For the most part, driving an electric car (EV) is the same as driving a petrol or diesel vehicle. However, there are some things you can do to make your trip as smooth and battery life last as long as possible.
1. Plan your route: Preparing to optimise your journey ahead of time by planning your route in advance will help you avoid heavy traffic, find charging stations along the way and ensure that you're taking the most efficient route possible. Before you reserve your electric car you’ll be able to see the charge level for each vehicle in the app.
2. Plan your charge: If you know you will be taking the car for a longer trip, or need your vehicle fully charged by a certain time, we recommend you plan a time and place to charge it accordingly. Please note, if you plan on taking your vehicle outside of the Zipzone you are responsible for charging it to complete your trip. We recommend using Zapmap to help locate Ultra Rapid and Rapid Charging Points across the UK.
2. Not so fast: Unlike fuel-powered vehicles, electric vehicles operate most efficiently when driven at a consistent speed. As such, to extend battery life it is recommended to avoid rapid acceleration or braking. The faster you go, the more energy you use - and this will quickly reduce your range. This is an important factor to keep in mind while motorway driving.
3. Monitor your energy usage: Once in the vehicle, the range will be displayed in the middle of the dashboard indicating how many miles the vehicle can be driven before it runs out of charge. Be sure to keep an eye on your energy usage throughout your reservation and adjust your driving habits accordingly. If your charge has decreased below 25%, please head back to the Zipzone if the mileage allows it or find your nearest Ultra Rapid or Rapid charging point.
4. Pack light: The range consumption of our EVs can be affected by the number of passengers and items you bring along. Packing light will help to conserve charge as this can help you minimise the need for frequent recharging stops during your reservation.
5. Be steady: Both air-conditioning and heating will significantly reduce the range of the vehicle, so optimising the climate control is beneficial. Using options such as seat heaters, a heated steering wheel or the driver-only air conditioning will allow you to make your trip comfortable and conserve power, as opposed to heating or cooling the entire vehicle.
6. Take charge: If you take an EV outside of London or on a longer trip, it's over to you to charge the vehicle if it needs it. To optimise your range, it's recommended to avoid letting the charge drop below 20%. It's important to note that EVs lose some charge when parked and not in use, so regularly checking the charge level and maintaining it above 25% is essential.
What to do if you're low on charge:
If your charge goes below 25% please call our Member Services Team right away who can help direct you to the nearest charging station or back to the Zipzone. It’s best to ensure you are monitoring your charge level throughout your trip to be confident you have enough left to finish your planned journey. In the unfortunate event that you completely run out of charge, please find the nearest safe location and call Member Services on 0333 240 9000.
For more information regarding the requirements for EV's and charging, please refer to our Charging our EV's Help Centre article.
For more information regarding each of our Electric vehicles: