To mark World EV Day, we spoke to a Norway-based family who recently bought their first electric car, and share some practical tips for others considering making the switch.

Adoption of electric vehicles continues to boom throughout Europe. No surprise really, given the significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions these vehicles produce compared to their petrol-powered counterparts.

However, a number of people are putting the brakes on making the change due to uncertainty around charging-related costs and the fear of so-called range anxiety. 

George Barran (39) and Ida Christiansen Hanstveit (37) had some reservations before buying their first EV, so decided to buy a hybrid car instead. They soon found out they had little reason for concern. 

– We had a hybrid car first and saw that it didn’t have a lot of range, so getting an all-electric car really made sense. It’s so much cheaper not having to buy fuel and the cars have everything a petrol or hybrid car has. It just felt like it’s the way the world is going; it’s what made sense, says Ida. 

The couple were surprised by how effortless even long-distance driving turned out to be, even in the winter months. 

– The only thing we were scared of was it being a hassle going on long journeys because we travel quite far to our families’ cabins. That was our only worry, especially in wintertime, that it would make it a bit difficult to charge up. But it hasn’t ever been a problem – we haven’t ever thought we should have kept our petrol car. All the places we go to have access to electric car chargers, so we can charge the car no problem, says Ida. 

– We have to drive between 4-5 hours to the cabin, so we always need to charge once on the way. But whether it’s winter or summer, it hasn’t really made that much of a difference. We’ve seen the range go down but it’s good enough and you want to stop anyways, adds George. 

– I remember going to Oslo another time and I thought that trip would be a hassle because I have an electric car, but actually it wasn’t because there’s always a charger nearby, says Ida. 

When asked if they have ever run out of charge or experienced range anxiety, the couple replied: 

– No, but you do have to think a bit and put the car on charge before you leave the next day, says George.  

– Ida admits: I’ve forgotten because I’m sometimes a bit distracted! But it’s always been ok, even when I haven’t had enough, I’ve just stopped at a charging station. 

EV charging fits into even the busiest of lifestyles

It is a common misconception that EVs take a long time to charge but by keeping the battery at its optimum charging status, the wait could be shorter than you think. 

– Our EV charges up fairly quickly. If we need to stop, it usually takes around 20-30 minutes to charge – so not long. We tend to keep the car charged to around 50-80% as they recommend that. If we’re going on a long trip, we might charge it to 100%, says George. 

George and Ida recommend anyone thinking of switching to an EV to go for it. 

– Do it! You’re going to have to do it eventually anyways, exclaims Ida. 

– They say fossil fuel cars are going to go out by 2035 so there’s no reason to keep a petrol car, other than the upfront costs of buying an EV. The general running costs are low, the service costs are low, and charging is cheaper than having a fossil fuel car; fuel-wise. The technology is advancing so fast now and there are great warranties, says George. 

Caring for the future generations

If you’re considering making the same switch as George and Ida, here are five useful tips that might put your mind at ease:

Need for speed 

A smart and fast EV charger will make sure your car is always ready to go. With the Easee app, car app or 3rd party software you can schedule charging sessions to happen at night when the electricity tends to be cheaper.

Stay topped up 

By keeping your EV battery between 30% and 80% of its full charge, you can maintain battery health and save time charging from scratch. 

On-the-go 

Fast charging stations are widely available throughout Europe to meet the increasing demand of EVs. Search for “EV charging stations” in Google Maps for a list of the closest stations – you might be surprised by the density of fast chargers available in 2024. 

Battery life  

Car manufacturers are selling new EVs today with a battery warranty of around 8 years or up to 160000 km. Furthermore, it is estimated that an EV battery will last between 10-20 years if looked after correctly. Much work is also being done to examine and certify the state of used EV batteries to determine a fair resale price in the secondhand market. 

Winter is coming 

When the temperature plummets, get more miles from your EV by checking out our helpful winter guide. 


By adapting habits and learning new behaviours, an EV can be a financially viable and dependable mode of transport for you. And with EV charging technology and infrastructure widely available across Europe, perhaps now is as good a time as any to accelerate into the green shift.