One of the biggest barriers to the mass adoption of EVs is range anxiety. Range anxiety is when drivers worry that their EV battery will not be able to last long enough between charges. Generally, this isn’t a practical issue; as long as you keep an eye on your EV’s battery, your car’s range should be ample for your day-to-day activities.
Most people don’t drive too much daily, so range anxiety can only be a serious issue when going on long journeys. It isn’t a serious issue in most circumstances, as battery technology has improved substantially over the past decade. There are thousands of charging stations in the UK, and more are installed daily.
That means you’re never too far from a charger, so you don’t need to worry too much about your EV range as long as you maintain your battery. However, you might want to optimise your EV range for many reasons. Perhaps you want to avoid pricy public charging or optimise your EV usage.
There are many ways to boost your EV range which take minimal effort. A lot of these methods are fairly logical and sensible, but some of them might surprise you.
Before we get into tips on how to optimise your EV range, you should know an obvious way to have the largest range possible. Buy the largest battery size. Unlike many technologies, you can’t change an EV’s battery once the EV is made.
Many EVs come in multiple models which offer different speeds and battery sizes. For example, the Nissan Leaf comes in two versions, one with a 40 kWh battery and the other with a 62 kWh one. The 62 kWh battery will have a larger range and will last longer.
The larger the battery, the more expensive the EV will be, so buying the largest battery EV might not be an option for everyone. Still, if you’re looking to get the largest range possible and money is no option, you should buy an EV with the largest battery you can find.
Some external factors affect your EV range, but most of the ways you can prolong your battery you can do while driving. Most of these are logical options which you should do even when you’re not worrying about your range.
All EVs have regenerative braking. Regenerative braking is the most energy-efficient way to slow down your EV; always keep regenerative braking on.
Avoid braking in general if possible but especially avoid sudden brakes, which will cause friction. Friction is very bad for energy efficiency and will cause your EV range to be lower than it otherwise would be.
Route planners are great and very reliable. You probably use them for most long journeys you take. If you’re careful, they can help you optimise your EV range. When driving, try to limit your number of stops, as accelerating and decelerating your EV will use up your battery.
Avoid elevation as much as possible. If your destination is uphill, this is impossible, but if you can, avoid going up and down hills, as this uses a lot of energy. Take as direct a route as possible and try to go as slow as reasonably possible, as the faster you drive, the lower your range will be.
Avoid motorways or other roads where you’ll need to go fast, as this will drain your battery quickly. A good route planner will help you avoid elevation and high mph roads and get you to your destination as smoothly as possible.
Auxiliary functions are things like heating, air conditioning and climate control. These can make your journey much more enjoyable; however, in doing so, they use up a lot of energy that your EV could otherwise use to boost its range.
Obviously, on particularly hot or cold days, these functions might be necessary. However, on less-essential days, you should avoid using them to prolong your battery. A way to avoid being uncomfortable while saving energy is to precondition your EV while it is plugged in and charging. Try turning on the heating or air conditioning while charging to maintain a more comfortable car temperature.
If it’s a very hot day, but you don’t want to use air conditioning, you can always try opening your windows. Opening your windows can cause aerodynamic drag, making the EV use more energy than it would otherwise, but it is still more energy efficient than air conditioning.
Accelerating and deceleration your EV suddenly uses a lot of energy. Maintaining your speed is the best way to boost your EV range, but if you need to accelerate or decelerate, try to do so as gradually as possible to minimise energy consumption and avoid needlessly draining your battery.
The faster your drive, the quicker your EV’s battery will be drained. It’s that simple. Your EV is at its most energy efficient at low speeds like ten mph; however, those aren’t realistic speeds to expect people to drive at.
Most gas or diesel cars have an optimal speed of around 50 mph for energy efficiency. All EVs are different and don’t have optimal speeds; however, as a rule, they use less energy to go slow than fast. Avoid going on motorways or going at high speeds if you want to extend your EV range.
The ideal speed is whatever speed you’re going; as long as it isn’t too fast, it’s best to maintain your speed and be consistent. Avoid accelerating or braking as much as possible. Try to drive as smoothly as possible to protect your battery.
