When AF Member Twose Farm hosted the Lleyn Sheep Association AGM open day near Carmarthen (where AF sponsored the lunch) it seemed the perfect opportunity to put the reality of taking an electric vehicle cross-country to the test. AF Chief Marketing Officer Alex Robinson set out to find out: what does the journey look like for an EV driver, and would this car work for him?
Interior styling: “Getting into the car for the first time after dark, I was instantly blown away by the lighting and curved display — more spaceship than car!”
Sound system: “As a music lover, I quickly spotted the Bang & Olufsen logo. The sound was crystal clear with deep, rich bass — a joy for the first few hours of driving.”
Ride & handling: “Light steering, smooth over bumps, and excellent grip thanks to quattro drive. Despite its size, it doesn’t feel heavy.”
Driver tech: “The adaptive cruise control and head-up display make for effortless driving, offering everything from lane assist and navigation to distance tracking.”
“I picked the car up from near Norwich on a Thursday evening with 94% charge (248 miles of range). Driving conservatively, I reached my home in Herefordshire comfortably, arriving with 19% battery remaining - meaning the range prediction was accurate within 0.8 miles, which really impressed me.
“I don’t have a home charger, so plugged in the 3-pin overnight...only to see a 50-hour estimate to reach 80%! This was a stark reminder that proper charging infrastructure makes all the difference. On Friday morning, in a slight panic, I headed to Morrisons in Hereford for a 1.5 hour top up, costing £32.28.
“Saturday morning, I headed west again. I’d planned another quick stop near Swansea, which added 35 minutes and cost £42. And unlike petrol stations, EV chargers aren’t undercover, so I got drenched in Welsh rain!
“The farm open day itself was a great success (with rare Welsh sunshine), and after another top-up on the way back, I returned to Herefordshire with 31% charge to spare.”
Having an EV charger at home would take some of the worry out of owning an EV
“On Sunday, it was time for a different challenge: the supermarket run with two young children. Parked next to my wife’s VW Tiguan, the Audi is much larger, but inside, space told a different story. The rear seat just about fitted the baby’s car seat behind the driver, which could be tight for taller drivers who need the seat further back than I do.
“It does have ISOFIX in the front, a quick and safe way to install a car seat, which is a nice touch.
“I was a little disappointed that the boot wasn’t quite as roomy as I expected. But on the plus side, our three-year-old was a big fan of the display screens - and the speed!”
The vivid display proved a hit with some members of the family!
“I logged all journeys and charges whilst I had the Audi:
Total mileage: 601 miles
Total charging cost: £88.41
Average cost per mile: 14.7p
Range accuracy average: 0.61 miles
“However, this doesn’t include cheaper home or workplace charging, so costs can vary hugely depending on where you plug in.”
“The Audi Q6 e-tron is a seriously impressive bit of kit - comfortable, efficient, and genuinely fun to drive.
“But would I buy one? Probably not - even at a discounted AF starting price of £51k, it’s well beyond my budget. It gets even more eye-watering when you spec up, with the top spec model coming in at around £60k.
“On top of that, with my regular long-distance travel, charging logistics make it a tough fit for now.
“It’s really made my wife and I think about going electric for her next (local) family car.”
“With second-hand EVs now offering great value and low mileage, the appeal is growing fast.
“When I first set off, my main worry was: “Will I be able to find chargers?”. Now, it’s shifted to: “Where could I charge affordably?” - and I think that’s the real question for anyone considering the switch.”
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