A road trip can be invigorating. However, planning and mapping out things slightly in advance can be rewarding for everyone participating; especially when you own an electric vehicle. And more so in India, considering that EV charging infrastructure still has a long way to go. So here are a few tips and tricks to have an awesome road trip with your electric vehicle.
Know your battery range
To ensure a stress-free road trip, it's important to first know the range of your car. You can find the exact battery range in the owner's manual or on the manufacturer's website. This will be useful in planning out stops to charge your EV and avoid the car dying in the middle of nowhere.
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Map out stops
Depending on how far you are going and the range of your vehicle, it's recommended that you plan your stops to make the journey favourable. The primary planning should involve mapping out charging stations along your route according to the range of the battery. Bonus points if you find food stations around the charging point to reduce the number of stops and utilise the charging time.
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Call up hotels in advance
If you are planning a multi-day trip, it's advised that you call up layover hotels in advance to confirm if they have electricity and the required voltage sockets to charge your EV. This will help you save a lot of time as you can charge the batteries while you rest. Even on a day trip, it's ideal to call up restaurants that you plan to stop at to confirm if you can charge your vehicle's batteries there.
Carry an earthing kit
EV drivers need to make sure they can charge their EV at any given point in time. For this, an earthing kit is recommended as most restaurants and hotels do not have proper earthing. Charging at an establishment without earthing can cause damage to the vehicle as earthing protects appliances, and in this case your EV, against unwarranted spikes of electricity. An earthing kit consists of an iron rod that can be pitched in the ground with a wire connected to it that can be plugged into your charging cord. You can also make your own earthing kit.
Drive consciously
Almost all electric vehicles come with an indicator of the kilometres left before the battery runs out. If you have more kilometres to cover than the range of your car, you can adjust your driving pattern to increase the range. Harder acceleration drains more battery. If you maintain a constant slow pace of say 40kmph, you'll end up with a higher range than when you're driving at speeds of 80kmph. Sudden braking too drains up a lot of battery. Instead of stepping on the brake pedal suddenly, it's ideal to let go of the accelerator pedal a few metres before the desired stopping point. This is when the car will start the process of regenerative braking and charge your battery as you stop.
Make a handy list of workshops along your route
In the worst-case scenario, if all your predictions go wrong and you end up stranded on the highway with a drained battery, a prepared list of local mechanics will go a long way. While you map out your charging and rest stops, it's advisable to make a list of mechanics and service stations every 20-50km on your route that cater to EVs.
