I now have a firm date when I’ll be able to pick up the electric car, I’ll have for a year as part of the government’s CABLED electric car trial. Barring further delays I’ll be picking up my Tata Vista EV on Saturday 12th March. In preparation for its arrival, e.on came on Friday and fitted a charging socket on the outside of my garage as this rather dull photo shows:

As well as the socket there is a timer, inside the garage, so I can choose when to charge the car – charging in the small hours of the night makes much more sense environmentally as there is much less demand for electricity from other users then.

Though I will have to pay £190 per month for the use of the car during the trial, I’m looking forward to paying around £3 for 100 miles of electric travel, compared to close on £15 that it now costs to go a similar distance in my fairly economic (by conventional car standards) 10 year old diesel Focus.

My Focus will live in the garage for the year (apart from the odd long trip which is not yet practical in an electric car). I need to keep it, as when the trial ends the electric car is returned to Tata. If I were to buy a electric car, it would be my only car and I’d hire a car for the odd long trip I can’t make by rail, as it would be far cheaper than keeping two cars. From that point of view there is a weakness in the trial, but its a fairly minor issue and I’m very much looking forward to my new electric arrival.