I'm up in The Cairngorms as I type. For me the best time to do the NC500 is during the middle of winter...way less traffic, stunning if you're lucky enough to get the snow. Can't beat it. N.B. I left south Warwickshire at 08:00 and stopped once en-route for a toilet break in Carlisle. My 4-wheel drive Subaru Forester averaged 48mpg at a steady 70mph. The trip took me 8 hours. Oh, and I left with a full tank and stil have over 100 miles of fuel left. Oh, and it will take me roughly 5 minutes to fully refuel it tomorrow...
I’m a Scotsman and I wouldn’t be trying that. Some people don’t realise that There are many people die in Scotland in the winter,especially climbers and the unprepared. The weather can change in a heart beat and if you get stuck without a signal or backup you could be totally knackered to say the least. It was heart warming to see the gratitude that the couple had when you all came to their aid. I’m sure they will remember that for a long time. All the best to you and yours. Rab
An EV would be fine for my day to day life. But as a proper camper they appear to be useless and very expensive to run. My Peugeot Boxer can do 600 - 800 miles on a tank.
Absolutely. The triumph of reality over expectation (& marketing). My diesel CR-V AWD on decent All-seasons could do the NC500 on a single tank, with zero fannying-about with chargers.
@@johnveryan2872campers are one of the hardest edge cases for EVs to solve, but they are getting there. In the US there is a new company called lightship making a towable RV with integrated battery and motors. The battery means the trailer doesn’t impact on the tow vehicle’s range in motion or for heating/cooking etc. Dethleffs also tested the concept over the alps with an early Audi e-tron back in 2021 completing the trip with no towing range loss. So expect that approach to become common place. The best EVs for towing in the UK currently can tow 2500kg and do a real world 300 miles (BMW iX 50, Hyundai IONIQ 9, Kia EV9. Audi Q6 sport back is 2400kg towing and 315miles real world range. The last three are 800V so will charge 10-80% in about 10 miles on a suitable charger and with optimal battery temperatures)
@@st200ol No, I always carry a 5l can, and never allow my fuel to drop less than a quarter tank. Electric cars are an absolute waste of money, they will never catch on unless for city use .
@@st200ol Seeing as it's almost Christmas I won't go on about how big a genny you need to put a charge in one of these(Hint, it won't go in the boot of a car!), instead I'll wish you a Merry Christmas and happy new year of motoring👍👍
@ Merry Christmas to you too. It is possible to fit a 2500w generator and a granny charger in the boot BTW. I wouldn’t actually do it but it’s entirely possible.
@@boderick1 Agreed; even 4-wheel drive isn't going to be much benefit without suitable tyres. And with an EV with all the weight centrally, front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive are gong to give very similar grip levels.
@@thomasstaniforth8053EVs may have a place for those with off-road charging and who only drive in urban areas. Not a viable option for tens of millions of drivers.
Its not really that bad mate. This is in the middle of nowhere so he is a little more anxious. I've been pretty happy to find a petrol station when I'm running on petrol fumes in the past. Most of the time you don't even need to think about finding a charger because its fully charged when you set off in the morning from home and £14 for 200+ miles (7p/mile) is a helps me sleep.
Have to be honest, when I fill our car up with fuel I’ve never really felt a degree of elation because the pump has worked, I’ve always taken it as a given that the fuel pump will work…and they always have.
I’m loving this series , as a Scottish EV owner it speaks to me. Hard work for you but well done for making it back to Inverness. Great work stopping to help too 🏴
Haha quote of the day I DONT NEED ELECTRICITY ( OH YES YOU DO ) 😂😂 the excitement when you find a charger that works classic I’ve got charging anxiety just watching this vid will stick with my Lexus 4 wheel drive hybrid thank you
Gritting my teeth as I watched this...not through excitement, but in frustration. As per my comment on the prior episode, you appear to have been totally unprepared for the conditions. This winter weather was forecast, so why the surprise? You have some wonderful gadgets, a special t-shirt and socks, but seemingly at the expense of addressing the basics. It seems you were driving on Eco Contact tyres...no wonder you were sliding around and most concerningly such a decision placed yourself and others at risk. Many roads north of the border are unsalted all year, so either winter or all season tyres are pretty much a MUST if you are driving is these areas November - March, even if you have a 4x4. Enjoy seeing your travels, but please! Tapadh leat.
Well done Steve - EV in this looks like a 'Round hole in a Square peg'. Thank you for exposing the Pros and Cons , very few would attempt! Even on your 'Rapid charge it takes an hour from 40%-50%. Utter waste of time filled with constant excuses and anxiety. Show this to Ed Milliband.
@jamesbarker7145 user error 🤣🤣 so not that the servers weren't working? Even the lady on the other end of for phone said it was the server. Steve's probably had evs much longer than you so saying user error is a bit of an insult to steve
to get from 40-50% in 1 hour would not be a rapid charger. A rapid charger is around 40-50kW per hour so in 1 hour he could probably get 80% charge. A home charger or the ones you get on supermarket car parks are around 7-9kW per hour that would be around 12% charge.
@@Petermcpete You are spot on, thank you for correcting. I was taking Steve's comment about wishing to Top up when the battery was about 60%. I am astounded at the Premium prices paid for Supercharging. EV owners will vehemently defend their purchase decisions.
Why after the trouble you had in past of connecting to these electric points , you wouldn’t pay £7 at the camp site to charge fully before you left there after you had a bad weather report..????
Why did he buy this car is the real Question? The salesmen have really done a great job on you all. In saying that, this video is a great advert to any non EV owners to stay well clear of them. The cars aren’t that bad, but the charging points coupled with the cost really does not make sense on paper. If you think it does, you’re either a salesman or just in denial.
@@NoelG-IREthe NC500 isn’t really representative of day to day normal driving though. EVs in this country (if you have off street parking and can charge at home) is super easy and super convenient. If you have to rely on public charging its probably ok in london but more difficult further out
@@MrKlawUK so what you’re saying is, unless you live in London, you might struggle from time to time. What about the cost of charging and depreciation values? PS, this is a predominantly campervan channel, so it absolutely is important to discuss on the road charging costs and general range, particularly in rural areas. What this man has proved is that EV’s as campers don’t work and I think anyone that drives more than 50 miles a day will absolutely struggle.
