Tusker Talks with Phil: 750 miles in an electric car

Phil Arnold is a Regional Development Manager at Tusker, and drives a Tesla Model 3.  Find out how he travelled 750 miles in his electric company car.

I have always been interested in the super-low fuel costs, 0% Benefit-in-Kind tax and the environmental benefits conscious that come with driving an electric vehicle. In my role at Tusker, I cover around 25,000 miles each year for business purposes, so I decided to replace my hybrid Mercedes C530e with a Tesla Model 3 ahead of the government’s new 0% Benefit in Kind rate change, which landed in April 2020.

I was intrigued by the advanced technology used inside Tesla vehicles, alongside their ability to cover long distances. In addition to this, I was drawn in by short charging times and the accessibility of the Supercharger network within the UK. In the end, I chose the Model 3 Long Range as What Car? had given it five stars in a recent review and it could achieve distances of up to 348 miles between charges – which was ideal for my role.

The true test for my Model 3 was when I took it for a 750 mile journey from Bristol to Newcastle which lasted four days and included stops in both Liverpool and Belfast. Ahead of my trip, I simply planned my charging stops via the car’s touchscreen.

Over the course of the 750 mile trip, I only needed to charge my car three times for around 30 minutes for each charge. I needed to catch up on emails, so the time I spent charging was really valuable. At £12 per charge, the cost of three 30-minute charges totalled £30. During this trip, I saved my company £200 in travel expenses.

Last year, I travelled 25,000 miles for work, which cost Tusker £2,625 in my hybrid. If I cover the same distance this year in my Model 3, then this would save around £1,625 in fuel costs. If you multiply this by the number of employees, the company has out on the road, the savings are significant.

Some people might be surprised to see the distance that you can travel in an electric car. Many motorists discount electric cars as they worry about them running out of power and getting stranded without a way to charge their vehicle. However, the increased levels of infrastructure and the accuracy of the Tesla App took the angst out of the journey. Ultimately, more people need to be educated about the benefits and feasibility of electric cars.