Thanks to regenerative braking we arrived in Puebla with 210 kilometers of autonomy and a feeling of confidence in the transition to electric mobility. The plan was that the next day we could recharge the battery at a new fast charging station called “Super Cool”, located about 10 kilometers from the hotel. In the case of the Q8 E-tron, the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% during a charging stop of approximately 31 minutes.
But we don’t count on the fact that it was Sunday and the Super Cool station was closed. The hotel did not have chargers and the local dealerships did not have fast charging connectors, which meant that we would need approximately two hours to recharge the battery to 80%. The problem was that we had to deliver the vehicle in Mexico City at 4 in the afternoon, and it was already almost noon.
With 200 kilometers of autonomy, we were faced with a dilemma. Continue spending kilometers looking for a place to recharge or return to Mexico City with that autonomy? We opted for the second option. Even though, in theory, those 200 kilometers should be enough to reach our destination – Puebla is 120 kilometers away – range anxiety began to set in as we accelerated on the first stretch of highway.
As we continued, the miles seemed to quickly fade away. However, halfway along the route, relief came. A long descent with sharp curves allowed us to regenerate part of the lost energy. Thanks to vehicle technology and efficient driving, we arrived in Mexico City with 80 kilometers of remaining autonomy. It wasn’t bad at all.
Recharge at home?
Until now, automakers have been promoting their electric models with a compelling argument: the convenience of charging them at home, allowing owners to wake up in the morning with their battery at 100%. According to data collected, average trips in urban areas rarely exceed 35 kilometers per hour. With electric vehicles offering ranges of between 400 and 600 kilometers, an owner could theoretically recharge their vehicle only once a week, and even every 10 days. However, this comfortable scenario fades for those who lack parking space in their condominiums or multifamily homes.
One alternative is charging in the workplace, where many people spend a significant part of their day. However, not all companies are equipped to provide charging infrastructure for their employees, especially if they are large corporations with hundreds or even thousands of workers. This limitation raises questions about how to make charging accessible to a wide range of EV owners.
In this context, the implementation of charging infrastructure on streets and highways has acquired increasing importance. To date, there is no complete registry of public charging stations in the country. However, according to estimates provided by charger manufacturer Voltway, it is estimated that there are around 2,000 of these points throughout Mexico. However, it is projected that Mexico will require approximately 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles by 2030, the year in which several manufacturers have set the goal of ending the sale of combustion models.