Smart Tips and Safety Measures You Should Know Before Your First Road Trip With EV.
- numocity
- August 21, 2023
Road trips across the country are always exciting, especially when you take an electric vehicle for the first time. This allows us the ability to explore and fulfil our curiosities on road trips. EVs are a fantastic choice for cross-country travel due to their long range and high fuel efficiency. Additionally, it’s less expensive since, while gas costs might vary significantly from one state to the another, those for electric vehicle charging stations typically don’t. However, there are several procedures and safety considerations for EV you should take in advance of a road trip, just like with a gas-powered vehicle.
Things to keep in mind before going for long trip with EV
Check on your EV maintenance
Preparing your electric vehicle (EV) for the journey won’t require much time unless there is a specific issue you are concerned about. Verify the EV’s wiper fluid reservoir, brakes, windshield wipers, and tyre tread. As low tyre pressure can significantly affect the performance of the EV and restrict EV range, fill the tyres to the recommended PSI level. Be sure to assemble an emergency kit as well, click here to learn more about the essentials of the EV emergency kit.
Know your Electric Vehicle
Driving an EV or more specifically charging one is a completely new experience. Therefore, it is important to know your EV before setting out on a long journey. Learn about Different types of EV chargers, Time to charge an electric car, Cost to charge an electric car, How far can an electric car go?, How long do electric car batteries last? and Types of EV charging cables and charger plugs. Knowing all this will make you aware about the EV specifications and help you understand your EV better. You can read more about it here.
Plan your journey
If you’re taking a first-time road trip, get your map and estimate how far you can go on one charge. The average charging distance for EV batteries varies. The distance will also depend on a number of other things. Route chargers out of the way. You can discover fewer Superchargers available in rural locations. Plan your day around meals and incorporate pauses at charging stations and restrooms into your schedule to maximise your time. Charging an electric vehicle will take longer than it does a vehicle that runs on gas or diesel. You can refuel while you eat breaks.
Carry a charging backup
The quickest, Level 3 chargers do not treat all EV chargers equally. Additionally, the charging station where you’re trying to charge may not be compatible with the plug that suits your car. The good news is that adaptors can be found. If you’re planning to use a charging station with incompatible plugs, make sure you have an adaptor with you. In the event of a last-minute change of plans, a portable EV charger is useful.
It would be helpful if you thought about alternate EV charging options to prevent becoming stuck on the side of the road after running out of battery.
Prepare according to your EV range and milage
Your road trip’s outcome will depend on the type of EV you have. Compared to other EVs, some can go a longer distance before needing to recharge. This means that in order to determine how much charge you need to drive from point A to point B before recharging, you should consider the distances you travel everyday in your electric vehicle. Calculate how much charge you always have remaining at the end of the day.
There are multiple factors that can impact the mileage of an electric vehicle. Using the car’s air-conditioner in warm weather can reduce milage. Like petrol and diesel powered vehicles, wind resistance also impacts the EV milage. Not only this, but packing light can also help you increase your EV mileage. Keeping this into consideration can help you undertake a better journey and go a long way without running out of power.
Download the right apps!
Spend some time downloading some of these useful EV applications before your vacation. To alleviate range anxiety, they will help you plan your itinerary and identify hotels and charging stations.
- EasyReCharge– It is the leading app for electric vehicle charging software. It can help you find charging stations nearest to you and check the connection status of your electronic vehicle. Now, you are just a few clicks away from searching for a charging station, reserving it and paying through your preferred mode.
- EV Hotels – This app gives you places to sleep while you charge your car overnight.
- Google Maps–Gives you real-time information about traffic and road conditions on your route