Driving an electric vehicle does require a change in driver behaviour as electric vehicles behave very differently from regular ICE powered machines. With a focus on usability and maximizing the range of the vehicle being the mainstay, we have highlighted five tips that can help electric vehicle owners increase their range by as much as 30 percent!
Avoid hard acceleration
It is tempting to hard press the accelerator pedal in an EV as it gives you that instant push-back feeling since you get all that torque from the get go. While it is fun to do that, it drains the battery drastically. Up to 50 percent of the energy powering an electric vehicle goes into acceleration, so going easy on the accelerator and gradually increasing the speed can lead to big savings in terms of battery power, thus improving range.
Do not overload
Performance is all about the power-to-weight equation and in an electric vehicle this can translate to hampering your range if you overload it. Keep your EV empty unless absolutely necessary to travel with luggage. Remove all the unnecessary clutter from the vehicle regularly and do not try and squeeze four people into the back row which is generally meant for three!
Maintain tyre pressure
Electric vehicles come with special tyres that are designed to offer lower rolling resistance amongst their other benefits. However, if the tyre pressure isn’t maintained at its optimal level, the amount of resistance increases and this will have an adverse effect on the vehicle’s range. Ensure that your EV tyres are always at the recommended pressure.
Plan your route
Sometimes the shortest distance between two points might not be the most efficient way to travel. Plan your route to avoid traffic snarls, or multiple stops. With Google Maps as well as the connected features that EVs offer, this can be done quite easily and you can avoid red signals as well. A steady pace and momentum leads to a more efficient drive as you can maximize the battery regen mode as well to further increase battery efficiency.
Anticipate traffic
While it isn’t always possible to avoid traffic snarls, or getting stuck in slow moving traffic, remember to keep the car moving at a steady pace and avoid harsh acceleration and braking. Being easy and letting the EV creep forward uses the least amount of battery.
