Well, we have just returned home, after the first weekend run in our first EV. Thanks to
@Rolfe for calming us when Strange Things happened on the way south. We had no further problems on the way back, but quite a few "learning opportunities."
We are now reasonably seasoned at topping up at Chargeplace Scotland charge points, and have been fortunate not to have to wait anywhere. We are slowly getting to enjoy the necessary pause in a journey, and, to be honest, we are looking forward to this aspect of changing our driving habits.
We charged in Fort William while we did a supermarket shop (here in the north west, whenever you go anywhere, you also also do a supermarket shop, to save a 150 mile round trip later). We then drove about 110 miles to Ullapool at an average of 4.5miles per kWHr. This was helped by a little traffic on the A82, but not helped by some open road... It also included the very steep climb out of the Great Glen, when we lost efficiency, obviously, but by the time we were down the other side, had gained it, and a little more, again.
I did leave the road speed sign recognition off this time, which failed on the way down. It's not wildly useful anyway.
But we did have one interesting experience. In Ullapool, I set the cruise control to 30 so as not to have to concentrate on speed. I noticed two pedestrians walking across a side street, but just peripherally as there was no danger. But when the car spotted them (I could see the human icon in the display) the car braked hard. Everything came together in my mind quickly, and I realised the car was actually doing the right thing - those pedestrians were indeed in the road, just not the road we were planning to take.
We then had the last 45 miles to do. Now this, with our old diesel Panda, and indeed with any car we've had, is a fuel consumption killer of a stretch of road. I am not sure what it is about this road, but we have consistently got a good 20% worse fuel consumption on it. When we got to the gate of our house, the indicated efficiency was 4miles/kWHr. But as I drove up the last steep 50metres to the house, it flipped back to 3.9. Rats. So not bad, but not good either.
And a last observation, we live on the NC500 driving route, as mentioned before. It can be nightmare for us, trying to get to appointments or get home, when tourists assume everyone must similarly be having a leisurely holiday. An example happened along Loch Assynt. We found ourselves behind a Jeep. At one point, the driver slowed to 30mph on the A road, whether wonderinng about the route, or taking in the scenery who knows. The car then drifted way over to the other side of the road, so the few overtaking spots became dicey. But that's where we are happy with our MG4. As soon as we got a chance, we could deploy the loud pedal and know that within a couple of seconds we'd be past, rather than the (not-so)friendly tussle for road space that overtaking sometimes entails when drivers are miles away, watching the scenery. I got the need for speed out of my system decades ago, probably in my teens. But I do appreciate the car's acceleration ability for the safety of such events.
We collected the car on Wednesday and already have just shy of 500 miles on the clock. We have another 200 mile round trip this coming weekend and then a 700 mile round trip next week. So far so good, both regarding the choice of an EV and the MG4.