@ no what I’m saying is if you don’t live in london and can’t charge at home, it might be a bit tricky from time to time. But maybe you can charge at work? And most people are able to charge at home (or at least have offstreet parking to enable that). Understand about the camper part but the buzz isn’t really a camper. Its early days and I’d be curious about something bigger like an e-transit conversion. More than 50 miles a day is totally fine. If they’d had an RF ID card as recommended for the area they were in, it would have been easier, but even as it was most of the chargers were working using web pay.
@ it’s early days? Mate, EV’s are not new technology. There are full EV campers out there but they are silly money. There are now trucks too. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that everything you do is planned around charging. You cannot be spontaneous. Whenever I want to plan a trip, I never for one second think about running out of fuel. I have a range of 560 miles so could do this trip on one tank without thinking of where I’m going to charge. I can also go anywhere in the country on a whim. EV’s are great in cities and on motorways with service stations every 20 miles, but as a proper tourer or even a commuter, they cannot compete with combustion. They work in some situations alright, this is not one of them and I don’t think any camper should be full EV. We love our lithium batteries in the back powering our electrics, but defo not our motors.
Why anyone would go back to something that needs expensive servicing and doesn't refuel itself while you sleep and contributes to asthma and a range of other conditions while costing so much more to run is beyond me 🤷
@@enyaq_gormit’s only cheaper if you can always charge it at home. The people who work in the mines to dig out rare earth minerals for batteries suffer much worse than asthma and to be honest new diesels don’t pollute that badly. I’ll get an EV at some point but not until the battery technology that cars use significantly improves.
I’d be stressed to death with the charging problems. Thanks for helping that couple it was very good of you. I see you watch Mashtag Brady he’s quite a character isn’t he!!!! ❤
Steve, you are a far braver man than me, I don't think I'd wanna do that in my diesel van in that weather. Lindsay, did you see how much bread he put on that butter 😂😂
Living in a Nordic country i would settle for less than winter tires in those conditions . Besides winter tires last for a longer time +50k km. Great video 👍
Another great one Steve. Love Scotland so much and it’s been great to see it covered in snow. Glad you didn’t get too unstuck when you hit the snow. Looking forward to the next one 🤙
That looks like a great deal of fun! We have a 1998 Swift Bessacarr and will likely do a winter NC500 in the future inspired by you in the lovely Buzz! The VW Buzz certainly looks to be a great camper and we have really enjoyed this series :D
Hats off to you Steve. I’ve been driving electric for nearly 10 years and the infrastructure in urban areas has improved massively in that time, as too the car technology. But there are still a lot of problems to be overcome particularly with reliability. Not just with the chargers themselves but interoperability in the signalling between the car and the network. There is still much to be done to improve the technology.
WOW what a vvlog... awesome thou, all that snow.... and to think Iam sitting here in Adelaide Australia in the 40 degrees heat, but hey we are summer, I really do love the buzz and the colours are the best, and you helping those people get out of the snow, hope their car isn't damaged to much, can't wait for the next Vvlogs the kelpies and wheel is amazing. Thank you.
Well done Steve .. 🎉🎉🎉. You set out to prove it can be done .. what an adventure! Wish all TH-cam vanlife offered so much excitement. Got a bit worried for your stress levels and blood pressure .. thank goodness we are all watching knowing you get home safely. I’m sure the little camper will give you many enjoyable day trips but it’s really not an option for somebody considering a touring holiday. You know that .. we all know that .. but it still was a lot of fun watching you take on the challenge. Hope it’s boosted your channel and views. 👍🏻 🥂🍾🥇
If anybody is on the fence weather to get an EV or not. This vlog is a must watch. You would not think twice and not buy one. I was not on the fence, i would not consider buying one. I feel vindicated lol
you didnt really want one if this is your take. The guy is in the middle of nowhere in mid winter. He still made it around (more or less). He is in a heavy camper conversion not a car so the battery consumption is high. Unless you are planning on driving around the Scottish highlands carrying an extra ton all day every day the chances are you would be just fine.
@@Petermcpete Really nothing to do with the vehicle. Every other charging point just did not work. The EV infrastructure is poor at best in the UK. Your right though, i will never choose to own an electric vehicle. Have a nice day
What beautiful scenery in Bonnie Scotland Steve at anytime time of year but in the snow is special, I applaud you for doing the NC500 in the snow bud , especially in an electric campervan, thanks a million for sharing this trip with us 👏
All very interesting, thanks for sharing. A good watch sitting in a nice warm house. I wouldn’t like to do Scotland in winter and definitely not in an electric vehicle.
I love the video series, keen to see the final verdict on costs etc. Not being mean but as a Finn born in to arctic conditions it always makes me bananas when folks take cold temperatures as a joke. Albeit here the lowest was probably just sub zero still I wonder why not wear good clothes, hopping around in t-shirt all the time, no gloves, no hat and complaining it’s bloody freezing 🙄 And yes, winter tyres are a must already below +5 because the summer tyres freeze and loose their traction. Quite a few other things I’d do completely differently but still…nice series
What i find frightening is these recharging stations can be controlled remotely, can you imagine if they’d were all turned off between certain hours, to save the climate!!!! Greta would be happy: unless she’s jumped on another band wagon: and you can’t get through to anyone to help because you have no phone signal….no power = no travel, similes init!! A proud conspiracy theorist who been proven right since 2020..
Do you also find it frightening that the employee at a petrol filling station can turn off all the pumps? What if they employed Greta how terrifying could that be
@ 😜 the do near us…shut those petrol stations, between 10pm until 7am. The good news is they advertise when they shut with a big 6ft sign which is illuminated for those of us who’s brain cell challenged.
@@Phinkinfurmiself he totally mentally gymasted himself with his comment. He probably doesn't know that they've already started alternating people's homes through the night and day using smart meters. Thus a resident might find themselves only 1/2 charged.
