Travelling by EV in summer holiday destinations

The number of electric cars is growing rapidly, and this summer will see a huge number of EV drivers on the roads. The numbers speak for themselves: with sales already exceeding 10 million units in 2022, the electric car fleet will continue to grow throughout 2023, according to the Global EV Outlook. In the first quarter of this year alone, more than 2.3 million electric cars were sold across Europe, about 25% more than in the same period last year.

This means that those travelling by car during the holidays will increasingly need charging points for their electric vehicles. Unlike petrol or diesel cars, which tend to stop for refuelling on the spur of the moment, electric car travellers need to plan where they can stop to recharge, depending on their destination. ADAC, Europe's largest automobile club, has provided an overview of charging options and payment methods in popular holiday destinations such as Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Portugal, and the UK – showing where the charging infrastructure is well established and where it needs to be improved.

For those who are approaching electric driving for the first time, Juice Technology, a manufacturer of charging stations or EVs, has decided to use its experience to provide some useful advice to fight against ‘range anxiety’, a common fear of new EV owners.

1. Plan your route in advance. It is not advisable to set off without first deciding where and when you will stop to recharge the car battery. You may find yourself far from a charging station and out of power – unless you have a portable charger. If you don't have one, keep in mind that you don't necessarily need to have access to a DC fast charger – an AC charging station will do, allowing you to combine a stopover with a meal in a restaurant or with an overnight stay in a hotel and allowing you to re-charge your car without even realising it, as the car would have been parked anyway.

2. Take a portable EV charger with you. A reliable portable charger can be used in hotels, homes, or campsites so an EV owner does not have to rely on public charging. It allows you to charge your EV wherever there is electricity, whether at a public charging point or elsewhere. Just find a socket and plug it in.

3. Be sure your portable charger is robust enough. In warm weather, in dry environments or in rain or storm conditions a charger needs to be waterproof, dustproof, and able to withstand challenging environments. Chargers that come with a vehicle purchase typically are designed for emergency charging and may not have the safety features of other available chargers.

4. Take advantage of regenerative braking. Keep in mind that the kinetic energy consumed during deceleration or braking – which would otherwise have been lost – is converted into electrical energy to recharge the battery.

5. Get an EV app. The best way to manage your journey is with an integrated app that brings together all the important vehicle data in a single tool, perhaps even allowing you to manage the charging process remotely, so that the driver always has a complete overview with intuitive and easy-to-use functions.

Enjoy the ride. Electric cars are quiet, agile, and nimble, making driving a pleasant and relaxing experience. This is a great advantage for the driver and passengers, who will find the environment in the car much more relaxing. Driving an electric car is not just a means of getting to your destination – it is part of your holiday!