We’re usually focussed on saving people money at the pump, but electric vehicle (EV) drivers can feel the pinch too! Compared to traditional fuel, charging your vehicle may be helping the planet, but it’s not so kind on your bank balance!
With the cost of charging your car an increasing issue, we thought we’d better take a look at how to run your EV as efficiently as possible…
Driving efficiently will help you to maximise the range of your electric vehicle and is especially important if you’re making a long journey. According to experts in low emission vehicles, using efficient driving techniques, an EV can be driven over 600 miles on a single charge!
None of us like to be stuck in traffic, but unfortunately it’s sometimes an inevitable part of our day. If you can miss driving during rush hour then do, for those that can’t, think about how you drive. Stopping and starting uses a lot of energy. Instead of braking and accelerating try and move at a steady slow speed instead.
Some newer vehicles have specialist eco features that can make your driving more efficient such as regenerative braking – make sure you know and understand all these features and use them if they’re available.
All cars use more power when they are carrying extra weight. So take all of the stuff out of your boot that you don’t need and leave it at home! If you have a roof rack, as well as adding extra weight, it makes your car less aerodynamic, so in between trips, when you don’t need it, make the effort to take it off.
This is one for when you’re out of the city and driving more quickly. Having the windows open makes the car less aerodynamic so there is more drag on the car, meaning you’ll be using more energy.
Air-con is a useful gadget in a car, it keeps us cool in the summer and stops your windows misting up in the winter. However, using the air-con in your car uses extra power, best to turn it off unless you really need it to cool yourself down.
The lower the pressure of your tyres the more power your car needs to use to get it moving. So check your tyre pressure every few weeks to make sure they’re at the correct level.
While it’s important to conserve momentum to drive efficiently, driving faster and accelerating harshly uses more of your car’s stored energy. So, avoid speeding and harsh breaking and you won’t need to charge your car so soon.
Following our tips above, you can use your car efficiently, but to really save money you need to charge efficiently as well!
The main tip is to charge at home whenever you can… You won’t pay a connection or membership fee and you can make the most of a domestic rate (even though some domestic rates are currently high, they are still cheaper than what you will pay out and about).
If you are lucky enough to have a garage or car port, keep your EV stored when you can if the weather is particularly cold (or hot, although that’s not usually a issue we have to worry about in Ireland!). Batteries don’t like extreme temperatures and a sheltered parking spot can make a big difference.
The speed you charge your vehicle can have a significant effect on the savings you make. Different vehicles with different size batteries will restrict the type of charging you can use, and the time you have available will also be a determining factor, but in general, slow charging is the most cost-effective way to charge both in public and at home.
While it’s not specifically a cost-saving tip, it is always important to protect your car battery to avoid long-term costs. Slow charging does that, and so does keeping your charge level between 20% and 80%. Less common advice also suggests avoiding charging everyday – as we’re told not to plug in our mobile phones every night – your car battery also benefits from not being constantly topped up.
Topping up your vehicle’s charge during your journey will invariably be expensive as the type of charging available at garages etc is usually restricted to rapid charge points, which cost more. Plan your journeys to minimise transit charging wherever possible and research the cheaper options for when you do have to make a stop.
Make the most of free charging! While you could never fully rely on free charging and there will usually be time restrictions on the facility, if you can pick up a free top up charge while you are out and about it’s a big bonus. The largest number of free charging points are at dealerships and unlikely to be accessible, but many hotels and accommodation services so you may be able to include those in your travel plans. Day to day you may be more likely to be able to pick up a free charge at large supermarkets, car parks at retail outlets and workplaces. It’s always worth doing a little research before you set off as there are free charging points at some restaurants, leisure clubs and even on-street.
By charging your vehicle off-peak (generally overnight, between midnight and 6am) energy is cheaper. However, even charging a vehicle off-peak will increase your previous domestic energy use by a huge amount, so it’s essential to check you are on the best tariff. Some energy companies offer tariffs specifically for EV owners, but always compare these to an Economy tariff, which allows for cheaper charging overnight.
You may not have much choice if you are mid journey, but be sure to check charge point pricing – some connection charges are significantly higher than others and there may be an alternative near by.
If you’re already set up with at-home charging, this tip won’t be any use to you, but if you are at the point of purchase, you can save a huge amount of money by looking into government incentives. Funding is currently available from the government’s Electric Vehicle Home Charger Grant, which provides up to €300 towards the purchase and installation of a home charger unit. The scheme is funded by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) based in the Department of Transport. You can find out more on the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland website.
