What will happen if your Electric Vehicle runs Out of Battery?

The electric car sales in India are due to take its leap and with the recent launch of the Nexon EV from an Indian car manufacturer has added the needed hype to the growing segment. Over time many car enthusiasts have been indulging over a sports-car-like acceleration along with good handling with a low center of gravity and even weight distribution and which also helps the environment in some or the other way. But there always has been a question which has surrounded all the EVs that is what will happen if your Electric vehicle runs Out of Battery?

So let’s find out.

• Be it petrol, diesel or electric for that matter will eventually run out if not driven sensibly.
• With the electric car catching up in India and the growing EV charging infrastructure it is highly likely you’ll run out of battery juice. But what about the situation now?
• Similar to the cars with internal combustion engines be it petrol or diesel they have an indicator, even so, a range indicator as well. Similarly, their electric counterparts will also warn you about the driving range left.
• Well, if someone ignores the low battery level warning, good luck with your stranded car.
• Even so, the new electric cars come with a new feature that tells the range on the basis of the navigational directions.
•  Companies offering EV’s also recommend not to run the car to completely run out of battery or deep discharging. This might affect the battery life of your vehicle.

What is the range of an electric car?

The two main factors that determine the range of a car are the battery size and the electric motor’s power. It is clear that a more powerful motor consumes more battery juice. A big battery will surely have a long-range depending upon the motor’s power.  The other physical factors affecting the range are.

Traffic

• The amount of traffic in a city or the place you are driving is surely gonna affect the range.
• The battery is likely to drain faster in standstill traffic or in traffic jams. This is because of the running electrical systems like the AC in winters and heater in summer.
• This also includes the side electricals like the infotainment system, instrument cluster, all the sensors, etc.

Weather Conditions (Battery Temperature)

• The range of an EV will surely depend on the tropical conditions (Weather) in your area.
• The battery tends to drain faster in hot weather as compared to the colder temperatures. This may result in a reduced battery range than the company claimed range.

Driving Style

• One of the most ignored reasons for reduced battery life is the driving style.
• This means that with very frequent inputs like acceleration and braking to the driving the range will surely be less as compares to constant input.

Now you know how the range is affected let’s answer the burning question.

If one in million, a person forgets to check the battery range the car is surely gonna lose all its juice. In other words, the car will get stranded and it’ll not move an inch further.

What do you when you run out of battery?

• For one if you are thinking about towing an electric vehicle? Its a really bad idea, as it is gonna ruin the brushes of the motor.
• On the other hand EV makers often install the car with a warning which when crossed will constantly signal. That is around 15-20Kms of range depending upon the carmaker.
• You can always call the SOS provided by the company. The officials will surely take some time to come to the rescue. Bonus: keep something in your car to keep you entertained while waiting for the rescue van.
• When the van arrives they’ll charge the car with a fast charger if the car supports it. Hold it right there. They’ll not fully charge the vehicle instead, they’ll charge to the limit till the car reaches the nearest charging station.

Range Anxiety

Ever hear of this before? Well, it is the term used to determine the tension in the driver’s brain about the battery range. For starters, if you get a new EV it is highly likely to happen.

Can range anxiety be contained?

Yes, of course, it can be reduced to zero, but with time. The first step is to plan your journeys. This involves planning each and every move of the vehicle. Emergency stops to also be considered. Eventually, with time it’ll vanish and you’ll be able to drive the vehicle without any tension or anxiety.

If you got yourself an EV, congratulations on saving the environment and reducing the emissions on the roads.