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Current fleet
Tales from the battery-powered vehicles in the EV Fleet World car park
Škoda Enyaq 85 Edition
List Price
BiK
3.5mpkWh
Efficiency
miles (Range)
miles (On fleet)
A few news stories of late have exemplified the versatility of Škoda’s electric SUV.
First up was the news that National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) has converted the Enyaq into a new 4x4 utility EV with the help of Škoda and vehicle conversion company Strongs. Turned into a light commercial vehicle with all-terrain capability (see image below), it’s meeting NGED’s fleet needs for its engineering crews in a way that no off-the-shelf solution within the commercial motor trade could.
And, in a somewhat polar opposite, Škoda Motorsport has created an Enyaq RS Race concept, based on the Enyaq Coupé RS but using biocomposite parts to deliver a significant weight reduction that’s cut the 0-62mph time to sub five seconds. Škoda says the new concept car serves as a pilot project and incorporates ideas for future production cars, including sustainable and lightweight materials.
Finally, two lower-cost Enyaq models have also recently arrived, kitted out with a 55kWh battery pack for up to 234 miles of range, while shaving £2k off the entry price, which now starts at £36,970. It’s over four years since the Škoda was first revealed and shows that it’s still delivering the goods.
Our long-term Enyaq is still fitting the bill too and a recent play with the onboard menus uncovered a wealth of functionality. Accessed via the 13-inch screen, there are options for pretty much everything, from light functions to climate control.
On the subject of the latter, one thing I have to fess up to is originally thinking I could only use the infotainment screen to control fan speeds and getting annoyed with how many button presses it took, which seemed dangerously distracting, although there are handy buttons for temperature and heated seats. And then I noticed the Clima toggle button, which gives you instant access to the lot. It even has simple-to-use, confusion-free ‘fresh air’, ‘warm feet’ and ‘warm hands’ explanations alongside the buttons, which I thought was neat and very Škoda.
The wireless device charger has been much appreciated as I seem to have lost all my USB-C to USB-C chargers. One problem is that it sometimes warns that the phone is overheating and to remove it – and sure enough, the phone does feel a trifle warm after. Plus you can’t see if it’s charging or not and I end up having to take it out to check.
The fact that the keyless entry works on the back doors too has been a godsend. I’ve lost track of the number of times when I’ve been struggling to load things and given a silent thank you for not having to either plip the car or open a front door to unlock the rear.
I even like the fact that the stereo switches off just at the right moment when I’m halfway through opening the driver’s door – for me, it’s exactly the right point where I’ve decided I’m definitely exiting the car rather than sitting back down and listening to the latest news headline in more detail.
Every time I have a play around with the infotainment and onboard settings, I’m flabbergasted by just how much you can tailor and tweak to meet personal preferences – and optimise the raft of technology onboard. Although I love the fact that you can equally just get in the Enyaq and drive.
Natalie Middleton
Renault Megane E-Tech Iconic
List Price
BiK
3.5mpkWh
Efficiency
miles (Range)
miles (On fleet)
All the motorway miles in the Renault Megane E-Tech over the summer took a bit of a pounding on my average efficiency. It has dropped slightly to 3.5mpkWh and, yes, I could lessen the effect by reducing my speed on the motorway, but then wasn’t willing to put up with the longer journey times – an eternal battle of course, but one which seems more obvious when driving an EV.
It meant a pounding on my wallet too. Ultra-rapid public CCS charging is always going to be the most expensive to charge up (the EV equivalent of filling up with petrol at a motorway services), just as your home is always going to be the cheapest. But now, as we’re firmly into autumn and my final weeks with the Megane, the frequent long-distance journeys are somewhat less, so I’m mainly charging at home. Even with the recent rise in electricity to 24.5p/kWh, it’s still cheaper than public charging.
The change in seasons has meant it’s apple-picking time too. We take them to a local farm for turning into our own apple juice, although the bumper crop this year actually meant having to make two journeys as the Megane was so full.
The Megane’s boot is a decent size (440 litres with the rear seats up and 1,332 with them folded down), but when the rear seats are dropped, there’s an awkward step – presumably as a result of the battery pack underneath? To be fair, the high number of apples would have still forced us into two trips anyway.
The autumnal temperatures are already having an effect on the Renault’s range too. Back in the summer, the warmer days sometimes saw a fully charged range of 250 miles and above on occasion. OK, that wasn’t realistic, but when we saw one chilly morning recently a figure of 202 miles on a 96% charge, that raised our eyebrows a little.
The Megane is being replaced by a Scenic towards the end of October, which we’ll be running over the winter, so it will be interesting to see if the colder months have a similar effect on the range of that model too.
Nat Barnes
Volkswagen ID.7 Pro Match 77kWh
List Price
BiK
4.3mpkWh
Efficiency
miles (Range)
miles (On fleet)
When it introduced the ID.3, Volkswagen attracted a fair bit of criticism for the stripped-back cabin – especially when it came to controls. By the time the ID.7 came to market, the German OEM had taken those comments to heart and fixed a lot of the issues. However, one that has been grinding my gears – or maybe that should be electric motors – is the two-in-one electric windows setup.
If you’re not familiar, the driver has control of all four windows, but there are only two buttons – switching between front and rear means pressing the ‘REAR’ haptic pad just in front of the other buttons. However, on more than one occasion, I’ve merely brushed my finger against it, meaning that the rear windows open instead of the fronts. Elsewhere – sliding volume controls, for example – I’ve got used to the ‘new normal’ but, for the sake of two extra buttons, it’s a little bit annoying.
However, otherwise the car remains a faithful companion and an early morning dash up the country left me refreshed and relaxed, despite having to navigate the M25. Although the efficiency has taken a hit – as has the potential mileage from a full charge. I’m guessing it’s a combination of more motorway miles and a drop in the temperature, but these things tend to be a little bit of a lottery in my experience.
John Challen
Genesis GV60 Premium 77.4kWh
List Price
BiK
N/A
Efficiency
miles (Range)
miles (On fleet)
A 330-mile trip to Northumberland recently was obviously more than could be carried out on a single charge in the GV60. The charging network on the eastern side of the country now seems to be far more developed than that on the western side, based on my experience during the trip.
A charge at Wetherby services, where there are medium- and high-powered chargers – with more being installed – had the journey covered. The GV60’s 800V electrical architecture enables some really quick charging. It’s some 250 miles to Wetherby services from home and, for various reasons, I had to leave without a full charge, so making it that far was impressive. The 90% charge figure came up in around half an hour. I did the same on my return journey and reckon that my estimate of 300 miles on a full charge is not far wrong.
The GV60 proved to be a comfortable long-distance cruiser. So far, it has impressed all the passengers who have ridden in it. That said, I have had the same criticism from different rear-seat passengers. They cannot slide their feet under the front seats, forcing a knees up sitting position. That’s the price you pay for the batteries stored under the floor but, on a long journey, I can appreciate the situation is not ideal. Also, the front seats automatically slide back when the front doors are opened and back again once they are closed, easing access for those up front, which can take rear seat passengers by surprise.
All round, this is one of the best electric cars I’ve driven so far and I’m getting to like it a lot.
John Kendall
