cinch enters Tesla Model S into GB EV Rally!
Don’t believe that electric cars can take the scenic route from John O’Groats to Lands’ End? We’re doing 1,300 miles to prove they can…
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That’s right, cinch has entered a used Tesla Model S, a 2017 75kWh single-motor example, into the Great British EV Rally that’s heading down the country this week – and we’re taking the scenic route. As the crow flies, it’s 603 miles between Scotland’s most northerly point and the southern tip of Cornwall’s picturesque coastline. But we fancied doing a bit of sightseeing, drinking local coffee and generally soaking up the best of the UK mainland in summer. Our battery-powered route is just shy of 1,300 miles long.
That, you might be thinking, is a long way to go in an electric car that came with a manufacturer-stated range of 225 miles. Even more so in one that’s done 27,400 miles. But our mission is to prove that the UK charger network, even in some of the most rural and far-reaching parts of these isles, is now perfectly capable of supporting such an ambitious voyage. And we won’t be doing it with our hypermiling helium shoes on; it’s trainers and sandals only, and totally normally driving styles. Our experience will be an authentic test of long-distance driving in a used EV.
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We say ‘will be’; it’s already underway, with yours truly writing this report as we wait for the Tesla to charge up in Glasgow, after 24 hours in the Scottish Highlands.
If you want to know how we're getting on, subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the full rally video when it goes live in the coming weeks. Already we’ve learned loads, and something tells me that there’s plenty more to discover with two-thirds of our route still to go.
Oh, and if you spot our car, don’t forget to give us a wave! We’ll be in Manchester on Wednesday, London on Thursday and then out in the West Country for our final leg. And to eat lots of Cornish ice cream.
By Sam Sheehan
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