10 Top Tips on How to Drive an Electric Vehicle

Electric vehicles (EVs) may look very similar to petrol and diesel cars and vans on the surface; however, they are quite different to drive. Many aspects of an EV are different to a petrol or diesel van, including the turning circle, braking, and of course how to ‘re-fuel’ or charge it. With all of this in mind, our team of dedicated net zero experts, Team Target Zero, has put together some top tips on how to drive electric vehicles.

EV Driving Tips

1. Always plan your route with your vehicles range in mind. Make sure on long journeys, you plan a route which with public charging stations if you require a quick re-charge.
2. Smooth driving, gentle acceleration and braking are key to get the greatest range out of your battery – try not to put your foot down to speed up or slam on the brakes to slow down.
3. Try to anticipate when you will need to brake and take your foot off the accelerator earlier than you usually would and the car will use the engine brake to slow down, recharging the battery at the same time.
4. Maintain the same pressure on the accelerator when climbing uphill, instead of increasing it to try and maintain your cruising speed.
5. Release the accelerator when driving downhill – the forward momentum and regenerative braking technology will recharge the battery.
6. Check the tyre pressure regularly and make sure you have the right type of tyre for the vehicle – poorly inflated or incorrect tyres increase fuel consumption.
7. Most EVs have a gauge which shows the energy consumption or power usage in real time – try to keep acceleration within the ‘green zone’ as much as possible.
8. Programme your EV to preheat (or cool) before you start your journey. If it is plugged in when you do this, you will still have a full battery when you set off.
9. When it’s warm, open windows where possible to cool the vehicle down. Minimise the use air conditioning where possible.
10. Low mileage routes are ideal as high mileage routes or motorway driving may mean you need to stop and recharge during the day.

Transition to a Net Zero Fleet with Confidence

The specialist team at Dawsongroup vans is on hand to advise you and help you every step of the way on your transition to electric vehicles. They can support you in everything from advising you on the vehicle that will best fit your needs, to determining whether your existing depot structure is suitable for installing EV charging points and everything in between.

Additionally, our team are aware that your drivers need to be confident when getting behind the wheel of your new electric vans. This is why they will talk your drivers through everything they will need to know about the vehicle, whilst also providing all key stakeholders with a wide range of helpful, free resources about their new vehicles. Dawsongroup vans also offers the option of trialling electric vehicles on a flexible solution, before committing to a longer, fixed-term solution, to make sure it is the right fit for your business.

Contact Dawsongroup vans for more information about switching to electric vehicles or find out more about our Smarter Asset Strategy.