Mark Gaudie is the founder of the North West EV Owners Group.
Mark currently runs a Volkswagen ID.3 Family Pro Performance (registered Dec 2020) and has a ID.4 Pure Life on order which will replace his 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GX4hs.
He’s owned the ID.3 for 18 months and the Outlander PHEV for nearly 4 years. Mark’s annual mileage in both the ID.3 and the Outlander PHEV is approximately 7,000 miles. Total mileage so far in the ID.3 is 9,000 and the Outlander has covered 107,000 to-date.
What was the last ICE car you owned?
2015 Ford Kuga 2.0 Diesel Titanium.
What got you into an EV in the first place?
Test driving a Tesla Model S P85 back in 2013. Our first electric car was the Nissan LEAF Tekna 24kWh which we had for over 3 years and loved dearly. We just wanted more range for family road trips and felt getting away from CHAdeMO would futureproof ourselves more. I would highly recommend a LEAF to anyone looking into their first EV. Very capable car that ticks all the boxes for a great family fun around with plenty of interior space as well as a generous boot.
Initially, what did you find most confusing about EV ownership and how did you solve that?
Range anxiety in the early days with a lack of infrastructure. To solve the issue I make a plan A and plan B. Not so much of an issue anymore as we have more than enough range in our VW. Plus, the charging infrastructure has massively improved over the last 12 to 18 months.
What sources of information helped you e.g. people, groups, websites etc?
EV community groups help massively. You can learn a hell of a lot of valuable information there. You can find many of them on all the social media platforms. Everyone should search their local county for an EV community group. You’d be hard pushed to find a nicer bunch of people.
Sign-up to Electric Road now to receive a FREE ‘Volkswagen ID.3 Guide’, a weekly Newsletter and to win some great prizes!
What events would you recommend attending to learn more about EVs?
Fully charged LIVE events held all over the world are an excellent source of information. From EVs to charging and renewable energy sources. I would even try and attend any of the EV community gathering that take place most of the year around all the different counties. You’ll get all the information you need from actual real owners who are passionate about their vehicles.
What needs to happen to get more people driving an EV?
Lower priced vehicles and more easily accessible charging for everyone.
Who is your EV hero/guru and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a hero but I really admire Elon Musk for what he’s achieved. Most influential person I can think of in the world currently.
What are your top pieces of advice for those people considering their first EV?
- Go get yourself a long term drive in an EV and use it as you would normally use your current car. Then see if it fits your lifestyle.
- Once you have a feel for what they are like then go speak with anyone you know that owns and has owned an EV for a few years. Someone with actual real experience of living with one.
See more Owner Spotlight features here
