6 tips for energy-efficient electric driving

With these tips, you can drive for longer with a charged battery.

• Tip 1. Use the eco mode
• Tip 2. Regenerative braking
• Tip 3. Watch your speed
• Tip 4. Use less air conditioning and heating
• Tip 5. Check your tire pressure
• Tip 6. Plan your route in advance

Most electric cars have an eco mode. When you turn this on, the car keeps the fuel consumption as low as possible. For example, the car will lower the heating or pull up less quickly. This consumes less energy, so your operating radius is larger.

Some cars have regenerative breaking. This lets the battery store kinetic energy when you let your car roll. You can win energy back this way, which is mostly useful when you drive in urban areas. You only need your gas pedal while you drive. It's also called one-pedal driving.

The faster you drive, the more energy it costs. That's why you should drive at a constant speeds when possible, like with cruise control. The best speed for an electric car is 90 or 100km/h. Try to prevent braking or pulling up hard. Because you drive at a constant speed, the battery will last longer.

You consume energy when keeping the car cold or warm. Try to use the air conditioner or heating less. For example, open the window in summer or turn the fan on. In winter, use the pre-warming function when you charge the car so you consume less energy while you drive.

The right tire pressure ensure a lower rolling resistance. The lower the resistance, the less energy the car consumes. Check the tire pressure regularly. You can read what the right pressure is and how to adjust it in the manual of your car.

When you pull up and brake often, your battery drains faster. Make sure to plan your route in advance to prevent getting stuck in traffic. Do you often drive short distances? Heating up and cooling down the car also costs energy. When you combine these short drives, your battery stays full for longer and your car lasts longer.

You can mostly save costs by charging your car at times when the energy is cheap. That way, you'll have to pay less for a full battery. At Coolblue Energy, you can easily do this via the Coolblue App. You need a charging station package for this. You can then easily set the charging times to automatically charge your car in the afternoon.