Range Anxiety - How Do I Avoid It?
Electric Car Range Anxiety
Range anxiety is something cited by many people when it comes to reasons not to pick an EV. There’s some decent backing to it, of course, with the limited range of earlier EVs often meaning that people felt quite stressed about when and where they’d be able to charge.
And even if you’re looking at an electric car with a good amount of range, anxiety about charging can still arise. But how do you avoid it? Let’s take a look at some ways.
Plan you route
Range anxiety is often triggered by the fear of the unknown, which is why planning is such a great way to help. If you’re travelling further afield, then it’s a good idea to take a look at your planned route and the chargers you might need to use along the way. If you’re using mainly motorways, then be mindful that travelling at the high speeds they require usually means that a battery will lose charger more quickly.
You might want to pencil in some areas to take a break, too, particularly if you’re travelling a long distance.
Leave yourself a ‘buffer’
Before you leave, take a look at the total mileage you’re planning to do on your trip. Then, with your car’s current range, give yourself a 20 or 30-mile ‘buffer’ of range. This will mean that you’ll arrive at your destination - or your preferred charger - with an additional bit of charge remaining should your route or plans change.
Doing so means that you don’t have to worry about getting too low on range, while ensuring that there’s enough left in the ‘tank’ to get around once you reach your destination.
Use charging times to relax
At the very least you’ll be spending around 20 minutes at a charger while your vehicle tops up. So try to make the most of this time - stretch your legs, grab a coffee or even just read a book. Seeing charging stops as an opportunity to take a break - rather than an inconvenience - is a great way to switch the whole EV experience up, too.
You might find that some EV chargers have extra facilities for owners, too. Gridserve’s Electric Forecourts, for example, have meeting rooms and lounges where you can kick back and relax while your car chargers.
Download smartphone apps
Smartphone apps are pretty core to using an electric vehicle, but they’re a great way to alleviate any potential worries you might have. For example, Zap-Map - which is one of the UK’s leading charger mapping services - can show you information about the status of a charger, its unit price and even if it’s being used.
With this information, you can work out if a charger is out-of-order even before you arrive. Plus, you’ll be able to see how much a charge would cost, so there aren’t any nasty surprises once you unplug.
Get to know your ‘local’ charging areas
Even if you’ve got a home charging unit, it could be a good idea to get to know of any decent chargers in your local area. In doing so, you’ll always have a quick charging solution right on your doorstep. Plus, if you’re feeling a little concerned about your range dropping too low before you get home, you know that there’s somewhere to stop in and top-up quickly.
Local chargers are also a great way to meet other EV owners who might live in the area. You never know, they might know about a charging destination that you hadn’t thought of visiting before.
