Potential Electric Vehicle (EV) owners have been urged not to let concerns about ‘range anxiety’ stop them from buying one.
AA breakdown data has revealed there has been a 50% decrease in the number of EVs that have needed rescuing by the AA for being “out of charge” over the last two years, with it falling from eight per cent to less than four per cent.
Even then, half of this four per cent have called out the AA because the EV is low on charge, not because it is out of charge.
While ‘range anxiety’ may be a concern that puts drivers off buying one, the top third of EV breakdowns are, in fact, a result of the same issues that impact petrol and diesel cars; either 12v battery or tyre problems.
Other problems can include charging equipment, warning lights, battery monitoring systems or key transponders.
Commenting on it, Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “Most EVs will flash up an orange ‘check your charging’ warning when around 20%, others will change your sat nav route to take in chargers or put the car into ‘range’ mode.”
“Drivers shouldn’t get hung up about range anxiety because it doesn’t match reality. Of course, improvements can and are being made to the charging infrastructure but a little planning can take you a very long way.”
King added: “The automobile world is changing rapidly, and we will see more change in the next 10 years than we have in the last 50. Electrification is going mainstream and potential EV owners shouldn’t be put off by myths about range. Once you have tried an EV it is hard to go back.”
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Image credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
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