Going on holiday with an electric car
Is it possible to go on holiday abroad with an electric car? It certainly is, especially as it is becoming even easier to find a charging station – not only in countries with advanced EV infrastructure, but across the whole of Europe.
However, good preparation pays off. Here are our 12 tips for going on holiday with your EV.
- Plan your route from charging station to charging station
Check in advance for charge points on your route. The map on https://abetterrouteplanner.com/ gives a good overview of charge points that are currently available, for example. Also, before you leave, check where you can charge with your card to avoid visiting a charge point that doesn’t accept it.
Unfortunately, most navigation systems are not yet able to calculate a dynamic route which takes into account a minimum of 175 kW chargers, specific brands and the route. It is therefore wise to plan your route from charge point to charge point.
- Charging at a Tesla Supercharger? Link a payment method to your account
Are you driving a Tesla? Download the Tesla app and charge using a Tesla Supercharger!
To do this, you will need to link a credit card or Mobility Card in your Tesla account. Login on the app, go to the ‘Payments’ section, click on ‘Manage credit card’ and link the desired card.
- Choose fast chargers with a minimum of 50kW
When on the road, always choose a fast charger of at least 50kW. Or, better still, a 175 kW or 350 kW fast charger if your car can accept these. You can select this in the app of your charging card.
- Download useful apps
Before you leave, download some useful apps to help during your journey, such as Milo, NewMotion and Fastned. If your charge tag does not work properly, for example, you can use an app to start a charging session.
Also, some apps only show the charging stations of one brand so it would be wise to download several apps to ensure you can find all charging stations.
- Check the navigation settings
Are you familiar with the enabled settings in your navigation system? For example, is the vehicle set to charge when it has 10% battery life? If you have a similar setting in place, you will then know why your navigation is recommending a particular route and charging stops.
- Maintain a constant speed of 110 km/hour
Accelerate and brake as little as possible, but try to keep a constant speed to optimise the battery range. We recommend a speed of around 110 kilometres per hour to keep up with traffic.
- Don’t wait until the last moment to charge
Don’t let your charge level get below 5% and don’t wait to find a charging station until your battery is nearly depleted.
The one charge point that is unoccupied, according to an app, could be in use by the time you get there or not working properly, so save yourself the stress. Charge when you can, not when you have to.
- Be smart with your energy consumption
Besides your driving behaviour, there are other factors that can influence energy consumption and range. The air conditioning, for example, uses a lot of energy, which can quickly drain your vehicle’s battery.
Also, during cold weather spells, it pays to preheat your electric car while charging it, as this will help to save energy.
- Check the progress while charging
When charging is in progress, keep an eye on the battery charge level via your car’s app, for example. Sometimes, it may go faster than you expect, meaning you can get back on the road sooner.
Has the charging completed? Then remove your car.
- Involve the co-driver in the preparations
Going on a trip with someone else? You’ll often be more relaxed behind the wheel with an active co-driver who is also well prepared for the trip so involve the co-driver in preparations.
- Travel on smart travel days
Choose smart travel days if possible. For example, depart on a Sunday instead of a Saturday. It is often quieter on the road and, therefore, at the charging stations.
- Check the travel advice and your travel insurance
Before you leave, check the travel advice for your holiday destination and any countries you will be travelling through. Check this throughout your holiday too, as the advice can regularly change.