Spot on,yeh they could turn off fuel pumps but not as quickly or as easily as they can on these charging points, I'm loving reading comments of all the poor sheep in denial 😂😂😂keep sucking diesel ⛽⛽
I wouldn't have an EV if there were charging points every 2 feet. I'll stick to my Hybrid Toyota .It can be filled to the brim in 4 minutes including paying and onwardsfor 550 miles
Your commitment to the buzz as a camper and EVs has a whole has to be commended. But... this series is the best ad as to why EVs are not the future.Imagine trying to do the trip in summer!!!
Take it back swap it for a decent vehicle. I can’t understand why anyone would pay this kind of money for a cult vehicle , never go to Scotland without been prepared and a 4x4 in winter , always carry recovery gear
@lweleven3423 I was looking @ His head clearance He had up to 3.19 where it looked like has head had touched the roof a couple of times. Now he must feel like a can of Sardines..It needs a High Top Roof or the 60's model pop up roof .
It's fast ones that are that price for doing longer journeys and need to charge quickly most charging is done at home on energy plans with a cheap over night rate or by using solar for people who have that
@@tgm9991what if you can’t charge at home live in a flat/terrace with no front garden im not against EV’s just give us the choice dont force us into them they dont suit everyone!
i love this channel, love the idea of showing us how the chargers work ect ect, and awsome journey taking us on the nc500, i gotta volkswagen transporter t5 old diesel that i converted and am looking at doing this route at some point, thanks again for great content as always
@@johniooi3954ICE are pretty inefficient and generate enough waste heat that running the heater helps cool the engine which actually *improves* efficiency (very slightly). It's A/C that impacts your mpg, but that applies equally to EVs.
It’s too small a van, only suitable for a week end away at some event. For a good holiday in comfort you need a proper motorhome not something as small as a Buzz that has such a limiting range. Also adventures in remote areas can only be undertaken in ICE vehicles which you can always carry an extra 100 miles in a can unlike an EV.
It's a stressful trip but I would love to see you do it again when you have the RFID card. I didn't expect to see so many chargers around, so that's a surprise. Certainly expensive. Being able to charge at home is essential when owning an EV car. And I hope you have snow chains for driving on snow. Good set of videos, Steve.
Sorry, but taking that road while heading for the charger was completely irresponsible in a rear wheel drive electric toy car! Hell, even in a normal front wheel drive car would be risking it.
I went to ullapool and lochinver last summer and it was fine, people are still scared of the infrastructure, never had to queue once. I've actually never had to queue in 45k electric miles. The queues for deisel back up onto the road through with people in massive campers
I think it's been a great adventure Steve and a great experiment, the road conditions would have been just as difficult and stressful in a diesel VW Transporter, I remember coming off the road in a VW Crafter in the snow so you handled that much lighter van well all things considered. I think you will be the first to agree that it would have been a lot easier if you had received the RFID card in time before the trip, the charging points situation at the top of Scotland isn't the best but elsewhere in the UK it's very reliable in my experience.
IT’S VERY DANGEROUS TO DO THE NC500 IN WINTER. ,PLEASE,PLEASE GET YOURSELF BACK DOWN THE ROAD.THE VILLAGE IS PRONOUNCED SCOORI.I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT YOU PLEASE TAKE GREAT CARE.
I was surprised that you even considered attempting to cross the Bealach Na Ba with even a hint of snow in the forecast. The road is over 2,000ft and a very poor road even on a good day. Living in Scotland, as a hill walker you soon learn to respect the unpredictability of the weather with 70% of the mainland above 1,000ft you can get 4 seasons in one day. Back in 1979, on 1st June I walked to work at 4.30am with an inch of snow on the ground, the next day was the warmest day of the year!
Steve that was a lovely example of people pulling together to help each other out. Those tourists were clearly extremely pleased to be out of that predicament!! 👏
Loving these videos. But my heart was in my mouth when you turned off that decent road onto the tiny snowy track 😮 We've had a similar experience near Tomintoul a few years ago. You question your sanity for your choices 😂
The thing that strikes me on watching this & every other video on living with an EV … is that everyone always sounds so relieved/ surprised when a charger actually works! I can honestly say I’ve never picked up a diesel pump and been worried it wouldn’t work … until EV infrastructure & tech improves dramatically … not for me! Fair play to the early adopters for putting yourself through it though!
likely because most people don’t post ‘going to work, 10 miles to go, charged up overnight for 7p ok bye - remember to like and subscribe’ - they’re more likely to post stress tests or adventures like this.
The flip side though is hardly ever going to stations at all. Im fortunate to have a home charger which makes a big difference. The car does minimum 200 miles but can do 250 and unless im driving more than this in a day i don't need to use the stations. If i do i only ever put in enough to get me home which in most cases is the time it takes to have a pee at the services.
I wouldn't try this in the winter, especially not without winter tyres, but am looking forward to doing it in summer or autumn. The scenery looks stunning and it's good to know there are charging points all along the route.
I owned an electric car for two and a half years. The infrastructure is still not fit for purpose,not enough fast charging stations. Also why can they not put a roof above the chargers ? The upshot of all this was I sold it back to the dealer,and bought a two litre petrol.
Hi steve I've really enjoyed your NC500 roadtrip I think what you've highlighted here is if your doing the NC500 by electric camper plan your trip with contingency plans especially in winter but" you've coped brilliantly really enjoying the trip with you steve cheers.
Great video Steve. Great to see that it can be done in an EV. It’s the future. Your RFID card will be on the doormat when you get home lol Nice to see you planned ahead with alternate charging destinations for when one was unavailable.
I’ve been driving EV for yrs now. Infrastructure is slowly getting better but yes I agree it needs to improve especially in remote areas. I use charging breaks to stretch my legs, maybe get something to eat and take the dog for a walk.
Really enjoyed the trilogy series of this adventure as like many others it’s on my bucket list. I’ve also recently become interested in EV’s as my business partner and I are looking at treating ourselves to company run vehicles after 5 years of very hard work to get where we are and Benefit in Kind taxation on EV’s is very low. However I have been (and still am) a diesel lover since starting to work at a VW site back in 1996 and being introduced to the superb TDi engines with superb performance AND great economy. I’m not too organised a person so worry about what seems to be a constant mileage checking and searching for charging stations with no guarantee they will work combined with my surprise at how expensive “non home” charging seems to be has not filled me with confidence yet. The jury is definitely still out on this.