It’s not too hard to do, just drive as safely as possible, and you’ll probably be driving nice and smoothly. Driving at consistent speeds is less strenuous on your battery and helps protect it.
The lighter the car is, the less energy the battery will need to move it. Hence, it would be best if you tried to make your car as light as reasonable. Removing weight doesn’t mean you need to go on a crash diet or start stripping out your seats.
Just look at your car and think about excess weight. Perhaps remove stuff you’ve left in the boot or remove roof racks. Your EV range will be better if you try to limit unnecessary weight in the car.
If you keep all this article’s tips in mind, you can extend your EV’s range by a considerable amount of miles. However, the simplest way to avoid range anxiety is to top-up now and then.
Perhaps you can habitually charge your EV at minor stops for a few minutes every time you go out; this will ensure you don’t need to worry about how much longer your vehicle can drive. There are so many charging points in the UK that there is almost certainly one nearby that you can use.
As long as you keep your EV charged high enough, you should be able to make most journeys you want. Just try to avoid charging your EV 100%, as this can damage your EV’s battery condition.
While most of the ways you can optimise your EV range can be done while driving, some of the most vital factors can’t be affected while driving.
Your battery condition will degrade over time. It happens to every battery no matter what; all you can do is attempt to slow down the degradation. The larger the battery, the longer it will last.
There are many ways to prolong your battery, but the most important is avoiding charging it up to 100% or letting it drain to 0%. Either of these options can damage the battery.
You can also try to protect your battery by avoiding rapid charging, minimising exposure to high temperatures and easing off the accelerator.
Big alloy wheels increase rolling resistance, which reduces EV’s energy efficiency. Try to get smaller wheels with thicker profiles if you want the largest range possible. These types of wheels are more energy efficient. Take care of your tyres, but when you replace them, look for ones specifically made for electric vehicles, as they will likely improve energy efficiency.
Many EVs on the road don’t have optimal tyre pressure. Their drivers are making a simple yet crucial mistake. Optimal tyre pressure will reduce rolling resistance, so you should ensure that your tyres have optimal pressure. Avoiding rolling resistance will increase your EV’s energy efficiency and extend its range.
Believe it or not, the external temperature can affect your EV range. Your EV will have a worse range if it’s too hot or too cold. You’re also more likely to use energy-draining functions like air conditioning or heating, which will make your range shorter. The ideal temperature for EV efficiency is around 20℃.
Obviously, you can’t control the temperature, so there isn’t much you can do about it, but it’s something that you should keep in mind when thinking about optimising your range.
Most of the ways to optimise your EV's range are fairly logical. You'll probably have a decent-sized range as long as you drive sensibly and keep energy consumption in mind. Be careful about maintaining your battery condition as this is the single most important factor to having a good range.
In the past, EV range anxiety was a serious issue; however, with so many charging points in the country and the introduction of new battery technology, it isn't as serious a problem. You're probably never more than 10 miles from a charging point anywhere in the UK.
That means you don't have to worry even if your range isn't ideal as long as you know where a relevant, conveniently placed charger is.
We created Bonnet to help make public charging easy. We've partnered with some of the best charging networks in the UK to ensure that finding the ideal charging spot has never been easier. We've partnered with 17+ charging networks, each with different speeds, locations and prices, to ensure that you can find the right network for your circumstances.
One of the biggest issues with public charging is downloading a different app for each network you use. You can avoid this by downloading Bonnet, which works with thousands of charging points across the UK.
Bonnet Boosts, our membership option, allows EV owners to save up to 15% off their EV charging bill within our partners' charging network. If you're interested in affordable charging at great destinations, download Bonnet today and make charging stress-free.
Download Bonnet here.
There are many ways that you can maximise your EV range. Try not to use your EV’s auxiliary functions, maintain your speed and plan your route. Generally, the faster you drive, the lower your EV range is, so try to avoid going at high speeds if you want to maximise your EV range.
Your EV range can be affected by many factors, such as auxiliary functions, car speed and wheel size. If your EV range is low after fully charging your EV, your battery condition may be poor.
Your battery condition deteriorates over time. Charging your EV to 100% often can degrade the battery. Avoid charging your EV to 100% too often to maintain an optimal battery condition.
