Range anxiety, charging queue and payment problems – here are the experts’ tips
– A few years ago, it was almost advisable to go on a car holiday by electric car down in Europe. It was extreme sports, says Petter Haugneland, deputy leader of the Electric Car Association.
But now he can tell that the situation is a little different.
– Both Sweden and Denmark are a bit behind Norway when it comes to charging capacity, but you can definitely go on holiday there, and elsewhere in Europe, without being nervous. The capacity has become much better, says Haugneland to TV 2.
TIPS: Petter Haugenland talks about some of the smartest things you can do to find a payment solution that works at charging stations across borders. There are several solutions that differ from the Electric Car app. Photo: Press / Electric car association
But even though it should now be much simpler, it’s not just getting in the car and driving.
– It requires planning. Going on a trip with an electric car is not like going on a trip with a petrol or diesel car, where it is basically just a matter of getting in and driving. One must expect charging queues, longer stops and check where there are available fast chargers.
Local different
According to Haugneland, there are large local differences in charging capacity in the Nordic countries.
– If you are going to northern Sweden, there is even less charging capacity if you make the trip to the largest cities and along the main roads. It works fine, but it requires even more planning. On the other hand, there will most likely be more loading queues along the busy roads.
He emphasizes that you should try to avoid busy outing weekends if you are not interested in standing in a loading queue.
How to have a harmonious electric car holiday
Haugneland himself was recently on an Easter holiday with the electric car to both Sweden and Denmark. Then he made up his mind and tips to have the most harmonious holiday possible.
– To make a stop with an overnight stay where you can charge the car overnight is very smart. Then you start the next day with good range.
This is something you should keep in mind when buying a car in 2022
You may also want to call or send an email to you to stay overnight to check if it is lets available and possibly book.
– You should do a search in advance to get an overview of where there are fast chargers. Charge when you can, not when you have to. Then you do not have to get into trouble if you should meet in a long queue, or if there are few charging stations, says Haugneland.
He adds that it is important not to slow down traffic, but that the range quickly collapses if you push the speed limits on Europe’s main roads.
This is something you should think about before you go on an electric car holiday
- Plan the route: find out where you are going and check which charging stations are on the road.
- Find a good app: spend some time getting acquainted with different apps in advance. Which do you think works best for the route you are going? Also remember to check if there are extra charges for shipping abroad.
- Post an overnight stay: leave the car overnight so you start with full range the next day. Remember to double check where you are staying overnight if they have charger available.
- Think about the speed: the range is greatly reduced if you are still 100 kilometers in time. Do not wash the traffic, men drive range-friendly.
- Make sure you have something to do: bring badminton, cards or put the charging stop for a meal break. Take it as a vacation and find something cozy while you wait
– Try to think about the speed when driving to stay as long as possible. As soon as you pass a little over 100, a lot of power goes out, says Haugenland.
Avoid high fees
Jørgen Elton Nilsen works as the general manager of Elton, a third-party app that offers travel planning, payment solutions and charging overviews across national borders in Europe.
Nilsen can sign that the capacity in the Nordic countries has improved considerably, but if you do not know what to check before you leave, you risk a lot of frustration, and maybe even a large unforeseen bill when you return home from a trip.
– There are a sea of apps, charging operators and payment solutions out there, and it can be very difficult to maneuver, says Nilsen.
TWO COUNTRIES DIFFER: According to experts, there is a larger proportion of international charging operators in Denmark and Finland and in Sweden Photo:: Jamieson Pothecary / Elbilforeningen
Both third-party apps and local payment solutions can have high fees, Nilsen says.
– Check the price level in the apps in advance. This is a bit like mobile subscription was in the past, where it cost extra to call from abroad. If you do not check the charging fee in advance, you risk becoming three times as expensive, whether it is a local charging operator or a third-party app.
AVOID RUSH: You should avoid starting your electric car vacation on big outing day. – Then there is a danger of long queues at the charging stations, says Jørgen Elton Nilsen Photo: Private
Several of the charging operators found in Norway are also international, but this is not a guarantee that you can pay with the same app when you are out and about.
– Set them down an hour before you travel and find a user service you are happy with. Test well, there are a lot out there that work poorly, unless you are interested in messing with many apps with different payment solutions on the road, says Nilsen.
