Driving an electric vehicle (EV) efficiently involves some unique habits compared to driving a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle. Nevo has devised a list of some good EV driving habits to maximise range, efficiency, and battery life to help you on your daily commute or weekend away.

1. Planning Ahead & Route Selection

Use navigation systems to find the most efficient routes, avoiding heavy traffic and hills where possible will help to conserve energy. Try plan routes that include charging stations, especially for long trips, to ensure you have access to power when needed. Use cruise control on motorways to maintain a constant speed. Avoid rapid acceleration and sudden braking to conserve energy and remember, gentle driving helps in maintaining a steady flow of energy use. To help you better plan your route, take a look at our unique Nevo Journey Planner.

2. Understand & Use Regenerative Braking

Most EVs have a regenerative braking system, and this is something you should learn to take advantage of. Essentially, it converts kinetic energy back into stored energy in the battery when you slow down, extending your range. In some vehicles, the system is engaged automatically when you lift off the accelerator; in others, you have to select this mode via the gear selector, mode settings, or by pulling the paddles behind the steering wheel to increase braking severity. This can be a rewarding and addictive feature, allowing you to practically drive with a single pedal when braking distances are judged accurately in accordance with the level of regenerative braking setting applied.

3. Become Familiar with Eco Settings

There are various modes on your EV, and the vehicle will usually default to Normal when the car is started. On either side of Normal, you will find ECO and perhaps Sport. Naturally, Sport might garner you a better lap time, but it’s not the best practice when you want to see longevity in your battery range. By engaging ECO, the vehicle switches into its most relaxed setting by dialing back the power delivery and shutting down some apps and non-vital luxuries that you don’t need when seeking the best possible range. Be conscious that heating and air conditioning can be harder on battery consumption. Pre-condition your car while it’s still plugged in and use seat heaters instead of heating the entire cabin where possible. In mild weather, use the car’s ventilation system instead of the air conditioner to save energy.

4. General Hints & Tips

It's worth keeping your EVs tyres properly inflated to reduce rolling resistance and improve efficiency. A soft tyre or two can easily shave some of the precious range off. For daily driving, Nevo recommends charging your EV to about 80-90% and avoiding letting it drop below 20% to prolong battery life. Use Level 1 or Level 2 charging for regular use, and save fast charging (Level 3) for long trips as it can be a little harder on battery life over time. Another good tip is to remove unnecessary items from the car to reduce weight. Keeping golf clubs and other heavy sports equipment in the boot constantly isn’t best practice. If you enjoy weekends away with a roof box throughout the summer, it’s best to remove the box after use to help reduce drag. Many EVs are designed to slip through the air in the most efficient way possible, and when items are added, it can reduce overall economy.

Clever EV Driving Should Save You Money

By incorporating these habits, you can extend the range and lifespan of your EV, making your driving experience more efficient and enjoyable. We calculated that if you drive a petrol internal combustion car for 100 kilometres using an average of 7 litres of fuel priced at €1.70 per litre, you can expect to pay €11.90 for the journey. The same trip in an EV with an average consumption of 17.5 kWh per 100 kilometres at the daytime unit cost of €0.35 per kWh means you will spend €6.13. The savings are clear and can easily be achieved with our efficient Nevo driving tips.