Electric vehicle (EV) range anxiety is a huge hindrance to EV adoption. Potential EV buyers are afraid of running out of battery life and becoming stranded. On the other hand, most EV drivers understand that while range anxiety can be a very real thing, they know running out of juice is unlikely to ever happen to them.
Whether you are an EV owner or are interested in buying an EV, don’t let range anxiety stop you from enjoying an electric car. The benefits of electric vehicle ownership are too great to miss out on over an unwarranted fear. Let’s take a look at what EV range anxiety is and why you shouldn’t worry about it.
What is range anxiety with electric vehicles?
Range anxiety is the fear that one will run out of battery life in their EV and become stranded somewhere. Tesla range anxiety is sometimes used to refer to the range anxiety associated with Tesla EVs.
Studies have shown that electric car range anxiety is one of the biggest reasons why people do not consider an EV when purchasing a vehicle. A Volvo study found 58 percent of drivers avoided buying an electric car due to range anxiety. According to a Castrol study, vehicle range for EVs need to reach about 290 miles before widespread adoption can occur. Yet, this is already the case and there are several more reasons why EV range shouldn’t be an issue when making car buying decisions. We will go over them later in this article.
Why do people have electric vehicle range anxiety?
People have electric car range anxiety because they have been misinformed or lean on the familiarity of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles or ICE vehicles. It is more of a mental barrier than an actual issue. Most people are used to filling up at a gas station and seeing at least one on the way to work. Odds are though, most people probably pass by at least one EV charging point on the way to work as well. They are more prolific than you may think. Whether this is the case for you or not, keep in mind that, unlike ICE cars, an electric car driver can charge an EV in the comfort and safety of their own home.
Why Range Anxiety Shouldn’t Be an Issue
Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t have range anxiety:
- You can charge at home with your very own EV charging station. Imagine how different your life would be if you could fill up your gas-guzzling car at home. It would certainly make things much easier and more convenient. Well, with EVs this is a very real possibility, all you have to do is get one installed by an EV charging installer! Once you have an EV charger installed in your garage or driveway, you can start each drive with a full charge and have no range anxiety!
- The battery range of an electric vehicle exceeds the average daily range driven by the average U.S. driver. According to the most recent Federal Highway Administration (FHA) data from 2019, the average number of miles driven per day per driver in the United States is 39 miles. How far can you go on a single charge with an EV? Hint, for a much longer distance than the average amount of miles driven by a U.S. EV owner. The average driving range of an EV is 200 – 300 miles with the high end being 400 – 500 miles. The Lucid Air Dream has the highest range of all the EVs with 520 miles on a single charge!
- Regenerative Braking. Regenerative braking is when an EV recaptures some of the car’s kinetic energy and charges the batteries when the brakes are applied. This makes local roadway, as opposed to highway driving, more efficient. While it may not increase your battery life by a huge amount each time you use regenerative braking, it can make a huge difference over the course of a drive.
- EV charging stations are in more places than you may think. Charging stations are everywhere – at public charging stations, along highways, along roadways, at store parking lots, at workplaces, and many more places. Every state in the country has at least one EV charging station. While the EV infrastructure does need to grow to keep up with the expected surge in the demand for electric cars, there are more added to public maps every day. Take a look at ChargeHub or PlugShare to see how many are in your area…you may be surprised.
- A sufficient charge of an EV battery can be done in less than 30 minutes. A DC fast charging station can charge 80 percent of an EV’s battery in just 15 to 30 minutes. DC fast charging stations are located at public charging stations, highway EV charging stops, commercial EV fleet stations, and even Walmart, which recently teamed up with Electrify America to add more than 120 DC fast chargers to their stores across the country. The number of DC fast charger stations located in the U.S. increases every day.
How do you fix range anxiety?
As we’ve shown you electric car range anxiety isn’t something you should be experiencing, but we know how hard it can be to accept change, especially when conventional driving and going to the gas station to fill up have been things you’ve done your whole life. While it’s true that there are places in the U.S. where you won’t see a public charging station for miles, all of the distances are under 150 miles with the longest distance being about 120 miles between Rawlins, WY to Casper, WY. Earlier we mentioned the average range of an EV is 200 to 300 miles. If you’re still not quite sure, here are some tips to help alleviate your EV range anxiety:
- Know the facts. Take a look at our reasons why range anxiety is unwarranted. Knowing the true facts about EVs and their range helps to calm nerves and shows you why getting stranded in an EV is highly unlikely to happen.
- Install a home charging station. One of the top ways to say goodbye to range anxiety is to install a home EV charger. The majority of EV drivers today charge at home. The reason for this is simple – it is convenient, safe, and the best way to drive with a full EV battery every day (if you need it). Most residential EV chargers are used for overnight charges. An EV charger should be installed by a verified and licensed electrical contractor. We are a trusted EV charging installer and have revolutionized the EV charging installation process through our seven-minute survey. You can fill out the virtual survey from home and we can get you a quote in no time.
- Map out long-distance trips. If you plan to drive your EV for longer distances or take it on a road trip, map it out! Use EV charging maps (ChargeHub or PlugShare) to figure out where and when you should stop at a charge point along your route. This is a great way to explore new places and save on gasoline costs! Enjoy a road trip without EV range anxiety stress.
We want you to stop sweating over range anxiety and enjoy the EV driving experience. Although range anxiety may be stopping some consumers from buying an electric car, EV ownership numbers are rising and the EV industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Although popular EVs, like the Tesla Model S and Chevrolet Bolt, have been popular for some time now, car manufacturers are starting to take notice. New electric cars and introduced in the EV industry every month. If you were to explore purchasing a new EV, you would see that they all have waitlists.
That’s why we here at WattLogic are on a mission to help grow electric mobility in North America by alleviating EV drivers’ range anxiety through home EV charging. Our electric car home charging solution includes the convenient seven-minute survey we mentioned earlier and rebate and incentive management, a charger that is specific to your preferences, as well as a trusted electrician to safely and efficiently install the charger at your home. The best way to get started is to take the survey or if you want to talk to us further please contact us.
