I have a 1.0 litre Karoq at the moment and am thinking of buying a nearly new Elroq SE50. My annual mileage isn't that much (around 5,000 miles per year), mainly around town with the odd motorway journey of around 200 miles each way maybe once a year. The Elroq is a few months old with around 1,500 miles on the clock. My questions are:

Will I be OK with the 50SE given my low annual mileage or do I need a car with a bigger battery?

Not being a technical person, is it likely to be beyond me to use a public charger on my longer journeys? I don't have a mobile phone so will have to buy one.

Is there anything I need to look out for when I test drive the car next week? Thanks to all.

On 17/07/2026 at 15:30, nbramwel said:

Will I be OK with the 50SE given my low annual mileage or do I need a car with a bigger battery?

If most of your journeys are short, the smaller battery is ideal. Buy the car that works for 99% of your journeys and don't pay extra for a bigger battery that you 'need' once a year.

On 17/07/2026 at 15:30, nbramwel said:

Not being a technical person, is it likely to be beyond me to use a public charger on my longer journeys?

Certainly not. Charging is quite straightforward but I would recommend having a practice run when charging and time is not critical just to confirm to yourself it is a simple process.

On 17/07/2026 at 15:30, nbramwel said:

I don't have a mobile phone so will have to buy one.

It is not entirely necessary. The in-car satnav will find chargers for you and charging can be taken care of with a credit card. You could also get an RFID card such as Skoda Powerpass or Electroverse to initiate charging without a smartphone. However, a smartphone will make things easier and allow you to access the Skoda app to connect to the car.

One thing to consider given your low mileage. It may not be the cheapest option to go on to a 'Cheap EV tariff' for charging at home. The peak rate and standing charges tend to be higher than a straight forward domestic tariff so unless a large portion of your home use can be shifted to the cheap times, your overall energy bill may go up.

Luckypants. Thanks for this very helpful reply. I spoke to one of my sons yesterday who is an avid Tesla fan who does do long distances now and again. He was of much the same opinion. Your comment on not moving to an EV tariff is interesting. I may well buy a smartphone but will have to get my son to set everything up for me should I buy the Elroq. It will certainly be beyond me. Thanks again.

1 hour ago, nbramwel said:

Luckypants. Thanks for this very helpful reply. I spoke to one of my sons yesterday who is an avid Tesla fan who does do long distances now and again. He was of much the same opinion. Your comment on not moving to an EV tariff is interesting. I may well buy a smartphone but will have to get my son to set everything up for me should I buy the Elroq. It will certainly be beyond me. Also, what kind of real world mileage can I expect to get from the 55KW battery? Thanks again.

2 hours ago, nbramwel said:

Also, what kind of real world mileage can I expect to get from the 55KW battery? Thanks again.

I am not an Elroq owner, so cannot give a definitive answer. Based on my experience with VW ID.4 and ID.3 (they share the same chassis, powertrain and batteries as Elroq) I'd say you will get around 4 miles/kWh to give a max range of around 220 miles. (according to https://ev-database.org/uk/car/3031/Skoda-Elroq-50)

200 miles might not seem much but how long do you drive for before you need a break? Personally its 2-3 hours or four at a push. The overall

average journey speeds are around 45 on A-roads and maybe 55 on motorway. Thats 4-5 hours of driving in a 220 mile range vehicle. Chances are you'll need a break before the car needs a charge, so plug in while you take a break. Elroq 50 can charge 10%--->80% in 25 minutes under ideal conditions, just enough time for a loo break.