The range of electric cars is gradually being expanded.
But is a small e-car ready for a vacation trip?
The test with a BMW i3 explains.
Munich - The development work in matters of electric cars is being meticulously advanced by the manufacturers.
In politics and business, driving with electricity is ultimately seen as the drive technology of the future.
While large batteries can also be installed in larger vehicles, the endeavor is more difficult with smaller e-cars - after all, it is important to also enable the greatest possible range with less space potential. Many people ask themselves whether longer car journeys are possible without complications with an electrified small car, possibly even a vacation trip to more distant areas? At
Efahrer.com
, the
driver of a BMW i3 * describes
his experiences with his girlfriend on a vacation trip - and comes to an unequivocal conclusion for him.
The route ran from the Bavarian capital towards Jesolo, a popular holiday destination on the Adriatic Sea near Venice. "It was a great feeling to drive through the beautiful landscape at sunrise without polluting the environment," says the author of the first section after the team had set off from Munich fully loaded. What is meant is the tranquil section on the federal highways in the direction of Brenner - one of the main routes for the northern entrance towards Italy.
With a capacity of around a quarter, the first charging stop was made.
After more than half an hour of charging, the battery was almost full.
During his trip, the man used the services of the Charge Now app, which, to his surprise, would have been widely covered by the charging station network in the country of the European soccer champions.
However, one was also dependent on external applications on site.
Meanwhile, a comparison shows that the charging costs in Germany * differ significantly compared to other countries.
BMW i3 no range miracle - trip to Italy with obstacles
In Trentino-Alto Adige there was a "stress test": charging stations from the provider Enel X were hung with cobwebs and there was no electricity. Hundreds of meters further on, the same thing happened with a charging point from NeoGy. The thought of this scenario could make electric car drivers sweat on their foreheads. But there was salvation: the German-speaking customer service. The explanation leads to one of the current main problems of electric mobility: the inconsistent supply of electricity.
Charging cables from the Audi and BMW * brands are not compatible with the operator's charging stations. The solution arose from a journey with a remaining range of 50 kilometers to a place where a fast charging station * from the same provider was located - the battery could finally be charged here. Meanwhile, BMW also has an e-car on offer whose range - and space - is more suitable for road trips than the i3 (up to 300 kilometers according to WLTP):
This is followed by the onward journey to Padua, just under 180 km away, where, according to the report, the battery capacity was increased from 13 to 90 percent within three quarters of an hour.
With almost full electric power, the BMW i3 finally made its way towards the Adriatic Sea, where it arrived in Jesolo.
A DC charging station in Venice is also considered practicable for holidays in Italy.
However, this does not apply to the historic old town - cars are forbidden here.
Most recently, the lagoon city also put a stop to large ships *.
BMW i3 ready for the vacation trip?
Travel conclusion leaves room for doubt
Ultimately, the vacation with the BMW small car went "without any problems", but that is a matter of opinion. Many car-savvy users are also rather skeptical as a result of a Facebook posting: "For most people, going on vacation without stress looks different than constantly looking for functioning charging stations! Of course, you can talk to each other!" finds a user. "Great, for a distance of about 600 km I have to fill up 3 times for 30-45 minutes each time," says another.
Some time ago, a retired couple described a horror trip with the VW ID.3 *. Indeed, objectively speaking, the description sounds like a disadvantage compared to cars with internal combustion engines. Nonetheless: with larger electric cars, it shouldn't take too long until ranges of around 800 kilometers are possible - and a trip between Munich and Veneto or, for example, north to Hamburg would no longer be a problem.
(PF) * Merkur.de and tz.de are part of the IPPEN.MEDIA offer
