“I’m a big fan of InstaVolt” says family man Daniel, as he dispels myths of driving electric

Having driven an electric car for almost a year, 37-year-old Daniel Wood will never go back to petrol or diesel.

What’s more, family man Daniel – he’s married to Charlotte and they have a seven month old baby boy – cannot understand why so many people report that they’ve had a bad experience with EVs.

“I’m very happy to dispel the myths around driving electric cars. I think a lot of the negative stuff I read or hear is exaggerated out of all proportion because some people are simply scared of change,” said Daniel, who lives on the outskirts of Southampton and runs his own digital agency in nearby Fareham.

“In the time I’ve been driving electric – I have a Volvo XC40 Recharge – I’ve never had to queue for a public charger, never found a broken station and never suffered from so called range anxiety. All my friends who drive electric are the same.”

“There’s a huge amount of information out there about EVs so if people are properly prepared and plan ahead, then driving an electric car is quite simply a revelation.”

“The Volvo is comfortable, spacious, and highly responsive – and, of course, very safe.”

Daniel always liked the idea of driving electric, but it was the arrival of baby Elliott and wanting to “do his bit” in the fight against climate change and pollution, that finally made his mind up.

He chose the Volvo because of the Swedish manufacturer’s commitment to sourcing sustainable materials.

“I absolutely love driving electric: sure, I feel as if I’m making a contribution, however small, to preserving the planet, but cost saving is also a serious consideration. By using our home charger and leveraging our Octopus Go tariff we’re able to identify optimum times to charge which is normally overnight and costs somewhere in the region of £3.50 to charge from 20-80% which is exceptional. “

It’s on long distances though where driving electric comes into its own. “Charlotte’s mum and dad live in Kent, which is a 320 mile round trip, so we have a routine of stopping every 80 miles and topping up the charge at the nearest InstaVolt rapid charging hub. We make good use of the time; we take a break, change the baby’s nappy and grab a coffee. It’s perfect. Not only that but it gives us peace of mind so that we’re prepared for every eventuality like a traffic jam or road closures. It really isn’t rocket science.”

Daniel is unashamedly a big fan of InstaVolt: “I’ve tried loads of charging stations and, in my opinion, InstaVolt are easily the best: They’re reliable, easy to use, clean and always positioned near excellent amenities. You can pay for your charge with any contactless card which make the process really quick and simple. As regular InstaVolt users, we choose to pay via their optional mobile App, which I use because it shows me real-time availability and I gain reward points every time I charge!”

For Daniel, driving electric is the future: “I get a real feeling of independence because I don’t have to visit often overcrowded and dirty service stations to buy fossil fuel. Plugging in, in a relaxed and clean environment and enjoying a coffee while you wait 20 minutes or so to recharge suits us down to the ground.”

There are now approaching 800,000 EVs on Britain’s roads and with new models coming onto the market, consumers have never had a bigger or more affordable choice of vehicle. With plans to install 10,000 rapid chargers by 2030, award winning InstaVolt currently has more than 1,300 chargers across the country and is installing at a faster rate than any other charge point operator.

Find your nearest charger: https://instavolt.co.uk/find-electric-vehicle-charge-point-map/