Going away for the weekend in an electric car: our tips for preparing your journey!

Choosing your destination and planning your route

Are you hesitating between several destinations for your weekend? For a long EV journey, choose one that offers easy access to a charging point network.

Then plan both the journey and EV charging accordingly, so that you can charge your vehicle when the opportunity arises! This will give you the chance to stretch your legs and discover the gradual changes in landscape.

The Chargemap route planner takes care of this for you! You enter your destination and the app programmes the safest route for you. It takes into account the location of the charging points and the range of your electric car.

Finally, you can also opt for accommodation (bed and breakfast, hotel or campsite) with an on-site charging facility. In doing so, you and your EV will be able to relax at the same time!
And, who knows, you might even discover a charming village or a great restaurant nearby.

Prepare your journey down to the finest detail (route, tyres, battery, etc.)

As with any long holiday or weekend trip with a combustion engine car, don’t forget the essentials for your electric car! Don’t leave anything to chance and remember to carry out the essential checks before you hit the road.

Check:

• Tyre inflation,
• The condition of the battery
• The condition of the brakes,
• The operation of the lights,
• The quality of the windscreen wipers,
• The level of fluids (cooling, brake, windscreen washer, etc.).

And of course, plan all the specific checks required by the EV model you own.

All the lights are green? ✅ Let’s move on to the next stage!

Checking battery range and planning charging stops

Be strategic and avoid running out of energy!
Before you set off and after checking your battery’s range, remember to plan your charging stops accordingly. To help you with this task, use the new features of the Chargemap app to make this step even easier and more personalised.

Thanks to our built-in simulator, you can now estimate the cost of your charging session based on your vehicle, the connector required, the percentage of battery and even the time of arrival if the rate varies according to duration. It’s a great way to optimise your spending while planning your trip.

Furthermore, thanks to the new price filters, you can search for charging stations based on their rates. Choose to display only charging points charging per kWh and set a maximum price per kWh to stay within your budget while searching for charging options.

So what are you waiting for? Download the Chargemap app now and charge your electric car at the best price!

Adopt eco-driving

You’ve undoubtedly opted for an electric vehicle for ecological reasons, so cultivate an eco-friendly attitude all the way. To maximise the range of your electric vehicle, we strongly recommend eco-responsible driving. The main challenge is to maintain a constant speed on the motorway.

So avoid driving nervously, i.e. avoid all sudden accelerations and excessive braking. As well as reducing your carbon footprint, you’ll save energy for the next leg of your road trip!

For the battery, remember the rule: avoid letting it drop below 20% or charging it above 80%, to prolong its life.

Optimising your waiting time when charging

Make the most of your charging stops to take a break, relax, eat something or explore the surrounding area! Some charging stations are ideally located near shops, restaurants or tourist attractions.

You should be aware that, depending on the capacity of your electric car, it may not be more interesting to use fast-charging stations.
The Renault Zoé, for example, has no fast charger. If you plug into a 43kW charging point, your car will only charge to a maximum of 22kW on its Type 2 socket. What’s more, you run the risk of paying more for a service that you won’t get 100% out of.

As well as charging your vehicle, it’s a good idea to stop for at least 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours on long journeys.

Taking weather conditions and unforeseen events into account

As you know, when we make plans, we forget to include the unexpected… because it’s unpredictable! However, we’ve put together a list of the unforeseen events you’re most likely to encounter and how to deal with them.

• Prepare for weather contingencies. You’ll need to consider them if, for example, you’re planning your long holiday journey in an electric car during periods of extreme heat or extreme cold! So it’s always useful to have a plan B like extra charging cables and a multi-network card just in case.
• Optimise your vehicle’s load and get rid of any unnecessary weight. Travel light to save battery charge!
• Make sure you check the conditions of access to charging points, such as their condition, their frequency of use and any potential restrictions. For greater reliability, check out the opinions of other eco-drivers on the app!
  
  

You’re all set to go on holiday in an electric car! 🚙⚡
A dash of planning and safety, a beautiful destination and a well-chosen bunch of travellers will make your road trip unforgettable 😊