With society becoming more conscious of their carbon footprint and saving the planet becoming more popular important than ever, the purchasing number of electric vehicles on our roads has surged. However, two of the main hesitations when considering the switch to an EV is battery life and the access to charging points when you’re out and about. With that in mind, we have put together our top five tips to get the most out of your EV battery.
Choose efficient routes
It’s not just about how you drive, but also where you drive. Taking a few minutes to prepare for a journey before you set off can mean avoiding traffic, roadworks, temporary diversions, and may even show you a route to your destination that you had not even considered. The shorter and smoother the journey, the less strain on your battery.
Prepare
The lighter the car, the less energy used. If you regularly have roof racks on your car, or a bicycle rack attached, removing them when you don’t actually need them can help improve your battery efficiency. Similarly, regularly checking your tyre pressure ensures that your car doesn’t have to work harder than usual, keeping your battery strong and lasting longer.
Charge when you can
Popping to the shops? Meeting a friend for a coffee? Why not give your EV a quick charge while you’re at it? Instead of waiting until the battery is almost dead flat, a little charge when you can keeps you ticking over for longer, without the inconvenience of waiting around. Conditioning the car when it’s charging also helps to prolong improve battery life also. If you know you’ll want heated seats after charging, or need to defrost the windows, consider doing this whilst charging as it will ensure that extra pressure isn’t being put on the battery when you need it for driving the most.
Avoid regular rapid charging
Rapid charging points are great in between a big journey often important to motorists on longer journeys as they can help avoid longer delays when travelling. The availability of public rapid charging facilities can certainly make driving an EV more attractive to the traditional petrol/diesel car user, but beware, sustained and frequently use can damage impact upon the quality of the car battery. Use it as quick fix rather than a regular habit.
Regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is a feature on all EVs that sends energy back to the battery every time the accelerator or brake is used by using the electric motor as a generator. The stronger the regenerative brakes are, the more energy the car gets back, the less of a hit the battery take, and the longer it will last.
For further information about getting the most out of your EV, or if you are planning to make the switch visit our users guide now https://www.fasterevcharge.com/ev-ownership/