Oddly, ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) is administered from just up the road from you in Hemel Hempstead. I applied for my card more than a month before we went to Orkney in June. The card failed to arrive. We were able to get all the way to Scrabster from home in Rugby without needing a CPS chargers in our ID.3. I have only ever covered the 500 on a touring bicycle 20 or so years ago with a tent of course before the flood of campervans. We've swapped our bicycles for a car (genuine reasons) but we still use a tent.
Chargeplace Scotland are a disgrace and have been for years. A better bet is get an Octopus Electroverse RFID card - charge place Scotland are one of the networks they cover. Although I’ve not tried it as they only added CPS in August and I’m in Devon. Every charger & network I’ve used my Electroverse RFID card on has worked flawlessly. They also now offer plug and charge, so in theory you could use the CPS charger through Electroverse just by plugging in if you have that set up (not seen anyone try it though)
Hello to you lovely lot how you doing loving all the vids make me giggle all the time sorry I been a bit quiet on the comment compared what I'm used to just been so busy with this time of year and had a few things going on and trying to build our own channel to so I just had no time to myself lol but hope you all ok and just so you know I'm still here and watching lol well you all take care and merry Christmas and a happy new year to your family from our family. ❤️☺️👍✨🌟🍻🎅🎄🎁
When I was a kid. b. 1955 a butter sandwich would have been a luxury if we new what that was. We had beef dripping or lard sandwiches cut from a loaf with plenty salt. Had that with a bowl of potato soup also with plenty salt. Occasional jam sandwich was pure luxury at home for us in NE Scotland. Just saying.
Interesting videos. There is so little information out there about using electric vehicles for our hobby so they give a useful insight. Mind you it just confirms my view that I never want to own a rear wheel drive car again. BTW I have posted a couple of these videos on the CMC forum where it caused a bit of debate! Safe journey back to MK.
Electric vehicles are a great idea if you are making short commuter journeys and you can charge the vehicle at home, however, the charging infrastructure and vehicle battery capacity make them totally impractical for longer journeys (especially in remote areas).
There seem to be very few chargers to me. Supposing others were using them, you'd have to wait ages in a queue. Winter might be ok but imagine summer when it's busy.
I could have had another weeks holiday whilst spending all that time charging , Thanks for sharing your journey, Whilst its doable for me its not enjoyable . !!!!
I'm up in The Cairngorms as I type. For me the best time to do the NC500 is during the middle of winter...way less traffic, stunning if you're lucky enough to get the snow. Can't beat it.
N.B. I left south Warwickshire at 08:00 and stopped once en-route for a toilet break in Carlisle. My 4-wheel drive Subaru Forester averaged 48mpg at a steady 70mph. The trip took me 8 hours. Oh, and I left with a full tank and stil have over 100 miles of fuel left. Oh, and it will take me roughly 5 minutes to fully refuel it tomorrow...
I’m a Scotsman and I wouldn’t be trying that. Some people don’t realise that There are many people die in Scotland in the winter,especially climbers and the unprepared. The weather can change in a heart beat and if you get stuck without a signal or backup you could be totally knackered to say the least.
It was heart warming to see the gratitude that the couple had when you all came to their aid. I’m sure they will remember that for a long time. All the best to you and yours. Rab
Everything you say is proof to me, I never want to own an electric car.
Why?
An EV would be fine for my day to day life. But as a proper camper they appear to be useless and very expensive to run. My Peugeot Boxer can do 600 - 800 miles on a tank.
Absolutely. The triumph of reality over expectation (& marketing). My diesel CR-V AWD on decent All-seasons could do the NC500 on a single tank, with zero fannying-about with chargers.
@@johnveryan2872campers are one of the hardest edge cases for EVs to solve, but they are getting there. In the US there is a new company called lightship making a towable RV with integrated battery and motors. The battery means the trailer doesn’t impact on the tow vehicle’s range in motion or for heating/cooking etc. Dethleffs also tested the concept over the alps with an early Audi e-tron back in 2021 completing the trip with no towing range loss. So expect that approach to become common place. The best EVs for towing in the UK currently can tow 2500kg and do a real world 300 miles (BMW iX 50, Hyundai IONIQ 9, Kia EV9. Audi Q6 sport back is 2400kg towing and 315miles real world range. The last three are 800V so will charge 10-80% in about 10 miles on a suitable charger and with optimal battery temperatures)
Have you got winter tyres ?
This tour is just one long stressful search for a charging point.
Have you never been in a similar situation looking for a petrol station, I have in a remote location like this.
@@st200ol
No, I always carry a 5l can, and never allow my fuel to drop less than a quarter tank. Electric cars are an absolute waste of money, they will never catch on unless for city use .
@ I always carry a petrol generator in the boot of my EV.
@@st200ol Seeing as it's almost Christmas I won't go on about how big a genny you need to put a charge in one of these(Hint, it won't go in the boot of a car!), instead I'll wish you a Merry Christmas and happy new year of motoring👍👍
@ Merry Christmas to you too. It is possible to fit a 2500w generator and a granny charger in the boot BTW. I wouldn’t actually do it but it’s entirely possible.
You probably do not need winter tyres in the Midlands, however in the Scottish Highlands they are a life saver, and they really do work
For those conditions all season tyres would be fine, to try with summer tyres is silly.
@@boderick1 Agreed; even 4-wheel drive isn't going to be much benefit without suitable tyres. And with an EV with all the weight centrally, front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive are gong to give very similar grip levels.
@@boderick1 Agree, a premium brand though.
Incredible anyone would attempt this in winter on Summer Tyres, Zero Common Sense.
A quality set of all season tyres would be ideal for this use.
Weii,, that's convinced me if I needed convincing. The time for electric cars has not come yet.
Life revolving around charging anxiety , Bonkers . Vehicle depreciating as fast as Titanic sank .
I charge once a week from home, no such thing as range anxiety
@@thomasstaniforth8053 not for you, obviously, but not any good for touring, the whole video is all about the problems of charging, nightmare.
