What To Do If My Electric Car Runs Out?
Range anxiety and running out of charge when you’re out and about is probably the leading reason why many UK drivers aren’t yet ready to move to electric. Can you relate? Let us take you through what to do in case of an event like this, and how you can avoid finding yourself in this position, and we’ll even throw in a couple of EVs with more range, just to sway you a little. Let’s answer the question, what to do if my electric car runs out of charge?
Preventative Measures
In a longer journey, the main thing you always want to do is plan your route. You should do some research into charge points on your route, look into services with charge points too, and include one or 2 stops on your route, depending on the distance you’re going.
Have a Back-Up!
We suggest finding a backup place to charge, just in case you encounter any problems with the one you initially go to, like if it’s in use or broken. Zap-Map is a great website to use for this as it shows thousands of charge points in the UK and has a status feature, which is updated regularly by fellow EV drivers who use the port. We recommend stopping to charge once you go below 50 miles range, just as a rule of thumb.
For the commute, charging at work is your best bet! Did you know that we offer free workplace charge points? That’s right, if your company is signed onto our salary sacrifice scheme, they’re eligible if 5 employees take on an electric car through our scheme. Fun, right? The average commute in the UK is 27 minutes, and 75% of employees commute less than 10 miles, one full charge will have you set for the whole week! So no fighting over those plugs, okay?
What To Do If My Electric Car Runs Out?
Don’t worry about getting stranded; your car will warn you at 12% and 5% with a warning light on the dash, so don’t ignore this. If your miles are running down and you’re getting worried, pull over and have a Google to find nearby charge points. Remember, we advise not letting it get beneath 50-40 miles before charging – just to be on the safe side and ensure you have the additional few miles to get you to your destination.
No Chargers?
If there are no chargers around that you can find, or you have entirely run out of range, try to pull over to a safe space and get the hazards on, just as you would in any other breakdown situation. Call your breakdown cover and tell them your situation and location, and they will send someone out to you and advise further.
Did you know that our salary sacrifice scheme includes breakdown cover? Your monthly payments include your brand-new car, motor insurance, maintenance, servicing, tyres, and yes, breakdown cover! Find out more here.
MG4
225 miles range | From sub-£400/month on Salary Sacrifice
Skoda Enyaq
260 miles range | From £600 on Salary Sacrifice
Tesla Model 3
Standard – 235 miles | Long Range – 300 miles | From £660/month on Salary Sacrifice
Fisker Ocean
315 miles range | Expected April 2023
Tesla Model S Plaid
340 miles range | Expected in April 2023
Mercedes EQS 450+
395 miles range
Those were just a couple of examples, you can check out some other cars available on our scheme and their lead times too. As well, if you feel like having a browse and getting some quotes of your own, request your login to the quote engine here.