Well, this is it! On the final day of our remarkable journey, we travelled from the Germany / Netherlands border back to our starting point in the south-east of England, bringing our epic road trip full circle.
Car charge and usage data
Four charges: the first one in Apeldoorn, Netherlands which was really slow so we gave up; the second one a couple of km away, the third in Belgium and the final charge of the trip in Calais, France.
We managed 3.4 miles per kWh.
Story of the day
It was the last day of the trip. We built in a massive amount of headroom in case of any delays earlier in the trip. We were bang on schedule, so we didn’t need to rush anything – it was just a chance to relax and check out late. We went down for breakfast at around 9:00am. There were these amazing croissants with cream and strawberries in. It was definitely not a healthy breakfast this time, to say the least. After breakfast, we just chilled and used the hotel wellness facilities.
We were on the road by noon, feeling wonderful from the well-earned rest and ready for the journey ahead. After all, we still had a fairly long way to go to get back home. We were off down the motorway, with the sun shining again- the perfect summery weather.
Our first charge stop was at Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, just around an hour away from where we were staying the night before. And this charge stop was absolutely terrible. Despite it being a Supercharger, it was so slow and reminded us about the price differential between northern Scandinavia and here. We left there quickly. Another little irksome thing was that it started to rain – not heavily this time but it was still quite frustrating in terms of having an “easier” day.
After the quick stop we got back on the road but only for a couple of minues before we stopped at the nearest petrol station and got lunch and some more charge into the car’s battery. This Fastned charger was a lot better than the previous one, as it was a lot faster (living up to its name!)
While we were driving, we came across two really cool bridges with amazing architecture at the top. Through the roof, they looked absolutely incredible and we managed to get videos of both of them to capture the moment. About twenty minutes after, we got to Belgium and then we realised our day 1 nightmare might come true again. We had to face the Antwerp ring. Which meant traffic for quite a long time. It didn’t seem to be nearly as bad as day one though.
Our third charge stop was at Lokeren, Belgium and it was another Supercharger. Thankfully, it was a lot faster than the first one. We had a short break while the car charged up which only took around half an hour. While we were waiting, we played a game on the Tesla’s entertainment system and enjoyed the sunshine.
Then we got back onto the road, driving through the lovely Belgium. Out of the windows, there were so many colours. Partially because of the usual city graffiti but also because of the nature growing on the sides of the street. The clouds in the sky were so bright from the sunlight as well, and seemed so soft.
Eventually, we got to France but when we tried to take a picture of the sign, it came out blurry, which was really annoying. By this point, the sky was practically clear.
With some time in hand, we decided to go to Le Touquet – a beautiful seaside town in France about an hour away from the Eurotunnel terminal. The architecture was incredible, as was the beach. The golden sands were so fine and you could see right out to the horizon, with the evening sun still high and reflecting really nicely in the water. After our short stop, we drove to the Eurotunnel, and the rest of the Arctic EV Road Trip was history…
As we head home…
After an exhilarating 21 days, we are filled with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. Over the past three weeks of this trip we explored diverse landscapes, experienced different cultures, and crossed numerous borders, all in our electric vehicle.
Our trusty Tesla has been a reliable companion throughout this journey. Its performance, efficiency, and comfort have been exceptional, showing that electric vehicles are not just viable for long-distance travel, but are indeed the future of sustainable transport. And the charging infrastructure has been second-to-none, especially in Scandinavia. Apart from one or two minor bumps in the road – the odd broken charger or busy station – it’s no wonder that EVs have been embraced for most of the past decade here.
As we conclude this journey, we look forward to many more adventures. Be sure to follow our website and social media channels for updates on future trips and more insights into the world of electric vehicles. Thank you for joining us on this remarkable journey!