@@thomasstaniforth8053EVs may have a place for those with off-road charging and who only drive in urban areas. Not a viable option for tens of millions of drivers.
@@thomasstaniforth8053 No you don't.
@@thomasstaniforth8053 your obviously looking forward to your 15 minute city life as a lemming then.
shows the absolute madness of electric cars
At 6:00 imagine the bad old days, turn up at a station, speak to a real person, joke about the weather, pay cash, continue with journey!
I can't comprehend getting to a petrol station and been exited because the pumps work. That is the utter insanity of the EV nightmare, its lunacy.
Its not really that bad mate. This is in the middle of nowhere so he is a little more anxious. I've been pretty happy to find a petrol station when I'm running on petrol fumes in the past. Most of the time you don't even need to think about finding a charger because its fully charged when you set off in the morning from home and £14 for 200+ miles (7p/mile) is a helps me sleep.
@@albertsmith1048 it is absolutely crazy, why anyone would pay stupid money for these...about as much use, as an ashtray on a motorbike..
Have to be honest, when I fill our car up with fuel I’ve never really felt a degree of elation because the pump has worked, I’ve always taken it as a given that the fuel pump will work…and they always have.
Ev charges should work its poor from the companies who maintain them, thankfully ive never ran into any problems yet
@@thomasstaniforth8053 wishful thinking
I’m loving this series , as a Scottish EV owner it speaks to me. Hard work for you but well done for making it back to Inverness. Great work stopping to help too 🏴
Haha quote of the day I DONT NEED ELECTRICITY ( OH YES YOU DO ) 😂😂 the excitement when you find a charger that works classic I’ve got charging anxiety just watching this vid will stick with my Lexus 4 wheel drive hybrid thank you
This trip's a great advert for internal combustion!
Gritting my teeth as I watched this...not through excitement, but in frustration. As per my comment on the prior episode, you appear to have been totally unprepared for the conditions. This winter weather was forecast, so why the surprise? You have some wonderful gadgets, a special t-shirt and socks, but seemingly at the expense of addressing the basics. It seems you were driving on Eco Contact tyres...no wonder you were sliding around and most concerningly such a decision placed yourself and others at risk. Many roads north of the border are unsalted all year, so either winter or all season tyres are pretty much a MUST if you are driving is these areas November - March, even if you have a 4x4. Enjoy seeing your travels, but please! Tapadh leat.
Well done Steve - EV in this looks like a 'Round hole in a Square peg'.
Thank you for exposing the Pros and Cons , very few would attempt! Even on your 'Rapid charge it takes an hour from 40%-50%. Utter waste of time filled with constant excuses and anxiety. Show this to Ed Milliband.
Not really. Most of the problems seemed to be user error.
@jamesbarker7145 user error 🤣🤣 so not that the servers weren't working? Even the lady on the other end of for phone said it was the server. Steve's probably had evs much longer than you so saying user error is a bit of an insult to steve
to get from 40-50% in 1 hour would not be a rapid charger. A rapid charger is around 40-50kW per hour so in 1 hour he could probably get 80% charge. A home charger or the ones you get on supermarket car parks are around 7-9kW per hour that would be around 12% charge.
@@Petermcpete You are spot on, thank you for correcting. I was taking Steve's comment about wishing to Top up when the battery was about 60%. I am astounded at the Premium prices paid for Supercharging. EV owners will vehemently defend their purchase decisions.
@ please stop saying kW per hour. That’s not a thing.
Why do you get out and leave yr car door open? I’d keep the heat in
Thank god it's not only me , i was feeling stupid for letting it make me angry🤣
Steve, you are bonkers.
i'm really enjoying this mini series.... can't wait for the next episode...
If you don’t know how to drive in snow don’t come to Scotland in winter.
Why after the trouble you had in past of connecting to these electric points , you wouldn’t pay £7 at the camp site to charge fully before you left there after you had a bad weather report..????
Why did he buy this car is the real
Question? The salesmen have really done a great job on you all. In saying that, this video is a great advert to any non EV owners to stay well clear of them. The cars aren’t that bad, but the charging points coupled with the cost really does not make sense on paper. If you think it does, you’re either a salesman or just in denial.
@@NoelG-IREthe NC500 isn’t really representative of day to day normal driving though. EVs in this country (if you have off street parking and can charge at home) is super easy and super convenient. If you have to rely on public charging its probably ok in london but more difficult further out
@@MrKlawUK so what you’re saying is, unless you live in London, you might struggle from time to time. What about the cost of charging and depreciation values? PS, this is a predominantly campervan channel, so it absolutely is important to discuss on the road charging costs and general range, particularly in rural areas. What this man has proved is that EV’s as campers don’t work and I think anyone that drives more than 50 miles a day will absolutely struggle.
@ no what I’m saying is if you don’t live in london and can’t charge at home, it might be a bit tricky from time to time. But maybe you can charge at work? And most people are able to charge at home (or at least have offstreet parking to enable that). Understand about the camper part but the buzz isn’t really a camper. Its early days and I’d be curious about something bigger like an e-transit conversion. More than 50 miles a day is totally fine. If they’d had an RF ID card as recommended for the area they were in, it would have been easier, but even as it was most of the chargers were working using web pay.
@ it’s early days? Mate, EV’s are not new technology. There are full EV campers out there but they are silly money. There are now trucks too. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that everything you do is planned around charging. You cannot be spontaneous. Whenever I want to plan a trip, I never for one second think about running out of fuel. I have a range of 560 miles so could do this trip on one tank without thinking of where I’m going to charge. I can also go anywhere in the country on a whim. EV’s are great in cities and on motorways with service stations every 20 miles, but as a proper tourer or even a commuter, they cannot compete with combustion. They work in some situations alright, this is not one of them and I don’t think any camper should be full EV. We love our lithium batteries in the back powering our electrics, but defo not our motors.
Why anybody would put themselves through owning an EV
I dont want one either, but sadly i feel that one day they are going to be forced upon us. Then we go back to the horse and cart.
