My ENYAQ iV: trips on a single charge

Visit as many cities as possible within a single-charge range from home. This was the self-imposed challenge of the first of the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV drivers who were approached by ŠKODA Storyboard to share their experience.

24. 11. 2021 eMobility

Well, Martin Thirolf, a 44-year-old product manager at SAP from Frankfurt am Main, did. His friend once offered him a ride in an electric car, and that was it. He immediately decided to go all-electric and ordered the ENYAQ iV without even seeing it with his own eyes. “Our car is the ENYAQ iV 80 in the beautiful Lounge interior and Quartz Grey paint that suits it so much. However, if I had to choose today, I’d probably go for a more colourful choice in the SPORTLINE trim,” he admits.

Martin and his wife Evita love travelling, both long-distance and just around the corner. They’ve set their personal goal to visit all cities they can reach on a single charge from Frankfurt am Main.

What made Martin decide for the Czech e-car was – apart from all the unique features and figures which are common with other electric vehicles, too – its interior design and quality. In roughly four months he has done over 12,000 kilometres in his ENYAQ iV, including a two-week and 3,000-kilometre trip around France and Switzerland in October we will cover in Škoda Storyboard magazine later on.

When he talks about his new car, it’s obvious Martin is a real technology buff. And an early adopter. “Sometimes I feel like an information agency. You wouldn’t believe how often I have to explain stuff about electric drive. How is it? Will there be no more combustion engines? How soon? How does charging actually work? There’s so much to explain and people keep asking,” he says with a spark in his eye.

Martin and Evita Thirolf

And he continues praising this type of drive, saying it’s quiet, extremely smooth, very efficient and that it teaches you new skills. “It also opens new possibilities because you have to plan your rides a bit. But I consider this a plus, actually. You discover new shops – if they provide a charger, of course – or new places when you leave the freeway for a short and relaxing charging stop,” he points out.

He also emphasises the advantages of the electric drive: “It’s relaxing, extremely relaxing. Quiet and simply superior to any combustion car. As for the range, which is being discussed so much, I really see no issue. From my experience so far, it’s rarely necessary to use the full capacity. Doing 300 kilometres in one leg on the freeway is no problem, even if you drive quite fast.”

Martin has had a wall box charger installed at home the other day. He says it’s extremely convenient, but also admits he’s never had any problems without it. “Unfortunately, there aren’t many fast chargers in the Frankfurt area, but plenty of shops provide the slower 11-kilowatt versions. And I can always charge at the office. While travelling, charging is no issue either as there are many fast chargers all across Germany.”

Before we part, Martin wishes to say one more thing about the ENYAQ iV: “I really love the tiny Virtual cockpit. The neat look of the dashboard is really unique and something I don’t want to miss, the laptop-sized main display should really be enough. And kudos for having real buttons on the steering wheel!”