KIA
We all know that driving smoothly, keeping tires inflated, reducing unnecessary weight help us save energy and increase range. But we can do weirder things, like preheating the cabin and… using a technique from Formula 1 drivers: don’t brake!
Electric cars have come a long way since the late 2000s, when they were little more than a curious experience scientific. Currently among the options most popular in the new car market, and for good reason.
Most modern electric vehicles can travel long distancesload faster, and also benefit from numerous government support, making them cheaper to drive and maintain than gasoline cars.
But, although everything indicates that the future will end up being electric, the electricity infrastructure loading in many places they are still under development. And that can give headachesnote or .
Perhaps a charger that appeared as available in your application is not available. accessible during a long tripor perhaps there is a queue of cars at the nearest fast charger and you need to go to the next location.
In these situations, making the most of every kilometer of battery life becomes essential. Here they are ten ways to increase autonomy of your electric vehicle.
Drive smoothly
O instant binary of electric vehicles and the thrill of overtaking other cars can be truly addictive. In the end, is one of the main reasons why people abandon internal combustion vehicles.
However, the stronger the accelerationthe faster the battery runs out and the autonomy decreases. Instead, try to adopt a smooth driving style.
This means accelerate progressively until it reaches cruising speed and maintains it. To do this, use the speed control. It is an intelligent system that maintains a constant speed without requiring any intervention from the driver, being much more efficient than human driving.
Also, try drive at more moderate speeds. Although electric vehicles are more efficient than gasoline cars, there is no way around air resistance.
From 80 km/h onwards, cars consume more energy to overcome resistance aerodynamics than to support its own weight. Therefore, if the speed limit is 120 km/h, try driving at 100 km/h to increase autonomy.
Use regenerative braking
Electric vehicle engines convert electrical energy stored in the lithium-ion cells into kinetic energy to move the vehicle. It is a very efficient processwhich does not produce waste such as heat or noise.
Regenerative braking works reversing this process: during deceleration, the vehicle’s kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by the engine itself.
In simple terms, when you lift your foot off the accelerator or touch the brakes, the regenerative braking system comes into action instead of tablets of the brakes. It then generates electricity, recharges the battery and helps the car stop. With this process, electric vehicles can recover up to 70% of the energy that would otherwise be wasted.
Furthermore, new electric vehicles offer different braking levels regenerative, with single-pedal driving being the most effective for city driving.
This system practically replaces conventional brakes: when the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator, the electric motors work in reverse to capture maximum energy, simulating braking and allowing the car to stop normally.
Anticipate braking
If your electric vehicle does not have regenerative braking or it is not very effective, there is another way to save energy: lift your foot and let the car slide.
It’s a technique well known among Formula 1 fansand consists of lifting your foot off the accelerator long before the braking pointletting the rolling motion of the car do the work.
Although this technique not very practical in urban driving or suburban due to traffic, it is actually more efficient than regenerative brakingsince there are no energy losses in the conversion of kinetic energy into electrical energy.
The ideal is to combine the two techniques: turn off regenerative braking or set it to the minimum level on the motorway, and activate it to the maximum in the city or in stop-start traffic. This combination will help maximize autonomy.
Use or eco mode
All new electric vehicles include multiple driving modes that adjust performance depending on driving and road conditions. One of them is the eco mode, which can be your best ally when you can’t find a charger.
When activated, eco (or economy) mode limits certain electric vehicle functions to save energy. Depending on the manufacturer, the car may limit maximum performance, adjust climate options, soften throttle response or restrict sudden variations of speed.
In practice, the impact of eco mode will always depend on the vehicle in question. While some cars may register a significant improvement in range, others may not show such noticeable differences.
Calibrate the tires
Tires are a fundamental part of any vehicle, as they are in permanent contact with the road. As a consequencetires are subject to friction and, if they are not properly calibrated, energy consumption increases considerably.
Check that your tires are at the recommended pressure, the value of which can be found on the inside of the driver’s door jamb. New electric vehicles also display tire pressure on the instrument panel, making it easier to check.
O type of tires also plays an important roleand, although tires for electric vehicles and combustion cars may look the same, they are designed for different purposes.
Electric vehicles require special tirescapable of supporting the increased weight of the battery and the instantaneous torque, while being aerodynamically efficient to guarantee the best possible range and the lowest noise level in the cabin.
Remove excess weight and luggage rack
All electric vehicle manufacturers seek to design the most aerodynamics possible, so that the car offers the least air resistance. This directly contributes to greater autonomy.
Accessories such as roof racks disturb this balance delicate and introduce up to 15% more aerodynamic drag. The result is a less efficient car, which needs to use more battery energy to maintain the same speed. Therefore, it is advisable to remove the roof racks to increase the range of your electric vehicle.
Another aspect to be taken into account is the reducing excessive weight. It may seem simple, but the less weight you carry daily, the greater your autonomy. For most people, there is plenty of room to free the car from unnecessary objects.
Precondition the cabin
Unlike gasoline cars, which use engine heat to heat the cabin in winter, electric vehicles do not produce excess heat. Consequently, all heating comes from the batterywhich consumes more energy than any other component and reduces autonomy.
Fortunately, most new electric vehicles have an app that allows users to control certain parameters. And this is precisely where pre-conditioning the cabin comes in.
If you charge your car at home and leave for work always at the same time, pre-warm up the cabin before leaving. Electricity from the grid will directly power the heating system, without consuming its precious load. So when you leave, you’ll have a pleasantly warm car with a 100% battery.
Don’t open the windows
Driving around with the windows open and feeling the breeze on a sunny day is one of the best feelings in the world. And if your electric vehicle is low on charge, it may seem A good way to give up air conditioning and save autonomy.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite like that. Lowering the windows on certain vehicles can increase energy consumption by up to 20%due to the increase in aerodynamic resistance, which forces the car to spend more energy to maintain the same speed.
However, there are exceptions. This phenomenon does not apply to lower speedswhere air resistance is lower.
Plan your trip
Planning a long trip in an electric vehicle is very different from doing so in a gasoline car, mainly due to the number of charging stops that may be necessary.
Apps like Waze maintain a database of all public charging stations and allow you to filter chargers based on the specific electric vehicle and its fast charging capabilities. Sometimes, it’s not about choosing the fastest route, but about plan carefully each stop to avoid unforeseen events.
Furthermore, analyze the variations in altitude on the different routesas hills cause the battery to discharge faster. If you are planning your first long trip in an electric vehicle, do not rely on autonomy values indicated by the manufacturer, as they are measured under ideal conditions.
Review regularly
Electric vehicles have far fewer moving components than traditional cars, which means they no need to change engine oil nor check the coolant level every few months.
However, electric vehicles continue to require maintenance in components such as brakes and tires, which must be checked regularly, as well as the liquid cooling system. This system, generally composed of a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, prevents the battery and engine from overheating and compromising performance.
During an inspection, the technician checks the battery fault codeswhich helps resolve potential power management issues, and installs the latest software updates. Although these updates are not always essential, they may include bug fixes that improve the electric vehicle’s range.
So have a good trip… and without the “range anxiety”!
