Seven years ago, my family decided to switch to an electric vehicle. The idea seemed attractive as it was environmentally friendly and seemed to offer a comfortable ride.
Thinking lightly about it, with a somewhat cavalitarian attitude towards contributing to the prevention of global warming, we decided to
change to an electric vehicle.
The car we got was a cute red one, which we affectionately named Ai-chan.
Ai-chan glides comfortably along the well-equipped Joban Expressway, handles the sharp curves of the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway
without any vehicle swaying, and gives the feeling of tires gripping the road. Even on the Gaikan Road, thanks to its quiet interior, Ai-chan
lets us listen to wonderful music even in heavy traffic, relieving us of our frustrations.
In other words, Ai-chan is a fantastic car. However, there's one major issue we've encountered—charging.
Given that I often travel long distances and the lack of sufficient fast-charging facilities, this has become a problem.
At bustling shopping destinations like "LaLaport," we frequently see standard charging facilities, but rarely any fast-charging ones.
The mere provision of standard charging stations doesn't seem to reflect any consideration for the needs of electric vehicle users. It's a
concept that people genuinely interested in promoting electric vehicles would not conceive of.
I never imagined that, even after seven years, charging facilities would still not be adequately provided. The Joban Expressway Tomobe
Service Area is perhaps the only exception.
At the end of last year, the dealer contacted us. They mentioned that the new model has greatly improved charging capabilities, and
suggested we might want to consider replacing Ai-chan.
Ai-chan needs to be charged several times a day. It's fair to say Ai-chan is a car that loves to "walk" (charge). This peculiar trait has,
in a way, brought us closer to the car.
There's no issue with Ai-chan's performance, but by this fall, my car is scheduled to change from Ai-chan to a new one
we'll call "White-kun."
I am grateful for the seven years we've had with Ai-chan. That's why I plan to cherish the remaining time with Ai-chan...