A Guide to Confident Driving

As an electric vehicle (EV) owner, one of the most common concerns is "range anxiety"—the fear that your car's battery will run out of charge before reaching your destination. But with a clearer understanding of how range estimates are calculated and the factors that affect them, you can drive with confidence.

Your vehicle’s range is determined by the balance between battery capacity and driving efficiency. This guide will walk you through how range estimates work, the key factors that influence driving efficiency, and how you can maximize your EV’s range to enjoy a smoother, worry-free journey.

Range Anxiety? Not if You Understand Range Estimates

Worried about running out of charge during your drive? Understanding your vehicle's range estimate can help ease those concerns. Here's how the calculation works:

Range Estimate

Battery Energy Available (kWh)

Driving Efficiency (kWh/100km)

Simply put, the amount of distance your vehicle can travel depends on how efficiently it uses the energy stored in its battery. Let’s break it down with an example where the available battery energy is 74 kWh:

Scenario 1: With a driving efficiency of 20 kWh/100 km, the estimated range is 370 km.

Scenario 2: If your driving efficiency improves to 18 kWh/100 km, your range increases to 411 km.

Scenario 3: For even better efficiency, say 15 kWh/100 km, your vehicle can travel up to 493 km.

What Affects Driving Efficiency?

Several factors can influence how efficiently your electric vehicle consumes energy:

Driving Style

Aggressive acceleration and braking use more energy.

Travelling Speed

Higher speeds typically reduce efficiency.

Vehicle Load

Carrying more weight leads to higher energy consumption.

Terrain

Driving uphill uses more energy compared to flat roads.

Weather Conditions

Cold or extremely hot temperatures can lower efficiency.

Air Conditioning Use

Operating the AC can also impact your vehicle’s range.

Charging Time Estimation

Estimating time required to charge to a desired level is essential for planning your trips. Below, we outline simple mathematics with the illustration of BYD Seal, charging from 20% to 90%.

Charging details

Battery capacity

82 kWh

Max. onboard charging (AC)

7 kW

Current battery level

20%

Target level to charge

90%

Time estimation

Energy required

82 kWh x (90% - 20%)

57.4 kWh

Time required

57.4 kW / 7kW

8 hours 12 minutes

A Guide to Confident Driving

Range Anxiety? Not if You Understand Range Estimates