Looking for ways to maximize your EV's range?
You buy an electric car with a stated or expected range. Its range—the distance it goes on one complete charge (or ‘full tank’)—just as in a petrol or ICE car, depends on many factors. Some are common to all vehicles. But there are a few that are unique to EVs. So, in this article, we’re going to take a look into how ambient conditions, distance traveled, driving style… even charging infrastructure and more… affect how far your EV will take you!
It is funny though, that until EVs or electric cars, we never really thought about how far a car would go before we needed to fill ’er up. That’s certainly something we think about now! Still, while many worry about ‘range anxiety’ it seems that with the growing charging infrastructure, it’s not so much range anxiety as charger anxiety!
Seasonal Variations Matter
Now that the age of the electric vehicle (EV) has arrived, there’s a lot to learn and take into account. It’s not just performance, you also have to understand the ways the climate and weather conditions can affect the range of your electric car, especially when it comes to planning long distance journeys and road trips. Many factors will have an impact as you work to maximize your EV's range. Yes, the availability of charging networks and the length of charging sessions can play a role in range. However, weather, seasons, and our driving styles and habits can have a much larger impact.
In this section, we will discuss how seasonal differences can affect the range of your electric car and how to maximize your EV's range when driving in different seasons.
How Climate And Weather Conditions Affect EV Range
How you manage your car in different climates has a major impact on range. As conditions change, so do the demands on the vehicle’s battery and electric motors, as well as the potential to maximize its efficiency.
Factors such as temperature, terrain, humidity, and elevation all work together to affect how you drive and how much electricity your car uses. Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your EV range no matter what season you’re in:
- Top up, rather than fill up from empty: Take advantage of charging networks that allow you to top-up in between destinations or take a bio- or energy-reviving-break from long drives. Unlike petrol cars, with EVs, you’re more likely to do smaller, more frequent charges than stop and fill it up from almost empty.
- Consider your own driving style: Take advantage of the huge difference between fossil fuel and electric cars: It’s amazing, that with an electric car, you can make energy through regenerative braking (rather than just burn fuel (and pollute) every moment). Regen braking captures kinetic energy as you slow down and gives it back to the battery! So, make use of one-pedal driving, (especially in the city, though it can be more energy efficient to coast during longer trips at higher speeds – see more detail later) and you’ll maximize regen braking and reduce energy consumption.
Driving style tips: a) When you drive in the city or on country roads, keep acceleration steady rather than trying for constant high speed changes. b) Keep in mind that carrying large loads or sustaining high cruising speed (think cruise-control) over time will reduce your range.
• As with all EVs their "guess-o-meter" accuracy decreases when you drive in regions of extreme temperature, whether heat or cold. This can lead to wide variations in power prediction and overall range performance.
Driving style tips: a) Use climate control (air-conditioning) judiciously. If your vehicle has heated/cooled seats and/or steering wheel, these will use far less energy than your HVAC. b) If it’s relevant to your region, preheat/cool your battery before driving away. And c) pay attention to regular maintenance intervals such as tire pressure checks, especially important before you embark on longer trips. d) Exclude any additional weight in tow if possible!
Long Distance Travel
Long distance travel with an electric vehicle (EV) can be tricky because of the seasonal differences in climate and weather conditions. It requires some preparation and planning to ensure that you can cover the required distance safely and with as little range anxiety as possible.
Here are some ideas as to how you can maximize your EV's range when you undertake long distance travel, and how you can make the best use of the charging networks and driving styles.
Tips For Road Trips
For long-distance travel with your EV, preparation is key. With any trip in any vehicle, you need to consider climate and weather conditions. But with electric vehicles—at least now, while charging infrastructure is growing—you also have to think about charging and consider capacity, capability and location of charging networks. Your range will be affected by your driving styles and whether you use one-pedal driving (if your car is equipped with that capability), or other regen settings available to you.
Careful preparation is your best bet to ensure a successful journey. When planning a road trip in your EV, bear in mind that highway range can be affected by factors such as the type of terrain you’re travelling across (flat, hilly, mountainous), the condition of the roads, and the choice to use acceleration, regeneration, or maintain a constant high speed.
