Understanding battery range is important if you want to make the most of your electric car. Although the days of ‘range anxiety’ are rapidly becoming a thing of the past thanks to bigger batteries and the expansion of the public charging network, there are a number of tricks and tips that will help you squeeze out every last drop of energy from your battery. Allow us to sort the facts from the fiction.

Real range vs manufacturer claimed ranges

One of the biggest complaints many new electric car owners make is that their car isn’t capable of matching the ‘official’ range figure quoted by carmakers. This, of course, is completely understandable. You wouldn’t expect your car to come with three wheels instead of four, so why do electric cars come with lower real world ranges than those that are advertised. 

​The reasons are a little complicated, but bear with us here. You may have noticed that all new cars (petrol, diesel and electric) come with WLTP range and consumption figures. By law, all cars sold in the EU must have undergone what is known as WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test). These are tests carried out by independent agencies who put all cars through an identical set of trials (acceleration, cruising, etc). Now, while these are meant to replicate day-to-day driving, they don’t because all tests are done at controlled temperatures with no wind and no inclines. Carmakers are also allowed to submit their cars for tests with power-sapping systems such as air-con and heaters turned off. 

As a result, consumption and range figures for electric cars are always on the optimistic side. If you get a nice warm day with no wind, a flat road with no corners and you turn every electrical system off, you might get close to matching your car’s WLTP figure. Drive with a heavy right foot through the Highlands on a freezing day, the heater set to 29c with a force nine blowing and you might find your range halved. 

Here at Electrifying, we’ve driven a LOT of electric cars and have become pretty good at second-guessing what the real range will be. While it varies from car to car (and driver to driver), a general rule of thumb is that the real range of most electric cars usually works out at around 75-80% of the official figure. So, for example, if your 54kWh Citroen eC4 has a WLTP range of 224 miles, you can expect to get around 195-205 miles in normal conditions. 

Don't be surprised if your 'real world' range is less than the official WLTP figures

Adapt your driving and become a range ninja

Now that you know what range to expect from an electric car, how can you eke as much range out of your battery as possible? As you may know if you’ve already tried one, electric cars are wonderfully easy to drive. One pedal makes it go, the other makes it stop. All you need to select is whether you want to go forward or backwards. No clutches, no gearboxes, no fuss. 

But even with this simplicity, there are ways in which you can tweak your driving style to help you get more from your battery. 

Change mode: Most electric cars offer different driving modes that can help you maximise your range. These modes alter parameters such as throttle response, top speeds and also reduce some of the in-car functions such as air-con and heating.  By limiting the power draw on the battery, eco modes can help get you a little further with very little compromise.  

Max out your regen: Some electric cars allow you to adjust the level of regenerative braking, or regen, that takes place when you take your foot off the accelerator or drive downhill. When an electric car does this, the motor that drives the wheel turns into a generator that puts charge back into the battery. By selecting a higher level of regen (in some electric cars such as the Citroen eC4 and eC4X this is known as B mode), more charge can be recuperated by the motor. It takes a little getting used to at first because it feels like you’re applying the brakes as soon as you ease off the accelerator, but the payback in terms of range efficiency can be significant. 

Using maximum regen in B mode can potentially extend your range

Choose a different route: It’s a simple equation - the faster you go, the more energy you drain from your battery. Drive at 70mph and you’ll use much more power over a distance than you will at 60mph. That’s because factors such as wind resistance make life much harder for your motor and battery as your speed increases.

Canny electric car drivers know that in most cases, taking an A-road and sticking to 60mph can often generate big range savings. If you use a route planning app like Google Maps or Waze, try selecting ‘avoid motorways’ and you’ll often find that the A route is shorter and more direct. Yes, you’ll probably take a little longer to reach your destination, but you’ll get there with more range showing than if you took the motorway. Give it a try. 

A roads often deliver a shorter route - and more driving enjoyment

Choose a car with a heat pump

One of the least efficient parts of an electric car is the heating system. In fact, heating is the biggest single energy consumer after the drive motor. One way of minimising the power drain from the heating system is to opt for a heat pump. 

Compared to a petrol or diesel car, the drive components of an electric vehicle do not produce enough waste heat to keep you warm and toasty. An electric car heat pump does two things. Firstly, it can take heat generated from the battery pack and channel it into the cabin. Most heat pumps are reversible, which means that, with the help of a compressor and refrigerant, they can heat and cool the cabin far more efficiently than with a conventional heating system. Some manufacturers such as Citroen fit heat pumps as standard, while others have them as optional extras, so make sure you do your research before you buy.

Heat yourself rather than the air

Heating up the air in a car cabin uses a lot of energy, so it’s actually more efficient to keep yourself warm via heated seats and a heated steering wheel if you have them. It might feel a little counter-intuitive, but you’ll reduce your energy consumption if you knock even a couple of degrees off your cabin temperature. 

Using heated seats and steering wheel is a more efficient way of keeping yourself toasty