My EV is the best car I've ever had
Why anyone would go back to something that needs expensive servicing and doesn't refuel itself while you sleep and contributes to asthma and a range of other conditions while costing so much more to run is beyond me 🤷
I totally agree. I'm keeping my diesel. Keep it fully serviced it should see me OK for another 15 years. Then I'll use my bus pass
@@enyaq_gormit’s only cheaper if you can always charge it at home. The people who work in the mines to dig out rare earth minerals for batteries suffer much worse than asthma and to be honest new diesels don’t pollute that badly. I’ll get an EV at some point but not until the battery technology that cars use significantly improves.
I’d be stressed to death with the charging problems. Thanks for helping that couple it was very good of you. I see you watch Mashtag Brady he’s quite a character isn’t he!!!! ❤
Loving this trip Steve, hope the Icelandic chocolate was nice. You had us on the edge of our seats at various points 😳❄️
Thanks for the video, you just confirmed that I will never buy an electric car and will drive a diesel.
Steve, you are a far braver man than me, I don't think I'd wanna do that in my diesel van in that weather. Lindsay, did you see how much bread he put on that butter 😂😂
Brave is certainly one word for it.
I reckon it cost you more in butter than electric judging by the amount you used at 24:06 😂
Shovelled it on 💪😂
@@MidlandsAviation Weird comment about butter on bread on a great winter travel post full of incident .
Well he was on ketogenic diet in which case you can load up on butter but if you're eating carbs & sugar it's a no no
I was about to comment "i see you like a little bread on your butter"😂
Yes was thinking that too 😂😂
Top man it’s great to see you helping out with the stuck car 😊
Great work Steve helping the couple 👏
So perhaps put some winter tyres on for the next December NC500?
That's not the British mindset... They think they don't need them..
Or premium all seasons
Living in a Nordic country i would settle for less than winter tires in those conditions . Besides winter tires last for a longer time +50k km. Great video 👍
Another great one Steve. Love Scotland so much and it’s been great to see it covered in snow. Glad you didn’t get too unstuck when you hit the snow. Looking forward to the next one 🤙
Give me my Skoda 1.9tdi anyday. Great vlog Steve take care
Cannot beat Skoda 1.9tdi
That looks like a great deal of fun! We have a 1998 Swift Bessacarr and will likely do a winter NC500 in the future inspired by you in the lovely Buzz! The VW Buzz certainly looks to be a great camper and we have really enjoyed this series :D
Hats off to you Steve. I’ve been driving electric for nearly 10 years and the infrastructure in urban areas has improved massively in that time, as too the car technology. But there are still a lot of problems to be overcome particularly with reliability. Not just with the chargers themselves but interoperability in the signalling between the car and the network. There is still much to be done to improve the technology.
Good man Steve for taking time to help the couple who got stuck!
WOW what a vvlog... awesome thou, all that snow.... and to think Iam sitting here in Adelaide Australia in the 40 degrees heat, but hey we are summer, I really do love the buzz and the colours are the best, and you helping those people get out of the snow, hope their car isn't damaged to much, can't wait for the next Vvlogs the kelpies and wheel is amazing. Thank you.
Have you considered winter tyres? I used to have a Lexus rear wheel drive and winter tyres certainly helped in snowy conditions
Well done Steve .. 🎉🎉🎉. You set out to prove it can be done .. what an adventure! Wish all TH-cam vanlife offered so much excitement. Got a bit worried for your stress levels and blood pressure .. thank goodness we are all watching knowing you get home safely. I’m sure the little camper will give you many enjoyable day trips but it’s really not an option for somebody considering a touring holiday. You know that .. we all know that .. but it still was a lot of fun watching you take on the challenge. Hope it’s boosted your channel and views. 👍🏻 🥂🍾🥇
If anybody is on the fence weather to get an EV or not. This vlog is a must watch. You would not think twice and not buy one. I was not on the fence, i would not consider buying one. I feel vindicated lol
you didnt really want one if this is your take. The guy is in the middle of nowhere in mid winter. He still made it around (more or less). He is in a heavy camper conversion not a car so the battery consumption is high. Unless you are planning on driving around the Scottish highlands carrying an extra ton all day every day the chances are you would be just fine.
@@Petermcpete Really nothing to do with the vehicle. Every other charging point just did not work. The EV infrastructure is poor at best in the UK. Your right though, i will never choose to own an electric vehicle. Have a nice day
@@chrisyoung5573 Having owned one for the past three years its not really the reality but each to there own. You too
@petermcpete. Steve Radford put out a before and after weight video. Worth checking.
What beautiful scenery in Bonnie Scotland Steve at anytime time of year but in the snow is special, I applaud you for doing the NC500 in the snow bud , especially in an electric campervan, thanks a million for sharing this trip with us 👏
Applaud? It's a fairly daft idea, IMHO.
All very interesting, thanks for sharing. A good watch sitting in a nice warm house. I wouldn’t like to do Scotland in winter and definitely not in an electric vehicle.
I love the video series, keen to see the final verdict on costs etc.
Not being mean but as a Finn born in to arctic conditions it always makes me bananas when folks take cold temperatures as a joke. Albeit here the lowest was probably just sub zero still I wonder why not wear good clothes, hopping around in t-shirt all the time, no gloves, no hat and complaining it’s bloody freezing 🙄 And yes, winter tyres are a must already below +5 because the summer tyres freeze and loose their traction. Quite a few other things I’d do completely differently but still…nice series
What i find frightening is these recharging stations can be controlled remotely, can you imagine if they’d were all turned off between certain hours, to save the climate!!!! Greta would be happy: unless she’s jumped on another band wagon: and you can’t get through to anyone to help because you have no phone signal….no power = no travel, similes init!! A proud conspiracy theorist who been proven right since 2020..
Do you also find it frightening that the employee at a petrol filling station can turn off all the pumps? What if they employed Greta how terrifying could that be
@ 😜 the do near us…shut those petrol stations, between 10pm until 7am. The good news is they advertise when they shut with a big 6ft sign which is illuminated for those of us who’s brain cell challenged.
@@Phinkinfurmiself he totally mentally gymasted himself with his comment. He probably doesn't know that they've already started alternating people's homes through the night and day using smart meters. Thus a resident might find themselves only 1/2 charged.
