One of the biggest topics covered by EV forums is that of range. The idea that it’s not possible to accurately predict how far something can travel given a fixed amount of fuel seems to bother way too many people, despite the fact that it has always been that way regardless of the fuel type.
Because it still takes a comparibly long time to ‘fill up’ an EV mid-journey, the range of any given vehicle is always going to be a major consideration in choosing the right EV for you. Having made your purchase, the range will continue to form a significant part of your journey planning process and I don’t see that changing any time soon. But, is Range Anxiety real, and can it be avoided?
The short answer is ‘Yes’ and, well, ‘Mostly’. The public EV infrastructure is pretty reasonable but no where near as convenient or complete as for ICE vehicles. The majority of my journeys, that is not a problem. My vehicle has an estimated 205 mile range on a full charge so as my daily journeys are usually sub-100 miles and I charge overnight, I have no problems here.
However, on longer journeys where my return trip is in excess of 150miles, I may have a problem. You see, outside temperature, driving style and loading of the vehicle all contribute to the efficiency of not only the car, but specifically the battery. My 205mile range can quite quickly be adjusted to a real-world 180miles or even 150 in colder weather.
So what am I anxious about? Well, it’s not really the range. My anxiety is all about a poor charging infrastructure. On a recent trip I made, my one way journey was 90miles. In the centre of the town I visited was a supermarket with a couple of chargers quick enough to get me home on a 30min charge. What I didn’t factor in was – what happens if that whole site is ‘offline’. How far out of my way would I need to go to top up? Making the additional journey to an alternative site reduces my available energy, but what if that site is out too? The anxiety here builds quickly as each potential solution can also add to the problem!
The answer for this journey was actually a real blessing. I found a charger closer still to my destination that I hadn’t previously considered and now I have 2 clear options if making that same journey again. But the problem of charger unavailability due to Comms errors, machine faults or even the machine already being used and unavailable for the next 45mins are genuine considerations for journey planning. And the best planning in the world sometimes gets thrown the curve-ball of the dreaded ‘diversion’.
Until the public charging infrastructure improves significantly, Range Anxiety will definitely remain a thing – not for the everyday, but certainly for those occasional journeys to unfamiliar places at the limits of your known range. Apps such as Zap Map are definitely your friend on those uncomfortable moments.
My EV and Me 