Yes, generally, it is better to charge your EV slowly if you have the time. Slow charging will protect your battery and slow its deterioration. Meaning it will have a longer-lasting battery and a battery EV range.
One of the biggest barriers to the mass adoption of EVs is range anxiety. Range anxiety is when drivers worry that their EV battery will not be able to last long enough between charges. Generally, this isn’t a practical issue; as long as you keep an eye on your EV’s battery, your car’s range should be ample for your day-to-day activities.
Most people don’t drive too much daily, so range anxiety can only be a serious issue when going on long journeys. It isn’t a serious issue in most circumstances, as battery technology has improved substantially over the past decade. There are thousands of charging stations in the UK, and more are installed daily.
That means you’re never too far from a charger, so you don’t need to worry too much about your EV range as long as you maintain your battery. However, you might want to optimise your EV range for many reasons. Perhaps you want to avoid pricy public charging or optimise your EV usage.
There are many ways to boost your EV range which take minimal effort. A lot of these methods are fairly logical and sensible, but some of them might surprise you.
Before we get into tips on how to optimise your EV range, you should know an obvious way to have the largest range possible. Buy the largest battery size. Unlike many technologies, you can’t change an EV’s battery once the EV is made.
Many EVs come in multiple models which offer different speeds and battery sizes. For example, the Nissan Leaf comes in two versions, one with a 40 kWh battery and the other with a 62 kWh one. The 62 kWh battery will have a larger range and will last longer.
The larger the battery, the more expensive the EV will be, so buying the largest battery EV might not be an option for everyone. Still, if you’re looking to get the largest range possible and money is no option, you should buy an EV with the largest battery you can find.
Some external factors affect your EV range, but most of the ways you can prolong your battery you can do while driving. Most of these are logical options which you should do even when you’re not worrying about your range.
All EVs have regenerative braking. Regenerative braking is the most energy-efficient way to slow down your EV; always keep regenerative braking on.
Avoid braking in general if possible but especially avoid sudden brakes, which will cause friction. Friction is very bad for energy efficiency and will cause your EV range to be lower than it otherwise would be.
Route planners are great and very reliable. You probably use them for most long journeys you take. If you’re careful, they can help you optimise your EV range. When driving, try to limit your number of stops, as accelerating and decelerating your EV will use up your battery.
Avoid elevation as much as possible. If your destination is uphill, this is impossible, but if you can, avoid going up and down hills, as this uses a lot of energy. Take as direct a route as possible and try to go as slow as reasonably possible, as the faster you drive, the lower your range will be.
Avoid motorways or other roads where you’ll need to go fast, as this will drain your battery quickly. A good route planner will help you avoid elevation and high mph roads and get you to your destination as smoothly as possible.
Auxiliary functions are things like heating, air conditioning and climate control. These can make your journey much more enjoyable; however, in doing so, they use up a lot of energy that your EV could otherwise use to boost its range.
Obviously, on particularly hot or cold days, these functions might be necessary. However, on less-essential days, you should avoid using them to prolong your battery. A way to avoid being uncomfortable while saving energy is to precondition your EV while it is plugged in and charging. Try turning on the heating or air conditioning while charging to maintain a more comfortable car temperature.
If it’s a very hot day, but you don’t want to use air conditioning, you can always try opening your windows. Opening your windows can cause aerodynamic drag, making the EV use more energy than it would otherwise, but it is still more energy efficient than air conditioning.
Accelerating and deceleration your EV suddenly uses a lot of energy. Maintaining your speed is the best way to boost your EV range, but if you need to accelerate or decelerate, try to do so as gradually as possible to minimise energy consumption and avoid needlessly draining your battery.
The faster your drive, the quicker your EV’s battery will be drained. It’s that simple. Your EV is at its most energy efficient at low speeds like ten mph; however, those aren’t realistic speeds to expect people to drive at.
Most gas or diesel cars have an optimal speed of around 50 mph for energy efficiency. All EVs are different and don’t have optimal speeds; however, as a rule, they use less energy to go slow than fast. Avoid going on motorways or going at high speeds if you want to extend your EV range.
