A day in the life of an Electric Vehicle Driver

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Since I bought my electric vehicle, my popularity has soared. People are always stopping me to ask questions about my electric vehicle – especially what I have to do to be sure my EV is always ready to roll every day. So, here’s a day in my life as an EV driver. 

20 kilometres a day on average

Before I forget, there’s one thing you should know about EV usage. We drivers use it for short journeys. On average, no more than 20 kilometres a day. So, although you should charge regularly, there’s no need to for a daily “fill-up”. Personally, I do a bit more than the average 20 kilometres – more like 30 kilometres a day. That includes my roundtrip to my workplace, plus driving the children and, some days, going to the supermarket for groceries. I charge my EV every three or four days. I hardly ever reach the limit of my 150-kilometer battery range.

Residential EVlink for routine charging

When I ordered my electric vehicle from the dealer, I also chose a home charging station. I didn’t want to have to depend on outside charging facilities. I wanted my own home solution so I could charge when I wanted and according to my needs. So I chose my Residential EVlink.
Twice a week when I get home I plug my car’s charging cable into my Residential EVlink.  The contractor who installed the EVlink programmed it to charge at off-peak times. That helps to reduce the impact on my electricity bill. It only takes a few hours for a full charge. It’s so straightforward. And there’s no disruption of the family routine because charging happens during the night.

Before I leave for work in the morning, I check the LED on the front of the terminal to make sure the car’s charged. I unplug it and off I go.

Topping up at the supermarket

My workplace is near a shopping centre. So, I take advantage of the opportunity to do my grocery shopping during my lunch break during the week, which saves me from a typical Saturday chore.. Charging stations were recently installed in the carpark and there aren’t many users for time being. I tried one out last time I went shopping. I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone – fill the fridge and my EV’s battery. It was just as easy as home charging, except I had to pay of course – like at any ordinary filling station.

Quick charging in the company carpark and filling station

In the event of an emergency and I need my car but the battery is low, I’ve worked out one or two solutions. Let’s say that I’ve just got home and have plugged in my car. And for some reason, I have to rush out again. I unplug the car and stop at the filling station nearby. It’s got a quick charge station. A 10-minute charge is all it takes for a 50-kilometer journey.
Actually, my company carpark has the same kind of charging station. It’s a bit further away. Still, it’s good to know that in pretty much any situation, there’s a station where I can charge my EV.

Do you drive an EV? How do you make sure it’s always ready to roll?