Mission: Durham to Cardiff in DU's Electric Car

As part of the research done by the Durham Energy Institue on the effect of electric vehicle (EV) charging on electricity networks, the challenge (and experiment) of driving from Durham University to the Low Carbon Network Funds (LCNF) Annual Conference at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff, Wales seems like the logical thing to do. Why not?

Well, as many people may wonder, what are the implications of driving an EV in Britain, in particular when you have to drive across the country? Do we get as much mileage from a single charge as the manufacturer claims? We'll soon find out!

So here are the specs...

The Mission:

• Drive 306 miles from Durham to Cardiff and back. And safe. And in an EV.

The Vehicle:

• Mitsubishi iMiEV
• 5-door hatchback
• 47kW (63hp) permanent-magnet motor
• 16kWh Battery
• 3,395mm x 1,475mm x 1,615mm

The drivers:

Giannis Sarriagiannis
Football lover and greek extraordinaire. Electrical Engineer by the National Technical University of Athens and New and Renewable Energy postgraduate student at Durham University.

Sergio Roldán
Bohemian singer and wine aficionado. Electrical Engineer by McGill University and New and Renewable Energy postgraduate student at Durham University.

In the upcoming days we will be posting everything about our experience in getting the i-MiEV to the conference, from planning the route, ups and downs of the trip, learning how to charge the car, and driving on the wrong side of the road! Stay tuned!

For more information about the conference, visit here.

For more information about i-MiEV, visit here.

About Durham Energy Institute, visit here.