The ideal speed is whatever speed you’re going; as long as it isn’t too fast, it’s best to maintain your speed and be consistent. Avoid accelerating or braking as much as possible. Try to drive as smoothly as possible to protect your battery.
It’s not too hard to do, just drive as safely as possible, and you’ll probably be driving nice and smoothly. Driving at consistent speeds is less strenuous on your battery and helps protect it.
The lighter the car is, the less energy the battery will need to move it. Hence, it would be best if you tried to make your car as light as reasonable. Removing weight doesn’t mean you need to go on a crash diet or start stripping out your seats.
Just look at your car and think about excess weight. Perhaps remove stuff you’ve left in the boot or remove roof racks. Your EV range will be better if you try to limit unnecessary weight in the car.
If you keep all this article’s tips in mind, you can extend your EV’s range by a considerable amount of miles. However, the simplest way to avoid range anxiety is to top-up now and then.
Perhaps you can habitually charge your EV at minor stops for a few minutes every time you go out; this will ensure you don’t need to worry about how much longer your vehicle can drive. There are so many charging points in the UK that there is almost certainly one nearby that you can use.
As long as you keep your EV charged high enough, you should be able to make most journeys you want. Just try to avoid charging your EV 100%, as this can damage your EV’s battery condition.
While most of the ways you can optimise your EV range can be done while driving, some of the most vital factors can’t be affected while driving.
Your battery condition will degrade over time. It happens to every battery no matter what; all you can do is attempt to slow down the degradation. The larger the battery, the longer it will last.
There are many ways to prolong your battery, but the most important is avoiding charging it up to 100% or letting it drain to 0%. Either of these options can damage the battery.
You can also try to protect your battery by avoiding rapid charging, minimising exposure to high temperatures and easing off the accelerator.
Big alloy wheels increase rolling resistance, which reduces EV’s energy efficiency. Try to get smaller wheels with thicker profiles if you want the largest range possible. These types of wheels are more energy efficient. Take care of your tyres, but when you replace them, look for ones specifically made for electric vehicles, as they will likely improve energy efficiency.
Many EVs on the road don’t have optimal tyre pressure. Their drivers are making a simple yet crucial mistake. Optimal tyre pressure will reduce rolling resistance, so you should ensure that your tyres have optimal pressure. Avoiding rolling resistance will increase your EV’s energy efficiency and extend its range.
Believe it or not, the external temperature can affect your EV range. Your EV will have a worse range if it’s too hot or too cold. You’re also more likely to use energy-draining functions like air conditioning or heating, which will make your range shorter. The ideal temperature for EV efficiency is around 20℃.
Obviously, you can’t control the temperature, so there isn’t much you can do about it, but it’s something that you should keep in mind when thinking about optimising your range.
Most of the ways to optimise your EV's range are fairly logical. You'll probably have a decent-sized range as long as you drive sensibly and keep energy consumption in mind. Be careful about maintaining your battery condition as this is the single most important factor to having a good range.
In the past, EV range anxiety was a serious issue; however, with so many charging points in the country and the introduction of new battery technology, it isn't as serious a problem. You're probably never more than 10 miles from a charging point anywhere in the UK.
That means you don't have to worry even if your range isn't ideal as long as you know where a relevant, conveniently placed charger is.
We created Bonnet to help make public charging easy. We've partnered with some of the best charging networks in the UK to ensure that finding the ideal charging spot has never been easier. We've partnered with 17+ charging networks, each with different speeds, locations and prices, to ensure that you can find the right network for your circumstances.
One of the biggest issues with public charging is downloading a different app for each network you use. You can avoid this by downloading Bonnet, which works with thousands of charging points across the UK.
Bonnet Boosts, our membership option, allows EV owners to save up to 15% off their EV charging bill within our partners' charging network. If you're interested in affordable charging at great destinations, download Bonnet today and make charging stress-free.
Download Bonnet here.
One of the biggest barriers to the mass adoption of EVs is range anxiety. Range anxiety is when drivers worry that their EV battery will not be able to last long enough between charges. Generally, this isn’t a practical issue; as long as you keep an eye on your EV’s battery, your car’s range should be ample for your day-to-day activities.
