EVs have come a long way in the past decade, constantly evolving in battery capacity and charging speed.
One of the biggest barriers we hear from customers looking to make the switch to an EV is charging and how this will work in their world. The EV charging infrastructure in the UK now counts over 45,000 charging stations, 14,000 of them located in London, making this process easy and accessible for a larger number of Uber drivers.
With a little bit of research, filling up your EV can be easy. Here are four valuable tips to efficiently charge your electric car and protect its battery life.
1. The sweet spot for EV battery percentage isn’t 100%
Contrary to a combustion-engine car, where it doesn’t make any difference if the car is refuelled from empty to full, charging your EV from 0% to 100% isn’t good practice. Think about your EV, kind of like your smartphone — your battery life can be affected if you charge it too much or let it drain to empty.
It’s best to stop charging your EV when it reaches 80% and not let it go below 20%. Your electric car consumes that extra 20% faster than usual, so try to stay within the 20%-80% limit. It will also help you save money on that extra 20% that won’t do much.
TIP: Don’t worry about occasionally charging your EV to 100% before long-distance journeys. This is reasonable and doesn’t have a significant impact on battery life.
2. Quickly top up on the road with a fast charger
New EV drivers might think they should completely fill up their EV every time they charge it. In fact, stopping for short top-ups using fast chargers is recommended. It gets you through the day, saves time, and is better for your battery life.
Using fast chargers might be tempting for Uber drivers who’re always in a rush since it can fully charge your electric car in 40 minutes. However, this practice can degrade your battery’s longevity. Therefore, EV specialists advise drivers to rely on this charger type for occasional quick top-ups rather than filling up their EVs.
Some newer EVs come with advanced technology to reduce the long-term impacts of frequently using rapid charging stations. For example, the Polestar 2 Long Range fast-charging technology allows you to get 10%-80% in just 35 minutes and preserve the battery life.
3. Charge your car overnight
We know how precious time is for Uber drivers, so if you don’t feel like taking a charging break mid-day, you can fill up your electric car overnight.
EV manufacturers recommend using primarily slow chargers to keep battery life full. If you’re lucky enough to have home charging, benefits include charging overnight and having a fully charged EV in the morning.
Alternatively, you can use a public charging point close to your residence to fill up your EV overnight.
4. Install an at-home charger
A great investment for rideshare drivers who switch to EVs is installing a dedicated charging station at home.
The ideal EV charger for home use is a wallbox. This charger fills up your long-range EV, such as the Polestar 2, in about eight hours, perfect for overnight charging. It can easily be placed on a wall and connected to the wiring that’s already there or be mounted on a post. Its cost varies from £600 and £1,000, depending on its capacity.
TIP: If you’re renting your house or apartment, you can request to install a home charging unit via your landlord.
This investment is worth every penny, not to mention the convenience, comfort and lower charging rates a wall box offers.
About Splend
We enable people to make money by driving. Our vision is a future where every on-demand driver can be successful.
We are car subscription specialists. Don’t take our word for it—drivers rate us excellent on Trustpilot. We can set you up with a brand-new or new-model car on our Flexi own plan, plus we provide the training and support you need to become an Uber driver that’s more profitable, safer, and fulfilled.
Drop by our London Hub at 393 Edgware Road Cricklewood, London, email us, or say hello on 0333 016 4331