Spot on,yeh they could turn off fuel pumps but not as quickly or as easily as they can on these charging points, I'm loving reading comments of all the poor sheep in denial 😂😂😂keep sucking diesel ⛽⛽
I wouldn't have an EV if there were charging points every 2 feet. I'll stick to my Hybrid Toyota .It can be filled to the brim in 4 minutes including paying and onwardsfor 550 miles
Loving the trip so far what an epic adventure you are having good on you for helping the couple getting their car unstuck 😊👍❤️
Good man for helping that lovely couple out .
WELL DONE xx
Too much stress associated with EV charging, I’ll stick with hybrids……Good Vid 👍
Your commitment to the buzz as a camper and EVs has a whole has to be commended.
But... this series is the best ad as to why EVs are not the future.Imagine trying to do the trip in summer!!!
After watching your last video i bought one of those coffee filters from TEMU for £2.49. brilliant purchase, thanks for the tip, and great channel. 🖖
Take it back swap it for a decent vehicle. I can’t understand why anyone would pay this kind of money for a cult vehicle , never go to Scotland without been prepared and a 4x4 in winter , always carry recovery gear
Proves he's clueless with his terminology.."back wheel drive" 😂
@lweleven3423 I was looking @ His head clearance He had up to 3.19 where it looked like has head had touched the roof a couple of times. Now he must feel like a can of Sardines..It needs a High Top Roof or the 60's model pop up roof .
It’s not about having a 4x4 - it’s about having premium all season tyres
Although, a 4x4 with all season tyres would be even better if you can 👍🏼
40p per kWh it’s no cheaper than conventional fuel
It's fast ones that are that price for doing longer journeys and need to charge quickly most charging is done at home on energy plans with a cheap over night rate or by using solar for people who have that
it is when you consider how much useable energy you get out of a litre of petrol or diesel.
@@tgm9991 errr that's what people want .. reasobably quick fill ups.... and an hours wait twice to 3 times a day doesn't cut it.
@@tgm9991what if you can’t charge at home live in a flat/terrace with no front garden im not against EV’s just give us the choice dont force us into them they dont suit everyone!
Wonder how much people spend on coffees and butties whilst they are waiting for the milk float to charge
i love this channel, love the idea of showing us how the chargers work ect ect, and awsome journey taking us on the nc500, i gotta volkswagen transporter t5 old diesel that i converted and am looking at doing this route at some point, thanks again for great content as always
100% battery = 185 miles.
These were claimed to have a range of 250-300 miles ?
Using battery to heat buzz overnight, takes range down. Just the same a a ICE would running it's engine to keep you warm.
Its had a full camper conversion and its the middle of winter. This significantly impacts on mileage.
@@johniooi3954 the 185 miles range was after he'd charged to 100%.
@@johniooi3954ICE are pretty inefficient and generate enough waste heat that running the heater helps cool the engine which actually *improves* efficiency (very slightly).
It's A/C that impacts your mpg, but that applies equally to EVs.
It’s too small a van, only suitable for a week end away at some event. For a good holiday in comfort you need a proper motorhome not something as small as a Buzz that has such a limiting range. Also adventures in remote areas can only be undertaken in ICE vehicles which you can always carry an extra 100 miles in a can unlike an EV.
It's a stressful trip but I would love to see you do it again when you have the RFID card. I didn't expect to see so many chargers around, so that's a surprise. Certainly expensive. Being able to charge at home is essential when owning an EV car. And I hope you have snow chains for driving on snow. Good set of videos, Steve.
Great video, an interesting trip.
Not a fan of EV's as we tow a twin axle caravan but did enjoy watching this video and good on you helping out the couple who's car was stuck.
Lovely blog well done really enjoyed it 😊
Sorry, but taking that road while heading for the charger was completely irresponsible in a rear wheel drive electric toy car! Hell, even in a normal front wheel drive car would be risking it.
i noticed on the chargers a sign saying no more than 45 mins stay could be a problem its pettol for me ❤
Great blog, I hope you have a Christmas special. No pressure❤
The weather will be better in the summer but the roads will be very busy. There could be a long queue for the chargers.
I went to ullapool and lochinver last summer and it was fine, people are still scared of the infrastructure, never had to queue once. I've actually never had to queue in 45k electric miles. The queues for deisel back up onto the road through with people in massive campers
@ the beach at lochinver is lovely.
@GrantBrown-bj1zp so is the pie shop!
I think it's been a great adventure Steve and a great experiment, the road conditions would have been just as difficult and stressful in a diesel VW Transporter, I remember coming off the road in a VW Crafter in the snow so you handled that much lighter van well all things considered. I think you will be the first to agree that it would have been a lot easier if you had received the RFID card in time before the trip, the charging points situation at the top of Scotland isn't the best but elsewhere in the UK it's very reliable in my experience.
Rear wheel drive. Electric Vehicle. Limited charging. Yep. Let’s go.
😂
IT’S VERY DANGEROUS TO DO THE NC500 IN WINTER. ,PLEASE,PLEASE GET YOURSELF BACK DOWN THE ROAD.THE VILLAGE IS PRONOUNCED SCOORI.I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT YOU PLEASE TAKE GREAT CARE.
I was surprised that you even considered attempting to cross the Bealach Na Ba with even a hint of snow in the forecast. The road is over 2,000ft and a very poor road even on a good day. Living in Scotland, as a hill walker you soon learn to respect the unpredictability of the weather with 70% of the mainland above 1,000ft you can get 4 seasons in one day.
Back in 1979, on 1st June I walked to work at 4.30am with an inch of snow on the ground, the next day was the warmest day of the year!
Steve that was a lovely example of people pulling together to help each other out. Those tourists were clearly extremely pleased to be out of that predicament!! 👏
Lovley trip ..so beautiful up there .. enjoyed vid cheers Chris & Sammy ..
Loving these videos. But my heart was in my mouth when you turned off that decent road onto the tiny snowy track 😮 We've had a similar experience near Tomintoul a few years ago. You question your sanity for your choices 😂
The thing that strikes me on watching this & every other video on living with an EV … is that everyone always sounds so relieved/ surprised when a charger actually works! I can honestly say I’ve never picked up a diesel pump and been worried it wouldn’t work … until EV infrastructure & tech improves dramatically … not for me! Fair play to the early adopters for putting yourself through it though!
likely because most people don’t post ‘going to work, 10 miles to go, charged up overnight for 7p ok bye - remember to like and subscribe’ - they’re more likely to post stress tests or adventures like this.
