One year with an EV: A performance car enthusiast's journey
The Leap of Faith
About a year ago, I took the plunge and bought my first electric vehicle. The idea had been on my mind for a while, but I was hesitant to make the switch. However, I was about to start a new job that would pile on the miles. The kind of mileage that would quickly destroy any residual value on my existing car, plus, I was looking at expensive maintenance costs for what was already a 7-year-old vehicle. It was time for a change.
Looking back at my automotive history, there was an unquestionable pattern. I've always been drawn to vehicles with big engines and the odd performance car. There's something intoxicating about having an untamed beast under your right foot, the roar of an engine responding to your every command, the visceral connection between driver and machine.
So when I started seriously considering an EV, the question that kept nagging at me was obvious: despite all the compelling arguments for electric vehicles (environmental benefits, lower running costs), would I miss that raw, mechanical soul that had always defined my relationship with cars?
Now, 15,000 miles later, I think it's time for an honest reflection.
Setting the scene
Before diving into my experiences, I should declare a significant advantage: I can charge at home. This means many of my reflections won't apply to everyone, particularly those relying solely on public charging infrastructure. Your experience will be different.
I have a regular 100-mile round-trip commute up and down the M4 to Bristol a couple of times a week. This journey has become my primary testing ground for EV ownership. Beyond that, I'm often a parent taxi, handling the endless sports practices and social events that come with family life.
Interestingly, despite working in the EV charging industry (you'd think I'd know better), I wasn't immune to one of the most common early EV owner experiences.
The range anxiety reality check
Range anxiety hit me in those first couple of weeks, and it was completely irrational. I found myself getting nervous when the battery dropped below 150 miles of range, frantically looking for charging opportunities even when I was nowhere near actually needing them.
The irony wasn't lost on me. With my previous ICE vehicles, I'd regularly push them to within 10 miles of empty, casually coasting into petrol stations on fumes without a second thought. Yet here I was, with a car that could travel significantly further than my daily needs required, feeling anxious about charge levels that would have been perfectly adequate.
This psychological shift is fascinating and, I suspect, almost universal among new EV owners. With a petrol car, you know that fuel stations are everywhere and filling up takes five minutes. With an EV, especially in those early days, you're reprogramming decades of driving habits and learning to think differently about range and refueling.
The two-week reprogramming
Looking back, the most surprising thing about my EV transition wasn't the technology, the performance, or even the cost savings. It was how quickly charging became completely routine.
It probably took me all of two weeks to reprogram my brain, and that was it.
The new rhythm became second nature: get home, plug in, have dinner. Stop for a comfort break on longer journeys, plug in, and carry on. What had initially felt like a complex logistical challenge requiring careful planning and anxiety-inducing calculations transformed into something as automatic as locking the front door or checking my phone.
The mental shift is profound when you realise that "refuelling" is no longer a dedicated errand that interrupts your day. Instead of those detours to petrol stations (often at inconvenient moments when you're running late or the weather's miserable), charging simply becomes woven into activities you're already doing. You're not standing around for five minutes watching numbers tick up on a pump; you're living your life while the car quietly takes care of itself.
This integration into daily routine is perhaps one of the most underappreciated benefits of EV ownership, at least for those lucky enough to have home charging. Your car is always "full" when you need it, like your phone after a night on the charger.
Learning the public charging landscape
When you do venture beyond your home charging comfort zone, you quickly learn which public charging networks are reliable and reasonably priced. It's a bit like discovering which coffee shops make the best flat white on your regular routes. Once you know, you know.
Working in the charging industry certainly gave me an advantage here, but even without insider knowledge, it doesn't take long to identify the networks that consistently deliver good experiences versus those that might leave you stranded or wallet-shocked.
The numbers don't lie
According to my charging app, I've saved £2,300 in the last year by "e-fuelling" rather than filling up with petrol or diesel. That's not an insignificant sum, and yes, it probably eats into the 'premium' paid today to buy/lease an EV… let's call it quits.
