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Welcome to Electric with Tom Abell
18 Jan 2021
Electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular than ever, in fact in 2020 1 in 10 cars registered in the UK were electric. As part of our Electric Takeover week, we spoke with Somerset Cricket Captain and Mercedes-Benz South West Brand Ambassador Tom Abell about his latest experience using one of our EQ models and his thoughts on the electric vehicle future.
Which vehicle are you driving today?
I am currently driving the Mercedes-Benz CLAe.
Have you driven a hybrid/electric before if not how did you find it?
This is my first experience of driving an electric/hybrid vehicle and I’ve really enjoyed it. It is incredibly smooth and it is obviously great to be able to drive in the electric capacity.
What’s the first thing you noticed when driving the vehicle?
The acceleration of the car in electric mode is awesome! However the first thing that I noticed was how quiet and effortless the car was. I had to double check the car was actually running!
Were you able to complete a route in full electric?
I have been able to complete a number of trips in full electric; my commute is relatively short so that works perfectly for me! The car is able to do 30 miles in full electric which is often more than I need.
What surprised you the most about driving electric?
I guess the thing that most surprised me was the speed of the acceleration and just how comfortable it is! That is probably one of the things I like most about driving a Mercedes-Benz, how smooth everything is!
How often did you have to charge the vehicle and how did you find this?
As I have alluded to previously, the majority of my trips are relatively short so I probably charge the car every couple of weeks. I don’t have a wall box charger at home yet, but there are electric charging points around Taunton and even at my supermarket so charging is never a problem!
Do you think that you would look at a full electric Mercedes-Benz next time?
Absolutely! I feel like we need to be conscious of our environment and protect the planet where possible, and I certainly feel electric cars are a huge positive moving forward. They are just as comfortable and just as nice to drive!
