Tania Claessens is one of the drivers who were treated to a brand-new e-Golf. This Account Officer in the LeasePlan Customer Engagement Centre is all too happy to share her first electrical experiences with us.
“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.
Coronavirus (or Covid-19) has turned our world upside down and sent shockwaves through our lives. And it looks like the virus will do that at least once more. How have we handled it up to now? How have we attempted to tackle the crisis?
Coronavirus (or Covid-19) has turned our world upside down and sent shockwaves through our lives. And it looks like the virus will do that at least once more. How have we handled it up to now? How have we attempted to tackle the crisis?
To prevent further spread of coronavirus, most car manufacturers are taking a controlled response, such as by suspending production and putting orders on hold. However, the Covid-19 pandemic is just the latest in a series of challenges for the automotive sector to contend with.
