Electric Vehicle Hints & Tips

In the industry observers believe we have already seen the tipping point where sales of electric vehicles (EVs) will rapidly outpace petrol and diesel cars. With electric vehicle sales already outperforming diesel vehicles in July it is only a matter of time before we see more EVs on the road. Below are 5 tips that can help you get the best performance and longevity out of your electric vehicle.

1)    Plan the night before! If you know you’re going on a long journey, make sure you plan your stops, so you’re not caught short. Look at Zap-map who have pinpointed every public charging point in the UK

2)    Know your chargers

•     Rapid chargers can charge compatible batteries to 80% full in around 30 minutes or less. These can be found in services all over the UK.
•     Fast chargers take between 1 and 5 hours to charge a compatible EV, depending on the size of the battery and speed of the charger. Often found in car parks and shopping centers where you leave your vehicle for a significant amount of time.
•     Slow chargers are what would normally find installed in homes and workplaces, charging can take over 12 hours so ideal to leave on overnight or while you’re in the office.

3)     Don’t charge your battery before 20%. Like most electrical devices it’s never advised to charge it if you don’t need to. Charging your battery unnecessary creates avoidable electrical costs and speeds up the process of having to replace the battery.

4)     Look after the battery. It is advised to charge the battery when it is warm, so when you have arrived home or at your destination. The battery charges quicker and protects the battery cells.

5)    Be careful of Rapid Chargers. Rapid chargers clearly have great benefits especially if you need to charge your car up quickly before moving on to your next destination. However, they can cause the battery to heat up and cause the cooling system to kick in, so use sparingly and better to charge the car in advance.

If you’re in the market for an electric vehicle we have some great offers available to you. Visit our Hybrids & Electric page. (Click here)