Cornwall, UK to North Cape, Norway (7,438 mile/11,970 km journey)
From the winding lanes of Cornwall to the icy tip of Norway, Richard set out on an extraordinary 7,438-mile/11,970-km journey in his Kia EV9 - armed with nothing more than his love for road trips, a sense of adventure, and the Electroverse app to keep him charged along the way. On his journey, he not only proved the capability and comfort of modern EV travel but also raised thousands of pounds for MacMillan Cancer Support, showing that with the right tools, even the most ambitious drives are well within reach!
Let’s get plugged in…
Richard’s EV Driving Story
First of all - why did you go on this journey? What were you aiming to achieve?
I have always enjoyed a road trip. In my twenties, back in the late 1980s, I travelled Highway 1 in Australia, following a lot of the coast, including a trip to the centre of the country. Over the years that followed, I looked at the map and wanted to drive as far as you can within Europe. That meant North Cape, at the top of Norway. In the end I actually drove further east than North Cape, as far as the Russian border. If it wasn’t for the current tensions, I would have loved to have driven further, into Russia.
North Cape, or Nordkapp, to give it its Norwegian name, is the most northerly point of Norway (and Europe!) you can reach by road. It is 300 miles inside the Arctic Circle. I travelled by myself and I covered nearly 7,500 miles, travelling through France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland (and returning), taking just three weeks.
We raised nearly £4,500 for MacMillan Cancer Support! They supported me for nearly seven years while I have been going through treatment for advanced cancer and I wanted to give something back.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, everything stopped. The cancer dominated everything and I forgot to keep living. My life was just getting through each day, and I felt I couldn’t make any plans for the future. Many people have a bucket list that they intend to do ‘one day’, but before you realise, that day has passed. I wanted to do this road trip to show that, even after multiple operations and during extended cancer treatment, you can still live your dreams. MacMillan supported me through my lowest points and showed me that life is worth living. I wished to raise funds to help them to help others who are starting on their own journeys.
There have been some very difficult times over the years, including three operations, sepsis twice and a stay in ICU. Most recently (before and during this journey), I have had an issue with the immunotherapy attacking my joints and muscles, which was very painful and put this challenge at risk, although meds have helped with this. I am registered disabled yet work full-time as a paramedic and was only a couple of months short of my 60th birthday when I undertook this challenge.
What make/model of EV did you drive? Is this your usual car?
The car was a Kia EV9 Gt Line S, in white. This is my daily car and I’ve driven it since new - September 2024. It was the perfect vehicle for this long journey. It was very comfortable, and I could fit a full-sized single mattress in the back. Being an EV, I could have the air conditioning and heating running continuously, which was very important when I was in the north of Scandinavia, where the temperature was only just above freezing even in midsummer. A month later, I see the area is having unseasonably high temperatures, which are over 30C. The air con would have been used more than the heater if I had gone just a bit later!
Being an EV, it was comfortable, quiet, smooth and quick when needed (the Autobahn in Germany allowed the car to show me it was all of the above at three-digit speeds). I loved having V2L* to run a car fridge 24/7, and other appliances, such as a microwave oven and kettle. The Utility Mode (Camping Mode) meant the car could have everything running overnight, while I slept, keeping the interior at just the right temperature and humidity. If there was one thing I didn’t like, it was some of the restrictions on Utility Mode. For example, you couldn’t lock the car from the outside when it was running. A small point really, one which could be addressed by a software update, I’m sure.
How many of these stops were slow chargers? How many were rapid?
All rapids. Some were the slower 50kW ones and others were 350kW. Most were 150kW or higher. My car can charge at around 210kW. I only met one charger that didn’t want to work and this wasn’t a problem as there were others nearby.
How long did your journey take?
Three weeks. I shaved two days off on the way back from North Cape (it was going to be 23 days) as I wanted to get back. My cancer treatment had caused a flare up of inflammatory arthritis in many of my joints and I was in pain for the majority of the trip.
Which charging operators did you use?
I just used the Electroverse app to find chargers. I didn’t filter by operator, although I found myself mostly at IONITY chargers. These seemed to be the best laid out, with multiple chargers and often with drive through facilities, for those towing caravans.
Do you feel confident on long trips in an EV? Do you have another trip planned?
Absolutely. I did no planning of charging stops on this trip, apart from in the far north of Scandinavia, where all fuel refilling locations are scarce and everyone has to plan a bit.
I just drove until I needed a break. If there wasn’t a charger where I stopped (and many times, there was), a quick look at the Electroverse app would show me chargers nearby.
As for future trips, there is another one I would love to do. Instead of driving north, I would head south, and drive to Cape Matapan. This is the most Southerly point of mainland Greece. To get there, I would have to drive through France > Germany > Austria > Slovenia > Croatia > Hungary > Romania > Bulgaria > Greece (this is not the most direct route, but it keeps me within the EU, which keeps my car insurance happy). Return would be Greece > ferry > Italy > Switzerland > France. Very roughly, it would be 5,500 miles (8,800km) return.
I would love to be able to undertake this trip for charity. This time I would raise funds for Marie Curie. Both my mother and stepfather spent their last days (separately) in one of their hospices, and the care they received was excellent. I’d love to give something back.
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