DRIVING AN ELECTRIC CAR IN IRELAND
What we experienced in Ireland is the shape of things to come
You are probably aware that outside the US, electric vehicles are making great strides. Tariffs and politics are hampering our EV growth domestically, but the accelerating progress of EV manufacturers in China have executives at Detroit’s car manufacturers shuddering.
On our recent trip to Ireland I drove an XPeng G6 on the “wrong” side of the road, never stopping at a gas (er, petrol) station. And yes, we would buy that car if it were available in the US.
We picked up the G6 in Dublin and spent the next two glorious weeks driving south and clockwise along the coast. Circumnavigating The Republic of Ireland was a tremendous experience.
More than once several likely lads during our trip noticeably turned their heads to look at the car; XPeng only launched in Ireland in January. While we were charging in Waterford, a fellow came up with some trepidation, but politely asked ‘where does one get the car?’ Indeed, the G6’s sleek lines are a far cry from what folks may remember from photos of China’s first forays into automobile manufacturing (or even the brow-furrowing response upon seeing early Kia models from Korea on the streets of America). The narrow light bar that stretches across the front of the G6 is a touch of understated elegance. Likewise, the smoked alloy wheels gave more than a hint of understated luxury.
Our biggest takeaway from our first time in an EV is that high-speed charging is the key of life. As with most modern cars and presumably all electric cars, there is the risk of data overload; the big dashboard screen on EVs can present a fire hose spray of information. The most important datapoint in the EV is your power status. Between choosing driving modes from standard to sport or running the air conditioning, we began to see the rapidity with which available power diminishes.
Whereas in America, we talk about ‘range envy,’ in Ireland they speak of ‘range anxiety.’ Regardless of nomenclature, the concept is quite real. Certainly if you are having a daily commute, you can manage power expectations easily. But if you are planning a road trip and want to be flexible with your itinerary, closely following your power capacity is crucial.
As to recharging strategy, much of it was learning by doing. Within a day or two out of Dublin we developed a feel for the drain on the battery. We also mastered the various apps that steer you to charging stations en route. With decades of driving under your belt, it is rarely the case you find yourself anxious looking for a place to refill fossil fuel. That comforting mindset is slowly permeating the EV space as well.
XPeng touts that the G6 can charge “up to 427km of charge in 15 minutes, 10% to 80% SOC.” What does that mean for those new to EVs? It means in a quarter of an hour you can top up the battery to the ideal percentage of charge for optimal battery health and longevity. And drive 265 miles. SOC stands for state of charge, and will eventually become as ubiquitous as MPG.
As to the myriad features of the G6, we discovered it had an autopark feature. Imagine my bliss at engaging that functionality with the inevitably tight parking spots seen throughout Europe. I don’t know how ubiquitous that feature is across other cars, but I certainly enjoyed taking my hands off the wheel and making them visible to passersby as the G6 snuggled into the parking spot.
The sound system in the G6 is a far, far cry from the standard Delco AM radio fare on which some of us were weaned. The G6’s phone speaker is isolated to a speaker behind your neck which at first is disconcerting, but then becomes incredibly useful for focus while in motion. Likewise helpful are the various driver warnings, for speed limit and the ever-present proximity to the road edge on the passenger side, which gets closer and closer the further away you get from the city and the roads narrow.
The infinitely adjustable seats in the G6 offer both cooling and heating, the latter enjoyable after being caught in a cooling rain while navigating the Ring of Kerry.
The 179km/111mile circular route takes you through Killarney, Kenmare and Killorglin. Late in the day and early in the evening is the best time for this drive, as it seems the scrum of tour buses has returned to the city. Indeed, it is the perfect route to be awed by the Irish scenery and to put the G6 through its paces. The smooth handling was remarkable, with responsive steering. The acceleration in most EVs is mindboggling, and the G6 was no slouch in that department.
I did my best to ensure we were traveling light, but regardless the G6 had plenty of room for our luggage. We could have filled the cargo area with even more knit sweaters from Aran, but cooler heads prevailed. Sadly.
A bit of investigation indicated that sales of electric cars are increasing rapidly outside the US, growing 35% in China in the first four months of the year and 25% in Europe, according to research company Rho Motion. But in the US, Kelley Blue Book reports EV sales were up a more modest 11% in the first three months of 2025.
“Electric cars are good if you have a towing company,” President Trump said in autumn 2023. A few weeks later he said, “You can’t get out of New Hampshire in an electric car.”
The rest of the world seems to have overcome that sort of myopia.
