Increasingly Australians are purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) and with the vacation period approaching, many homeowners shall be hitting the road – and there are a number of things they need to know.
Throughout the holiday season, it’s expected more electric cars are going to be on the road for longer periods of time which implies charging stations are prone to clog up, especially along popular routes.
Before you even leave your driveway, and whether you may have an electrical automotive or not, it’s best to check your tyres. You don’t need to be leaving on an extended trip with bald or under-inflated tyres as this might be dangerous.
If you happen to’re unsure what your tread is supposed to seem like, pop into your local mechanic or dealership to have these inspected.
If you happen to are planning to have your vehicle serviced within the lead-up to the vacations, a tyre inspection will also be conducted then.
Planning your route
With an electrical vehicle, it’s much more vital to plan your road trip ahead of time. Determining when, where and easy methods to charge your electric automotive are going to be vital steps to make sure each you and your automotive are juiced up.
Apps like A Higher Route Planner (ABRP) and Plugshare are great resources to help together with your pre-road trip research to show you how to avoid range anxiety.
It’s vital to know ahead of time which charging stations may require special adapters or in case your accommodation has charging facilities (and in that case, what kind). You’ll be waiting an extended, very long time on your automotive to charge for those who just plug it into a normal wall outlet, in spite of everything.
Stopping to charge
Nobody likes waiting around for what might look like an unnecessarily very long time.
If you happen to plan to charge along your route, before typing within the charging station into your GPS be sure that you understand the charging speeds available and how briskly you’ll be able to charge your automotive.
Some public chargers including those at shopping centres may only allow for around 22kW of charge on AC power, in comparison with ultra-fast DC chargers which may peak at speeds of 350kW.
Pulling as much as an AC charger subsequently will mean you’ll be waiting longer to charge.
For example, MG Australia says using certainly one of these with its MG 4 will see 40-100km of range added every hour, while some DC chargers can add 70km of range in only 10 minutes.
To extend vehicle range, drivers should consider avoiding quick acceleration, maintaining a gradual speed when travelling on freeways, and making use of regenerative braking as much as possible.
Charging etiquette
There’s nothing more annoying than someone who leaves their electric automotive plugged in once it has completely charged, and also you’re staring down the barrel of 1 per cent charge with the family in tow.
If you happen to’re charging at an Evie or Chargefox charging station, it’s a very good idea to keep watch over your battery’s charging status through their respective apps to avoid creating lengthy delays for others in line to charge.
If you happen to’re in line for a charger and know you don’t need a full battery before reaching your next intended charging stop, perhaps consider the thought charging your vehicle to 100 per cent isn’t needed.
When you’re at it, put the charger back in its dock if you’re done – you wouldn’t leave a petroleum pump on the bottom next to the bowser!
“We all know from our own ZS EV or MG 4 customers that EV owners have a way of camaraderie and community, offering support and advice to one another,” said a spokesperson from MG Australia.
“With that in mind, we recommend not leaving your EV unattended or on charge for longer than needed.”
It’s not only MG drivers who share this electric vehicle camaraderie, so this holiday season let’s all do the correct thing and ensure all of us arrive safely to our destinations.
And with that, Merry Christmas from CarExpert!
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
