Thanks for highlighting the high charging costs away from home, the lack of reliable charging infrastructure and how slow most chargers are even to get to 80% threshold. I have a diesel Focus which on a full tank does 640 miles so the range anxiety of an EV and its higher costs per mile would be a major issue for me.
Thanks for this, great video. I'm utterly convinced that Electric is not for me after watching this series. Appreciate that I wont have a choice in the future but for now i'll stick with Diesel as - its probably cheaper (I did my sums on current consumption and for that mileage I'd spend around a tenner less (VW Campervan) - The hassle with the charging is frankly ridiculous Thanks for helping me to steer away from electric for a number of years.
You've shown what's possible, but also shown what's not possible. All those calculations, hassle with chargers, range worries etc. to do what I could have done, worry free, in less time, for half the price in my old Micra. And the savings to the planet are incalculable!
He has done it in a Giant Motorhome too. You could have done it worry free, in less time, for half the price in an old Micra vs that too but its hardly the point is it? I look forward to watching the video of you doing it though. Hope you've got a good heater!
Seems to me that all you did was worry about where you were going to charge it and if the chargers would work - range anxiety, along with the worry of where you would park. So much wasted time charging and nothing to do except eat whilst doing so. I did the NC500 in my diesel clio and camped in a tent cost around £100. Would have been nice to see you use more local shops etc rather than load up and take with you, its nice to give back to communities rather than take all the time.
Can you clarify for me. If you park for the night in a public place. Have a few of drinks, go back to the van to sleep are you then incharge of a vehicle whilst under the influence and could be changed with a drink drive offence if over the limit ?
The law is very prescript. You could technically be charged of being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle. However if the campervan is parked and keys not in the ignition it would be obvious that you had no intent to drive. However the law states being in charge and not necessarily driving... If you are in a campsite not on public roads they'll be no issue at all. I think most Police Officers would understand and have their use of discretion. I am an HGV driver, it's the same principle that would apply to us. However we have a Tachograph to show that we would be on our daily minimum 11 hour rest period. I won't go into driving hours.. 😂😂
@@heather333 Sorry you are completely incorrect. As the other comment states you would be committing an Offence trust me I know with 110% confidence. It would be prudent to check your facts (a quick google of the road traffic act perhaps) before giving out advice that could lead to another being charged with an Offence. It would be the Officers discretion to arrest for the Offence but a Court would decide guilt, the onus being on the person charged to prove their innocence. And that is a lot of grief I wouldn't want to go through
As I understand it if you’re parked on private land (such as a campsite or pub car park) the drink driving laws are not applicable. It gets ‘interesting’ if you choose to park in a lay by whilst over the limit, technically you would be liable to prosecution but it would seem a little harsh.
A well known actor got convicted of drunk in charge whilst sleeping in a Tesco car park at night. As I understand it, simply putting the key in the door is enough to be classed as in charge.
Thoroughly enjoyed this series of videos. Some beautiful scenery and great overnight park ups. Hoping to get up there next year when it’s a bit warmer (with diesel power) . Merry Christmas Radfords 🎅
Sorry to say I would be dropping off the VW ID Buzz at a Transport Museum ......could you imagine if everybody had one,you would not be able to drive round the NC500 for queues waiting out on to the main road all the way back to Inverness
I don't understand, why would everyone have one? and if they did surely the infrastructure would improve top support demand. Do you think that petrol stations were all in place before petrol cars appeared??
@@Petermcpete First of all thats what Milliband would like to enforce, and the intended solar ,wind farms cannot produce enough energy to recharge all these EV's ,perhaps in the future there will be No NC500 as the whole of the North of Scotland will be a scrapyard of broken solar/wind farms due no sun,wind to strong,apart from all the burnt out dead batteries polluting the planet..for starters....just saying like...Hmmm
Thank you Steve for taking us on this trip with you. The insight into electric vehicles is enlightening, I don’t think it is for me, I couldn’t stand the stress and worry looking for working charging points! 😂 Andy and I would like to wish you, Lynds and the lads are a very Merry Christmas! 🎉😊
At considerable extra cost! It did equivalent to 29mpg, and as soon as there is only one fuel ( electric), prices will yet again rise and rise. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in nearish future, EV will cost as much as equivalent to 20mpg, only affordable by the richer people and the average person will become more and more ground down, unable to move around, unable to get out into the countryside.
For a trip like this I would agree but you should also factor in the cheaper costs of charging at home assuming that you use the vehicle for daily driving.
That's the plan. There's no intention of ever building the infrastructure for all present ICE vehicles to be replaced with EVs. Individual private cars will largely disappear.
I know it’s too late now, but just down from Aviemore there’s Kingussie which has a wee hub plus great heated toilets with showers and all at only 50p. Lots of parking, picnic area, kids park and dog walking. It’s also a wee walk to the town which has a great cafe, bakery and coop.
