Essential Electric Motoring Tips
Welcome to the World of Electric!
This short guide provides tips and advice to help you get the most out of your new electric vehicle (EV).
What type of vehicle are you leasing?
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
If you’re leasing an all-electric vehicle, also known as a Battery Electric Vehicle, or BEV, your car is only powered by a battery – there is no petrol or diesel internal combustion engine at all.
BEVs are therefore 100% reliant on the battery and it’s important to work out a charging routine that suits your situation and driving needs.
If you are a low mileage driver, you may only need to charge your vehicle 1-2 times a week, depending on the battery size. High mileage drivers may need to charge every day.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
If, on the other hand, you are leasing a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, or PHEV, then your car has both a medium-sized battery and a petrol/ diesel engine.
If your battery runs out of charge while you are driving, the petrol/diesel engine will automatically kick in and you can continue your journey without having to stop.
PHEV drivers generally charge their battery every day at home or work, in order to get as many electric miles out of the battery as possible.
When your vehicle first arrives
- Familiarise yourself with the vehicle’s basic controls and dashboard. Many EVs have a central touchscreen panel. This is a good place to start to explore the vehicle’s features and capabilities.
- The Sat Nav – in addition to showing you the best route to your destination – will probably also display suitable charging stations on the way.
- EVs will show the battery range available from their current state of charge, either as “Miles Remaining” or a percentage of battery capacity. You will have plenty of warning before you run out of charge, just like in a petrol or diesel vehicle.
- There may also be a smartphone app for your electric vehicle. Search on the Apple or Google app store and download it. You will need to input some basic details and possibly pair it with the car itself. App functionality varies widely, though often helps you control heating, charging and locking.
Charging basics
Cables
Some vehicles will come with charging cables included. Have a look for them in the boot (they may be under the boot floor or in the front boot). There are two types of common charging cable:
Type 2 to Type 2 – you can use this for home/work charging or when out and about at certain destinations like supermarkets, gyms, carparks, etc.
3-pin Plug to Type 2 – you can use this for slower charging if you can only find a standard 3-pin socket to charge from (we don’t recommend regular charging from a 3-pin socket)
Dedicated charging point
If you have off-street parking, you will want to get a dedicated charging point installed. We can organise this for you. A professionally installed charging point allows you to charge more quickly and safely. Installation is usually very straightforward and takes about half a day.
See our separate guide on choosing a charging point to find out what to look out for when comparing different makes and models. Charging at home off-peak can save you a lot of money when compared to petrol or diesel.
Rapid charging
If you go on a long trip in an all-electric car, you might need to stop and recharge the battery if it’s running low. Read out Rapid Charging guide for more details.
You can even find some public chargers which are free to use, often at supermarkets, gyms, and other popular destinations.
Driving the vehicle for the first time
All electric vehicles drive like automatics, in other words there is no need to change gear. There are only two pedals: the brake on the left and the accelerator on the right.
In some EVs, you don’t even need to turn them on – you just unlock the car, put it in ‘Drive’ and press the accelerator to go. In other EVs, you need first to press a ‘Start’ button or similar and then select ‘Drive’.
As the car begins to move and pick up speed, you will notice how silent it is! If you’re in an all-electric BEV, you probably won’t hear any noise from the electric motor(s), but you may well notice wind and road noise more than a conventional vehicle. BEVs do however now make an artificial noise at low speeds to warn pedestrians.
Many electric vehicles are very powerful. Be careful when you accelerate hard for the first time – you might be surprised by how quickly you move forwards.
You will also notice that EVs often decelerate quite quickly when you take your foot off the accelerator. This is due to a clever feature called ‘regenerative braking’. As the vehicle slows down, the electric motor goes into reverse and charges the battery which increases your range. In most EVs, you can choose how strong the regenerative braking effect is.
Driving in winter
If your vehicle comes with a smartphone app, you may well be able to turn on the heating in your car from the comfort of your home. This is ideal on cold winter mornings – you can pre-heat your car before you get in. If your car is plugged in to its charging point, this heating energy comes from grid electricity and doesn’t affect your battery range.
It’s also worth knowing that battery range is reduced when it’s cold outside. So if your range on a single charge in summer is say 250 miles, it might only be 200 miles or so in winter. See our Range Guide for more details.
It also takes longer to charge when it’s cold. You might need to wait longer at the motorway service station charging point than you would in summer.
Routine maintenance
All-electric BEVs have fewer parts than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, so there is less to go wrong.
Because of regenerative braking, the brake pads get much less wear than with conventional vehicles.
The vehicle’s battery is very robust and almost certainly won’t require any maintenance during the lease.
Otherwise, both BEVs and plug-in hybrid PHEVs behave like normal vehicles and you should check tyre pressure, washer fluid, lights, etc., in the usual way to ensure safe and efficient motoring.
Questions?
Phone our dedicated EV team now on
0118 3048 688
or email us at
enquiries@selectcarleasing.co.uk
