Essential EV Tips for New Drivers on a Volt Voyage
An electric vehicle is a fantastic tool for helping reduce carbon emissions on the road. They are also reliable and offer some advantages over traditional cars, such as saving money! One of the best EV tips for new drivers is to get acquainted with your vehicle and its needs. So try these.
Plan Trips Based on Charger Locations
There is a massive construction campaign happening in many countries right now. And that’s getting more charging stations up and running. The popularity of EVs has been growing faster than some expected, and we haven’t kept up with the need for more charging points. Staying safe is always a priority and it helps to keep to places in the US with the safest roads. However, you will also need to consider the locations that have charging stations you can reach.
Learn to Use the Companion App
Most, if not all EVs come with a companion app for a smartphone or tablet. Some come with more than one. EVs are a lot “smarter” than standard cars and come with very modern features. The companion apps are useful for all kinds of things like showing where the nearest charging points are and if they are available. They can also help you keep costs lower by showing how much charging will cost, even at home! Apps will help you get the most from your new vehicle.
Battery Health EV Tips for New Drivers
Learning about the batteries is a core part of owning an electric car. Around 54% of drivers plan to switch to EVs in the near future. Yet many of us still grapple with the concept of using batteries correctly. Like your smartphone, EV batteries need to be charged in a specific way to get the most out of them and prolong their life. For example, never charge the battery to 100%. This sounds crazy, but charging between 10% and 80% helps keep the charge for longer!
Switch On Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking! What the heck is that? It sounds complex, but all it relates to is an exceptional feature of EVs. This may not be turned on by default when you drive your new pride and joy away for the first time. Refer to the manual to see how to switch it on. It may even be in the app. With regenerative braking, you get a small charge of battery energy when you hit the brakes! It builds up energy from movement (kinetic) and feeds it back to your EV battery!
Don’t Backburner the Weather
The rumors you have heard are true! The weather does indeed affect the performance of some EVs. To be more specific, it can impact the efficiency of the battery. If it’s too hot or too cold, the battery can lose some charge. It can also lose charge faster. Because of this, the range you are used to can drop significantly. If you are planning an EV trip during winter or summer, be sure to compensate for any losses by planning the route based on where you can charge your vehicle.
Summary
Planning around charger locations is one of the most useful EV tips for new drivers. It also helps to learn about how the battery works. And this includes the effects the weather can have on it!
