A new EV owner who wondered about their battery running out of juice was met with plenty of advice from fellow drivers.
They took to the r/electricvehicles subreddit to ask this question a month after buying a used 2016 Nissan Leaf. The poster said they were "almost exclusively" driving in town and that this was a curiosity more than a concern — their battery had never fallen below 28% before they charged it.
"I'm obviously planning my trips out a bit more than I was before, specifically looking for what stations I can charge at along the way if needed, but what happens if I miscalculate?" they wondered, noting that running out of gas can be remedied by someone with a can of fuel but that the "EV equivalent" was a mystery to them.
"How often did you run out of gas in your ICE?" someone responded, referring to an internal combustion engine vehicle. "I am not that old, but I've been driving for a better part of 2 decades at this point and it has literally never happened. Be conservative."
They applied the quarter-tank rule for gas-powered vehicles to EVs, saying to look for a charger when the battery falls to 20%. Just like it's not advisable to wait until your low fuel light comes on to look for a gas station, it's not a good idea to wait until your battery is at 5% to look for a charging station.
Besides this commonsense solution, there are EV features and other technology that can help. Built-in navigation systems can direct you to the nearest necessary chargers, and many will reroute you if your automobile is using up more battery life than had been calculated, as commenters noted.
EVs also have a "turtle mode" that will automatically conserve energy as their batteries near the end of the line. This will engage after a number of warnings, and it's not as easy to miss as a small light on your dashboard. Some EVs will even interrupt your easy listening to ask to be plugged in, as one Redditor shared.
Other users recommended PlugShare and A Better Routeplanner, apps that all but eliminate this worry.
And if it comes to the worst-case scenario, a tow truck or other roadside assistance service can bring you a portable charger or haul your car to the nearest charging station, which is akin to how car trouble has been handled for generations.
🗣️ When you think about owning an EV, what concerns you most about public charging stations?
🔘 Chargers not working 🚫
🔘 Chargers not being available 😥
🔘 Charging being too expensive 💰
🔘 Charging taking too long ⌚
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
So, put aside those range worries and make your next vehicle an electric one. You can save $1,500 a year on gas and maintenance, and you'll help improve our health and that of the planet.
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