The number of electric vehicles and charging stations in Estonia is rapidly increasing every year. However, there are still many people who have never sat behind the wheel of an electric car. Guido Pärnits, the CEO of Ülemiste Centre, embarked on a green journey by trying out a rented Tesla from Beast for a few days. Here, he shares his impressions of the driving experience and his collaboration with Enefit.
In the summer of 2019, Ülemiste Centre, in collaboration with Enefit, installed its first three EV chargers. Today, the charging park has expanded significantly, allowing up to 20 electric cars to charge simultaneously. Why is it important for your centre to offer charging facilities to customers?
The goal of modern shopping centres is not only to sell goods but also to provide services. Just as we have offered sewing services and car washes for years, we now have charging points and a petrol station. These are part of a broader service package that we want to offer our customers in the best possible way and on the largest possible scale.
Like Enefit, we also want to offer services where people already go about their daily errands. An electric vehicle owner is unlikely to come here specifically for charging but can do so while visiting the centre.
Who are the main users of the charging stations at Ülemiste Centre?
I believe that the majority of those who charge their cars here are people living in apartment buildings. In a private house, you have your own land and enough space. Many of my friends have installed an EV charger at home—it’s convenient and works well. However, if you live in an apartment building, charging your car at home is significantly more challenging unless you have your own designated parking space with a charger.
Logistically, Ülemiste Centre is also in a good location for those coming from further away. For example, someone might come from Tartu in an electric car and leave it here for three or four hours to charge while taking care of things in the city centre.
Are there enough chargers at Ülemiste Centre?
I’ve started thinking about this myself—while we now have 20 charging points, it already seems insufficient. Perhaps we do need more! I recently took a test drive in an electric car for a couple of days—I’m a petrol car owner myself. On my way back, before returning the car, I tried charging it at the centre. During that time, quite a few cars came by looking for charging opportunities, and they had to turn around and find another place.
So, I see that there is definitely demand for charging in a public and busy place like this. Ülemiste is at the intersection of roads leading into the city, and there are plenty of customers who want to charge. If Enefit were to ask us today if we should add another five chargers, I’d likely say yes—we’d find a way to make it happen.
You mentioned that this was your first time trying out an electric car. What were your biggest concerns?
I did the test drive with a Tesla, and its range with a fully charged battery was sufficient, so there was no need to charge during the trip. Nevertheless, my first thought was where I could charge if necessary, whether there would be an available socket at the charging station, and how quickly I could get a sufficient charge. I think those who use electric cars daily don’t even complain about this because they are already accustomed to the new charging needs and are more familiar with the charging network.
When switching from a fuel-powered car to an electric one, drivers inevitably need to change their refuelling habits. Petrol stations are on every corner, but electric vehicle charging points need to be sought out, especially for a new electric car user. However, the infrastructure has developed significantly in recent years, and there are plenty of charging opportunities.
I also briefly considered what would happen if I ran out of charge on the road—would roadside assistance come and charge me up enough to reach the next charger, or would they tow the car away? Fortunately, I didn’t have to find the answer to this question on my trip.
Although you didn’t need to charge the car, you still tried?
Yes, to get the charging experience, I came to the Ülemiste parking lot to charge before returning the car. I checked how to connect the plug to the car and how the process generally works. It took me a bit of time to figure it out, as this isn’t something I have in my muscle memory. But I managed!
For me, the biggest downside of an electric car is the slow charging time. I saw that it would take an hour and a half to fully charge the car. I wouldn’t have time to sit at the charging station for that long just for charging, but if I had other errands to run at the same time, then I’d let it charge while I’m busy. It’s likely that most electric car owners don’t fully charge or completely drain their car batteries but instead charge bit by bit while doing their shopping.
What was different compared to your everyday car?
Driving the Tesla was undoubtedly a modern experience — there are few buttons, and the screen is large and good for following navigation. It was certainly entertaining. The car’s size was also different from my everyday vehicle — if you’re used to an SUV, getting into and out of a Tesla takes some manoeuvring. The accelerator pedal on the Tesla felt surprisingly heavy. Still — seeing is believing! The Beast Tesla with Enefit logos is available for rent from the Ülemiste parking lot, so it’s worth trying out!
Would you buy an electric car as your next vehicle?
I wouldn’t buy an electric car because I’ve reached an age where I’m more comfortable with a larger car, and for me, electric cars are rather small. If I need to rent a car on a trip, it’s not a problem, but in my daily drives, I feel more comfortable in a large car.
How much attention do you pay to green ideology in your daily consumption?
I might not think too much about how green my daily habits are, but I’m definitely willing to pay extra on my electricity or waste bill to support renewable energy production and environmental conservation. I should check whether I have a green electricity package at home. But I know that Ülemiste Centre certainly does.
We don’t even consider cost-saving by paying less for the renewable energy component. Ülemiste Centre fully supports green thinking, and buying electricity generated from renewable sources is one thing we can do for this cause. All profit-making companies should take responsibility for contributing to a sustainable future, and using renewable energy is one of the least things they can do to achieve this.