Try doing it in the summer when there’ll be probably one charger for every ten vehicles (if you’re lucky) Not much fun at all. In fact that could be your next big challenge. Would love to see it. Atb and happy Christmas
Nope, I went to Ullapool last summer and Skye this summer and orkney the summer before last. Once you're past Fort William there's basically no one using the chargers. I've never had to queue for one in 45k electric miles. The thing is, you're not actually doing that much distance once you're there
Great series. Thanks. But one thing for sure…I will never invest in an electric vehicle after all this crazy charging nuisance! Wishing you and your family a fantastic Christmas 🎅
I have really enjoyed this trip, thank you so much. I have a plug in hybrid Mazda cx60 and we are away for Christmas in the caravan. I don’t bother with the battery and just let the car keep it topped up and so far we are getting 48mpg total. It gets hit when in town though. One think your trip has confirmed for me is I would never buy full electric it is just not the future they are just now and not really because the public are not buying them. I tell you now 22/12/24 a large car manufacturer will go bust if not two within the next few years. Cost is what it is all about because items can be priced out of your range for example you seem well off, and that is good by the way, but let’s talk privately owned jets and now say it is not about cost everything is about cost it just is and I am so lucky to have a good life style. Wishing you and your family a great Christmas and an amazing new year. James
Me and the lads went skiing in Aviemore in the 80’s there was no snow just rain. But still a lively place with plenty to do. We went horse riding and clay shooting amongst others. We had a great week there.
Like your videos on the nc500. Only thing I would say is you did it in winter when it was not many people touring. How easy would it be to charge if there was only a couple of chargers and a lot more tourists.
First went to Aviemore with my parents and had a go on a dry ski slope, leather boots then when I was 11. Returned first winter I was at Salford University with our climbing club to go ice climbing in the Cairngorms which was an epic trip. Had a few bad days of weather took a break from the ice routes, hired some skis and taught ourselves to ski. Nowadays still a good ski resort especially if you ski off piste away from the crowds. OAP now, knee is a bit knackered for skiing. Main sport now is Paragliding, had 4 weeks in the Alps this summer staying in my Berlingo MPV. Looks like you had a great time in Scotland.
A great insight into the current issues to overcome for EV enthusiasts (not me), with limitations seemingly being dependant on individual requirements and resilience to charging/mileage anxieties. As for that pub with their car park only a 3rd full turning away your custom, they were twits to you! A merry Christmas to you and the family. Look forward to new year adventures, state side?
The rate of charge will vary depending on maximum capacity of the charger, the residual charge in the batteries and the outside temperature. Generally the colder the batteries, the slower the initial charge rate. After 80% the charge rate normally drops off quite quickly to ensure the cell voltages are balanced. I think given the rural location you’ve done exceptionally well. Major routes (motorways etc) are served much better with charging points.
Hi Steve, the Ski Resort in Aviemore is still very much alive and kicking despite issues with the Britains only funicular railway. Other than that, when it snows it's simply brilliant 😉
Great series, most informative, but it just confirms that EV’s are only realistic if you can home charge. If you can great, but that makes them best suited as shopping trolleys or the supermarket run. Many people cannot so have to be held to ransom by the commercial charging sites. If I did the same journey in my T6.1 2.0 DSG it would have cost me a little over £200 and 2 fill ups and that would include long spells using the central heating too. Why would anyone want to spend their whole break trying to find chargers and working out whether they’d actually get to them or not.
Seems the cost of the EV per mile is very similar to a diesel. I get charging at home is cheaper, but who buys a camper to be close to home? I do not think there has been anything in this series where you have pointed out any use case benefits of an EV, were there some I missed? But you did struggle to charge at times and where chargers were working you obviously spent more time waiting for the battery to charge than a regular fill up would take. Thanks for doing the trip, when you say at the end you "hope you've shown what this thing can do", then yes I think you have. But I don"t think what you have shown has been convincing in terms of the case for buying this electric camper.
Hi Steve we stop at Glenmore camping next to Loch Morlick site 6miles from Aviemore towards the cairngorm ski lifts and it's great for kids doing water sports
Enjoyed the series. Thanks for sharing. The purchase price of the van is eye watering. The cost of charging on the road for this trip was bonkers. Range anxiety is never ending (182miles on 100% charge). And EV’s aren’t green. It does make you wonder why the government is so hell bent on their net zero madness.
I'll believe that this trip is possible if you do it in the IDbuzz in peak season 😅😅, EV's are no where near where they should be for mass adoption. Here in Scotland charging infrastructure is a joke as well. So I'll stick to my ICE car for the near future. Lovely videos, lovely trip, I did enjoy it watching. If the ID Buzz had 350+ miles range would have been a lot better. You did so many stops, so much range/charge anxiety.........
Sorry but price comparison is the issue. I did similar route in my Citroen Relay L4H2 2.2tdi in 2018. It took two and a half tanks to do 1590 miles which was about £175 at that time. £350 is utterly shocking.
But its not 2018, making your comparison pretty pointless. If your Citroen averages 5m/l (driving and charging your leisure battery), you would have used about 320 litres to cover 1590 miles. Todays diesel prices are between £1.40 and £1.70, so £1.55 avg. So, in Dec 24 it would cost around £500 in you Citroen Relay. Is £350 now that shocking? Unless your post was an pun on it being an EV.
