How to Use an Electric Car?

Learning how to use electric cars is the first thing to do for anyone considering renting or buying these vehicles. Having a general idea at the beginning of the journey makes things much easier in many aspects, such as getting used to vehicle systems. Then it’s time to learn how to drive electric cars!

Detailed topics such as the technologies of electric vehicles (EV), hardware features and even electric vehicle inspection are curiously researched by potential EV users. However, the answer to the question of how to use an electric car, which is one of the most important issues, often remains after the rental or purchase stage.

In fact, in order to best understand the difference and working principle of electric vehicles from vehicles with internal combustion engines, it is necessary to learn the answer to the question of how to use an electric car before purchasing an EV. Come on, take a look at the rest of our article for the detailed answer to this question!

1. How to Use Electric Vehicles?

Before you start using your electric vehicle, you should make sure that it is sufficiently charged. Otherwise, if the electric vehicle battery is below a certain level, the vehicle may not operate successfully. To do this, you must charge your vehicle at an AC or DC charging station and then start using it. You can see the answer to the question of how to use an electric vehicle step by step below:

1. To start your electric vehicle, you must press the “start” button next to the steering column with your foot on the brake. After this move, the vehicle’s central display screen will open and the vehicle will start to work.
2. After starting your electric vehicle, you can choose one of the different driving settings in the vehicle. Among these settings that will directly affect your driving experience, you can choose “eco”, “normal” or “sport” mode or other settings customized according to the model.
3. After selecting the mode setting, you must lightly press the accelerator pedal to start driving. However, before moving the vehicle, it is useful to make sure that the parking brake is disabled.
4. Since electric vehicles produce instant torque, unlike vehicles with internal combustion engines, you should be very careful when you start driving. To avoid any problems due to a sudden increase in speed, you should be careful to press the gas slowly.
5. To maintain the efficiency of your electric vehicle, you can stop it by gently removing your foot from the accelerator pedal. In this case, your vehicle will slowly stop. If you are at risk of hitting something and need to reduce your speed suddenly, you can apply light pressure on the brake pedal.
6. As you know, the charging system of electric vehicles ensures that a certain amount of energy is captured and directed back to the battery every time it slows down. This system, called regenerative braking, is activated when the foot is removed from the accelerator pedal or the brake is pressed. In order to maintain and even increase your range, it is useful to pay attention to this detail while driving.
7. When you complete your drive, you should turn off your vehicle in the same way as in the first article. Don’t forget to review the features you need to check when turning off your vehicle.

2. What Should We Pay Attention to When Using an Electric Vehicle?

When using an electric vehicle, you should pay attention to many issues regarding both your own vehicle and the traffic. You can examine in detail what you should pay attention to when driving an electric vehicle under the following subheadings:

2.1. Pay Attention to the Silence of Your Electric Vehicle

As it is known, among the advantages of electric vehicles is that these cars are extremely quiet. However, this quiet driving ability of EVs can sometimes pose various risks in traffic. For example; Due to the silence of electric vehicles, other vehicles or pedestrians in traffic may not notice EVs. For this reason, you need to pay extra attention to the surroundings while driving. Being ready for moves such as slowing down or stopping at an unexpected moment will prevent any harm to electric vehicles and their drivers.

2.2. Make Sure You Choose the Correct Driving Mode

Driving modes are one of the most important factors affecting driving performance when using an electric vehicle. This detail, which has a big say in the vehicle’s range and comfort while driving, is very important for your journey to go the way you want. For example; You can choose eco mode when you want to maximize energy efficiency. This mode can significantly increase the range, especially by adjusting the in-vehicle systems to consume less energy. For maximum power and performance, sports mode is used, which allows the electric vehicle to operate at full potential.

Sport mode, which reduces efficiency but provides an enjoyable driving experience because the electric vehicle is used to its full potential, is among the most used driving modes after standard mode. As you can understand from its name, standard mode provides a balanced and efficient driving. One of the driving modes that will ensure balance between performance, power and efficiency is customized modes. If you want to have a more comfortable driving experience by adopting your own in-car rules while driving an electric car, you can personalize your settings for this.

2.3. Constantly Check the Charge of Your Electric Vehicle

In order to avoid having to end your journey unexpectedly while traveling within the city or between cities, you should constantly check the charge of your electric vehicle from the battery icon on the dashboard. When the charge of your electric vehicle drops to 30 to 40 percent, you should immediately go to the nearest charging station, if possible.

2.4. Limit Unnecessary Features Inside the Vehicle

Electric vehicles receive the power of all electronic systems in the vehicle directly from the battery. For this reason, the more and more frequently in-car features are used, the faster the electric car’s charge decreases. For this reason, turning off or not using features that are not necessary while driving can increase the range. Restricting the use of air conditioning and radio, especially if you do not need it, may be a good move to complete the journey as expected. Otherwise, your vehicle’s battery may run out in a much shorter time, taking you away from the feeling of luxury and comfort much faster.

2.5. Avoid Exposure to Extreme Temperatures

In order not to put yourself and your vehicle at risk when driving an electric vehicle, you can postpone your journey in weather where the temperature increases excessively. Because electric vehicles can pose a risk by overheating at high temperatures. At the same time, extreme temperatures can cause electric vehicles to take longer to charge.

In line with all these , in order not to suffer from electric vehicle maintenance , you can take a break from your journey for a few hours in very hot weather or not hit the road at all. At the same time, you should be careful not to go on long trips in very cold weather as much as possible due to its negative effects on battery life.