With a little bit of advanced planning, you’ll stand a much better chance of avoiding the typical electric vehicle pitfalls and enjoying a much smoother and stress-free road trip
Over the last few years, sales of hybrid and battery electric vehicles have risen sharply. Tens of thousands of these vehicles are sold in the UK every year – and that’s just the new car market.
If you’ve made an investment in a vehicle of this kind, and you’re planning a long road trip for the first time, then there are a number of problems that you might anticipate. With a little bit of advanced planning, you’ll stand a much better chance of avoiding these problems and enjoying a much better road trip.
Route planning
One of the most well-publicised concerns about driving an EV is range anxiety. While EV ranges have gotten longer, yours probably won’t be able to take you through an entire road trip. Plan your route meticulously, and make sure that you have several alternatives available when it comes to charging. There are plenty of online resources that will let you know exactly where the next charging station is.
Range
We’ve already mentioned that range is finite. But under certain conditions, it might actually be lower than you think. Changes in the weather, and in your driving behaviour, can influence the efficiency you enjoy.
Make sure that you’re familiar with the vehicle and its lasting power under a variety of road conditions. In other words, the more driving you’ve done in your EV prior to your departure on the day of your trip, the better.
Packing
When you’re planning, you’ll want to include gear that’s specifically designed to make travel in an EV more enjoyable. You might look for adaptors that will help you to charge the vehicle at a variety of stations.
If you have the right equipment, you can even charge the car at your holiday accommodation, using a three-pin plug. A kit filled with electrical tools can also help you with minor repairs inside the car.
Pre-departure checklist
Before departing, there are a few things you’ll want to take a look at. Your battery should be charged to at least eighty percent, and warmed up prior to departure. Your tyres should be inflated, your brakes tested, and your lights should be in working order.
If you have a service due, then it’s often a good idea to time it so that it comes out of the service shortly before the road trip. That way, you can be sure of optimal performance – and you’ll know that there aren’t any nasty surprises lurking beneath the hood.
