The BBC’s Brian Milligan was recently set the challenge of driving from London to Edinburgh. Easy enough, you might think, but when you learn it was in a prototype electric-powered mini, it sounds a little more daunting. For such relatively untested technology, you would be forgiven for thinking the car and driver better ensure they had car breakdown cover.
In the summertime, the mini in question can travel a fairly impressive 100 miles without having to re-charge. But in the winter, this range can go down to 70 miles, since the cold reduces the technology’s efficiency. Brian, therefore, had to ensure there was a charging post in range before he set off on each leg of his journey.
As this is new technology, there are only a limited number of charging posts in the UK. At one stage, it appeared as if this electric journey between the English and Scottish capitals was doomed: Brian was in Wark, close to Kielder Forest in Northumberland, which was 87.1 miles away from Edinburgh; probably just out of range given the season.
Fortunately though, it transpired that Britain’s newest charging post was opening in a garden centre in Berwick Upon Tweed – perfectly situated between Wark and his final destination.
Taking into consideration time for charging the car and for overnight stays, the journey speed equated to just 6 miles per hour. That might seem very slow, but as with all new technologies, they improve in time. With so many companies and governments investing in this technology, speed and range are sure to get better in the coming years. And what about the car's overall reliability? Brian didn’t have to call his car breakdown service provider once!
Breakdown Cover from 