Constant high-speed highway driving on relatively flat roads, for example, will limit your ability to regenerate energy, and lessen your range compared with say, driving down a mountain, or with city driving. You see, to get the best out of an EV, you learn quickly to drive it differently to a petrol-car. While a petrol car is most efficient at high constant speed on the highway, that is different to electric cars where you can benefit from slowing down, descending hills, or stop-start city driving. Your plan will take that into account!
So, for the above reasons, your EV’s battery range, indicated by your car's "guess-o-meter" will only ever be an estimate due to changing conditions. You should use the vehicle’s mapping apps if possible for more accurate measurements.
Final range-improving tips are:
- to optimize battery pre-conditioning and the use of your HVAC by making less demands on it (with extreme temp settings). If you’re lucky enough to have the option of heated or cooled seats, then these are a much smaller drain on the battery and the effects are more localized and less wasteful.
- avoid unnecessary extra weight in the car such as heavy luggage or towed weights, etc.
Charging Networks
Did you know that public charging networks often offer different types of connectors and charging speeds? This means that not all chargers will be fast chargers, and the fitting may not suit your car. Maybe you’ll need an adapter. You need to match what your electric car requires with the charger type available. This choice is improving with EV proliferation and the global adoption of CCS2 charging port standards. But, you still need to plan ahead before you embark on a long trip and identify charging stations along your route.
Take advantage of Destination Charging programs. Hotels, restaurants (and even shopping centers) are providing free charging that you can use if you’re staying at that destination or patronizing their establishments. This is a fantastic opportunity to help you maximize your range and enjoy useful amenities along the way… whether on a daytrip, on longer trips or extended stays.
Make that expensive "fill-up" much more affordable! A little investigation can all add up to a lot of savings over the course of many road trips. Research potential discounts and special offers. Consider signing up for subscription services or loyalty programs with public charging networks. These can help you maximize savings when paying for electricity costs at public chargers.
Finally, many public chargepoints accept payment using a smartcard or RFID system. If you frequently use public chargepoints you might prefer this method because card payments tend to be more secure than plugging in credit card details via an app each time.
Driving Styles
Want to maximize your EV’s range? You probably need to adapt the way you drive. Don’t worry, you can still have the best of fun in your EV. You do need to know that driving styles play a major role in maximizing the range of an electric vehicle (EV). Whether you're taking a road trip or driving in the city, there are certain ways to drive your EV that can help you get the most out of the battery.
In this section, we'll explore the different driving styles that help you increase the range of your EV. There are matters of seasonal differences, climate and weather conditions, long distance travel, road trips, charging networks, acceleration, constants speeds vs. stop-start driving, extremes of range variations, guess-o-meter reliability, use of HVAC, battery pre-conditioning, and towing.
Adapt your driving style… maximize the range of your EV. Let’s look at how.
Use Regen
Proper and intelligent use of regeneration is one of the biggest factors in maximizing electric car range. Regenerative braking is where you capture energy generated from slowing your car down, and it puts electricity back into the battery pack. Wow! Now, that doesn’t happen with ICE-vehicles! Regeneration of that energy increases driving range. Some have said that benefit is somewhat comparable to the fuel economy impact of a manual transmission in a gas car. But then, you’d be burning stuff and wasting energy in the process.
Regenerative braking varies greatly between different vehicles. In fact, some EVs have significantly more regen than others. Did you know, for example, the Tesla Model 3 has up to 10 times more regen than the Toyota Prius?
The level of ability to regenerate power can also change with different regeneration settings of each individual make and model. You can adjust regen levels or, if available, you may be able to change driving modes. Cars may have different modes (each with their own varied regen capabilities) called things like eco, comfort, normal, sports, ludicrous etc. Generally for city-based driving, the higher the regen level, the better the range. Regeneration may be instigated by either removing the foot from the gas (haha, accelerator) pedal, or applying the foot to the brake.
Some vehicles, like the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, have an Auto setting that optimizes regen based on your driving history and reduces brake engagement even when your foot is on the brake. That’s very clever.
