Rolf Rombach is an emergency paramedic. His everyday life is hectic. When he’s on the road in an ambulance, it’s often a matter of “life or death”. This is not the only reason why he prefers to slow down on vacation. His plan for the summer holidays: to drive from Rüsselsheim to Kiel in the Zafira-e Life. What is it like to drive long distances on vacation purely on electricity? And what does the family say about it? He wanted to try that.
Let’s go! Stow your luggage and off you go with the Meriva from southern Germany to Rüsselsheim. An Opel Zafira-e Life is waiting there for the Rombach couple and their two daughters, Marielène and Kira. What the children immediately notice: “So many seats!” Namely seven. If required, even nine are possible. But seven are enough for the family of four. The cuddly toys take a seat on seats number 5, 6 and 7 – buckled up, of course! The journey begins with a view from the large panoramic roof.
Start in Rüsselsheim: Before setting off, Rolf Rombach checks the planned travel route again.
A look at the Zafira-e Life: Meanwhile, the rest of the family is already looking forward to plenty of space and legroom.
Day 1: Keep calm when climbing mountains
The range indicator promises around 300 kilometers at the start. That’s enough. Because the Rombach family always uses vacation trips to get to know new things. Instead of simply rushing from A to B on the autobahn, they always make stopovers anyway. Today’s destination: Bad Hersfeld. “In the meantime I got a little nervous,” recalls Rolf Rombach. Because the mountain climbs on the A5 have shrunk the predicted range. “Using the maximum speed of 130 km/h played its part,” he admits. But everything is going smoothly. And there is still plenty of range left when the Stromer stops at a fast charging station in Bad Hersfeld in the evening. While the Opel is recharging 46.5 kilowatts, the Rombach family goes to dinner.
Plenty of storage space: the Zafira-e Life easily swallows the luggage of a family of four.
Arrival in Lübeck: Marielène and Kira have now christened their travel companion “Zaffi”.
Holstentor Lübeck: The Rombach family enjoys a stroll through the old town past the landmark.
Day 2: Eco mode and cruise control ensure range and relaxed travel
The next morning, with full battery power, we set off for the second stage: 400 kilometers on the autobahn to Lübeck. Eco mode and cruise control ensure range and you can travel relaxed, as Rolf Rombach will discover. But the paramedic doesn’t want to take any risks on his maiden electric journey and prefers to plan two stops. At Hildesheim, 34 percent battery becomes 86 percent within 30 minutes. Two and a half hours later, it’s just as fast in Seevetal near Hamburg. After 29 minutes, the battery level has climbed from 30 to 80 percent. Meanwhile, the family members not only stock up on vitamins at the fruit stand next door, the daughters also give their new travel companion a name: he should be called “Zaffi”.
Interim assessment after two days: Confidence is growing
Lübeck has been reached! The family made three charging stops for the first 625 kilometers, and the display shows more than 40 percent of the remaining battery. And the family’s confidence in range increases: instead of first connecting the electric car to the hotel’s own pillar for the onward journey the next day, as planned, the Rombachs stroll past the Holsten Gate to the picturesque old town island, which is framed by the Trave. Because they now know: With 40 percent battery to the Bay of Kiel – that fits without recharging.
Arrived: A view over the Bay of Kiel, in the foreground Laboe.
Day 3: Free charging at the supermarket
The journey is approaching the destination – a holiday apartment in Laboe in the Bay of Kiel. While the Rombach family is making a stopover to buy groceries in the supermarket, the Zafira-e is charging for free in the parking lot of the discount store. A pillar neighbor provides information on where to find more charging pillars: In most cases, you even save the parking fee while charging. Good to know.
Local excursions: charging instead of parking fees
Summer, sun, waves – the family enjoys the next ten days on the Baltic Sea. And for day trips, “Zaffi” will come along again. And it is as the column neighbor promised: in Kellenhusen, for example, “normal” parking would have cost 1.50 euros per hour. While the family enjoys the sun and beach, their car parks for free and receives a 30 kWh charge during this time. Another detour to Cismar for the famous monastery festival and back to the holiday apartment in the evening – in the end the electrified Opel has more juice in the battery than in the morning. Incidentally, without additional effort.
The journey home is easy: More and more truck stops have fast charging stations.
Neat: The charge balance after just under 17 minutes – 60 percent.
The last stage: From St. Goar we head in the direction of Rüsselsheim.
The journey home: fast charging network = home quickly
After ten days we go home. This time only one night is planned. Thanks to the fast charging network along the Autobahn, that shouldn’t be a problem, should it? However, Autobahn 1 invites Rolf Rombach to try out what the 100 kW electric motor can do. “The quiet gliding along means you don’t even notice how fast you are,” he admits apologetically. Ultimately, he remembers what he had learned on the first day: eco-mode and cruise control. The Rombach family spent the last night of their holiday in the Middle Rhine Valley. Sankt Goar Youth Hostel is just a few hundred meters from a charging station. During the hike to Rheinfels Castle, “Zaffi” invites you one last time.
Mobile future of the Rombachs: purely electric
When the Rombach family gives up their travel companion in Rüsselsheim, saying goodbye to “Zaffi” is particularly difficult for the children. “Yes, charging takes a little longer than refueling. But we made great use of the time as a family – to eat, play or go for a walk,” says Rolf Rombach, summing up the electrical experiences. With his wife and him, the anticipation outweighs anyway. Because they have already ordered an Opel Corsa-e. You can pick him up in November. “And now we also know that a family holiday with a purely electric car harmonises perfectly,” sums up Rolf Rombach.
Sep 2022
Text and photos: Rolf Rombach