Most people don’t drive too much daily, so range anxiety can only be a serious issue when going on long journeys. It isn’t a serious issue in most circumstances, as battery technology has improved substantially over the past decade. There are thousands of charging stations in the UK, and more are installed daily.
That means you’re never too far from a charger, so you don’t need to worry too much about your EV range as long as you maintain your battery. However, you might want to optimise your EV range for many reasons. Perhaps you want to avoid pricy public charging or optimise your EV usage.
There are many ways to boost your EV range which take minimal effort. A lot of these methods are fairly logical and sensible, but some of them might surprise you.
Before we get into tips on how to optimise your EV range, you should know an obvious way to have the largest range possible. Buy the largest battery size. Unlike many technologies, you can’t change an EV’s battery once the EV is made.
Many EVs come in multiple models which offer different speeds and battery sizes. For example, the Nissan Leaf comes in two versions, one with a 40 kWh battery and the other with a 62 kWh one. The 62 kWh battery will have a larger range and will last longer.
The larger the battery, the more expensive the EV will be, so buying the largest battery EV might not be an option for everyone. Still, if you’re looking to get the largest range possible and money is no option, you should buy an EV with the largest battery you can find.
Some external factors affect your EV range, but most of the ways you can prolong your battery you can do while driving. Most of these are logical options which you should do even when you’re not worrying about your range.
All EVs have regenerative braking. Regenerative braking is the most energy-efficient way to slow down your EV; always keep regenerative braking on.
Avoid braking in general if possible but especially avoid sudden brakes, which will cause friction. Friction is very bad for energy efficiency and will cause your EV range to be lower than it otherwise would be.
Route planners are great and very reliable. You probably use them for most long journeys you take. If you’re careful, they can help you optimise your EV range. When driving, try to limit your number of stops, as accelerating and decelerating your EV will use up your battery.
Avoid elevation as much as possible. If your destination is uphill, this is impossible, but if you can, avoid going up and down hills, as this uses a lot of energy. Take as direct a route as possible and try to go as slow as reasonably possible, as the faster you drive, the lower your range will be.
Avoid motorways or other roads where you’ll need to go fast, as this will drain your battery quickly. A good route planner will help you avoid elevation and high mph roads and get you to your destination as smoothly as possible.
Auxiliary functions are things like heating, air conditioning and climate control. These can make your journey much more enjoyable; however, in doing so, they use up a lot of energy that your EV could otherwise use to boost its range.
Obviously, on particularly hot or cold days, these functions might be necessary. However, on less-essential days, you should avoid using them to prolong your battery. A way to avoid being uncomfortable while saving energy is to precondition your EV while it is plugged in and charging. Try turning on the heating or air conditioning while charging to maintain a more comfortable car temperature.
If it’s a very hot day, but you don’t want to use air conditioning, you can always try opening your windows. Opening your windows can cause aerodynamic drag, making the EV use more energy than it would otherwise, but it is still more energy efficient than air conditioning.
Accelerating and deceleration your EV suddenly uses a lot of energy. Maintaining your speed is the best way to boost your EV range, but if you need to accelerate or decelerate, try to do so as gradually as possible to minimise energy consumption and avoid needlessly draining your battery.
The faster your drive, the quicker your EV’s battery will be drained. It’s that simple. Your EV is at its most energy efficient at low speeds like ten mph; however, those aren’t realistic speeds to expect people to drive at.
Most gas or diesel cars have an optimal speed of around 50 mph for energy efficiency. All EVs are different and don’t have optimal speeds; however, as a rule, they use less energy to go slow than fast. Avoid going on motorways or going at high speeds if you want to extend your EV range.
The ideal speed is whatever speed you’re going; as long as it isn’t too fast, it’s best to maintain your speed and be consistent. Avoid accelerating or braking as much as possible. Try to drive as smoothly as possible to protect your battery.
It’s not too hard to do, just drive as safely as possible, and you’ll probably be driving nice and smoothly. Driving at consistent speeds is less strenuous on your battery and helps protect it.
