Six quick tips on how to plan a long trip with your EV
Just as we need to prepare for a flight to ensure things run smoothly at the airport check-in, it might be sensible to make plans for our EV trips as well. Planning your charging in advance can save you time once you're on the road. Jan Haugen Ihle, Regional Head of IONITY North-West Europe, shares six tips on what to do before you go on a long journey with your electric car.
- Download charging apps (for example, our IONITY APP) before you leave and create an account with your payment details. This will save you valuable time at the charging station.
- Check the compatibility of your RFID token or charging card upfront if you are planning on using them as one of the payment options. Most mobility service providers (MSP) have information about compatible charging networks on their websites.
- Plan your route and timing to avoid peak travel times and, ultimately, queuing in front of occupied chargers. Weekends and the beginning of vacation periods are typically days with a lot of traffic. So, check these vacation periods for relevant countries and, if you can, travel on different days. Also, early mornings and late nights see fewer charging activities than daytime hours
- Always start your trip with a fully charged battery. This way, after an initial long drive, the battery will be warm when you arrive at the charging locations, and the charging will go faster.
- If possible, charge your battery before parking the car at the end of your daily drive – if you don’t have the option of charging overnight. In the morning, the battery will be cold, and the charging will be slower and harder on the battery. Charging with the battery at the optimal temperature after driving will save you time and prolong the battery life.
- Don’t forget to bring your Type 2 / AC charging cable for destination charging or emergencies. While all fast chargers, like IONITY, have their own cables, sometimes you may have to charge at slower charging points which requires your cable.
Hitting the road this summer? Check out a collection of things to consider before you go and when arriving at one of our charging stations.