@@greenzero3389 Diesel is on average £1.40 per litre which is £6.36 per gallon. My Citroen did 35 mpg which is 18p per mile. 1650 miles would cost £299.82p. Where did you get £500 from ? Still £50 cheaper than this EV. And a much bigger van with full double bed, toilet, shower and kitchen. This is why EV vans aren't selling.
@@Un-Apologetic I don't disagree with you on the reasons EV's as a whole aren't selling. This video shows exactly why. But your argument on costs is flawed. You can charge an EV for as little as 5.5p per kWh, but not if you're doing the NC500 or on any road trip. Convenience fuel stops cost a lot more and this stands for your £1.40 average diesel price. Being able to do this in your Citroen for £300 today, not a chance if your cooking, heating, lighting etc. That is unless you're on the back of a recovery truck.
Really enjoyed this trip, I was really interested in how an electric vehicle would perform and cost, and I was surprised at the cost. After 14 years of land rovers and spending more hours fixing them. It was time to change to a suszki jimny, which is different but cheaper to run and more reliable. Im not sure about the EV route but its interesting to see what they can do
We've just took the ferry to Dunkirk (still in our soon to be retired diesel but excited to get an Id Buzz in March). They're advertising short breaks to France for £39. Have you done any camping in Brittany or Normandy?
Hi Steve, enjoying the videos. We are Scottish and the first time the wife saw Aviemore she was totally disappointed as she was expecting Swiss style chalets etc etc. The scenery at the Cairngorms is more spectacular especially driving if the weather is good.
Great series. I think it's confirmed that I will never bother with an EV! I did the NC500 in a Jaguar XK this year and costs were pretty well identical with no faffing around
Interesting to see how good or crap charge points are Did you note any change in range of the battery in cold to mild temps ? RWD not so clever for a winter Scandinavian trip so how about a jaunt right around the Island of Ireland 👍
Enjoyed your video mate. I'm in Carrbridge just outside Aviemore and yep, ski lifts aren't good. There is a Furnicular but it's been broken for a few years now. It's a shame Aviemore didn't appear welcoming,
Enjoyed this series Steve. If you'd got that Scottish card thing organised in time would it have made your life easier? Would you advise it for others doing the same trip? I see someone else suggested the Wild Atlantic way in Ireland - good call as it is beautiful.
Seem to spend a lot of time thinking about and planning charging, couldn't be bothered with that. I have an electric Skoda so not anti EV but trying to plan a long trip is too much faff, I'll just us my diesel car instead.
Merry Christmas Radfords. I live in the central belt of Scotland and Aviemore is the furthest North I've gone. I would love to do the NC500. I don't have a car but here are bus trips round the whole route. That's something I'm thinking about. Just be a passenger on the route.
As a diesel van, petrol and EV owner - I loved this trip! What tablet do you watch RUclips at night? Looks like a decent big screen! Thank you for the content
Equivalent to 29 mpg! So the Ev needs nearly twice as much energy, delivered to the user, to a non EV vehicle! To achieve this means more production , hardly helping the world ( unless green energy and obtained using minimal engineering). EV is no doubt great but Gov is failing to deliver - why isn’t our Gov capping the costs of charging and seeking smaller or more efficiently built EV vehicles instead of the current crop of ultra sophisticated designs, costing a lot to make and run? All going in the wrong direction. Yet, big thank you for doing this extremely worthwhile test and reporting.
Hi, you seem to be conflating energy cost with energy usage. In efficiency terms EVs are far better than Petrol as not so much heat is generated. I would agree that the trip could have been done cheaper in a decent range Diesel vehicle.
Hey its me liam quick question i know this is still a long time until the summer holiday but where are you guys going nexted years summer. Anyways i really enjoyed the NC 500 trip really great sceneries😊
Actually surprised that the EV charging didn't come to more than that. Charge whilst you're resting/eating makes sense. I wonder how long you'd have to wait if you did that in the height of the seasons with others wanting to do the same. Still not convinced electric is the way forward and certainly won't be spending any of my money on one. Enjoyed the series so thanks for that. How about doing a tour around Ireland on the next one. Best wishes to the family for Xmas & New Year.
Great vid would be nice if you gave a breakdown of the miles travelled and the cost of re-energizing the buz . I'd love to compare with my 2.o l tdi Ocean. Should be shocking. Especially on the most important currency, which is time?
Enjoy your videos. As a bit of a comparison you did 1649 miles for £349.99, works out as about £0.21 per mile. My 3499kg Fiat Ducato Trend motorhome uses about £0.23 od diesel per mile.
Great video but still not convinced here in Australia, would drive me crazy wasting driving time while i could be getting closer to destination, but then again your holidays we do for a picnic. Lol
Can I ask if you did 1649 miles for £349 what was your cost of charging on average at the chargers, do you get a special deal ?, that to me works out at 4p per mile or 10p per kwh, worked out at your id buzz at 100% charge does 180 miles.