The lighter the car is, the less energy the battery will need to move it. Hence, it would be best if you tried to make your car as light as reasonable. Removing weight doesn’t mean you need to go on a crash diet or start stripping out your seats.
Just look at your car and think about excess weight. Perhaps remove stuff you’ve left in the boot or remove roof racks. Your EV range will be better if you try to limit unnecessary weight in the car.
If you keep all this article’s tips in mind, you can extend your EV’s range by a considerable amount of miles. However, the simplest way to avoid range anxiety is to top-up now and then.
Perhaps you can habitually charge your EV at minor stops for a few minutes every time you go out; this will ensure you don’t need to worry about how much longer your vehicle can drive. There are so many charging points in the UK that there is almost certainly one nearby that you can use.
As long as you keep your EV charged high enough, you should be able to make most journeys you want. Just try to avoid charging your EV 100%, as this can damage your EV’s battery condition.
While most of the ways you can optimise your EV range can be done while driving, some of the most vital factors can’t be affected while driving.
Your battery condition will degrade over time. It happens to every battery no matter what; all you can do is attempt to slow down the degradation. The larger the battery, the longer it will last.
There are many ways to prolong your battery, but the most important is avoiding charging it up to 100% or letting it drain to 0%. Either of these options can damage the battery.
You can also try to protect your battery by avoiding rapid charging, minimising exposure to high temperatures and easing off the accelerator.
Big alloy wheels increase rolling resistance, which reduces EV’s energy efficiency. Try to get smaller wheels with thicker profiles if you want the largest range possible. These types of wheels are more energy efficient. Take care of your tyres, but when you replace them, look for ones specifically made for electric vehicles, as they will likely improve energy efficiency.
Many EVs on the road don’t have optimal tyre pressure. Their drivers are making a simple yet crucial mistake. Optimal tyre pressure will reduce rolling resistance, so you should ensure that your tyres have optimal pressure. Avoiding rolling resistance will increase your EV’s energy efficiency and extend its range.
Believe it or not, the external temperature can affect your EV range. Your EV will have a worse range if it’s too hot or too cold. You’re also more likely to use energy-draining functions like air conditioning or heating, which will make your range shorter. The ideal temperature for EV efficiency is around 20℃.
Obviously, you can’t control the temperature, so there isn’t much you can do about it, but it’s something that you should keep in mind when thinking about optimising your range.
Most of the ways to optimise your EV's range are fairly logical. You'll probably have a decent-sized range as long as you drive sensibly and keep energy consumption in mind. Be careful about maintaining your battery condition as this is the single most important factor to having a good range.
In the past, EV range anxiety was a serious issue; however, with so many charging points in the country and the introduction of new battery technology, it isn't as serious a problem. You're probably never more than 10 miles from a charging point anywhere in the UK.
That means you don't have to worry even if your range isn't ideal as long as you know where a relevant, conveniently placed charger is.
We created Bonnet to help make public charging easy. We've partnered with some of the best charging networks in the UK to ensure that finding the ideal charging spot has never been easier. We've partnered with 17+ charging networks, each with different speeds, locations and prices, to ensure that you can find the right network for your circumstances.
One of the biggest issues with public charging is downloading a different app for each network you use. You can avoid this by downloading Bonnet, which works with thousands of charging points across the UK.
Bonnet Boosts, our membership option, allows EV owners to save up to 15% off their EV charging bill within our partners' charging network. If you're interested in affordable charging at great destinations, download Bonnet today and make charging stress-free.
Download Bonnet here.
There are many ways that you can maximise your EV range. Try not to use your EV’s auxiliary functions, maintain your speed and plan your route. Generally, the faster you drive, the lower your EV range is, so try to avoid going at high speeds if you want to maximise your EV range.
Your EV range can be affected by many factors, such as auxiliary functions, car speed and wheel size. If your EV range is low after fully charging your EV, your battery condition may be poor.
Your battery condition deteriorates over time. Charging your EV to 100% often can degrade the battery. Avoid charging your EV to 100% too often to maintain an optimal battery condition.
Yes, generally, it is better to charge your EV slowly if you have the time. Slow charging will protect your battery and slow its deterioration. Meaning it will have a longer-lasting battery and a battery EV range.
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