The flip side though is hardly ever going to stations at all. Im fortunate to have a home charger which makes a big difference. The car does minimum 200 miles but can do 250 and unless im driving more than this in a day i don't need to use the stations. If i do i only ever put in enough to get me home which in most cases is the time it takes to have a pee at the services.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!😊
Good on you for stopping and helping. They were very grateful 😊😊😊😊
Bloody hell Steve you like your butter - gives you energy - well done helping those people out mate
Steve you're a hero! Fuelled by pastrami and butter sandwiches :) Love it! xxx
I wouldn't try this in the winter, especially not without winter tyres, but am looking forward to doing it in summer or autumn. The scenery looks stunning and it's good to know there are charging points all along the route.
I owned an electric car for two and a half years. The infrastructure is still not fit for purpose,not enough fast charging stations. Also why can they not put a roof above the chargers ? The upshot of all this was I sold it back to the dealer,and bought a two litre petrol.
who asked?
Hi steve I've really enjoyed your NC500 roadtrip I think what you've highlighted here is if your doing the NC500 by electric camper plan your trip with contingency plans especially in winter but" you've coped brilliantly really enjoying the trip with you steve cheers.
Great video Steve.
Great to see that it can be done in an EV.
It’s the future.
Your RFID card will be on the doormat when you get home lol
Nice to see you planned ahead with alternate charging destinations for when one was unavailable.
If this is the future count me out ! It looks like bloody hard work instead of a break.
I’ve been driving EV for yrs now.
Infrastructure is slowly getting better but yes I agree it needs to improve especially in remote areas. I use charging breaks to stretch my legs, maybe get something to eat and take the dog for a walk.
Really enjoyed the trilogy series of this adventure as like many others it’s on my bucket list. I’ve also recently become interested in EV’s as my business partner and I are looking at treating ourselves to company run vehicles after 5 years of very hard work to get where we are and Benefit in Kind taxation on EV’s is very low. However I have been (and still am) a diesel lover since starting to work at a VW site back in 1996 and being introduced to the superb TDi engines with superb performance AND great economy. I’m not too organised a person so worry about what seems to be a constant mileage checking and searching for charging stations with no guarantee they will work combined with my surprise at how expensive “non home” charging seems to be has not filled me with confidence yet. The jury is definitely still out on this.
Oddly, ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) is administered from just up the road from you in Hemel Hempstead. I applied for my card more than a month before we went to Orkney in June. The card failed to arrive.
We were able to get all the way to Scrabster from home in Rugby without needing a CPS chargers in our ID.3. I have only ever covered the 500 on a touring bicycle 20 or so years ago with a tent of course before the flood of campervans.
We've swapped our bicycles for a car (genuine reasons) but we still use a tent.
Chargeplace Scotland are a disgrace and have been for years. A better bet is get an Octopus Electroverse RFID card - charge place Scotland are one of the networks they cover. Although I’ve not tried it as they only added CPS in August and I’m in Devon. Every charger & network I’ve used my Electroverse RFID card on has worked flawlessly. They also now offer plug and charge, so in theory you could use the CPS charger through Electroverse just by plugging in if you have that set up (not seen anyone try it though)
Great episode. Thank you.
A good watch 👌
Hello to you lovely lot how you doing loving all the vids make me giggle all the time sorry I been a bit quiet on the comment compared what I'm used to just been so busy with this time of year and had a few things going on and trying to build our own channel to so I just had no time to myself lol but hope you all ok and just so you know I'm still here and watching lol well you all take care and merry Christmas and a happy new year to your family from our family. ❤️☺️👍✨🌟🍻🎅🎄🎁
Well done getting them out!
I stayed a week at Scourie campsite in june 2024 . Fantastic location . Fishing heaven.
Great work helping them ❤
Can't wait on the Kelpies / Falkirk Wheel video. I only stay 10 minutes from the Kelpies, would have been good to have met you.
Loving the adventures . I want to try it .Have you tried the welsh way . 🏴⛺️👍🏻🚙
Thanks, and welcome along. Yes as I’m Welsh, I think certainly one or all 3 of The Wales Way routes should be on the cards.
When I was a kid. b. 1955 a butter sandwich would have been a luxury if we new what that was. We had beef dripping or lard sandwiches cut from a loaf with plenty salt. Had that with a bowl of potato soup also with plenty salt. Occasional jam sandwich was pure luxury at home for us in NE Scotland. Just saying.
B 1954. It was the same in South Wales.
Really enjoyable Steve, but not in an EV 😂 I will never change from petrol or deisel EVER !!! 😁👍
Enjoying the video,thanks and stay safe
Interesting videos. There is so little information out there about using electric vehicles for our hobby so they give a useful insight. Mind you it just confirms my view that I never want to own a rear wheel drive car again. BTW I have posted a couple of these videos on the CMC forum where it caused a bit of debate! Safe journey back to MK.
Great video 👍
Never has a video on TH-cam proved going to an EV means going backwards in technology. The mind boggles.
Wow...All the reasons here never to waste your life savings on a milk float.....
Exactly, totally impractical
Great episode mate stay safe 👌👍
Electric vehicles are a great idea if you are making short commuter journeys and you can charge the vehicle at home, however, the charging infrastructure and vehicle battery capacity make them totally impractical for longer journeys (especially in remote areas).
There seem to be very few chargers to me. Supposing others were using them, you'd have to wait ages in a queue. Winter might be ok but imagine summer when it's busy.
I could have had another weeks holiday whilst spending all that time charging , Thanks for sharing your journey, Whilst its doable for me its not enjoyable . !!!!
Non ev owner. Good video of real life ownership. side note i think post office are using one of these vans in New Milton,Hampshire. Looks cool in red.
I bet it does!!
Fair play to you Steve your stress levels are above normal now keep going and enjoy fantastic pictures
If there is ever a series of utube vids that ensures my belief i’ll never buy an EV it’s this.