Electric Vehicles Range

Electric vehicle ranges

We understand that one of the biggest barriers for a driver considering a new electric vehicle (EV) is range anxiety; the term used to describe a driver's worry about not reaching their destination before their car charge runs out and being stranded.

While range anxiety can happen with vehicles that use fuel, it’s less of an issue as there’s always the option to fill up a can and take it back to the car to get you on the move again. Unfortunately, with an EV, there is no such remedy. 

All electric and hybrid vehicles that have a fully electric mode will be advertised with a mileage range which is achievable based on the testing below but the actual mileage range available to you can be impacted by a number of factors.

Testing the mileage range of an electric car

Electric vehicles will be tested under Worldwide harmonized Light-duty vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), designed to be a universal measurement comparable across manufacturers and countries as well as providing a more realistic measurement based on real-world driving conditions.

These driving conditions include driving in rural, urban and motorway scenarios at various speeds as well as in realistic weather conditions with a wider range of temperatures. Electric vehicles use more energy when they are travelling faster and so as part of WLTP testing, they'll also be tested at higher speeds.

When looking at an electric or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) mileage range and whether it’s suitable for you, it’s important to check whether the range provided is based on WLTP figures. Bear in mind that though WLTP figures are designed to be more realistic they don't take into account all of the factors outlined below that could impact range.

What affects the range of an electric car?

There are a variety of factors that can impact the actual range of your EV or PHEV and these include:

• Your driving style 
• The terrain 
• The type of road 
• The weather 
• The vehicle weight 
• Using the heating / air conditioning 
• Tyre condition 
• Battery condition

Driving style

The first and perhaps most influential factor is your driving style. As the driver, you have control of the vehicle and how its energy flow is used.

Heavy acceleration and faster speeds require more power and so use more energy which will reduce the available charge and the mileage range achievable. A softer acceleration and slightly lower speed will help you get more miles from your charge.

What speeds up must slow down and your braking style will also have an impact on the achievable range. If you can allow your vehicle to decelerate smoothly and so engage the regenerative braking this will allow you to recapture energy. It'll also mean you don’t have to use as much energy when actually braking.

Driving terrain 

Road type 

As well as the terrain, the type of road you're driving on can affect the available range.

We previously mentioned that faster speeds mean a higher energy demand, and so if you are frequently driving on dual carriageways or motorways where you're constantly accelerating, there will be an impact on your mileage.  

The weather

The weather can actually have a sizeable impact on your vehicle. Even in a car with a petrol or diesel engine, the weather has an affect on battery life. All vehicles are less efficient during the cold winter weather, performing better in warmer temperatures. The cold inhibits the flow of electrons within batteries and to the rest of the vehicle, hence winter is the most common time to experience a flat battery.

Electric vehicles are usually much more efficient than a combustion engine, however in a traditional engine, a lot of energy is converted into heat requiring less of the vehicle’s power to heat the vehicle, whereas in an EV you’ll need to dedicate battery power towards heating and clearing the windscreen.

An electric car may also have a heating / cooling system to keep the battery at the optimum temperature which will usually be needed in the colder weather. Again, this additional drain on the power can reduce the mileage range.

Not only does cold weather have an impact on your vehicle but the warm weather can also affect your range as you’re more likely to turn on the AC, using more power. Or you might open the windows which can increase the drag on the vehicle meaning it needs more power to achieve the same speeds.

Wind can affect your range even if you don’t have the windows open. Driving into a headwind means the car needs more power to reach the same speed, so if you're driving in wind for a long period of time then there might be a decrease in the range you can achieve.

Though there’s little you can do about the weather, it’s important to be aware of the impact it can have on mileage range when looking at a new EV.

Vehicle weight

As with all vehicles, the heavier load you are carrying the more energy the car needs to use to move, so for an EV the heavier the car is the lower your range will be.

Though it does have an impact, the weight of the vehicle shouldn't significantly reduce the mileage you can achieve on one charge but we do recommend bearing in mind that when you’re making a long trip with a loaded car, you might not get the same range as usual.

Also note that if your driving style includes frequent acceleration and heavy braking as mentioned above,  the weight of the vehicle might have a larger impact, as you'll repeatedly be needing more energy.

The heating and air conditioning

As the impact is minimal we recommend still using these features as you usually would but just bearing in mind that you might lose a few miles from the advertised range because of them.

The tyre condition 

Although EVs don't typically have as much wear and tear on them as traditional combustion engines due to the lack of clutch and transmissions, there is one area where they experience just as much wear as a petrol or diesel car – the tyres.

We recommend regularly checking your tyres anyway, and you can see the checks you need to make here, as having tyres in a good condition not only keeps you and your passengers safe but can also increase the efficiency of the vehicle, giving you more miles for your charge.

The battery condition 

As well as the weather affecting the power your EV battery can provide, its condition also has an impact.

It ages, just like the battery in a car with a traditional combustion engine, and goes through numerous charge cycles which can lead to the energy storage available decreasing. This isn't something to be concerned about when looking to purchase a new vehicle but it's worth bearing in mind if you see the mileage available slowly decrease over the years.

What’s a realistic EV range for me to expect?

The range that a vehicle is advertised with is normally achievable if you’re very careful with your driving style, the load weight, the condition of the vehicle and our other factors mentioned above. With this in mind, you can more realistically expect to achieve around 80 – 90% of the advertised range without having to make such restrictions.

For more information on electric and hybrid cars head back to our EV guide section or if you have any questions give us a call on 0330 221 0000.