Range is one of the most talked about topics when it comes to electric vehicles (EVs).
In this article from Lifestyle Magazine*, shorter range EV’s and their benefits are in the spotlight.
EV range has been steadily increasing over the past few years. The original Nissan Leaf, the first mainstream electric car in the UK had a range of just 109 miles. Today, there are some reasonably priced cars, such as the Renault Scenic, that can comfortably triple that range. Yet, as vehicle ranges start pushing towards the 400-mile mark – 500 in some premium models – manufacturers still think there is room for cars with smaller batteries. And there are some very good reasons for that.
Are you overestimating your mileage?
While some customers will genuinely need to cover a lot of miles, the majority may overestimate how many miles they actually drive. According to MOT data the average annual mileage in the UK is around 6,500 miles – that’s 125 miles per week. And without turning things into a rather dull maths lesson, if you use the more relevant mode average, rather than mean average, the mileage is significantly lower still.
If we look at the Fiat 500 Electric as an example, it has a range of 199 miles – that’s roughly London to Manchester, a four-hour journey. But, as it’s recommended in the highway code that we take a break every two hours, you can simply pull in at a service station, plug in your car and grab a drink while you take a break – you should have more than enough to get you to your destination.
For those that predominantly do town and city driving, this is where EVs thrive. Unlike a petrol or diesel car, you will get a greater range in urban driving than you would on a motorway. This is because EVs are equipped with regenerative braking – a system that puts energy back into the battery whenever you slow you your vehicle. This can extend how far you can drive on a full charge, which can ultimately save you money.
Smaller EVs with smaller batteries will also be easier to manoeuvre and park when driving in built-up areas. Furthermore, there are generally more chargers available in cities, so you can find somewhere to leave your car charging while you go about your day.
Cost benefits
Another thing to factor in is efficiency. EV batteries are rather heavy. Larger EV batteries are significantly heavier because they can allow for longer trips without charging, which can be handy on motorway journeys. Conversely, a car with a smaller battery will be lighter and more efficient when using its charge – potentially saving you money.
*This article first appeared in Lifestyle Magazine.
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Lifestyle Magazine
Discover the latest Motability Scheme news with Lifestyle, the quarterly customer magazine. This is available to all Scheme customers and delivered free of charge. You can read the latest issue online or sign up to receive Lifestyle in the post.*
*Only available for Motability Scheme customers free of charge.
