Ford Puma Gen-E: Portsmouth to Hastings and Back on a Single Charge

The Setup: A Christmas Journey with No Margin for Error

Saturday, December 20th, 2025, 11:00 AM. I'm about to drive from the Portsmouth area to my father's house in Hastings—82 miles away—in my Ford Puma Gen-E. The car is packed: two children in car seats, Christmas presents for my father and his partner, overnight clothes, changes of shoes, coats, and all the paraphernalia that comes with a family overnight trip.

I set off with 95% charge showing 284km (177 miles) of estimated range. The plan was simple: drive up Saturday, stay overnight, and return Sunday evening. What I didn't anticipate was just how tight things would get on the way home.

Outbound Journey: The Comfortable Part

The Saturday journey up to Hastings was busy but uneventful. Late-morning traffic on the weekend before Christmas meant the roads were packed, but the journey went smoothly. I arrived at 13:11—roughly on schedule at 2 hours 11 minutes.

Arrival stats: 49% battery remaining with 84 miles of capacity left. The odometer read 3,873.4 miles. With 82 miles driven and 46% battery used (95% to 49%), the car had performed almost exactly as predicted. No range anxiety here—I'd arrived with plenty to spare.

At Father's House: The Realization

Here's where things got interesting. I had no plans to charge at my father's house. The Puma Gen-E has a 48 kWh battery, and charging on a standard UK three-pin plug would take over 24 hours to go from 49% to full. Not practical for an overnight stay.

My father then informed me we needed to drive to Ore train station and back—0.4 miles each way through Hastings' hilly streets. This seemingly trivial errand had me nervous. Hastings is notoriously hilly, and hills drain EV batteries faster than flat terrain. Every percentage point suddenly mattered.

After the station trip: The odometer showed 3,875.4 miles—a 2-mile round trip that consumed 3% battery (49% down to 46%). That's a significant drain for such a short distance, but hills extract their price.

The Return Journey: Range Management in Action

The Decision (18:01 Departure)

Staring at the dashboard, the maths was clear: 75 miles of capacity versus 80 miles of journey. I was 5 miles short. But I'd driven this route before and noticed the car's real-world efficiency often beat its predictions. The question was: could I make up that 5-mile deficit through careful driving?

I decided to risk it. Worst-case scenario, I'd use a public charger for the first time. The kids were already in their pyjamas and settling in for the drive home. We departed at 18:01 with an estimated journey time of 1 hour 54 minutes. Google suggested a different route home—via the seafront rather than the inland route we'd taken on the way up, likely due to traffic patterns.

Journey Conditions

The kids fell asleep watching Shrek on the iPad. Shrek also served as my entertainment—I'd turned off the radio to save every bit of battery I could. The heating was on at 20°C. I wasn't going to freeze my family for a few percentage points, but I was willing to make other compromises.

The roads were fairly clear for a Sunday evening near Christmas, which worked in my favour.

Checkpoint 1: Pevensey (18:29 — 28 minutes in)

• Capacity: 66 miles
• Remaining journey: 67 miles
• Battery: 41%
• Status: Still 1 mile short

At Pevensey, I made a strategic decision. I turned off the automatic headlights and switched to manual main beams. The automatic system constantly adjusts between dipped and main beams, which uses a small amount of power. On quiet Sunday evening roads, I could leave the main beams on and save a marginal amount of energy.

I also started leaving a larger gap between me and the car ahead, allowing me to coast to traffic lights without braking. The goal was to maximize regenerative braking opportunities while minimizing energy loss from acceleration.

Checkpoint 2: Polegate (18:45 — 44 minutes in)

• Capacity: 63 miles
• Remaining journey: 63 miles
• Battery: 39%
• Status: Perfectly matched—no longer short!

For the first time, the numbers lined up. I was driving 50–60 mph in 70 mph zones where possible. Fortunately, there were a few slower drivers on the road, so I didn't feel like I was holding everyone up. Lower speeds mean better efficiency—air resistance increases exponentially with speed, and at 70 mph, you're fighting a lot more drag than at 55 mph.

