How to Feel Comfortable Driving an Electric Vehicle

Whether you’re new to electric vehicles or an EV veteran, feeling comfortable behind the wheel of an EV is inherently important. It’s no secret that EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles are manufactured differently, but even the hardware and software of EVs differ from each other as well. So, before you launch your EV fleet and its drivers, be sure they feel confident behind the wheel with these tips: 

Get to know your EV

Just like any standard vehicle, it is important to make sure you understand all of the different functions and controls within your electric vehicle. Though it may seem tedious, take the time to read the EV’s instruction manual and familiarize yourself with your vehicle (this is especially important if you’re a first-time EV driver).

Some EV manufacturers place a stronger emphasis on using displays for the vehicle interior, instead of buttons and dials you’d find in an internal combustion engine vehicle. So, before you hit the road, take a look at your EV’s display and dashboard. You’ll want to make sure you can easily locate and read all of the necessary information at a quick glance — especially metrics like speed and battery range. Additionally, you’ll want to take time getting used to interacting with features like your EV’s radio and infotainment system and its climate and navigation controls. Because the hardware is likely to be different from your previous vehicle, it’s important to learn and become comfortable with how to control all of these features in your vehicle.

Even if you’re a veteran EV driver, we still recommend that you take the time to dive into your new vehicle’s setup, hardware, software, and control system. Just like standard internal combustion engine vehicles, the design of EVs varies between manufacturers which may make purchasing a new EV a foreign space to you. 

Ensure maintenance is up to date

If you want to get the most out of your electric vehicle, it is important to ensure you keep up to date with all of its maintenance needs. Although EVs don’t require standard upkeep like oil changes and fuel filters, there are still some maintenance items that should be on your to-do list regularly. Many of these maintenance items are similar to — if not the same as — standard internal combustion engine vehicles, and you can find a list of the most important maintenance items here.

An EV is identical to a standard internal combustion engine vehicle in the sense that tire maintenance needs to be a priority. You should check your EV’s tire pressure at least once a month and have a professional rotate your vehicle’s tires every 75,000 miles. EV fleet management software like Standard Fleet makes it easy to monitor many of the most important car maintenance tasks like tire upkeep and battery health through its wear reduction alert technology. Standard Fleet also allows the option to implement performance restrictions into your EV’s software which is recommended when working with a higher-risk rental. With performance restrictions, you can limit the amount of wear and tear your EV experiences during each ride.

Expect a different driving experience

One of the first things you’ll notice when getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle for the first time is that there is a lack of vehicle noise, due to the lack of an internal combustion engine. This may seem jarring at first, but something that drivers adjust to very quickly.

We mentioned in a previous blog that electric vehicles deliver instant torque, even on lower-end vehicles. This means that an EV has as much torque at a standstill as it does at high speed because the power is immediately ready when you step on the pedal. Because of this, driving an EV may feel different than driving an internal combustion engine vehicle if you’re new to the world of electric vehicles. EVs also use regenerative braking, meaning that as soon as you take your foot off the gas, the car can begin to apply the brakes to help charge the car’s battery. Make sure to allow yourself time to acclimate to the new way your car accelerates and decelerates.  

Understanding how your new EV moves is also crucial when trying to optimize your vehicle’s battery life. In a blog post from Hertz, one of many companies who has switched its vehicle fleets to EVs, it is recommended to drive your vehicle with a light right foot. Just because the EV delivers such strong instant torque does not mean it’s necessary to use it all right from the start. Instead, accelerating at a smoother and slower rate will help preserve your EV’s battery. Similarly, it’s important to decelerate smoothly rather than coming to an abrupt stop. The regenerative braking function of an EV is something that drivers find useful, and reduces wear on the brakes.

Plan charging stops ahead of time

If you’re planning a longer drive, it is important to plan your charging stops in advance. The last thing you want is to be caught with a low battery miles away from the nearest charging site. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be too difficult to do. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are more than 46,000 EV charging stations in the country. However, as you move further into small, remote towns, the density of charging stations decreases. 

Currently, there are three types of charging stations available on the market. A Level 1 charging station is the most common and provides about five miles of range per one hour of charging and takes about eight hours for a complete charge. A Level 2 charging station works a bit quicker and provides approximately 25 miles of rage per one hour of charging. Even faster than that is the DC Fast Charging station. This is currently the least common type of charging station, however it is expected that DC stations will increase due to the fact that many companies are switching to EV Fleets with mid to heavy-duty vehicles. A DC station provides anywhere from 100 to 200+ miles of range per 30 minutes of charging. 

Because of the variety of different charging stations and the towns and cities in which they’re available, making note of the areas with the most efficient charging options will save you a lot of time (and stress) if you’re planning on driving a long distance. Fortunately, there are already many great tools on the market to help you plan charging stops ahead of time. For example, Tesla has a great navigation system to route you to Superchargers, which provides you with info about how many stalls are available, charging rates, and more. Additionally, map services like Apple Maps have routing for EV charging stations like Electrify America, Chargepoint, and more. Looking into software systems like this before hitting the road will alleviate a lot of the stress that comes along with planning road trips!