Here are some regenerative braking guidelines to help you maximize your electric car’s range:
- Accelerate slowly where conditions permit
- Brake gradually and not with a heavy-footed stamp
- Avoid jerky movements on the accelerator pedal
- Implement one-pedal driving where possible if most of your driving is in the city (this is where you rely only on motor/regeneration and allow your EV to slow down without applying brakes
- Maximize one-pedal use (or full regen if you have regen paddles on your steering wheel) when driving down hills
- Use stop-and-go city style driving for better battery regeneration. (While petrol cars like to avoid unnecessarily burning fuel by slowing down and powering up all the time, EVs enjoy like creating energy from changes in acceleration.)
- Finally, pay attention to how you take corners, for greater overall efficiency. Practice smooth deceleration as you approach a corner and adjust your speed to match the corner’s radius. Depending on the curve, you’ll set the right speed to engine brake through the corner, or power through it. It all makes for a more enjoyable ride!
One-pedal Driving Or Not?
One-pedal driving is a fabulous way to can maximize your EV’s range. This means that instead of using the brakes every time you want to slow down or stop, you use the accelerator to both speed up and slow down. This is how you take advantage of the regenerative braking available in most Evs.
With one-pedal driving, most cars do not rely on traditional brake pads. Instead, they regenerate electricity back into their battery as they slow down. This has benefits: it reduces drag and wear on your car and returns energy back into the battery… all while simultaneously preserving your range.
Some models also have the ability to vary regen levels on the fly – either via a knob, voice command, touch screen, or +/- paddles either side of the steering wheel. You can use these while in motion to vary the regen according to the immediate circumstance.
As with any new habit, you may take a little time to get used to regeneratively braking, but the gains you make to efficiently extend your EV’s range are definitely worth it! Regen is an enjoyable way of creating a strong connection between yourself and your car as you search for that “sweet spot” (where constant acceleration meets maximum voltaic regeneration!).
City driving vs. country driving
Where and how you drive makes a big difference in maximizing the range of your EV. City driving tends to be stop-start, with frequent acceleration and deceleration. This results in a lower average speed and is where you will experience the highest range. You simply cannot city-drive a petrol car and improve your range! This is one big point in favor of EVs (in terms of air and noise pollution, just for starters).
Country driving may mean sustained higher speeds, have fewer stops and starts, which generally results in a reduction in overall range. The best way to maximize your country driving range is to aim to reduce the amount of energy used for acceleration. You do this by using one-pedal or regenerative braking as much as possible, but in some situations (rolling hills, curving and windy roads) reducing the level of regen may help range by avoiding unnecessary slowing when coasting is more efficient (ie braking isn’t required).
Remember, extreme weather conditions and seasonal changes can greatly affect the range of an EV; cold temperatures can significantly decrease battery efficiency while warmer temperatures can increase it. Take this into consideration when you plan long-distance travel and ensure you stay within access of charging networks.
When you drive long distances, always consider how quickly you would like to reach your destination. Constant high speeds may seem more desirable but will result in greater range reductions than stop-start driving at a slightly slower average speed. Dovetail this aspect in with charging network considerations. If you want to maintain a certain speed on the open road, plan your charge-stops accordingly so as not to exhaust your battery before reaching the next charger.
That guess-o-meter (GOM) we keep talking about is exactly that, an educated guess of your range. It is usually arrived at through analysis of your historical driving data. It will only ever offer you an (albeit pretty good) estimate of current remaining range. So, use it as a guide, not a set-in-stone figure. If, for example, you have experienced extreme variations, such as having had to run the air conditioning, unexpectedly need battery preconditioning, or drive up unexpected hills or contend with strong headwinds, then allow for this as you travel. Your range may reduce, you could need additional contingency time in planning additional stops.
Average Speed
When it comes to maintaining optimal range, it can also be important to pay attention to your average speed. With both EVs and ICE cars, you use more energy to move the same distance at high speed, as you use when you travel the same distance at a lower speed. To optimize range, drive with an average speed that is safe and practical for your journey. In addition, avoid extreme acceleration or unnecessary deceleration, both of which significantly reduce the range of your EV.