The AC Crisis (Between Polegate and Lancing)

Then I noticed a problem. The heating was on, but the air conditioning was off. The internal windows were starting to steam up from condensation—three people breathing in a sealed car creates a lot of moisture.

I couldn't let it get to the point where visibility was compromised, so I turned on the AC before it became a safety issue. The impact was immediate: the car's remaining range estimate dropped to a couple of miles below the journey distance remaining. The AC compressor is one of the biggest energy drains on an EV.

The kids already had their coats over their laps, so I made a decision: AC on to clear the windows, heating off, then cycle the AC intermittently to manage condensation without constantly running the compressor. It was a balancing act between safety (clear windows) and range (making it home).

Checkpoint 3: Lancing (19:10 — 1 hour 9 minutes in)

• Capacity: 36 miles
• Remaining journey: 35 miles
• Battery: 24%
• Status: 1 mile ahead—back in the game!

The intermittent AC strategy was working. I was back to having a slight buffer, and the tension started to ease.

Checkpoint 4: Chichester (19:47 — 1 hour 46 minutes in)

• Capacity: 15 miles
• Remaining journey: 11 miles
• Battery: 12%
• Status: 4 miles ahead—cushion growing!

By Chichester, I had a comfortable 4-mile buffer. Shrek had either finished or was rolling credits at this point. From Chichester home, the route via Arundel is quite flat, which is ideal for EV efficiency. The only obstacles were the roundabouts.

The Final Push: Roundabout Gauntlet (Arundel to Home)

The A27 between Arundel and home is dotted with roundabouts every 0.2 miles, with 70 mph road between them. This presented an opportunity. Instead of accelerating hard and braking hard, I would accelerate to a maximum of 50 mph and then coast back down to the roundabout, harvesting regenerative braking as I slowed.

This technique turned the roundabout gauntlet into a range-extending asset. Each deceleration fed energy back into the battery, and the modest acceleration speeds minimized energy expenditure.

By this point, I'd built up a 6-mile buffer over the remaining distance. With that safety margin, I turned the AC back on full-time for comfort.

Home Arrival: Mission Accomplished

I pulled into the driveway with:

• 6 miles of capacity remaining
• 5% battery
• Odometer reading: 3,945.2 miles

The trip computer showed the full stats for the return journey:

I'd made it home. The gamble had paid off.

The Numbers Breakdown

Let's break down the full weekend journey:

Outbound Journey (Saturday 20th December, 11:00)

• Battery: 95% → 49%
• Distance: ~82 miles (Google estimate)
• Time: 2 hours 11 minutes
• Conditions: Very busy traffic
• Climate: Heating on, normal driving

At Father's House

• Local driving: 2 miles (Ore station trip)
• Battery used: 3% (49% → 46%)
• Terrain impact: Hilly Hastings streets

Return Journey (Sunday 21st December, 18:01)

• Battery: 46% → 5%
• Distance: 78.7 miles (trip computer)
• Time: 2 hours 43 seconds
• Efficiency: 4.7 mi/kWh (vs. 3.2 mi/kWh average)
• Conditions: Clear Sunday evening traffic
• Climate: Heating intermittent, AC cycled for safety

Total Weekend Mileage

• Total driven: ~162 miles
• Starting battery: 95%
• Ending battery: 5%
• Battery used: 90% for 162 miles = ~180 miles real-world range at normal efficiency
• Public charging required: None

What I Learned: Real-World EV Range Management

Efficiency Techniques That Worked

Achieving 4.7 mi/kWh (47% better than my 3.2 mi/kWh average) came down to several factors:

• Reduced motorway speeds: 50–60 mph instead of 70 mph in national speed limit zones. This alone probably accounted for the largest efficiency gain.
• Anticipatory driving: Larger following distances allowed me to coast to stops and maximize regenerative braking rather than wasting energy on hard braking.
• Manual headlights: A marginal gain, but automatic systems use sensors and motors that consume power.
• No radio: Again, marginal, but every watt counts when you're pushing range limits.
• Intermittent AC: Running the AC compressor only when needed to manage condensation rather than continuously.
• Roundabout regeneration: Turning frequent stops into battery-charging opportunities.

