Saturday 10th October 2026: Copdock Interchange Ipswich Park & Ride was the venue for the first Electric Vehicle Experience Day with a new twist.
Rather than aiming the theme at a corporate audience, this time it was families front and centre which worked so well, with a busy event filled with excitement and discovery. How many more EVs will be on Suffolk’s roads after so many visitors got a taste of this superior technology for the first time?
The answer may never be known, but judging by the queues for test drives and the smiles on the faces of returning drivers, quite a few conversations are likely to have started on the journey home.
Upon arrival, visitors were encouraged to register for the prize draws and the test drives which, after wandering around the huge array of available demonstration vehicles, they found themselves spoiled for choice.
If people had questions, there were a number of EV owners happy to answer queries and a special shout-out must go to Adrian, from the Colchester Electric Vehicle Society who has been doing this longer than most and is yet to meet a sensible question he couldn’t answer.
Local dealerships brought along an impressive range of electric vehicles, giving visitors the opportunity to get behind the wheel, put their questions to the experts and discover that modern EVs are a long way removed from many of the myths that still surround them. Quiet, smooth, responsive and packed with technology, the test drives provided a glimpse of what increasingly feels less like the future of motoring and more like the present.
Away from the cars, there was plenty to keep families entertained. The pedal-powered Scalextric track proved that even miniature motors can be replaced by human power, with racers quickly discovering that victory depended less on thumb control and more on leg endurance. It is remarkable how competitive adults can become when challenged with an activity ‘just for fun’.
There were also other uses for power from an electric vehicle, including the concept of Vehicle to Load (V2L) where the power from the battery can flow out to operate appliances, such as a television or even a fridge/freezer. Handy on the unlikely situation of a power cut or needing electricity away from mains access. A lot of attendees were seeing this concept for the first time.
For those inspired to travel on two wheels rather than four, a selection of e-bikes was available to try throughout the day. Visitors were able to experience for themselves the magic combination of cycling and electric assistance, usually accompanied by the same reaction after the first ride: a slightly surprised grin and a comment along the lines of “that’s much easier than I expected.”
One of the busiest attractions of the day was the Bike Doctor service. While visitors explored the event, qualified mechanics were carrying out health checks and servicing on bikes that may have spent rather too long gathering dust in sheds and garages. The service represented excellent value and was in constant demand throughout the day, proving that if you make sustainable travel easier, people are very willing to give it a go.
The event successfully combined practical information with hands-on experiences, creating a relaxed atmosphere where people could ask questions, try new technologies and discover sustainable travel options without feeling they were being lectured. Sometimes the best way to encourage change is simply to let people have a go for themselves.
Walking, cycling or taking the bus are all good options, but if you have to drive, it’s best to drive electric and with the clear success of this first event like this, it is definite that the Suffolk in Motion 2027 event will be even more popular. If the level of interest throughout the day was anything to go by, Suffolk residents are more than ready to explore cleaner, smarter and healthier ways to travel.
