How to drive an electric car: our tips
Electric car: how to recognize it externally
Let's see together what are the differences between an electric car and a car powered by a combustion engine, whether it is diesel or petrol or gas. From the outside, an electric car is almost identical to a thermal car. The only distinctive element - in addition to any particular colors - may be the name of the model that you generally find written on the back. Often a particular letter is added to the name of the range such as the “e” in electric, or an abbreviation that recalls the fact that the car is zero-emission. If you are in doubt and want to take it away, there is a safe solution: open the refueling flap and check if there is a power outlet instead of the classic filler.
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Inside, an electric car is different
By getting on board, recognizing an electric car will be easier. First of all, taking a look at the cockpit you will realize that the rev counter is missing. In fact, there is no engine to which revolutions per minute have to be counted.In its place we generally find a display with various information relating to driving, among which the most important are the indicator of the instantaneous energy consumption and above all that of the residual autonomy, that is the kilometers we can still do before consuming the whole. battery.
The autonomy varies in relation to the driving style
Do you not add up to what is indicated by the manufacturer? Pay attention because the mileage is often calculated on the basis of your driving style up to that point. So if you usually scramble the accelerator, just keep a gentler behavior to increase the remaining range.
Exchange? Yes but automatic!
The gearbox is always automatic and sometimes in addition to the classic D (drive, forward gear), R (reverse), P (parking) and N (neutral), you can also find the B (brake) command. Selecting this function intensifies the recovery of energy during deceleration and braking which, as we will see shortly, must be taken into great consideration when driving an electric car in order to be able to travel more kilometers. Two pedals, one to accelerate and one to brake.
No doubt when it starts
When you turn the key in the ignition, you can no longer have any doubts: if it is electric you can see it, or rather, you can hear it. In fact, when the car is started, no noise comes from the engine (unlike the classic ignition roar of combustion cars). At most you will hear an acoustic signal that warns you that you have activated the ignition.
Extremely silent in motion
Same goes for the march: very quiet. You will only hear the rolling noise of the tires or, often by now, sounds that are artificially produced by the car for safety reasons, to signal to other road users your presence which, in the absence of sounds, would be very discreet. For the sake of completeness, we add that an electric car, in addition to making no noise, does not emit any exhaust gases.
Driving an exceptional sprint
Contrary to what is still a widespread belief, electric cars are a lot of fun to drive. You know the bumper car? The electric car gives the same feeling. You push on the accelerator and you do not receive in exchange the typical progressive response and mediated by the change of the heat engine. The supply of torque in the electric, and therefore the thrust, is immediate. So be careful to calibrate the pressure on the accelerator, especially in traffic. The advice is to keep a constant speed, and not accelerate too much and too often. For a matter of safety but above all to avoid consuming the autonomy too quickly.
Autonomy of electric cars: the sworn enemies
The residual distance has in fact some sworn enemies: jerky driving, excessive speed, climbs and of course the consumption of on-board electrical devices, obviously including air conditioning and radio. And if we want to slow down consumption, we play a lot with releasing the accelerator pedal (near the traffic lights) and with braking: the battery is recharged in these phases.
And for long trips?
Electric cars still have limited ranges, although they are definitely compatible with daily use for most people. The kilometers that can be covered with a recharge cycle naturally depend on the capacity of the battery. They range from 100-200 kilometers in the case of a city car up to over 500 of the most powerful supercars. In any case, in the case of long journeys, the advice is to carefully plan the stops for recharging and always go slow with speed.
