If you are going away in your electric vehicle this summer, these tips may be useful.
Check your breakdown provider – in case the worst happens and you run out of charge on the way to your destination, check that your breakdown cover provides a mobile charging system or is able to recover your car to a charging point to help get you back on your way.
Check the charging facilities if you’re taking your car abroad – check charging points in the country you’re visiting. If you are driving longer distances abroad you may need to stop to charge your car more frequently and charging points may not be available in the area.
Download an app such as Zap-Map – these show which chargers are available in your area and more importantly which ones are working. These apps can also include a route planner.
Charge up your car before you set off – it can be more expensive to charge at a motorway station than at home or on local chargers, so make sure you have a full charge if you’re going on a long journey.
Check payment options for each provider – there may be pay-as-you-go option or a subscription option. Ensure that you don’t sign up to a provider that takes payment on a regular basis if you’re not going to use that provider very often.
Cool your car down before you set off – when it’s hot in summer you might want to cool down your car, so do this when at home and charge it from your home energy supply. This will help to get the car to the right temperature before you start your journey and will save battery power
Top up your charge little and often – don’t always wait for the battery to run down and charge it up from zero. It’s not the same as charging your phone or other electrical appliances and you can’t overcharge your battery.
Set a level for ‘regenerative charging’ – regenerative braking – charging your battery when you’re braking will have an impact on the range of your journey and could give you more battery power. This is particularly relevant in urban areas due to the volume of start / stop you make.