Disappointing record of the Buzz charging in Scotland, send a copy to Elon, he might install more fast chargers! I was worried when you were driving on ice and the rear wheel drive was not coping. Maybe the Buzz needs to be retired to the garage until the summer. I still love the look and all the modifications you made, and of course the electrical system. Can the battery be upgraded? Its a shame its so low, looking at the new Kia EV, the range is over 500miles or km? Yes i've skiied Aviemore in the 70's! Best powder snow i have skiied in Europe! But the extreme wind made it hard to ski downhill! 😂And i was a ski rep for 10 winter seasons! Loved the reindeer in the car park, but the sideways facing chair lift was a first. Thanks for a really eye opening vlog. The Buzz needs to stay a surfer's van. Happy Christmas to you and all the family, looking forward to your next travels. Morocco? You'd have to cover the roof in solar panels! XX Jo in France 🇫🇷
Trip possible but was it practical? Rather not have the strees about planning my trip around charging points. Infrastructure needs to be more widely available if EVs are to become even somewhat comparable
Wow. That was so expensive on Electrickery. I know that wasn't the point of your trip and you definitely proved it was do-able but the cost and challenges of the charging points would certainly suggest that battery powered vehicles & their infrastructure are not the best option yet.
So… you could do that same trip in a diesel or half price then… and you wouldnt have the pressure of finding a working charger or charging all the time… so in theory! These vans are not what we think… not enviromentally friendly to manufacture and certainly not a pleasure to drive with the pressure of charging all the time… but it was an enjoyable video but just confirmed to me that EV are not the solution… good luck with the van though!
How many times would you do such trip though? Between me and the Mrs its cost us circa £1200 to do 50 thousand miles. It's a choice and a way of life. It just just doesn't suit Everyone just like being a vegetarian.
@ If its a way of life why would you spend double when you can do it for half… EVs are not the way forward for many of us… the van costs more, the charging costs more and when climate takes hold with this government on solar and wind you are all knackered… no wind no sun no charging… and it will happen people! We will have blackouts galore!!! The grid can hardly cope already with what little of these vehicles are actually on the road today… nope! Not for me!
@@Climatetruth Some people buy Mercedes, Porsches and Ferrari's , others buy Vauxhall's, Peugeot's and Citroens all do the same Job of getting you from A to B right?.... Its a way of life.
@ but we arent talking about that are we… so why does the government not push sales of them! They push for EV and why they are good for us all… when they blatantly arent! Everybody has a choice of what to buy and you also have that choice… if thats your thing you go for it but am not… when this government is finished in power next election it will all go backto where we left it… thank god!! Vote Reform!
Interesting how to find power points give me diesel any day am at the age I know electric is better for our planet but it's a pain finding charging points . How about the west coast of Ireland suppose to the most beautiful in Europe enjoyed your video interesting thanks❤❤
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Thanks for highlighting the high charging costs away from home, the lack of reliable charging infrastructure and how slow most chargers are even to get to 80% threshold. I have a diesel Focus which on a full tank does 640 miles so the range anxiety of an EV and its higher costs per mile would be a major issue for me.
Thanks for this, great video. I'm utterly convinced that Electric is not for me after watching this series. Appreciate that I wont have a choice in the future but for now i'll stick with Diesel as
- its probably cheaper (I did my sums on current consumption and for that mileage I'd spend around a tenner less (VW Campervan)
- The hassle with the charging is frankly ridiculous
Thanks for helping me to steer away from electric for a number of years.
Loved it but have to say not sure if it’s been a good advert for electric motors ❤.
You've shown what's possible, but also shown what's not possible.
All those calculations, hassle with chargers, range worries etc. to do what I could have done, worry free, in less time, for half the price in my old Micra.
And the savings to the planet are incalculable!
He has done it in a Giant Motorhome too. You could have done it worry free, in less time, for half the price in an old Micra vs that too but its hardly the point is it? I look forward to watching the video of you doing it though. Hope you've got a good heater!
Seems to me that all you did was worry about where you were going to charge it and if the chargers would work - range anxiety, along with the worry of where you would park. So much wasted time charging and nothing to do except eat whilst doing so. I did the NC500 in my diesel clio and camped in a tent cost around £100. Would have been nice to see you use more local shops etc rather than load up and take with you, its nice to give back to communities rather than take all the time.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Steve and Family! 🎅🏻🎄🎁🎊🎉
Merry christmas and a happy new year to you all :)
I’m still on the diesel side of the fence but nonetheless this was a great trip to watch and very interesting. Thank you Steve👍
Enjoyed all the video's on this trip, all very honest no BS.Happy Christmas and New Year to you and family. Cheers!
Can you clarify for me. If you park for the night in a public place. Have a few of drinks, go back to the van to sleep are you then incharge of a vehicle whilst under the influence and could be changed with a drink drive offence if over the limit ?
No, if it's clear you are not planning to drive. However, I never drink when car camping, just in case I do need to move.
