergerac
Type 2 available: No, none advertised
Used: No
Poitiers - Logis Hôtel de l'Europe
Type 2 available: Yes
Used: There are two dedicated parking bays, and we were able to book one. Pay by credit card, but the rate was a little high by French standards at €0.50 per kWh, but we left with 100% the following morning.
Le Mans - Leprince Hotel Spa
Type 2 available: Yes, two dedicated bays with Porsche-branded tethered EV chargers. We were able to reserve, and the bay was cordoned off for us.
Used: Yes, left with 100%
I love nothing more than planning a trip through France and so often I use the DK Eyewitness books. I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into discovering more.
We used a previous version of this book to plan our French road trips, now you can grab the revised copy.
What was the cost of the EV road trip?
And how does that compare to previous trips?So we travelled 2,282 miles door-to-door, and it cost £272.84, or 12p/Mile. You will know how that stacks up against your expectations/experience.
I will add, we didn't travel light, the car came back home with a selection of wines and other goodies. When we started, we also had more space than our previous tourers, the Audi RS5 cabriolet and the Audi S3.
The Audi RS5 loaded in Utrech
That weight would have impacted the economy, but we never really travel light.
It looks like this if I compare it to adjusted numbers from the S3 (I never worked them out for the RS5, but it would have been horrendous).
Polestar 2 12p/Mi vs Audi S3 23p/Mi (The S3 doing roughly 31mpg, based on actual figures)
So, that cost around half of previous road trips, saving a whopping £240 - That is an extra nice meal or two on the trip.
On the D2 in Provence
So it's all a bed of roses? Of course not.
That's French prices, where the maximum I paid was around £0.50 per kWh; in the UK, that can be £0.85, which means it can cost the same or more than fossil fuel. There needs to be a cost cap similar to domestic supply; otherwise, this will hinder EV uptake in the UK if those without access to a cheap domestic supply.
The best little road trip for us was our Wells and Salisbury trip, where we got a free charge at the Swan Inn in Wells. That 388-mile trip cost us £3.75, and no, that is not a typo!
Did you stop more often on an EV road trip?
Well, of course, I didLet's go back to those numbers above. The S3 had a range of around 350 miles, so using basic arithmetic, rounded up; I would have refuelled seven times: (2,282 miles total distance/ 350 miles range = 6.52)
We recharged a total of 20 times - Wow.
However, let me explain. The number one question I get asked is, 'What's the range?' I'm a little bored of the answer ', Well, it's a complicated thing', I say around 250-260, confirming people's worst fears. That is the range I sort of see on a motorway at motorway speeds. Cruise set to the speed limit or a little below it; that's what I would expect; for clarity, that's 70 or 65mph in the UK or 110-120kph(68-74mph) in France.
That's nearly four hours on a stint, and generally, I need a leg stretch and a comfort break before then. So combine that with a quick coffee and a wee bite, and you're topped up before you know it.
Also, the secret most EV owners probably know after a short while of ownership is the days of 'top up to the brim, and run until the fuel light comes on' are over. You probably plug your car in more often than you refuelled, but it's convenient because you can get on with something else while charging.
Charging at lunch
Then, of course, there are the charges at hotels, leave the hotel the following day with a 'full tank of gas'. How many hotels have petrol stations that you can fill up while you enjoy a drink?
When the EV spaces are not occupied with ICE cars, you can find a tasty parking spot, whilst you charge and explore.
We had a look around L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, whilst we charged back up to 100% from 55% for the cost of £15.67.
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in Provence
In fact, the only time wasted was the McDonald's mentioned earlier, and the hassle of getting the charge at St Remy-de-Provence. It'll be okay when we return next year. So all in all we're happy.
Crit'Air vignette required for driving in France
If you’re heading to France from the UK with your own vehicle, you’ll need a Crit’Air ‘clean air’ car sticker.
Just like our low-emission zones in the UK, France now legally requires the display of a Crit’Air vignette. The good news is, these stickers are readily available and affordable online through the official French government website.
The Crit’Air sticker lasts the lifetime of the vehicle, so it’s a one-off purchase. The RAC website offers an in-depth guide to everything you need to know and your requirements.
How did the Polestar perform on the road trip?
Again, personal experiencesSo, if you haven't seen our earlier posts, We have a model year 2024 Polestar 2 with the Plus and Pilot packs sitting on 20" wheels. The reason I mentioned the wheels is they reduce the range slightly over the standard 19" wheels, but I prefer the look.
Polestar on the Wells & Salisbury road trip
As I mentioned, we don't travel light. The Polestar 2 offered us greater storage space than our two previous alternatives, and we used it. It allowed us to keep the cabin relatively clutter-free. The front storage area was also useful, we kept a few bottles of spare Evian up front to ensure we stayed hydrated.
As a cruiser on the A Roads, I found it was a dream, slightly too relaxing at times. We had to ramp up the tunes to energise us a little. On some of the rougher roads, the suspension lacks a little finesse. Is it much worse than the Audis? Probably not.
Executing the plan mapped out in 'A Better Route Planner' was easy enough, and our chosen workflow was to load it on our iPhone, transfer that to Google Maps on the phone, and then push that to Google Maps on the car. That may seem a little long-winded, but I prefer that method. I have ABRP on the car, but the routing directions are not mirrored in the driver's display panel, just in the centre console. Other than that, Google Maps for navigation was great, but not without a few hiccups. On the odd occasion, it missed a recent change in road layout; as always, satellite navigation is an aid, but you're responsible for driving the car.
A Better Route Planner
Back to the consumption data, EV owners work in miles/kWh, or in Polestar's case kWh/100miles. The Polestar has a Journey log app you can utilise, and I did. It showed me that on a 38.5 miles journey from the village of Saignon in Provence, back to St Remy-de-Provence, we consumed 8.4kWh. That's 21.9kWh/100miles or 4.6miles/kWh giving us a theoretical Range of 360 miles. You can probably see why I settle with 'around 250-260'
The Polestar's turning circle is not the greatest, and we had a tight entrance or two, but the 360 camera and the four other options of front, back, left, or right kept us scratch-free and avoided kerbing the alloys, and we made it into some snug spaces.
Tough entry
However, there were some glitches. As we left the shuttle, the comms module failed, which in turn impacted the navigation system. This was the first time it had happened to me, but I remembered there were two options: an Infotainment reset and a TCAM reset. It appeared the TCAM reset solved the issue, as we were cruising down the A26.
On another segment, the map mirroring on the driver's console failed. We performed the resets to no avail; however, the following morning, normal service was resumed.
The final issue, and probably the most annoying, was when we returned home and plugged the car in, it would no longer charge off the AC. A simple visit to a Polestar/Volvo Service centre resolved the issue with a replacement part. Would this have been a catastrophe on the trip? No. Inconvenient, yes - but there were plenty of DC charging options.
Our French EV road trip in summary
Was all the planning worth itIn short yes;
Did we make mistakes? Yes
Any show-stoppers? No
Would we do it again? Yes, plans are afoot for possibly two trips in 2025, maybe three.
Did having an EV hinder you? No
On the planning side, all pretty good. Maybe too many destinations en route at times. We must remember to get lunch before 3:00; there are no late lunches after that outside the bigger cities.
Our Polestar 2 in Provence
France Tourist Information
If you’re tempted to tour France and discover all the wonderful things it has to offer, take a peek at the official French Tourism website. The local tourist offices dotted around the towns and cities provide some extremely useful information and handy pointers for around each region.
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