But the savings extend far beyond fuel costs. In twelve months, I've had precisely zero servicing requirements and zero maintenance issues. Now, granted, maintenance on any one-year-old car would be unusual, but EVs have fewer moving parts to go wrong. No oil changes, no spark plugs, no timing belts. The list of things that don't need regular attention is refreshingly long.
Then there are the unexpected longevity benefits. My tyres look practically new despite 15,000 miles of driving. As for the brakes… I barely use them.
The performance question answered
All of this sounds very sensible and economical. But given my predilection for performance cars, what was it actually like to drive?
The answer surprised me: it's surprisingly relaxing, yet thrilling in a completely different way.
There's something almost go-kart-like about the driving experience. That direct, unfiltered connection between your right foot and forward motion, but without the mechanical drama I was used to. Just smooth, relentless, almost violent acceleration when you want it.
But it's the silence that's truly captivating. Where I once craved the roar of an engine, I've discovered there's something mesmerising about the near-silence of electric power. The only sound when you plant your right foot is maybe a small whine as the battery dumps power to the wheels. A subtle, futuristic whisper that somehow feels more sophisticated than the mechanical symphony I thought I couldn't live without.
It's a different kind of performance entirely. Less theatrical, perhaps, but no less addictive. The instant torque delivery means the car responds to your thoughts rather than your actions. There's no waiting for turbo lag or finding the right gear.
When reality bites: The Cornwall test
It hasn't all been perfect, though. A regular route means you develop comfortable routines, but going off-piste can throw up some unexpected challenges. A holiday in the deepest part of Cornwall proved to be my reality check.
Getting there was simple. The trunk routes in the UK are genuinely well catered for by EV charging infrastructure. The A30 down through Devon and into Cornwall had plenty of options. But some of the charging locations can feel oddly isolated. I found myself charging in the middle of anonymous business parks, surrounded by empty office buildings and wondering how on earth anyone was supposed to find these places without GPS.
The real challenge came at the destination itself. Picture this: narrow streets lined with centuries-old fisherman's cottages, barely wide enough for one car, with no parking spaces and certainly nowhere to plug in. The dearth of destination charging suddenly became a genuine problem.
For the first time since those initial anxious weeks, I found myself having to make specific trips just to "refuel." After months of charging being seamlessly integrated into my routine, having to drive somewhere purely to add electrons felt bizarrely antiquated. Like being transported back to the days of petrol station detours.
It's a stark reminder that while the EV charging infrastructure has come a long way, there's definitely work still to do.
This experience really drove home why the work we do at Voqa is so important. We're focused on helping destinations (hotels, leisure facilities, restaurants, attractions) identify the right charging solutions for their locations.
The logic is simple: EV drivers need somewhere to charge, so why not your location?
The verdict: No going back
After 15,000 miles and a full year of EV ownership, I can say with certainty: I won't go back to ICE.
Changing my routine wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. In fact, it was pretty easy. The mental reprogramming took weeks, not months, and the benefits (financial, practical, and experiential) have far outweighed the occasional inconveniences.
If you can charge at home, then don't be scared, would be my message. There's a lot of FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) out there in the media, social or otherwise. Be sceptical about it. Instead, listen to those of us who have actually made the switch. There are a growing number of us. Just look around when you're driving and count how many EVs you spot. The numbers tell their own story.
Environmental benefits aside, it's simply a great way to drive. The performance is addictive, the running costs are dramatically lower, the maintenance is virtually non-existent, and once you've experienced the serenity of electric motoring, the thought of going back to the noise, vibration, and complexity of an internal combustion engine feels like a step backwards.
The infrastructure will continue to improve. It has to, and it will. But even with today's limitations, for anyone with home charging capability, the EV transition is less of a leap of faith and more of an obvious evolution.
The future of driving isn't coming. It's already here. And it's quieter, smoother, and more enjoyable than I ever expected.
