The existence of electric cars is no longer limited to futuristic novels. More and more people are betting on cleaner driving and moving to the electric model. It should be noted that experts do not recommend an integral bet on the electric model, but on hybrids, especially hydrogen. Maintenance of electric cars is not just about charging them. There are strategies to optimize the load and autonomy that can help you in your daily life and especially if you are planning a long trip. The stops to recharge, rest, know the different chargers and a good planning of the trip are fundamental requirements to take into account.
Am I charging my electric car correctly?
In life there are two types of people: those who charge their mobile phone to 100% capacity and those who constantly plug in and unplug. When it comes to an electric car, it’s important to know that neither of these two ways is right, especially if you don’t want to have battery problems. The charging of electric cars is not linear. Depending on the percentage of battery remaining before charging, it will go faster or slower: reached 80% load, the process slows down.Experts advise a percentage between 10% and 80% to opt for long journeys.
EV chargers
The majority of electric chargers are 350kW, but they are not useful for all vehicles. There are 3 essential factors to consider when choosing a charger:
- The maximum power of the battery: cold batteries charge slower.
- The maximum power that your vehicle allows. It is useless to use a top charger if you are not using that energy, it can even be harmful to the health of your battery.
- Availability of charging points: we recommend using apps like Plugshare or ABRP to search for available charging points.
Charging strategy
One of the most important things when making long trips is to plan each time you have to charge the car and above all, take breaks. Experts recommend making stops every 2 hours or 200 kilometers, which usually corresponds to the average autonomy of electric vehicles, and take advantage of that rest to charge the car.
If you decide to travel in the summer, try to find sun-protected and comfortable cargo areas for your rest. If you travel in winter, look for charging points covered. According to several studies, if you match the driving moments with those of loading the vehicle, the journey will be more fluid and relaxed.
How should I charge my car?
Since the optimal charging strategy is to keep the battery percentage between 10% and 80%, making several stops would be the most appropriate way. The researchers and experts recommend 3 stops of 25 minutes, which will favor the durability of the battery and will make you spend less time waiting on the road. It is called “loading chain” and has become an indispensable method for long-haul travelers.
Plan your journey
To optimize the trip as much as possible, it would be advisable to make a planning. Since we use AI for pretty much everything in our lives, why not ask him to plan our trip? We can use the car’s internal browsers or applications such as A better route planner (ABRP), which will guide us in time and space. This way we can optimize the stops, choose the best rest areas and prevent any incident in real time.
Making a long trip with an electric vehicle requires prior planning. You forgot to count the remaining kilometers and if the autonomy of your car will cover them, the anxiety that a road trip entails or not knowing where to rest. Plan and manage time in a strict way, combining load with rest and you will see how your trips become much more pleasant and relaxing experiences.
Read about all advances in electric cars here!