What I Didn't Do (And Why That Matters)

I didn't go to extremes. I kept the heating on at 20°C for most of the outbound journey. I didn't drive dangerously slowly. I didn't compromise safety by letting the windows fog up before turning on the AC. The point is, you can extend EV range significantly without making yourself or your passengers miserable.

The AC/Condensation Dilemma

This was the most critical trade-off. Running AC in an EV can reduce range noticeably—in my case, it temporarily dropped my predicted range below the remaining journey distance. But safety comes first. You can't drive if you can't see. The solution was to cycle the AC on and off, clearing condensation in bursts rather than running it continuously.

Hills Are Expensive

The 2-mile Ore station trip in hilly Hastings consumed 3% battery—that's the equivalent of 6–7 miles of flat driving. When you're planning EV journeys, elevation changes matter more than you might think.

Should You Worry About EV Range?

This journey was a deliberate stress test. I pushed the Puma Gen-E to see what it could do when I couldn't charge at the destination. Here's what I concluded:

When Range Anxiety Is Real

• No charging at destination: If you're doing a return trip and can't charge overnight, you need to be confident you can do both legs on a single charge.
• Hilly terrain: Elevation eats range. Factor this in if you're traveling to somewhere like Hastings, the Lake District, or Wales.
• Cold weather: I did this journey in December, but temperatures were mild. In freezing weather, battery performance drops further.
• Full car: Two kids, Christmas presents, luggage—all that weight reduces efficiency. It's not dramatic, but it's measurable.

When Range Anxiety Is Overblown

• Most daily driving: If you can charge at home overnight, range anxiety disappears for 95% of your journeys.
• Predictable commutes: Once you know your route, you'll know exactly how much battery it takes.
• Efficiency headroom: Modern EVs tend to be conservative with their range predictions. Careful driving can often beat the estimate.
• Public charging networks: Knowing there are options (even if you don't use them) provides peace of mind.

The Puma Gen-E Specifically

The Ford Puma Gen-E has a 48 kWh usable battery capacity and a WLTP range of 234 miles. In real-world mixed driving, I've averaged 3.2 mi/kWh, which translates to about 150–160 miles of practical range. That's not class-leading—competitors like the Kia Niro EV or Hyundai Kona Electric offer longer range—but it's adequate for most UK journeys, especially if you can charge at home.

For context, the vast majority of UK car journeys are under 25 miles. Even at my average efficiency, the Puma Gen-E could handle six of those trips back-to-back on a single charge.

Practical Takeaways for EV Owners (or Prospective Buyers)

1. Know your real-world efficiency: The WLTP range is optimistic. After a few weeks of ownership, you'll know what your car actually achieves in daily driving.
2. Plan for 80% range: If the car says 150 miles, plan for 120 miles. Leave yourself a buffer.
3. Speed kills range: Motorway speeds are the worst for efficiency. If you're pushing range limits, slow down—it makes a dramatic difference.
4. Regenerative braking is your friend: Anticipate stops and coast to them. Every time you use the friction brakes, you're wasting energy.
5. Climate control is expensive: Heating and AC both drain the battery. Use them sensibly, but don't suffer. Intermittent use is often enough.
6. Know where chargers are (even if you don't use them): Just knowing you have options reduces anxiety significantly.
7. Don't overthink it: This was an edge case. Most of the time, you'll arrive home with plenty of charge to spare.

Final Thoughts

Did I need to push the Puma Gen-E to 5% battery to get home? Probably not—I could have stopped at a rapid charger and added 20 miles of range in 10 minutes. But I wanted to see if it was possible to do the whole weekend trip on a single charge, and it was.

The experience taught me that EV range anxiety is often more about uncertainty than actual capability. Once you understand your car's real-world efficiency and the techniques that extend range, the numbers become predictable. And predictable is the opposite of anxious.

Would I recommend doing this regularly? No. Having a 6-mile buffer at the end of an 80-mile journey isn't comfortable, and it required constant attention to driving efficiency. But knowing I can do it if needed? That's valuable information.

For most people, most of the time, an EV like the Puma Gen-E will have more than enough range. And on the rare occasions when you're pushing the limits, a bit of careful driving goes a surprisingly long way.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to plug the car in. Five percent is cutting it a bit fine for the school run tomorrow.