The law is very prescript. You could technically be charged of being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle. However if the campervan is parked and keys not in the ignition it would be obvious that you had no intent to drive. However the law states being in charge and not necessarily driving... If you are in a campsite not on public roads they'll be no issue at all. I think most Police Officers would understand and have their use of discretion. I am an HGV driver, it's the same principle that would apply to us. However we have a Tachograph to show that we would be on our daily minimum 11 hour rest period. I won't go into driving hours.. 😂😂
@@heather333 Sorry you are completely incorrect. As the other comment states you would be committing an Offence trust me I know with 110% confidence. It would be prudent to check your facts (a quick google of the road traffic act perhaps) before giving out advice that could lead to another being charged with an Offence. It would be the Officers discretion to arrest for the Offence but a Court would decide guilt, the onus being on the person charged to prove their innocence. And that is a lot of grief I wouldn't want to go through
As I understand it if you’re parked on private land (such as a campsite or pub car park) the drink driving laws are not applicable. It gets ‘interesting’ if you choose to park in a lay by whilst over the limit, technically you would be liable to prosecution but it would seem a little harsh.
A well known actor got convicted of drunk in charge whilst sleeping in a Tesco car park at night. As I understand it, simply putting the key in the door is enough to be classed as in charge.
The locals on the NC 500 like you to buy your supplies locally…from independent shops.starbucks is closing in Dumfries…in January,,
The quality of the Scottish family owned cafes is wonderful. The staff warm and friendly. Why would anyone go to a global chain!
@ it needs to be nurtured..that peppered slice should have been made in a local bakery..not in Cornwall..
@ eating Cornish pastries in Scotland..Support Cornwall on your Scottish holidays..
Enjoyed your videos immensely. A very Happy ,Joy filled Christmas to you all, and may 2025 be an extraordinary grace filled year and family.
Great series Steve,really enjoyed it 👍
Thoroughly enjoyed this series of videos. Some beautiful scenery and great overnight park ups. Hoping to get up there next year when it’s a bit warmer (with diesel power) . Merry Christmas Radfords 🎅
Sorry to say I would be dropping off the VW ID Buzz at a Transport Museum ......could you imagine if everybody had one,you would not be able to drive round the NC500 for queues waiting out on to the main road all the way back to Inverness
I don't understand, why would everyone have one? and if they did surely the infrastructure would improve top support demand. Do you think that petrol stations were all in place before petrol cars appeared??
@@Petermcpete First of all thats what Milliband would like to enforce, and the intended solar ,wind farms cannot produce enough energy to recharge all these EV's ,perhaps in the future there will be No NC500 as the whole of the North of Scotland will be a scrapyard of broken solar/wind farms due no sun,wind to strong,apart from all the burnt out dead batteries polluting the planet..for starters....just saying like...Hmmm
Thank you Steve for taking us on this trip with you. The insight into electric vehicles is enlightening, I don’t think it is for me, I couldn’t stand the stress and worry looking for working charging points! 😂 Andy and I would like to wish you, Lynds and the lads are a very Merry Christmas! 🎉😊
Really well done Steve, enjoyed the series and its good to know it do-able. Have a great Christmas back with your Family.
Brilliant series Steve, loved watching all that beautiful scenery bud, thanks for bringing us along and well done, Merry Christmas to you all 🎄 👍 👏
At considerable extra cost! It did equivalent to 29mpg, and as soon as there is only one fuel ( electric), prices will yet again rise and rise. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in nearish future, EV will cost as much as equivalent to 20mpg, only affordable by the richer people and the average person will become more and more ground down, unable to move around, unable to get out into the countryside.
Some people would have you believe electricity will be free in the future!!
For a trip like this I would agree but you should also factor in the cheaper costs of charging at home assuming that you use the vehicle for daily driving.
Most people couldn't have home chargers as they have no parking space.
That's the plan. There's no intention of ever building the infrastructure for all present ICE vehicles to be replaced with EVs. Individual private cars will largely disappear.
Great video. Great trip and a great couple. Merry Christmas to you all 🎄🎄🎄
Great videos Steve and enjoyed the journey, merry Christmas to you all. 🎄🥃
I know it’s too late now, but just down from Aviemore there’s Kingussie which has a wee hub plus great heated toilets with showers and all at only 50p. Lots of parking, picnic area, kids park and dog walking. It’s also a wee walk to the town which has a great cafe, bakery and coop.
Fascinated by this trip, thanks so much for sharing ❤🏴☠️
The only place those vans should be, is in the scrap yard
Try doing it in the summer when there’ll be probably one charger for every ten vehicles (if you’re lucky) Not much fun at all. In fact that could be your next big challenge. Would love to see it. Atb and happy Christmas
Nope, I went to Ullapool last summer and Skye this summer and orkney the summer before last. Once you're past Fort William there's basically no one using the chargers. I've never had to queue for one in 45k electric miles. The thing is, you're not actually doing that much distance once you're there
You definitely need to plan your stops to charge up, but it’s been interesting, Thank you.Have a fabulous Christmas and Happy New Year.🎄🍾
Enjoyed the series, very good !
Hi Steve really enjoyed travelling with you looking forward to all the next trips with the family x🧑🎄
Great series. Thanks. But one thing for sure…I will never invest in an electric vehicle after all this crazy charging nuisance! Wishing you and your family a fantastic Christmas 🎅
Incogni annual plan done thank you 🙏
I have really enjoyed this trip, thank you so much. I have a plug in hybrid Mazda cx60 and we are away for Christmas in the caravan. I don’t bother with the battery and just let the car keep it topped up and so far we are getting 48mpg total. It gets hit when in town though. One think your trip has confirmed for me is I would never buy full electric it is just not the future they are just now and not really because the public are not buying them. I tell you now 22/12/24 a large car manufacturer will go bust if not two within the next few years. Cost is what it is all about because items can be priced out of your range for example you seem well off, and that is good by the way, but let’s talk privately owned jets and now say it is not about cost everything is about cost it just is and I am so lucky to have a good life style.
