It's been a very busy week and I have officially lit the candle in the middle, which initially gives me no where to hold it as both ends were lit ages ago. The middle section flame is heading towards either end and soon there will be two slightly smaller candles....which I can hold in either hand, in the middle, and carry on with more light!!
For those of you that have worked it out it does mean that the candles will in actual fact take a 1/4 of the time to burn, releasing all of their light energy, and Co2, in a 1/4 of the time also. But... can I get the jobs done in that time?
Well this is the same predicament I have just had to deal with with my 24 hours ownership of the Nissan Leaf Electric car. The metaphors just keep on coming...
I had planned my date with the leaf week's in advance, taking into account the promoted range of the vehicle, the fact that I wanted to demonstrate it was actually possible to live the electrical dream, including business and domestic pleasure (according to the insurance policy), however things did not go all to plan....
I have to say it was not Nissan's fault, but my planned route of 89 miles for the day, including two designated charge points was not to be...I set off bright and early to pick up the Leaf from Desira Nissan in Norwich, I arrived for my 10AM rendez-vous and 'the chap that normally deals with Nissan Electric is not in today' so the leaf had a charged range of 80 miles indicated when I picked it up. Not too much off a problem. I excitedly drove to my first business appointment in Gt Yarmouth, getting used to the feel of the car, choosing econ mode, switching off all the climate trickery and concentrating on the drive.
After Gt Yarmouth a steady drive to Hethel in South Norfolk was next, and the first charging post!
The car drove faultlessly if a little slower than I would have normally driven, but I arrived with 11 miles to spare...PHEW! but to my horror the post was broken!!! blimey! that's a problem, 11miles left, and about 13miles to my next appointment. Too risky. I felt like a 1906 Silver Shadow driver with a one gallon petroleum Spirit can standing in a Que at Boots Pharmacists....
Nice car, but infrastructure lets me down. Luckily for me the kind bods at Magnus Marine lent me a 13Amp socket for a couple of hours and I got some charge on board. Magnus laughed, they do BIG charging systems and power control for super Yachts, so Abramavich and clan can have an air conditioned Deck while they watch someone else play deck coytes....
Anywho, I had to cancel much of the afternoon's meetings, and a suprise test, take the Leaf home and prepare for family life activities.
A Leaf today with a hairdryer from boots
and it's the But that trips me each time, infrastructure...I'm not happy filling up from a vandalised-exposed-bollard in the middle of no where. I'm sure it will change as more people but them, but for now it's a problem.
Would I have one, possibly, it's a very good car for its application, but there are alot of hybrids that are comming about now!
I'm all for clean tech, in all its guises, and support the Nissan's future, and the diesel and the petrol and the hydrogen, and the.......
I'm just left with thinking that it's a compromise of large ish proportions, you want comfort? Well you have to burn the candle in the middle. You want to get there? Then just light one end, and role the window down and be happy you will get there....
Next time, New Job and what it means to change tack in life at my age....
These views are the views of the author and not associated to Nissan or any other automotive manufacturer.
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