Understanding Range Anxiety and What To Do When Your EV Runs Out Of Battery
Electric vehicles are the future of transport. But the question still remains, what happens when they run out of charge? Running out of fuel is a nightmare for any vehicle owner, but for EV drivers, range anxiety is a serious cause for concern. We aim to ease some of your concerns by explaining what to do when your EV runs out of battery and the importance of understanding range anxiety.
Understanding Range Anxiety
Common among petrol and diesel drivers, range anxiety is the feeling of worry you get when fuel levels are dangerously low and the risk of coming to a complete stop is considerable. Not knowing if you have enough fuel to make it home is naturally anxiety-inducing, and is an issue that now extends into electric vehicle use, with the fear of your EV battery running out a serious cause for concern.
On average, an EV range is roughly 200 miles, meaning most typical day-to-day activities, such as the school run or grocery shopping, can be carried out with little to no concern, but for long-distance driving, you’ll need to rely on rapid charging points to ensure your battery doesn’t run out of juice before you’ve made it to your destination.
Fortunately, the majority of electric vehicles provide plenty of warning for when fuel levels are low, whilst your satellite navigation or Zap-Map will direct you to the nearest charging point.
What Happens If I Run Out Of Battery?
Running out of battery in your Electric Vehicle can quickly become a nightmare. It’s important to contact your breakdown service provider in the event you run out of battery in an EV. This is because EV’s can’t be towed with a rope or bar behind another vehicle in the traditional sense, instead, requiring a flatbed trailer to be towed safely. EV motors are directly connected to the wheels and don’t have a neutral gear so turning the tyres without the assistance of the battery can cause serious mechanical damage.
In the event your battery is flat, your service provider will pick you up, place the EV on a flatbed truck and take you to the nearest charging facility. When you are running critically low on battery power, your EV will provide multiple warning signs and messages, informing you of your current range and need to reach a charging point quickly, and in extreme instances, will even resort to an energy-saving “Turtle Mode” to ensure your battery powers your vehicle long enough to reach a charging point at reduced capacity.
EV’s are typically fitted with a traditional car battery alongside the one that powers the wheels, which is used to power lights, hazard warning lights, radio, air conditioning, and heating systems and provide some power in the event of emergencies.
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