Day 8: Bekkjarvik (Norway) → Balestrand (Norway)
We awake to a brighter morning after the heavy rain overnight.
And head out to our fully charged car. It was a good system that required a valid Porsche Charging Service card to start the charger – but offers the energy for free if you are a Porsche owner.
This is part of the agreement that properties sign-up to when applying for a destination charger. Porsche covers the cost of the chargers, the installation cost, the electrical contracting, etc – they can charge for use of the chargers – so long as it is offered free to Porsche owners.
We head north of the island and queue for our first ferry of the day.
These islands are off the coast of Norway and hence in the North Sea – and thus have much more robust bows and enclosed structures to the car deck.
Here you can see that this ferry is a hybrid – with both the charging "plug" and exhausts of the diesel generator backups alongside each other.
The PCM weather app reminds us that we'll be ducking rain all this week.
With the passenger display on "satellite" mode showing our route progress between the islands.
Off the ferry and into tunnels. The various Porsche drivers assistants are useful to both maintain speed and lane positioning through the tunnels – many of which as multiple kilometres long.
There are plenty of damn camper vans along the route – but not so many to delay progress – or ruin the enjoyment of the twisty bits.
When its dry – we stop off to enjoy the scenery.
And how well the Norwegian cottages blend into the landscape – with grass on their roofs.
The waterfalls are full of energy with recent rainfalls.
We climb up to 1000 meters.
Before dropping down again to sea level. It is rare to experience going from 1000 meters straight down to zero. And a great reminder that with the 270 kW regenerative capability of the Taycan – altitude is a form of stored energy.
We capture an amazing 5% of battery on our way down.
And onto our last ferry of the day across to our hotel. With this being a calm fjord – the bow is much smaller – and many lean over it for better views.
Approaching the dock on the other side – and we'll be first off.
It is a short few km to our hotel – where we check-in and plug in for a picturesque destination charge. Can you spot the car?
These are 22 kW chargers – are easy to get started with the correct app – and immediately deliver us 19.5 kW effective energy into our battery.
We arrived at the hotel with 39% battery after six hours of driving – a testament to the effect of regen on these twisty, mountainous roads.
We're living on destination charges now – stringing between all our stays. We don't plan on getting them – but when we do – it makes driving an electrical vehicle magical.
My co-driver contemplating the road-trip so far!
Watching the ferries endlessly crossing over and back the fjord.
Before walking around the quaint town of Balestrand – our home for the next two nights.
And seeing the remnants of a recent Russefeiring – suggesting the town isn't always this quiet!
Heading back into our hotel for some food.
And booze priced like it must be made of heavy water.
The days charging stats
| Location | Start SOC % | End SOC % | kWh added | Cost | Duration | Ambient Temp | Battery Temp | Charger Type | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kviknes Hotel | 39% | 100% | 51.1 | €33.15 | 2 hours 55 mins | 16.5 | 30 | AC 22 kW | Easy Park |
Today we did 233 km over 6:04 hours, with an average speed of 40 km/h, consuming 20.3 kWh/100km.
