“When they asked me whether I wanted to swap my old diesel-powered Renault Clio for an electric car, I didn’t hesitate for a second,” Tania begins. “I often drive short distances, commuting to the office or bringing my kids to their hobbies on Wednesdays, for instance. In other words: I have the perfect driving profile for a modern electric car. However, I’m also convinced that people who drive many kilometres every day will also be able to make the switch to an EV once battery technology improves.”
The Account Officer in the Customer Engagement Centre, who has been with LeasePlan for 18 years, had the added advantage of already being familiar with electric cars. My husband works in the automotive industry and was often given the opportunity to test-drive one of these cars. “I already had a little practical knowledge, which makes it a lot easier to switch,” Tania ensures us.
New driving style
Tania has only been driving her Volkswagen e-Golf for a couple of weeks now, but she has already noticed a change in her driving style. “I’ve noticed that my driving style is now a lot more defensive and therefore a lot safer. The only thing you’ll achieve by putting the pedal to the floor is lose electricity. My calmer driving style combined with the complete silence inside the car allowed me to reach a state of complete zen.
In addition, Tania also considers the smart technology inside the e-Golf a major point of progress. “I almost never have to brake anymore, because the car knows when to slow down to regain electricity,” she explains. Besides, charging is easy and cheap. “On average, I plug the car into my wall box at home every other day. I can moreover programme it to only charge during off-peak hours, which is both cheaper and less taxing on the grid. It’s a win-win situation.”
Tania is still discovering everything electric driving has to offer, together with the other LeasePlan employees who have started driving an e-Golf. “We regularly share tips and experiences and we’re even thinking of collecting them all in a blog, so that we can help other people who have just switched to an electric car. We might even convince people to make the switch,” she concludes.