Barcelona and the plan to go beyond the city

During our kids’ school holidays, we escaped to Barcelona for some sun, architecture, the sea, and a bit of culture. On our list was also the Teatre-Museu Dalí in Figueres, about 130 km from Barcelona.

The question wasn’t whether to go, but how.
A return train trip for four would have cost more than €150. So we looked for an alternative.

The solution: a one-day car rental. And, continuing my tradition – electric only.

The car and the numbers

We got a Polestar 2 – a great opportunity to test this “Volvo cousin,” especially since there’s no official dealership in Lithuania yet.

• 100% charged 78 kWh battery

• 400+ km displayed range at ~20°C

• Required return level: ≥80% battery

• Rental price (full insurance included): €28 per day

For comparison, a similar-sized ICE car was more expensive. So EV wasn’t the premium choice – it was the rational one.

Charging: the unfiltered reality

Stop 1 – Girona

We found chargers in an underground parking garage. The issue? No direct card payment – activation required an app.

I used We Charge, which allows access to charging stations across Europe through one account.

The only inconvenience: no internet underground. I had to go upstairs a few times to confirm the charger number and start the session.

• €0.36/kWh

• ~20 kWh charged → about €8

• By the time we finished exploring the city, the battery was topped up

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Stop 2 – Barcelona

No charging was needed in Figueres. The second session happened back near Barcelona before returning the car.

At a 150 kW fast charger near a shopping center:

• €0.70/kWh

• 36 kWh → ~€25

• Returned the car with almost 90% battery

Card payment was possible here, but I used the same app for convenience.

What did it really cost?

We drove more than 300 km at normal highway speeds, without trying to optimize consumption.

Total costs:

• €28 – rental

• ~€33 – electricity

• + parking fees

Total for four people: about €80.

Cheaper than the train. And certainly cheaper than a diesel car with fuel costs.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

✅ The Good

• Lower overall cost than alternatives

• Comfort, dynamics, silence

• Route flexibility

• No charging stops “just for charging”

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⚠️ The Bad

• Not everywhere allows direct card payment

• Apps are sometimes required

• Weak mobile signal in underground parking

The solution is simple: have one universal charging app with your card connected.

❌ The Ugly

In this case – there really wasn’t one.

If anything, it was surprising how few EVs we saw on the streets of Barcelona. Compared to Vilnius, the difference is noticeable.

Conclusion

Renting an EV in Spain wasn’t an experiment – it was a rational decision.

Cheaper, more flexible, and more comfortable.

EV road trip in Catalonia: approved.

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