Highway trips tend to have average speeds that are consistently higher, if traffic conditions are good (no breakdowns, pileups or other accidents). Other elements that reduce highway range are wind resistance and inclines along a route. Even though you cannot anticipate all problems, at least with occasional blips on your highway journey that cause your trip to take longer, with frequent slowing down, at least you know your range and efficiency will likely improve!
With any speed of driving, note that any roof baggage, ski racks, or rear-mounted cycle racks will generally negatively affect your aerodynamics (the vehicle is less slippery through the air) and reduce range as more energy is required to propel the car through the air.
When you travel, matters. Another factor to consider when managing EV range is that the guess-o-meter is not only affected by factors such as wind and weather conditions (especially during winter months), but also the large fluctuations between day and night temperatures requiring frequent use of HVAC systems. You can, for example, pre-condition the battery while plugged in prior to heading out on your trip, and set it to precondition 30 minutes before arriving at a charging station (to maximize charging speed). This may yield better results in terms of overall efficiency: depending on your year-round ambient conditions, batteries may prefer routine preconditioning prior to use, as opposed to sudden large influxes of charge or discharge cycles during operation.
What you carry in or tow behind your car, adds to weight, which impacts your range. Factor in the reduction in your available range due to additional weight in the car, or extra drag brought on by added weight behind the car. Bottom line: Plan ahead!
Effects Of Highway Range
When you travel at consistent high speeds on the highway, electric vehicle (EV) range is likely to be significantly reduced, when compared to stop-start EV city driving. Unlike ICE (petrol) vehicles that can use the flywheel effect and coast at higher gears, as well as being geared for optimal overlap of the power/torque curve at highway speeds, EVs appear less efficient but this is only because the car needs more energy to maintain a high constant speed. In fact this applies to ICE vehicles as well, but because their efficiency at varied speeds and town use is so poor (and much better on highways), we wonder why EVs seem worse on the highway. Whereas an EV operates generally the same (greater!) efficiency no matter the speed, but pushing a big lump of metal through the air requires more energy. It’s physics!
Other reasons it consumes energy are similar across vehicle types: increased use of the climate control systems, additional wind resistance due to travelling at higher speeds and increased rolling resistance due to increased weight. The actual effect depends on the type of car and atmospheric conditions.
(And again, as an aside: the reverse is true when you compare ICE and EVs for city driving… EVs are way ahead in efficiency, hands down.)
So, the answer is to employ as much regenerative braking (and one-pedal driving, if the circumstance dictate) as is possible and practicable to improve your range. Depending on the EV you own and the systems it boasts, you can capitalize on better coasting technique so that energy is captured for later use rather than wasted through air friction and drag.
Acceleration
Acceleration affects the car’s energy consumption. Each time you press the “gas” pedal to speed up, the battery uses more energy. When you suddenly accelerate from a stop, you require more power than when cruising on a highway. Acceleration also increases drag on your EV, which reduces its range.
But the reverse is also true. When you suddenly decelerate, or slow down to a stop—and especially if you have regenerative braking—you don’t use power from the battery, you use the kinetic energy from your moving EV to generate power BACK to the battery. Yes, there is still drag on your EV, but your range increases with negative acceleration.
When you drive in city environments, the stop-start nature of traffic is very favorable to EV driving and range (and even increases range and preserves battery charge). Your city-driving style is instrumental in improving your experience. You learn to gradually build speed over time, or enact one-pedal driving (where you keep the accelerator depressed or relieve the pressure on the accelerator, and use the regen brake to slow down). These are efficient strategies that maintain or improve your EV's range.
As mentioned before, highway driving and EV range and battery charge status depend on traffic conditions, driving style, speed, whether your speed is a constant high speed or of a stop-start nature. Constant high speed for long periods of time with minimal deceleration will drain the battery faster than city driving and will result in reduced range. However, the scenario changes if you are constantly slowing down in cruise control or decelerating slightly before accelerating again. And, highway driving at higher speeds (around 70 mph or 112 kmh and common to all vehicle types) usually introduces greater wind resistance and higher drag coefficients which also play their part to reduce range.
