Eways installed a charging station in our garage this week. I’m finally charging my car at home.
It’s almost two years since I rented an electric car for a month and learned that being able to charge at home is a prerequisite.
Two years have passed. First discussing the technical solution, then hitting the legal issues specific to our type of home owners association. After finding a way to navigate that, passing a proposition through a general vote. Then the installation of the shared infrastructure. Then in late July I could order a charging station. This week it was installed.
Three out of 82 houses have signed up so far.
Democracy in Sweden is consensus democracy. Unless everyone agrees, nothing happens.
The Swedish government elected last year put climate as number 7 on their list of priorities. To get majority, they needed the mandates from the right wing populist party which is climate deniers. Or rather: Their environmental policy is about making it easier for people to raise horses in the country side.
So predictably since then, the government has put forward legislation that removes the premium for private citizens to buy electric cars. They also lowered the taxes on fuel and lowered the requirement for fuel reduction (the amount of bio fuel in the fuel you buy at the pump).
I care less. I can charge at home. It is way cheaper to drive electric than gasoline. Our hybrid car has an electric range of 50 km which nicely covers our every day needs with school, work, and shopping.
Driving electric is quiet, doesn’t smell, and there is plenty of punch when needed. The rest of the world will come around eventually.
(I’ve been charging at home for the last year of course, using the granny plug. Not according to regulations but when the alternative is worse, rules must be broken. We have done 3000 km on less than 30 litres of gasoline since returning from Denmark in July).