Wishing you and your family a great Christmas and an amazing new year.
James
Excellent mini-series. Very informative and interesting 👌💙❤️
Me and the lads went skiing in Aviemore in the 80’s there was no snow just rain. But still a lively place with plenty to do. We went horse riding and clay shooting amongst others. We had a great week there.
Like your videos on the nc500. Only thing I would say is you did it in winter when it was not many people touring. How easy would it be to charge if there was only a couple of chargers and a lot more tourists.
Yeah. When you have to queue for a charger it makes planning travel time a bit of an art
Good series, couldnt take the stress of doing it in an EV
We did it in our moho in May and the weather was glorious.
First went to Aviemore with my parents and had a go on a dry ski slope, leather boots then when I was 11. Returned first winter I was at Salford University with our climbing club to go ice climbing in the Cairngorms which was an epic trip. Had a few bad days of weather took a break from the ice routes, hired some skis and taught ourselves to ski. Nowadays still a good ski resort especially if you ski off piste away from the crowds. OAP now, knee is a bit knackered for skiing. Main sport now is Paragliding, had 4 weeks in the Alps this summer staying in my Berlingo MPV. Looks like you had a great time in Scotland.
How much extra electricity ⚡⚡💰💰
With a Wife and Child, wanting a warm van and use of extra electrical Tek, cooking etc 😮😮
I have skied in the Cairngorms, quite challenging conditions at times. Some nice wild camping spots down the road at Feshie Bridge.
A great insight into the current issues to overcome for EV enthusiasts (not me), with limitations seemingly being dependant on individual requirements and resilience to charging/mileage anxieties.
As for that pub with their car park only a 3rd full turning away your custom, they were twits to you!
A merry Christmas to you and the family. Look forward to new year adventures, state side?
The rate of charge will vary depending on maximum capacity of the charger, the residual charge in the batteries and the outside temperature. Generally the colder the batteries, the slower the initial charge rate. After 80% the charge rate normally drops off quite quickly to ensure the cell voltages are balanced. I think given the rural location you’ve done exceptionally well. Major routes (motorways etc) are served much better with charging points.
Hi Steve, the Ski Resort in Aviemore is still very much alive and kicking despite issues with the Britains only funicular railway. Other than that, when it snows it's simply brilliant 😉
Great series, most informative, but it just confirms that EV’s are only realistic if you can home charge. If you can great, but that makes them best suited as shopping trolleys or the supermarket run. Many people cannot so have to be held to ransom by the commercial charging sites. If I did the same journey in my T6.1 2.0 DSG it would have cost me a little over £200 and 2 fill ups and that would include long spells using the central heating too. Why would anyone want to spend their whole break trying to find chargers and working out whether they’d actually get to them or not.
Seems the cost of the EV per mile is very similar to a diesel. I get charging at home is cheaper, but who buys a camper to be close to home? I do not think there has been anything in this series where you have pointed out any use case benefits of an EV, were there some I missed? But you did struggle to charge at times and where chargers were working you obviously spent more time waiting for the battery to charge than a regular fill up would take.
Thanks for doing the trip, when you say at the end you "hope you've shown what this thing can do", then yes I think you have. But I don"t think what you have shown has been convincing in terms of the case for buying this electric camper.
Much more expensive than a diesel. He did 29 mpg equivalent…
Loved your adventure and very informative. Thanks
Hi Steve we stop at Glenmore camping next to Loch Morlick site 6miles from Aviemore towards the cairngorm ski lifts and it's great for kids doing water sports
Merry Christmas 🎉
Enjoyed the series. Thanks for sharing.
The purchase price of the van is eye watering. The cost of charging on the road for this trip was bonkers. Range anxiety is never ending (182miles on 100% charge). And EV’s aren’t green. It does make you wonder why the government is so hell bent on their net zero madness.
great video. definately do ireland in the buzz, great country, great people
I'll believe that this trip is possible if you do it in the IDbuzz in peak season 😅😅, EV's are no where near where they should be for mass adoption. Here in Scotland charging infrastructure is a joke as well. So I'll stick to my ICE car for the near future. Lovely videos, lovely trip, I did enjoy it watching. If the ID Buzz had 350+ miles range would have been a lot better. You did so many stops, so much range/charge anxiety.........
Steve be honest have you enjoyed it and has it been more trouble to charge than enjoy the drive.
Sorry but price comparison is the issue. I did similar route in my Citroen Relay L4H2 2.2tdi in 2018.
It took two and a half tanks to do 1590 miles which was about £175 at that time.
£350 is utterly shocking.
But its not 2018, making your comparison pretty pointless. If your Citroen averages 5m/l (driving and charging your leisure battery), you would have used about 320 litres to cover 1590 miles. Todays diesel prices are between £1.40 and £1.70, so £1.55 avg. So, in Dec 24 it would cost around £500 in you Citroen Relay. Is £350 now that shocking? Unless your post was an pun on it being an EV.
