7 tips for looking after your EV
Our Onto Tips series is back with a new set of tips to help you get the most from your electric car. In this fourth instalment, we’re looking at the best ways to look after your EV.
The good news is that electric cars are much simpler than traditional petrol or diesel powered ones. The drivetrain in an internal combustion engine (ICE) typically has more than 2000 moving parts whereas an electric car has around 20. This makes them not only simpler to maintain, but also much more reliable too.
Here’s our top tips for looking after your electric car:
1. Check your tyres
Tyres naturally lose a bit of air each month so it’s important to check your tyre pressure on a regular basis. Low air pressure in your tyres creates increased friction and resistance when you’re driving. Ensuring tyres have the appropriate air pressure not only maintains your car’s performance for handling and braking, but also ride comfort and range.
You can find more information about checking tyre pressure, plus more about tyre tread and tyre safety in this help article.
2. Keep an eye on the battery level
Make sure not to leave your car with little or even no charge for an extended period as this can negatively impact the battery’s health. It’s recommended to keep your car between 20% and 80% charge to best preserve the battery. Charging times also rapidly increase once your battery goes above 80% so it makes sense to stay within the threshold where possible. If you’re going on holiday without your car, it’s worth charging it up beforehand to make sure it maintains enough charge while you’re away.
3. Use a slower charger when you’re not in a hurry
Fast charging is great for getting those extra miles quickly but it can reduce the life expectancy of your car’s battery. While all our electric cars use a Battery Management System (BMS) to look after your battery pack, slow charging helps the BMS more comprehensively condition and balance the battery. The result being that next time you use a fast charger it might be much more efficient.
4. Service your car when needed
Even though electric cars are simpler to maintain than petrol or diesel cars, it’s still essential to get your EV inspected to ensure it remains safe and to replace any regular wear items such as wiper blades or tyres. It’s also important to get the car serviced, as your car’s warranty could be impacted. In the event of a breakdown or fault, you may be liable for damage caused by not servicing your car.
To make it easy for you, we’ll get in touch when your EV needs a service with details on how to book an appointment that is convenient to you and at no additional cost. Check out this help article for more information on how your car is serviced.
5. Be aware of temperature changes affecting your EV
During the coldest months, you may experience a 20–30% reduction in total range for your electric car. This happens to all EVs in cold temperatures and isn’t due to a fault. It’s caused by a slowing in the electrochemical process in the battery in low temperatures. Don’t worry though, we’ve got your back. Check out our top tips on maximising your range.
During the hottest days, it is best to park in the shade. That’s because your car has a thermal management system that will respond to the heat and continue to manage the battery temperature even when not in use. Keeping your car in a cooler spot also reduces the risk of it overheating, which could potentially damage the battery.
6. Use regenerative braking where possible
Regenerative braking isn’t just useful in recapturing energy and returning it to the battery, it also reduces the wear-and-tear on the brakes themselves. This increases the lifespan of the brakes and decreases the emission of particulate matter pollution, which is even better news for the environment.
7. Give your car a clean
Keeping your electric car clean isn’t just about having it looking its best. Bird droppings can be corrosive to paintwork so it’s a good idea to remove them as soon as possible. Road debris such as salt can cause issues too so it’s worth giving your car a good wash every now and then to prevent them causing any unwanted problems.