At the end of 2020, there were a number of restrictions due to the quarantine. Perhaps it is strange, but they affected those traveling by electric cars more strongly. In those days, there were not many charging stations, and on the Vilnius-Klaipėda highway, all electric cars were charged at several free, slow 50 kW power stations owned by the Lithuanian Road Directorate.
Cafes where you could wait for the electric car to be charged were not working. Then we went with a Peugeot 2008. Since we left Vilnius with a full battery, we planned to charge twice. Believe me, on a cold November evening, just sitting in the car for two and a half hours is not the best option.
Peugeot photo/Peugeot 2008
There was not a single fast charging station in Palanga then (there is none now). Therefore, returning to Vilnius with a partially charged battery was tragic. At the first stop on the highway, we had to wait an hour for the electric cars that came before us to finish their sessions. I had to stop in Kaunas once again. Then the wife declared that she would not drive an electric car again. And not because electric cars are bad, but because there was no charging infrastructure back then.
e-C4 X-Electric
Three years have passed. Once again, a short vacation is planned in Palanga. One in late autumn, and the other just a few days ago. For the first, Fakto Auto gave the Citroen E-C4X, which should travel about 360 km on a single charge. For the latter, in which the temperature was only slightly warmer, Stelauto provided the new E-Berlingo with a range of 336 km. Everyone knows very well that the figures specified by the manufacturers are more suitable for city conditions, so it was clear in advance that it would be necessary to charge more often. And so it was.
Travels
We drove the Citroen E-C4X to Palanga on the highway, and the E-Berlingo had a more difficult test – with it we checked the route of this year’s electric car competition “Ignitis ON: get to know Lithuania!”, which went through Panevėžys, Kražius towards Palanga. Both trips were different, but we didn’t experience the inconveniences of three years ago. When charging at the fast stations on the main roads, we waste the same amount as at regular gas stations. You eat a sandwich, go to the toilet and the battery is already full. But there are nuances.
We tested the services of all major charging networks during both trips. Ignitis ON and Inbalance grid simply debit the bill for charging. “Elinta” and “Ionity” reserve EUR 40 in the account for each session. Ionity returned the reserved amount to the account after a few days, Elinta took more than a week. Travelers should pay attention to this, because very quickly you can find several hundred euros reserved in your account.
Both cars reached Palanga with two charges. It’s true, with the E-Berlingo, on the first part of the route via Molėti and Skiemonis to Panevėžys, I was forced to save a lot and drive slower than the traffic conditions and restrictions allowed. I thought of stopping for a short charge halfway to Molėtai at a stop installed, but it didn’t work. And we covered the rest of the way without any discomfort. Stopping at the fast Ignitis ON stop near Panevėžys lasted exactly as long as it took to eat a burger. Exactly the same situation in Kryžkalnis “Ionity”. True, “Ignitis ON” is much cheaper.
“E-C4X” could cover the road to Palanga with one stop, but to be safe, we stopped at the “EMSI” fast charging station. For some reason, the charging power did not exceed 40 kW, so we wasted no time and successfully reached Kryžkalnis.
Both cars drive like all Citroens – they float comfortably above the road. On the highway, they absorb all the bumps, and in the city they feel really good on narrow streets. Compared to its sibling, the E-C4, the X is quite similar in design, although the rear end is quite different. The size of the car suggests that it belongs to the SUV category, and when you open the trunk, you realize that it is a sedan. And the trunk is really impressive – with a capacity of 510 liters, the largest among competitors in this segment. The space in the E-Berlingo’s cabin and trunk is also more than necessary.
There are many electric cars in Palanga, but charging is still a problem
While walking and driving in Palanga, it is very noticeable that there are many electric cars here. You really don’t see them that much in Vilnius. Electric cars can be charged in Palanga. But it is not easy. There are two slow (50 kW) charging stations and more than 10 very slow charging stations, many of them in private areas. It is even worse in Švento. There is one 50 kW station which is always busy. We drove up to her, found the Mustang without a driver. We turned on the Type 2 and went for a walk. When we returned, we saw an aggressive Mustang owner who had opened up another Mustang for charging, but for some reason parked it outside of the stop. Rebus made up his mind after seeing the message on the stop screen – parking time exceeded. Maybe there is some kind of limit, but I was charging the car for about 30 minutes, it’s like I shouldn’t have exceeded it. It’s true, it should be clarified here that I thought I was loading. Unfortunately, I didn’t charge anything. The station came up with something by itself and disconnected my car and the one charging next to it. No amount of action got us out of the “parking time exceeded” so we spat and drove away.
True, there is good knowledge for electric motorists. Already in June, “Ignitis ON” will activate 24 charging points in Palanga, of which 20 are of higher power (60 kW) and 4 are of very high power (150 kW). The total power will reach almost 1 MWh. This is very good news, which prompted the organizers of the 10-year-old “Ignitis ON: Discover Lithuania!” electric car competition to organize the finish of the jubilee race in Palanga again. Until then, the free 50 kW station near the stadium gets the most customers. There’s always a line, and rest assured, if you see a Tesla charging, it’ll be there for the hour it’s allowed. And there are almost no queues at the pay station of the same capacity near Lidl. The appearance of the “Ignitis ON” charging center should significantly change the habits of Palangi residents and guests. Those for whom maximum savings are important will continue to charge at a free station, while those for whom speed and time are important will definitely move to a new location.
Currently, slow charging stations dominate and the price is almost the same everywhere – 35 cents per kW. True, not all Citroens adopted the same charge. The best result was at the Melnragė II beach stop. By the way, there is also an interesting situation there. There used to be 2 stations where 4 cars could be charged at the same time, but there were only 2 parking spaces. Last year the stations were dismantled, and this year only one returned.
Citroen’s charging algorithm is specific and does not encourage the use of ultra-fast charging stations. Up to 50% load, the received power reaches 85-87 kW. From 50% it decreases to 50 kW, and from 79% it drops to 15 kW and continues to decrease. Therefore, on our way to Vilnius, we had a lot of fun using the free 50 kW charging stations, where there are now no queues left at all.
Trip price
It would be easier to drive to Palanga from Vilnius and back with a small gray diesel-powered car. But an electric car is much more comfortable. I received the cars with almost 100% charged battery. I recharged in Palanga for free and for a fee. I reached Vilnius with 15% battery left. I paid about 52 EUR for energy and I understand that I covered about 300 km (out of 800 driven) for free. With a small diesel car, I would have paid a little more than 60 EUR.
It should also be noted here that with a Citroen on the highway, one charge at a temperature of +2 and while towing can cover about 180 km. Average energy consumption at 110 km/h was 23 kWh/100 km. In city mode, even in low temperatures, the car was much more economical and I think I could go a little over 300 km without problems.
Conclusion
Any electric car can drive across Lithuania without any problems. Yes, sometimes you will need to pause a little longer at some charging points. But if more fast charging stations are installed with a competitive price, the number of electric cars will increase and the anxiety of finding a busy station will decrease. I felt it myself. 3 years ago, I was afraid all the way whether I would be able to charge or not have to wait in line for a long time. Now I was driving completely calm and I knew that I would reach Palanga in less than 4 hours. And so it happened.