@@greenzero3389 Diesel is on average £1.40 per litre which is £6.36 per gallon. My Citroen did 35 mpg which is 18p per mile. 1650 miles would cost £299.82p. Where did you get £500 from ? Still £50 cheaper than this EV. And a much bigger van with full double bed, toilet, shower and kitchen. This is why EV vans aren't selling.
@@Un-Apologetic I don't disagree with you on the reasons EV's as a whole aren't selling. This video shows exactly why. But your argument on costs is flawed. You can charge an EV for as little as 5.5p per kWh, but not if you're doing the NC500 or on any road trip. Convenience fuel stops cost a lot more and this stands for your £1.40 average diesel price. Being able to do this in your Citroen for £300 today, not a chance if your cooking, heating, lighting etc. That is unless you're on the back of a recovery truck.
Really enjoyed this trip, I was really interested in how an electric vehicle would perform and cost, and I was surprised at the cost.
After 14 years of land rovers and spending more hours fixing them. It was time to change to a suszki jimny, which is different but cheaper to run and more reliable. Im not sure about the EV route but its interesting to see what they can do
Well done Steve you did it,for now I will stick with my current ice cars until I have no choice.
Love Scotland Steve ! Brilliant trip wouldn’t mind doing it by myself more exciting and less stressful 😂😂🙏
We've just took the ferry to Dunkirk (still in our soon to be retired diesel but excited to get an Id Buzz in March). They're advertising short breaks to France for £39. Have you done any camping in Brittany or Normandy?
Hi Steve, enjoying the videos. We are Scottish and the first time the wife saw Aviemore she was totally disappointed as she was expecting Swiss style chalets etc etc. The scenery at the Cairngorms is more spectacular especially driving if the weather is good.
Great series. I think it's confirmed that I will never bother with an EV!
I did the NC500 in a Jaguar XK this year and costs were pretty well identical with no faffing around
Interesting to see how good or crap charge points are
Did you note any change in range of the battery in cold to mild temps ?
RWD not so clever for a winter Scandinavian trip so how about a jaunt right around the Island of Ireland 👍
Enjoyed your video mate. I'm in Carrbridge just outside Aviemore and yep, ski lifts aren't good. There is a Furnicular but it's been broken for a few years now. It's a shame Aviemore didn't appear welcoming,
They do an awesome mac and cheese at the Kelpies Cafe 😋🤤
Enjoyed this series Steve. If you'd got that Scottish card thing organised in time would it have made your life easier? Would you advise it for others doing the same trip?
I see someone else suggested the Wild Atlantic way in Ireland - good call as it is beautiful.
10.5 degrees is cold while sitting up.
Seem to spend a lot of time thinking about and planning charging, couldn't be bothered with that. I have an electric Skoda so not anti EV but trying to plan a long trip is too much faff, I'll just us my diesel car instead.
Merry Christmas Radfords. I live in the central belt of Scotland and Aviemore is the furthest North I've gone. I would love to do the NC500. I don't have a car but here are bus trips round the whole route. That's something I'm thinking about. Just be a passenger on the route.
Good thing for you as the Buzz is a campervan it will not depreciate as fast as other VW EV’s.
Wow. Showing a picture of Falkirk when you're title mentions the NC500 is talking about a road trip round Cornwall with a photo of Oxford. Why?
As a diesel van, petrol and EV owner - I loved this trip! What tablet do you watch RUclips at night? Looks like a decent big screen! Thank you for the content
Thanks, I use my 12.9” iPad Pro
@@RoamingRadfords great choice! Look forward to more content soon!
Interesting trip to follow. Next mission: Epic winter drive - visit 🎅🏻🎄at the arctic circle in 🇫🇮.
Would love a series on England's South Coast or Irelands Wild Atlantic Way !!!
Interesting that you still refer to a top up as ‘a splash and dash’ 🤔
Great trip Steve! Loved watching it. Merry Christmas to you and all the family. How about a wee trip to Northern Ireland?
Our charging network is even worse than Scotland's - it would certainly be an adventure!!
Equivalent to 29 mpg! So the Ev needs nearly twice as much energy, delivered to the user, to a non EV vehicle! To achieve this means more production , hardly helping the world ( unless green energy and obtained using minimal engineering). EV is no doubt great but Gov is failing to deliver - why isn’t our Gov capping the costs of charging and seeking smaller or more efficiently built EV vehicles instead of the current crop of ultra sophisticated designs, costing a lot to make and run? All going in the wrong direction. Yet, big thank you for doing this extremely worthwhile test and reporting.
Hi, you seem to be conflating energy cost with energy usage. In efficiency terms EVs are far better than Petrol as not so much heat is generated. I would agree that the trip could have been done cheaper in a decent range Diesel vehicle.
Enjoyed the mini series - what did it cost though in electric?
You cant really put a price on the experience... for everything else there is mastercard!
Great video as per usual. Thanks :)
My school had a time share massive lodge there we used to ski there ever year in the 80s
Thanks enjoyed your trip round no 500.thanks.
