What are the top tips for new EV drivers? What are the top tips for maintaining your battery health? This article will give you insights into top tips to drive your electric vehicle efficiently.
4 Tips Every New EV Driver Needs to Know
1. Take Advantage of Incentives
Taking advantage of incentives is probably the best tip for every new EV driver in the UK.
Incentives such as Workplace Charging, Homecharge Scheme, and the Plug In Car Grant are various options the UK government provides. These are provided to encourage the switch from fossil-powered vehicles to electric vehicles.
For instance, a new EV driver can receive up to a £2,500 incentive for an EV costing about £35,000, provided it can travel at least 70 miles with no emissions.
Also, owning an electric vehicle can help significantly in reducing your tax bills. EV drivers are not required to pay tax since their cars don’t emit CO2 (provided their value is over £40,000).
2. Battery Health and Charging
Generally, the more you care for your battery, the longer it can last. That’s also true for an EV battery. Understanding the fundamental tips for extending your EV’s battery health will save you maintenance costs in the future.
To prevent your battery from degrading over time, keep the following in mind:
Monitor Your Charging
As with your phone or laptop, maintaining an optimal charging range keeps the batteries in excellent condition. Electric vehicles are similar to these.
Always keep your battery running between 20-80% charging cycle. This means don’t let it dip below 20% before charging, preventing it from charging over 80% capacity.
Can I Use a Fast Charger?
Fast chargers are great. You may need to rely on a fast charger to top your battery at intervals when traveling a long journey.
Try as much as possible, however, not to use them often. For instance, if you’re at home, use a normal-speed charger. This is because depending totally on fast chargers can stress your batteries and affect their optimal charging range.
As a rule of thumb, don’t overcharge your batteries. It’s best to charge up to about 80%, which is suitable for the road. Charging up to 100% can impact the health of your battery.
3. Plan Your Journey Ahead of Time
Downloading a few relevant apps would be handy in your transition to the EV world. This is, of course, apart from the car manufacturer’s recommendations that make your EV easier to use.
Leverage the advantages of navigational apps like Zap-Map, WattsUp, and Google Maps to plan your trip ahead of time. Some apps even help you discover nearby charging points if you need to top up your battery quickly.
4. Avoid Extreme Temperatures
As discussed in #2 above, you can tell if your battery is healthy merely by looking at it. But you may hardly tell what the effects of weather and temperature have on the battery.
While electric vehicles can be used in all environmental factors, avoiding extreme temperatures and weather conditions is best. If you live in an area that usually records unpleasant weather, you might want to take a few extra cautions to improve the lifespan of your EV battery.
Although electric vehicles are designed with an automated thermal management system that helps them regulate overheating, you still need to play your part. Not exposing your car batteries to extreme temperatures is the best thing you can do!
You can opt to park your car in the shade, in a cool place at home, or your workplace. Similarly, do not immediately charge your car battery if you’ve returned from work or an outing. Wait for a while and let it cool down.
Concluding Thoughts
There you go – have fun! Driving an electric vehicle is all fun. With these tips, you will go from a beginner to a pro in no time. If you need help or want a quote for installing your home charging point, don’t hesitate to contact us today.