One of the most commonly cited reasons why motorists are skeptical about purchasing an electric vehicle (EV) has to do with their maximum range and the availability of charging infrastructure.
This is known as range anxiety, and it’s why many South Africans are hesitant to adopt EVs due to them having far less range than a comparable internal combustion engine (ICE) counterpart.
For those who do own an EV, however, the good news is that just like with any petrol or diesel vehicle, there are several ways in which you can attempt to improve its mileage.
Good driving habits
Starting with the obvious, how you drive your EV will affect its maximum range, though there are a few caveats.
Since EVs tend to have exceptionally-high torque compared to their petrol rivals, they can accelerate extremely fast, but this does come with the trade-off that you end up using a lot of reserves.
As with any other car, going gentle on the throttle when pulling away could do wonders for the battery’s range.
Braking, on the other hand, while not particularly efficient for ICEs, is actually one of the hidden advantages of cars with an electric drivetrain, as they are generally equipped with regenerative brakes.
Regenerative brakes recover the kinetic energy generated by the wheels when slowing down, which is then fed back into the battery for further use.
Several EVs even allow for one-pedal driving, where this recuperating feature is able to slow the car down to a stop without the driver needing to apply the physical brake at all, which can save even more power by avoiding excessively hard braking.
The amount of energy recovered by regenerative brakes may not be huge, but it is substantial enough to make a difference on most journeys, especially when used in tandem with other efficient driving aids such as cruise control.
Planning your route
Another way to maximise your EV’s range is to plan your routes in advance, and avoid using the most taxing routes, such as a motorway.
Whereas driving on the highway can be more efficient for petrol cars, electric cars use a proportionate amount of energy to the speed they are travelling, which means higher speeds will drain the battery faster.
The same is true of traveling up steeper gradients, so it’s best to avoid driving through hills or mountainous areas where possible, and certain EVs will even suggest a calculated “most-efficient route” when using the sat-nav.
Related to this, many modern cars, electric or otherwise, are equipped with a variety of driving modes, with the most common ones typically comprising Normal, Sport, and Eco options.
Eco is the obvious choice for driving in the most efficient manner, though bear in mind that, on an electric car, it may also cap the performance as well as impede other functions like climate control.
Climate control
Speaking of climate control, this can be one of the most draining features of an EV, both for heating and cooling.
Most ICE cars are able to utilize at least a portion of the warmth from the engine when turning the heater on, but this is not possible with a battery-powered vehicle, so it’s best to wear another layer when driving rather than keeping the heater on for the entire journey – if you want to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Likewise, consistent air conditioning drinks a lot of juice, but there is a trick you can use to avoid eating into your car’s range unnecessarily.
Many EVs have an option for pre-conditioning the cabin, usually through an associated companion app on a smartphone, and one recommendation is that you can use this while the car is plugged into a charger to achieve the optimal cabin temperature without taking a toll on the battery.
Once the ideal temperature has been achieved, it is much easier to maintain it and use less energy compared to when you first hop in the car on a particularly hot or cold day and turn on the aircon at full blast.
One more important factor to consider is that external temperatures can also affect the range of an EV, though this is less of a concern in South Africa than it is in a country like Canada, where sub-zero temperatures can decrease a car’s range by as much as 20%.
Maintenance
Again, just like with any ICE car, general maintenance and good driving practices will make a noticeable difference to your overall efficiency.
Making sure that your tyres are at the correct pressure, for example, can add almost 10% to the number of kilometres traveled, and good charging habits will ultimately help to extend the lifespan of your battery.
Most batteries these days have an easier time charging from 0-80% than they do from 80-100%, as the remaining 20% takes longer and also creates more heat within the cells.
This can degrade the cells over time, which will worsen the battery’s overall capacity, so it’s best to avoid constantly doing short charges that only add 10-20% to the battery’s charge. Manufacturers like Volvo usually recommend their customers keep the module between 10-90% to ensure longevity.
Keyword: Tips for extending the range of your electric car