Work-life-electric balance

To say that I am passionate about electric cars is an understatement. I’m crazy about them. I love the exhilarating feeling of bending a Tesla Model S round the training bowl at Millbrook Proving Ground. I swooned at my first ever test drive in a Nissan LEAF in the early days of My Electric Avenue. It had me at “is the car actually on, then?!”. And what about the 100% torque? I was one big EV smile. I consider myself very lucky that I am combining my passion and my job.

Since 2012, I have worked on a number of pioneering electric car smart charging projects including My Electric Avenue and Electric Nation with EA Technology. In June 2018 I moved to ElectraLink, where I deliver data-focused innovation to support the transition to a smarter, more flexible energy system. A key part of this is working with the Distribution Network Operators as they transition to Distribution System Operators and, luckily for me, facilitating the uptake of electric vehicles remains a significant aspect of this work.

Through ElectraLink’s Energy Market Data Hub (EMDH), we have embarked on our first network innovation project for Western Power Distribution. The project involves working with IBM to use machine learning and AI to spot unregistered electric cars and solar connected to the network (see the LCT Detection project). The model this project will deliver will help Western Power Distribution’s planners to understand where hot spots of low carbon technologies are emerging, so that they can manage the network accordingly.

The dataset on the EMDH, that ElectraLink manages on behalf of industry, sits at the heart of the energy transition. To give you an idea of what the dataset contains, we have over six years’ worth of data relating to every change of supplier event, sight of where every smart meter is installed and a view of 96% of all embedded generation on the network. In fact in summer 2018, we signed a contract to provide National Grid with this data.

This data is able to unlock innovation, enable flexibility and allow the energy industry to operate at its smartest. Electric vehicles’ role in this goes beyond purely providing a transport solution that reduces emissions; it can also play an integral part in managing a flexible network, with smart charging and vehicle to grid offering further ways to manage the network. This approach not only maximises the benefit to industry parties, but to our customer base as a whole.

But despite having the luxury of combining my work with my passion, there has been something missing. An itch that I haven’t been able to scratch. A small electric car shaped void. 

And so began my mission to find an electric car...

I knew a few things from the outset. I knew that I wanted to buy, rather than lease (personal choice). I knew that I wanted a fully electric second-hand car and I knew that I wanted something that would give me a realistic driving range of over 100 miles on a single charge.

I knew that I didn’t want to lease the battery, so that put the Renault Zoe out of the running. I discounted the BMW i3 for cost reasons (too expensive) and also the fact that it only has two seats in the back. My options centred on the Nissan LEAF and the KIA Soul, both of which I have driven numerous times, and I like them both. I also knew that I would do the vast majority of my charging at home, overnight.

I reached out to Twitter to seek advice on whom I should talk to, to help me in my search. What an amazing response I received. There are people across the UK (and beyond) who really do know their stuff about electric cars and who are more than willing to share their experience, knowledge and enthusiasm.

Armed with advice from various forums on social media, I decided that the Nissan LEAF 30kWh Tekna, with 6.6kW on board charger was the car for me. I also quickly found out that there’s not that many around. As a result of a few recommendations, I spoke to the likes of Jonathan Porterfield (@eco-cars1) up in Orkney, a well-known electric car expert and finder of vehicles to meet your every zero-emission need. The Plug Seeker (@The_PlugSeeker) was great, and it was thanks to him that I ended up speaking with Matt Cleevely of Cleevely EV (@cleevelymotors), and then Lewis Black of ECars Trading (@ecarstrading). The product knowledge of people like Matt and Lewis is second to none, and as EV specialists, they leave the more traditional car dealers out in the cold. 

I need to give a shout out to Mike Potter from DriveElectric too, who offered to lend me an electric car should I get stuck without (my old car had been written off – long story). What a star.

The desired LEAF was found thanks to Matt Cleevely, who passed over the mechanics of purchase to Lewis Black. So with deposit paid, I agreed a plan for delivery with Lewis. Fast forward to Sunday 6 January 2019. I need to mention at this point that I received a text message from Lewis to let me know he was going to be slightly delayed – because he was queuing at a rapid charger at a service station. This is surely a sign of the times and a purely anecdotal piece of evidence that electric car ownership is on the up.

Matt and his business partner drove up from down south (in a plug-in hybrid), so they could take Lewis back; one or two cups of tea later and the excitement of myself and my children could barely be contained, as our brand-new second-hand Nissan LEAF glided up the driveway.

The first question that my four-year-old daughter had was “Are there cup holders”? So you hear it here first – there is no need for range anxiety. It’s all about the cupholders.

One delightful test drive later, and the transaction was complete. I was blown away by the professionalism, out of hours (Sunday!) service and friendliness of the team. My serenity levels are at an all-time high, and I’m over the moon to at long last own an electric vehicle.

I genuinely have zero range anxiety.

I love that I am officially zero tailpipe emission.

I have been almost overwhelmed by the support, advice and encouragement flowing from the zero-emission vehicle community.

I am very excited at the prospect of having my smart charger fitted very soon.

I am achieving my work-life-electric balance.

@Gill_Nowell @electralink

p.s. if you'd like your name in print, be part of Robert Llewellyn's Fully Charged Almanac 2020!