Tina and John were able to keep their freezer going, run lights and wi-fi, charge their phones and even get some ironing done
A couple used their car to power their house during blackouts caused by recent storms. Tina Griffin and her husband John were stuck when a severe storm knocked out the power in their area, leaving them without any home electricity.
Renault ZOE EV (Image: TL/Tanjent)
But they came up with a solution to save their frozen food, revive their phones and keep their lights on – plugging their household essentials into their electric Renault 5 E-tech. The Newquay couple were able to call loved ones, use a hairdryer and iron, and more – all requiring just 30% of the car’s battery.
“We had received a phone alert telling us this very severe storm was approaching,” said Tina, 67, who used to work in HR for the NHS. “It wasn’t until branches and acorns started bashing against our windows, and plants started flying around the garden, that we realised how bad it was going to get.
“We just tried to stay as calm as possible, and remained inside.”
Tina and John, a 72-year-old ex-police officer, says it was at around 7pm on January 8 that the raging tempest really took hold, wreaking havoc outside.
Tina said: “The wind was picking up more and more and before we knew it, all of our electricity went out. I’m not normally an anxious person but this was a really fast-moving storm, it was so scary.
“We were also worried about the trees surrounding us – plus our garden, plants and hot tub. Although we were trying to keep calm and laugh it off, it did get worrying. We pulled out headlights, candles and rechargeable torches to help us navigate the darkness.”
After a gloomy night – and with their phones now dead – the morning brought a bolt of inspiration for the pair. Tina came up with the idea of plugging an extension lead into their Renault – using its Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) tech for the first time.
She said: “I just remembered that there was an adaptor in the boot of the car. And I’d charged the vehicle the day before – so I knew the battery was full. We went out, plugged in the extension lead and fed it through the garage.
“Then we were able to charge our phones and put the WiFi back on, which was a huge relief. It was like magic, we were so happy – and we were both surprised that I came up with the idea!”
Read more: Cornwall Live
