I have already reported several times about long-distance experiences with electric cars. This time I would like to take the opportunity again and show that everything is possible even with a lot of luggage. Last summer we were already on the road with a Thule roof box and bike rack, but this time we traveled a longer distance: from sunny Aargau to the even sunnier island of Elba in Italy, a total of over 700km per journey.
Route planning with Pump App
I always recommend the Pump app, especially to plan charging stops before or during a trip. The app is really ingenious, it queries the current charge level of the vehicle and calculates the route, including the appropriate charging stops. Not only that, I can also specifically block or unblock charging station operators. It was also very practical for me to aim for the destination Piombino with 30% SoC so that I can arrive on the island in peace before looking for a charging option.
Charging schedule for my pump
The Carplay functionality for pro users is almost even more ingenious than simply using it as an app. As the following screenshot from the journey home shows, the next charging point is targeted here. I am also shown the occupancy and the planned charging time so that it is enough to get to the next charging point or destination. For me, it’s currently the best solution for long-distance journeys and their planning.
Pump app on Apple Carplay
Trip to Elba with the ID.4
I had planned three charging stops on the outward journey and the return journey. It would be enough with two stops without additional loading, but my experience tells me that it is rather tight and with three stops it should be better. Well, we set off early in the morning and made the first charging stop after the Gotthard Tunnel in Bellinzona. Actually more of a breakfast break, I would have liked to drive a little further. So we charged Ionity from 42% to 93%, which is more than planned.
Ladestopp at Free to X in Fiorenzuola
The next stop in Fiorenzuola at Free to X was perfect in terms of timing. 22% charged to 76%, that’s in a quick 26 minutes, just enough for all occupants to take a toilet break and sip some fine Italian espresso. The Alpitronic columns are always a top choice anyway, Free to X does a great job here in Italy. Finally there was the final charging stop in Pietrassanta at Ionity from 14% to a whopping 97% because lunch took longer than the required charging stop.
Charging stop at Ionity
Charging basket
The last stop was of course also an opportunity to measure the charging curve when you put a warmed-up car with a low SoC on a fast charger. The peak value was just over 130kW, reaching just under 30% and then leveling off. Here you can clearly see again, it’s best to charge the SoC to around 80% and then continue…
Charging curve ID.4 my MEB 2.4
Shop on the island of Elba
There were numerous charging stations on the island, spread across different cities. For example, I loaded up at the weekly market in Portoferraio, everything went smoothly. The Enel X columns are easy to use and all worked perfectly. What I also noticed is that it has more charging points than you see in the usual apps. Some are not publicly marked, but are there for tourists and are then recommended by locals and landlords and can be used.
There is charging infrastructure with several AC columns spread throughout the island
Return journey only possible with Ionity?
The question I asked myself after the journey there was, can I only get home by using Ionity charging points? No sooner said than done, with the store in Bellinzona as the last charging stop and the first in Pietrassante, I had already stopped at two. What was particularly funny was meeting two other Swiss families on the journey home, both with identical Skody Enyaqs.
Swiss occupy Ionity in Italy with MEB vehicles
I later met one of the two again in Piacenza. This was the new loading stop halfway along the route. That was the only charging point I went to where you had to leave the highway. The charging infrastructure is located in a shopping center parking lot and costs around 15 minutes of additional travel time. The charging there was perfect in terms of charging speed, unfortunately the charging stopped at 60%, I had to go out briefly and change the column. Thanks to the push notification from the VW app, I noticed this early on.
Ladestopp at Ionity in Piacenza
consumption
What was particularly exciting for me was recording consumption. On the outward journey I had covered 681km and had an average consumption of 25.7kWh/100km. On the journey home, however, at 712km, a significantly lower value of 23.5kWh/100km. The better weather certainly played a big role and probably also the speed of travel, as we were a little more traffic jam and therefore traveling less quickly. However, the consumption is completely acceptable considering the permitted 130km/h in Italy and the additional load.
Charging costs and billing
In most cases I use Move as a charging card and app. I never checked which provider had the cheapest tariff for this route, I just wanted to charge and do it as conveniently as possible. I was always able to use Move for Ionity, but unfortunately not for Free to X and Enel X, so I resorted to We Charge from VW. The charging costs for the outward journey amounted to 106.- CHF and for the return journey to 96.- CHF. I also had AC charging on the island for around 15 euros.
VW ID.4 on Elba
Conclusion
It is now clear to many that electromobility works and is suitable for a large part of the population. For me it was exciting to see how charging planning could be coordinated with the family on an almost 8-hour car journey. In the end, it was the case again that human needs such as organic breaks and food outlast the planned charging stops. On the way home I even had to unplug the car and park it because the break took longer than the required charging stop.