Crackin adventure 👍
I'm curious. Were the pre paid £40 payments where the charged failed to charge refunded, or was this just a financial loss to you?
@@heather333 the money is just reserved on the card, it’s not actually taken until the charging is complete
@@RoamingRadfordsGood! I thought you took it well! 😂
Great stuff 👍
Hi Steve, great video, and series. Keep up the good work. 🚎💥⚡
Hey its me liam quick question i know this is still a long time until the summer holiday but where are you guys going nexted years summer. Anyways i really enjoyed the NC 500 trip really great sceneries😊
Actually surprised that the EV charging didn't come to more than that. Charge whilst you're resting/eating makes sense. I wonder how long you'd have to wait if you did that in the height of the seasons with others wanting to do the same.
Still not convinced electric is the way forward and certainly won't be spending any of my money on one. Enjoyed the series so thanks for that. How about doing a tour around Ireland on the next one.
Best wishes to the family for Xmas & New Year.
Great vid would be nice if you gave a breakdown of the miles travelled and the cost of re-energizing the buz . I'd love to compare with my 2.o l tdi Ocean. Should be shocking. Especially on the most important currency, which is time?
Merry Christmas Another great video has always Steve Lindsay Eddie Harry and George 👍
Enjoy your videos. As a bit of a comparison you did 1649 miles for £349.99, works out as about £0.21 per mile. My 3499kg Fiat Ducato Trend motorhome uses about £0.23 od diesel per mile.
Great video but still not convinced here in Australia, would drive me crazy wasting driving time while i could be getting closer to destination, but then again your holidays we do for a picnic. Lol
Can I ask if you did 1649 miles for £349 what was your cost of charging on average at the chargers, do you get a special deal ?, that to me works out at 4p per mile or 10p per kwh, worked out at your id buzz at 100% charge does 180 miles.
Plus you have to add on the depreciation of the Buzz, who much per mile then ?
It did equivalent to 29 mpg, at average fossil fuel prices….
Disappointing record of the Buzz charging in Scotland, send a copy to Elon, he might install more fast chargers! I was worried when you were driving on ice and the rear wheel drive was not coping. Maybe the Buzz needs to be retired to the garage until the summer. I still love the look and all the modifications you made, and of course the electrical system. Can the battery be upgraded? Its a shame its so low, looking at the new Kia EV, the range is over 500miles or km?
Yes i've skiied Aviemore in the 70's! Best powder snow i have skiied in Europe! But the extreme wind made it hard to ski downhill! 😂And i was a ski rep for 10 winter seasons! Loved the reindeer in the car park, but the sideways facing chair lift was a first. Thanks for a really eye opening vlog. The Buzz needs to stay a surfer's van. Happy Christmas to you and all the family, looking forward to your next travels. Morocco? You'd have to cover the roof in solar panels! XX Jo in France 🇫🇷
Nice to see you stopped by Larkhall not Larkhill x
great see travel vlog out on channel keep up the great vlogs thanks lee
How about cornwall
Can’t beat a bit of mashtag I see 😂😂👍
Trip possible but was it practical? Rather not have the strees about planning my trip around charging points. Infrastructure needs to be more widely available if EVs are to become even somewhat comparable
Wow. That was so expensive on Electrickery. I know that wasn't the point of your trip and you definitely proved it was do-able but the cost and challenges of the charging points would certainly suggest that battery powered vehicles & their infrastructure are not the best option yet.
So… you could do that same trip in a diesel or half price then… and you wouldnt have the pressure of finding a working charger or charging all the time… so in theory! These vans are not what we think… not enviromentally friendly to manufacture and certainly not a pleasure to drive with the pressure of charging all the time… but it was an enjoyable video but just confirmed to me that EV are not the solution… good luck with the van though!
How many times would you do such trip though? Between me and the Mrs its cost us circa £1200 to do 50 thousand miles. It's a choice and a way of life. It just just doesn't suit Everyone just like being a vegetarian.
@ If its a way of life why would you spend double when you can do it for half… EVs are not the way forward for many of us… the van costs more, the charging costs more and when climate takes hold with this government on solar and wind you are all knackered… no wind no sun no charging… and it will happen people! We will have blackouts galore!!! The grid can hardly cope already with what little of these vehicles are actually on the road today… nope! Not for me!
@@Climatetruth Some people buy Mercedes, Porsches and Ferrari's , others buy Vauxhall's, Peugeot's and Citroens all do the same Job of getting you from A to B right?.... Its a way of life.
@ but we arent talking about that are we… so why does the government not push sales of them! They push for EV and why they are good for us all… when they blatantly arent! Everybody has a choice of what to buy and you also have that choice… if thats your thing you go for it but am not… when this government is finished in power next election it will all go backto where we left it… thank god!! Vote Reform!
steve were you sponsored for this trip bye buz ?
Great series but won’t be swapping my Transporter for the Buzz! 🚐
I see Rich from PP Protect is a Villa fan.. 👍
Interesting how to find power points give me diesel any day am at the age I know electric is better for our planet but it's a pain finding charging points . How about the west coast of Ireland suppose to the most beautiful in Europe enjoyed your video interesting thanks❤❤