ALD re-sets the limits for electric car driving

A team from ALD Automotive UK has exceeded the manufacturer’s NEDC rating on the fully electric Hyundai Ioniq. Driven by ALD’s Chris Britton and Hannah Dunsdon at the recent ALD/Fleet World MPG Marathon, the Ioniq achieved an average of 6.2 miles per kilowatt-hour over a 352 mile route.  This is an improvement on the manufacturer’s own NEDC rating of 174 miles.

The ALD team’s Hyundai was one of two electric vehicles (EV) taking part in the event this year, but is the first and only EV in the event’s history to complete a whole day without stopping for a recharge; reaching 168 miles on the first day with range to spare.

ALD’s Chris Britton comments:  “We were able to achieve our excellent results by employing a handful of simple eco-driving techniques.  NEDC ratings are often criticized for setting unrealistic expectations for drivers, so it’s encouraging that we were able to exceed the NEDC range using ‘real-world’ driving.”

The ALD team started the first day of the two day event with 100% battery and made no stops for a recharge.  They charged the vehicle to 73% overnight to reflect a ‘real world’ situation, stopping to top up with two 20 minute charges and one rapid charge at public charging points on day two before finishing.  Over the two days they completed a total of 352 miles.

Hannah Dunsdon, ALD’s Marketing Communications Executive and Chris’ co-driver, comments:  “We were fully expecting to have to stop for at least one rapid charge of 10 to 15 minutes or so, but the car was extremely efficient when using each of the different driving modes, and we quickly exceeded the predicted range. This removed any range anxiety we may have had and gave us the confidence that the car would complete the whole day without a charge.”

Chris adds:  “The MPG Marathon gave us the opportunity to demonstrate the difference that a focused approach to eco-driving will give.”  He concludes: “Like many drivers I was intrigued by what electric cars are capable of but had some reservations and a little range anxiety. Our experience in the MPG Marathon opened my eyes to just how far the technology has come and has empowered the ALD team to talk confidently to fleets and their drivers about the benefits of going fully electric. As with our recent Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) trials, we’re not just advocating alternatively fuelled vehicles at ALD; we’re actually proving the benefits.”