One of the main barriers our customers see when considering to buy an electric vehicle is the electric range. This barrier is also known in the market as ‘range anxiety’. People want to be sure that they are able to drive from A to B without having the stress of ending up on the side of the road with an empty battery pack.

This range anxiety people can experience before purchasing an EV is overblown (The Washington Post, 2016). In the U.S. already 87% of the vehicles on the road could be replaced by an EV. Even when there is no opportunity to charge during the day, an electric vehicle is still able to drive from A to B. According to Evwind (2013) across Europe, drivers commute on average 25 - 50 miles per day and make 2.5 car trips per day. With the average range of a BEV at 181 miles, EV's on the market today are already able to cover the daily distances using clean miles only!

However, the car manufactures are acknowledging this fear and putting their focus on the size of the battery pack and therefore on the electric range. To also take a bit of this ‘fear’ away, this week we will be discussing the miles an EV can drive electrically and what factors can affect the electric range.

The range of a fully electric car (BEV)*

A BEV is only powered by a battery pack within the car. This car cannot get support from an internal combustion engine, such as a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). The average range of a fully charged electric car is around 181 miles. Currently in the UK the top BEV models are the Nissan Leaf, the Tesla Model S 90D and the Renault Zoe (GOV.UK, 2016).

The electric ranges shown are the theoretical ranges. The actual electric range of an electric car is often lower and depends on several factors (see chapter 'factors that affect the EV range').

The range of a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)*

A PHEV has two motors it can fall back on. The first one is an electromotor with a battery pack and the second one is an internal combustion engine. The average electric distance a PHEV can drive is 26 miles. Currently the most popular PHEV car models in the UK are the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Mercedes Benz C350e and the Volkswagen Golf GTE (GOV.UK, 2016).

The electric ranges shown are the theoretical ranges. The actual electric range of an electric car is often lower and depends on several factors (see chapter 'factors that affect the EV range').

Future electric vehicle model driving ranges are increasing*

Like we mentioned before, car manufacturers are investing heavily to focus on improving battery capacity of electric vehicles to tackle one of the main barriers to purchase. By increasing the battery capacity, the electric driving range will increase. When we take a closer look at upcoming new models, we are thrilled to see the miles that can be driven electrically are on the ups.

The electric ranges shown are the theoretical ranges. The actual electric range of an electric car is often lower and depends on several factors (see chapter 'factors that affect the EV range').

Factors that affect the EV range

There are certain external and internal aspects that can have a negative influence on the electric range of an EV. When purchasing an electric car, you can actually sign up for a class to learn how to get as much electric miles out of your vehicle as possible. Many of our customers mention this is a simple way to get the right education to get the most out of your EV.

Below is a list of factors that might impact your range:

• Aggressive driving
• Long mountain climbs
• Non-stop high speeds
• Strong headwinds
• Extra weight (for example, three passengers and luggage)
• Temperatures higher than 20 celsius or lower than 10 celsius within the car