As EVs grow in popularity and the 2030 petrol and diesel ban creeps ever closer, there are still aspects of them that people aren’t 100% sure on. You’ll likely have heard the term ‘range anxiety’ thrown around, essentially, it’s the fear that an EV’s battery won’t get you all the way from A to B without you getting stranded between charging points.
However, with improvements in battery technology and a steep increase in the number of charge points across the UK – over 41,900 charge point connectors across more than 15,500 locations as of June 2021 according to Zap Map – these concerns are becoming unfounded.
How Everyday Features Affect Current EV Batteries
You can see below how each feature we tested impacted the battery of our test group. Using this to create an average – here’s how much faster the battery drain was compared to travelling at 70mph with none of them enabled.
While the features we take for granted do impact on an EV’s battery as made clear by our findings – there’s nothing so dramatic that it should put anyone off taking their first steps into electric motoring.
Researching EV Battery Life
You’ve seen the findings, now let’s go over how the data was collected. We carried out tests using three different EVs:
· VW ID.3
We also used these results to create an ‘Average EV’ which gives a balanced look at how features affect EV batteries across models.
Speed Tests: From a baseline of 30mph we found out how much faster an EV battery is drained when driving at 50mph and 70mph.
Feature Tests: Testing for each feature (i.e., Heating, Air Con, Demister, Heated Seats, Windscreen Wipers, Sat Nav) was carried out individually at 70mph on maximum and over a full charge for consistency to see how much faster the EV battery drained when it was switched on.
Please Note: Our tests were carried out in track conditions to give an overview of how different in-car features impact the battery level in EVs over time and distance. Individual features tested at a consistent speed for data uniformity and accuracy. Results may differ based on the vehicle you own, the weather, terrain and other variables that affect your daily drive.
While you’re here – why not check out our latest electric car leasing deals.
