Members' Acievements
Electric Driving – First Trip to Naivasha by Tom Morton “But where do you charge it?” is the first question I am usually asked when I say that we have a Leaf, the all-electric car from Nissan. The answer, “Through a normal plug, at home,” is often greeted with surprise, demonstrating one of the key misunderstandings of electric mobility. I decided in early October, to drive to Naivasha Yacht Club and back to Kitisuru, setting out with a certain amount of “range anxiety,” as this was the first long-distance outing. I wondered would the car really cope with all those uphill sections? Determined not to re-charge in Naivasha, I packed the cable in in my bag - just in case. Electric cars are very much part of daily life in the UK now, with sales of electric cars and hybrids (half petrol, half electric) outstripping diesel powered vehicles for the first time this year. There are government incentives
towards the upfront cost of purchase which is higher than an equivalent car with an internal combustion engine. In central London, further incentives are provided as older diesel cars are charged to enter the Ultra Low Emission Zone. On a street in Mayfair recently, I could not help but notice that four in five cars parked were fully electric.
“”
But where do you charge it?… Through a normal plug, at home Back on the trip to Naivasha, I was a bit worried on the initial stage going up to Limuru, as the range seemed to be dropping much faster than the kilometres I was actually covering. But once pointing down hill on the escarpment, it was a different story. You don’t really use the brake pedal very much, the car automatically slows when you take your foot off the accelerator and forward momentum is “regenerated” into the battery. Feeling emboldened, I set off from Mai Mahiu at 100kmph, where traffic allowed. I was determined that I would have no loss of utility compared to driving in a normal car. At the Yacht Club, 82km covered and battery was still on 80 per cent. On Sunday, I came back via “the top road” over the escarpment, which added more distance and altitude to climb. Electric cars can accelerate quickly and
All-electric Nissan Leaf charging at home. evenly, from any speed and there are no gears to change down. A 0-100kmph performance of under seven seconds made overtaking those Canter trucks a simple operation. A heavy right foot does munch through the battery, however. At home, 180km travelled and 54 per cent of the charge remaining. The second most common question is, “But isn’t electricity expensive?” Another myth - it only cost 750/- to “fill up” again, compared to 2,500/- for a petrol equivalent. There are clear cost savings for the driver. But as Kenya’s electricity is almost entirely generated from renewable sources there are almost no CO2 emissions from use, a key factor as we mitigate carbon emissions. In addition, Kenya does not have to spend foreign exchange on buying petrol and diesel from overseas. Most people who drive in Kenya probably park their car “off the street” and so could charge at home. All that is missing is a network of high-capacity chargers at strategic points on longer journeys. You might buy one more fossil fuel powered car, but the one after that will probably be electric …
Tom Morton with his all-electric Nissan Leaf. 18
Muthaiga Country Club December 2021 - February 2022
www.mcc.co.ke