You want the best out of any vehicle you own. So, keep an eye on all contributing factors: air conditioning and heating, think about preconditioning your car where conditions apply, and think about utilizing public charging networks when travelling on long trips. These are all useful approaches that will ease the strain on your car's battery during periods of frequent use and for distance travel.
Use Of HVAC
In moderate climates, activating the HVAC system will increase energy consumption by up to 10 percent. By simply dialing down the air conditioner you will reduce energy consumption. Think of using the windows from time to time to freshen up the cabin. Keep in mind that it's more efficient to open windows more often but dial back on AC earlier once desired temperature is reached in the car cabin.
You can also reduce energy loss due to HVAC systems through battery preconditioning (see section below). This process enables drivers to warm or cool their batteries before arriving at their destinations so they can get more miles out of a full charge regardless of climate and weather conditions.
Battery Preconditioning
Preconditioning essentially optimizes EV batteries and increases battery life over time by reducing energy lost during charging or discharging stages. It prevents the battery being subjected to extreme temperature changes and also helps reduce time to charge. It ensures the battery stays within an optimal temperature range so that it operates at peak efficiency.
When plugged into a charger, you can adjust the temperature settings for either pre-conditioning or heating/cooling as well as select a departure timer which will automatically heat or cool the battery packs when set.
All in all, battery preconditioning should be taken into consideration when aiming towards a reliable long distance trip in an electric vehicle!
Conclusion
If you want to maximize the range of your electric car, the most important factor to consider is how you drive. Your city driving and highway driving styles will change somewhat and if you really want to be super-efficient you will want to have an EV with the capability of one-pedal driving. Further to one-pedal driving, is to make sure you’re using the regen and HVAC features of the car correctly. It’s not the same across the board, however, because there are seasonal differences to where we live, differences in weather conditions, and availability of charging networks and infrastructure. It boils down to the capabilities of your car, with its high-tech systems (which vary from car to car), coupled with your own driving style and the length of trips you take!
No matter which type of electric car you own, there are ways to improve and maximize its range with smart driving practices. It will come down to being mindful: of the affects an EV’s range; an awareness of maintenance and battery preconditioning to allow optimal functioning; your adaptive driving style to take into account the topography, temperature, distance, and enjoyment of each journey! All are components involved which will potentially increase your car’s range performance while getting the most out of each charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do seasonal differences affect my EV’s range?
A: Seasonal differences can affect your EV’s range due to the climate and weather conditions. During winter months, you can expect your range to be reduced due to the cold temperatures. This is because the battery has to work harder in colder temperatures. Depending on how cold your region is, you may need to plan accordingly and factor in additional range when planning long distance travel or road trips. Warmer climates do not need battery pre-conditioning.
Q: What are the benefits of using public charging networks?
A: Public charging networks can be beneficial for EV owners as they allow for easy access to rapid charging to minimize downtime for longer journeys. This can be especially useful when you are planning a long distance trip or road trip. Public charging networks can also provide a cost-effective way to charge your EV and provide peace of mind that you will be able to top up your battery when you need it.
Q: What is the difference between city and country driving when it comes to maximizing my EV's range?
A: City driving tends to require more frequent acceleration and braking than country driving, which rather counterintuitively, actually increases your EV's range (but will be dependent on regen settings).
The average speed at which you travel can have an impact on range. Country driving, with its more constant high speeds, which can reduce your range.
The more you drive your EV, the more you’ll understand its settings and how your driving can affect the range. Once you’ve tested these out over different terrains and climate conditions, it’s pretty easy to get a good handle on your car’s minimum and maximum ranges and plan accordingly. And don’t be shocked if the guess-o-meter suddenly shows a huge decrease or increase – it’s quite normal. There is usually nothing wrong with your car!
Remember: you can always ask other EV owners what they do to plan and maximize their pride and joy’s range.
Happy EV driving.