“Pure driving pleasure” – my trip to Dartmoor with the new all-electric Vauxhall Mokka-e
Motoring writer Tim Gibson enjoys the thrill and convenience of pure electric on his favourite road trip through the splendour of Dartmoor
It’s a gorgeous early winter morning as I leave Somerset in search of more dramatic terrain. The rolling swards of home bow gracefully in the pale sun, but I long for the wild grey granite of Dartmoor, where the roads will unfurl like black ribbons before me.
I’m in the perfect car to relish them. The Vauxhall Mokka-e is a driver’s delight, with a pure-electric drivetrain delivering instant torque. I sense its eagerness as I head along the A303. I’ve selected Eco drive mode for this leg of the journey: this maximises efficiency to give the best possible range. The other two modes – Normal and Sport – speak for themselves.
According to the readout on the “Pure Panel” – a 10-inch and 12-inch digital display sitting side by side as the dashboard’s nerve centre – I have a range of 120 miles from the vehicle’s max range of up to 209* miles by the time I reach Exeter. That’s more than enough for my intended journey, but I decide to top up in case I’m tempted by diversions. It’s a quick and cost-effective job at a service station’s rapid-charging point: plug in, tap your card against the reader or register online, and let the charge begin. Just enough time to grab a coffee before heading off with a full battery.
Immersed in my surroundings
It seems churlish not to engage Sport mode once I arrive on Dartmoor. Leaving the town of Bovey Tracey in my zero-tailpipe-emission wake, I take my clear conscience up to the heights of Haytor. This is one of Dartmoor’s most famous landmarks, but my interest lies in the road that runs beneath it: a long stretch that takes me deeper into the golden hues of the moor, with jagged stacks of rock rising on either side like dignitaries surveying the dance floor at a state ball.
The Vauxhall Mokka-e comes alive in this context. I appreciate the lack of engine noise as I am immersed in my surroundings, benefiting from the extra charge created by regenerative braking as I slow on the declines. A cyclist passes and we share an affinity: silent travellers, working with the grain of the landscape.
By the time I’ve crossed the moor and rejoined the main road even further west, I have already planned my homeward journey using the MyVauxhall app. With the car plugged in outside a café as the evening shadows lengthen, I use the app to turn on the heating remotely. That way, it’ll be nice and snug when I clamber aboard, without using up any of the battery’s juice.
A drive that clears the mind
Features like this make the Vauxhall Mokka-e an exemplary travelling companion. The adaptive cruise control and automatic headlights and windscreen wipers on my Elite Premium-spec derivative also help. At the end of a long day and with Normal drive mode duly engaged, it’s an easy place to pass the miles on the journey home.
That leaves my mind free to wander back to Dartmoor and the experience of driving those roads. It’s something I’ve done many times in any number of test cars. But few rival the Mokka-e for pure driving pleasure.
To find out more about the Vauxhall Mokka-e and their complete range of all-electric cars and vans visit vauxhall.co.uk
Fuel economy and CO2 results for the Vauxhall Mokka-e 100KW (136PS). Mpg (I/100km): N/A CO2 emissions: 0g/km. Electric range up to 209 miles (WLTP).
*WLTP Figures shown are for comparison purposes and should only be compared to the fuel consumption and CO2 values of other cars tested to the same technical standard. The fuel consumption achieved, and CO2 produced, in real world conditions will depend upon a number of factors including, but not limited to: the accessories fitted (pre and post registration); variations in weather; driving styles and vehicle load. The WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) is used to measure fuel consumption and CO2 figures. The CO2 figures display a range to reflect the highest value for the highest emitting version with all available options added, through to a minimum value to represent the lowest emitting version in standard specification. For more information contact your local Vauxhall Retailer.