How to Keep Your EV Going in the Summer

All opinions are mine and mine alone.

Electric vehicles are cool in the colloquial sense of the term. But like standard cars, they get hot in summer. So, here are some handy tips to keep your EV going when the weather is hotter.

Conserve the Energy Used

Evs run much more like appliances than a car you are used to. That’s because they have no moving parts. And like appliances, they come with eco-mode. Eco mode reduces the energy that your car uses for extra features and keeps it for your mileage. This is handy because if you aren’t careful or accelerate haphazardly, you can run out of charge and require roadside assistance. And no one likes to be stuck at the side of the road in the middle of a heatwave.

Pre-Cool the Car

Further to heat, a nifty feature of electric vehicles is that you can set the climate inside. This means you can drive your EV in supreme comfort by lowering the inside temperature when it’s hot outside. But it also helps your car reach its optimal driving temperature. This means the electrical features inside don’t have to work as hard, therefore using less energy. However, not all EVs have this feature. But the ones that do offer control via an app so you can do it remotely.

Keep Your EV Going with Less Luggage

We all like to go out in the summer. Summer trips to the beach, theme parks, and relatives are common these days. But luggage is heavy, which means your EV has to work harder. Additionally, the batteries themselves add a lot of extra weight. And extra weight can have a big impact on your vehicle’s range because the systems have to divert more energy to the driving. Therefore, it helps to pack only what you need for your trip to help conserve some of the energy.

Find a Shady Spot to Park

Like a traditional engine, EV batteries can overheat. And when this happens, they work much less efficiently. So it helps to always keep them as cool as possible. Parking in the shade is great for helping a battery cool down and keeping it cool for when you need to drive again. And this goes a long way to getting the most range from your electric car. But of course, don’t just park anywhere, and always park in the shade when it is legal, and never on private property.

Let the Battery Cool Before Charging

It can take between 45 minutes and 12 hours to charge an EV, depending on the make, model, and age of your car. So it’s tempting to charge it immediately when you get home so it’s ready for you later. But your battery will be very hot after driving, so it’s not recommended to charge it right away. You should wait for around 1 hour before charging your EV again. And try to charge it overnight if possible since it will be cooler during the late night hours, even in the summer.

Summary

To keep your EV going in the summer, use eco-mode to reduce energy use. Also, travel lighter when on a trip, and wait a while before recharging the electric vehicle’s battery when it’s cooler.