Love them or loathe them, the electric car is here to stay and it seems everyone will have to get used to driving one sooner or later.
The good news is that they are probably easier to drive than conventional carbon fuelled cars because most of them are automatic with just two foot pedals to get to grips with. Of course, we’ve had automatics for donkey’s years but EVs are almost exclusively automatic.
And, as carbon-fuelled cars begin to be phased out in the UK from 2030, many people learning to drive today may never have to drive a combustion-engined car, or a car with a manual gearbox, again.
The gear change will inevitably become a skill that is surplus to requirements. That means those learning to drive will never have to lose sleep over that very tricky hill-start! And there will be no kangarooing away from the traffic lights because an electric car’s acceleration from standstill is smooth as silk, every time.
Driving an electric car is very similar to driving in a petrol or diesel car and you don’t need special EV driving lessons. The Highway Code remains the same, as does the etiquette and skills required when manoeuvring the vehicle and keeping safe.
But there are other things you will need to master to get the best out of your EV.
Swat up on your electric car
As with most things in life, a little knowledge goes a long way, but with an electric car, a lot of knowledge goes even further.
With that in mind, before you even take to the road, read the EV’s user manual very carefully. Driving and getting the most out of it is a very different experience from driving a “normal” car, so the more you can learn from the manual about driving modes and its regenerative braking options, the more you’ll get out of it.
New electric car’s have incredible infotainment systems that come with useful tutorials to help you get the most from the vehicle, so take the time to check those out too.
Get more miles from your EV per charge
One of the biggest concerns about electric cars is how far you can go between charges. The Tesla S is said to have the best range taking you more than 400 miles on a single charge, but, depending on conditions, driving style and the age of the battery, even the Tesla’s impressive range could drop by as much as 80 miles.
To get more miles from your electric car charge, be gentle on the brakes and the accelerator and try to drive smoothly. Read the road well ahead so there will be no unnecessary or harsh braking or sudden deviations.
Most electric cars have phone apps that record your driving and charging patterns so it’s a good idea to check them out as they will help you improve your performance and the more your driving technique improves the further you’ll be able to go on a single charge.
Electric car insurance you can trust
Sterling offers all types of car insurance with prices starting from £125 a year. Our very best prices are available over the phone, so call our UK Call Centre today on 0344 381 9990.
