Range anxiety is one of the most common issues that EV owners face. The worry of running out of charge mid-journey weighs on the minds of those who have chosen electric. But there’s no need to worry, as there are a few things you can do to increase the range of your electric car.
In this blog, we’re giving you some top tips and explaining some of the methods you can use to squeeze a few bonus journeys from your EV before you need to plug in again!
Drive Steadily to Increase Your Range
You might have heard of techniques such as ‘hypermiling’, but you don’t need to get obsessive about driving to extract a few extra miles from your electric car. It all comes down to how good you are at planning your journey, and then anticipating what’s ahead when you’re out on the road. Driving smoothly is the key.
When driving an electric vehicle, there is a recommended optimum speed – this typically falls between 50-60mph range. Maintaining this speed ensures energy efficiency and can maximise your EV’s range. Driving at higher speeds can lead to increased drag and energy consumption which in turn will eat up the overall range faster.
Plan Before The Journey
Before you hit the road, take a couple of minutes to check your route. Most navigation apps will provide you with a few routes to choose from, and it’s best to choose one that avoids places where there will be stop-start traffic. Even if that route is a mile or two longer, the extra efficiency will probably mean that you end up gaining a mile or two in the long run!
If you are having an issue with range or you are travelling a longer journey than you are used to there are ways you can plan your journey around mobile charge points with websites such as zap-map to ensure your vehicle won’t run out of charge halfway through your journey.
Take it Easy Whilst on The Road
Three words – anticipation, anticipation, anticipation. It really pays to keep your gaze at least 100 yards ahead where possible. Look up the road for approaching junctions and keep an eye out for potential hazards before they unfold.
It might sound like you’re taking a driving theory test, but anticipating what’s coming gives you ample time to react, which means you can speed up or slow down gently – all good for power efficiency.
Using clever braking to charge your EV
Every EV has one very handy feature allowing them to recuperate energy from braking and actually recharge the batteries a little bit. It all starts to happen as soon as you release the accelerator pedal, and even before you squeeze the brake. The electric motor reverses, and the level of resistance – and therefore braking – it provides can often be adjusted by the driver on the go. It might only be a small amount of energy, but it’s energy that would otherwise be lost completely.
Resist heavy acceleration
One of the biggest challenges of an EV? Resisting the instant acceleration that electric motors are famous for. Having a heavy right foot can quickly turn triple-digit range into double-digits. You don’t have to drive slowly; it’s just about getting up to speed smoothly and progressively.
Lay Off The Air-con
In a lot of ways, electric vehicles and petrol/diesel-powered vehicles aren’t so different. Putting the heated seats on and turning the heating up to the max will inevitably use more energy, which ultimately means higher fuel or power usage – depending on what sort of vehicle you’re driving.
Depending on the outside temperature, running the air conditioning for longer periods can lead to a reduction in the overall range by approximately 15% to 20%. This is due to the additional energy required to cool the cabin, if it is much warmer outside, cooling the cabin can put an extra load on the battery decreasing the range.
Declutter Your Car
In any car, efficiency will also be affected by extra weight inside the vehicle, so don’t leave bulky items in your boot or litter in the passenger footwell. When a vehicle carries additional weight, it needs more energy to move, for an electric vehicle this energy comes directly from the battery, decreasing the range. EV owners are often advised to travel, especially on longer journeys with a minimum necessary load to increase the efficiency of the range and energy. It might only be an empty bottle or two, but every little helps!
Be Mindful of Exterior Accessories
Manufacturers have spent a huge amount of money on designing and engineering their electric vehicles so they’re aerodynamic, and less drag means more miles!
You might sometimes need a roof box, for example – but when you don’t need it, remove it from your car. Leaving external accessories attached to your EV will add drag, reducing how many miles you can expect to cover before needing to charge again.
Check Your Tyres
As well as making sure you’re not carrying any unnecessary accessories, it also pays to think about the part of the vehicle that actually touches the road. The type of tyre you have fitted to your vehicle can have a big impact on overall efficiency.
In Europe, every tyre must have an efficiency rating, represented as a letter on a scale between A and G – A being the most efficient, G being the least. Energy is lost when a tyre rolls, which is otherwise known as ‘rolling resistance’, and lower ‘rolling resistance’ reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Head to our tyre page, type in your reg and see what the most energy-efficient tyres for your vehicle are.
Get Your EV From JCT600
At JCT600 we offer a diverse range of Electric Vehicles that cater to the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly transportation. With electric vehicles on the rise, we have a selection of EVs from leading manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Kia and Mercedes-Benz, plus many more.
As EV technology continues to evolve, the range on these cars will only increase – hopefully, the tips covered here might just help you convince you that now is the time to switch to electric! If you’d like to learn more about electric vehicles, head to our news section, or get in touch if you have any questions for us.