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Speed, air conditioning, energy recovery… If the (long) long weekend of May 8th and Ascension Day are synonymous with big departures on the roads, our advice for driving longer between one charge and another of your electric vehicle.
Like every spring, the bridges forever rhymes with great starts on the streets of France, increasingly traveled by electric or hybrid vehicles. In 2023, sales of these they doubled the thermals in France.
This success should not make us forget their weak points: poor autonomy and a network of charging stations still in its infancy, traveling long distances with a 100% electric vehicle it can turn into a nuisance. Kévin Dolhen, co-founder of The Family Van, car rental agency vans equipped with 100% electric vehicles based in Dax (Lande), gives us advice on how to increase the autonomy of your electric vehicle, from a simple city car to a van.
Take the departmental roads
This is obvious: the faster you drive, the more the car consumes. So, raising your foot prevents you from discharging the battery too much. “Above 110 km/h, consumption increases exponentially for often negligible time savings», underlines Kévin Dolhen. On our vans, for example, we measure a range of 330 km at 85 km/h on average, while it drops to 250 km at 110 km/h and above», a loss of almost 25%. His advice: take departmental roads (where speed is limited to 80 or 90 km/h) rather than motorways. Also a way to save – this time on your wallet – by not paying tolls.
Activate eco mode and adopt one-pedal driving
As with a combustion engine, it is during the acceleration phases that the car consumes the most. “Activating “eco” mode right from the start provides a slower, smoother acceleration curve and a smooth, smooth ride.», assures Kévin Dolhen. It is also possible to activate the “one-pedal driving” mode, nicknamed “e-pedal” or “one pedal” depending on the model, to slow down and stop with the engine brake without (almost) touching the brake pedal. While this method of eco-driving is adopted by many motorists, it offers an additional advantage with electric cars: energy recovery. “Thanks to this system, electric vehicles in the mountains are more efficient than thermal ones: the energy used uphill is recovered on the downhill.»
Set the air conditioning to minimum
At home, the best way to increase your electricity bill is to turn the heat on, turn it off, turn it back on, etc. In the car it’s the same. “It is better to turn on the air conditioning or heating permanently at low intensity rather than turning it on/off repeatedly», he recommends. When the outside temperature is not too high, it is often sufficient to open the window. Finally, the installation of air deflectors (for around fifty euros) may be sufficient to cool the passenger compartment thanks to natural ventilation, limiting the acoustic impact.
Prioritize proximity
Traveling where you want, when you want is probably every electric vehicle owner’s dream. But this is perhaps not the most appropriate way to cross France for a thousand kilometers. “Charging times and battery-saving reflexes (taking national roads, driving slower, etc.) can increase total travel time by 20 to 30 percent, according to Kévin Dolhen. “Unless you have time to spare or are undertaking a journey with several short legs, the most appropriate way to travel long distances from point A to point B may be to take the train to the station closest to your location. holiday there, rent an electric vehicle to travel around the region», he recommends. It remains to be seen whether the train or the electric car is worth it.