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Simple changes to increase your EV battery range

Matthew Gibbons is the Managing Director of Plug&Drive, a UK manufacturer and installer of electric vehicle charge points.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are rising in popularity, but one factor that puts many drivers off is ‘range anxiety’. Each model of EV has a specific range that the manufacturer claims it can travel before needing a recharge, but even some of the largest ranges aren’t deemed enough for some.
The truth is, EV battery range really doesn’t limit drivers much more than the fuel tank size on a petrol/diesel vehicle, so it shouldn’t be a deciding factor when making the switch to electric.
If you own and drive an EV, you may have noticed that your battery range fluctuates. Every journey is different, and although you may be driving the same number of miles, you might find that a certain route at a certain time of year uses more charge than others.
When you’re driving short distances, this isn’t too much of a concern, especially if you have a charge point installed at home for easy recharging. For longer journeys, where you may be less familiar with the accessible charge points in the area, conserving your battery range can be crucial. The good news is that there are a variety of methods you can utilise to extend the range of your EV.
There are a variety of factors that can impact an EVs battery range, such as:
- High and low temperatures
- Terrain
- Speed
- Battery condition
Luckily, there are also a variety of methods for increasing your range!
Reduce the weight of the vehicle
Petrol and diesel vehicles tend to guzzle more petrol when they are weighed down, and EVs are the same, just with battery charge instead of fuel. If you are buying an EV brand new and made to order, consider selecting a more lightweight material for certain components, such as the wheels and seats.
If you decide to modify your EV in any way, consider how much weight you are adding to the vehicle. The heavier the vehicle, the more pressure is put onto the battery when driving, lowering the range. You should also try to keep the footwells, back seats and boot clear of unnecessary items that could be adding weight.
Protect the EV in extreme temperatures
Both cold and hot weather can impact an EVs battery. Cold weather is instantaneous, slowing down the chemical reactions in the battery and decreasing range. Hot weather has a more long-term effect, slowly degrading the battery.
If you have a garage to park your EV in, it’s advisable to do so when temperatures are at big highs or lows. If this isn’t an option, consider investing in a car cover to protect your EV from frost, and park your vehicle in a shaded spot if the weather is particularly warm.
Consider when to heat and cool the vehicle
Both AC and internal heating systems are very heavy on the battery. Most EVs have a pre-heat and pre-cool function that can be turned on before you head off on your journey. If your vehicle is charged at home, utilising these functions whilst the EV is plugged into the mains means that your car can be warmed or cooled prior to setting off, using none of the battery charge in the process.
Once on the road, using systems such as heated seats or heated steering wheel can add some extra heat to the interior, whilst putting much less pressure on the battery than the internal heating system. You can also open the windows to cool down the interior, but please note that driving at high speeds with the windows down can impact the aerodynamics of the vehicle, which leads nicely onto the next tip.
Maintain the aerodynamics of the vehicle
Most manufacturers will design their vehicles to be aerodynamic. The problem arises when vehicle owners decide to modify the exterior of their vehicles in some way. Extra components or attachments can increase wind resistance, putting more pressure on the battery when driving, so avoid adding any additional features that could impact the aerodynamics of your EV. Be cautious of driving at high speeds with the windows down, as this also has a negative impact on wind resistance, and in turn, battery range.
Drive efficiently
Efficient driving is a simple way to increase your battery range. Harsh acceleration and braking put more pressure on the battery, reducing its range. Try to maintain a steady speed, gradually slowing and speeding up. Excessive idling can also reduce the range, so if you’re able to plan a route that avoids heavy traffic areas, this is advised too.
Driving in eco mode puts much less pressure on the battery, so this can also increase the range of your vehicle.
Check and fill your tires regularly
The manufacturer-recommended PSI is the optimum pressure for your tires and vehicle. Having underinflated tires can cause increased resistance and pressure, draining your battery life quicker. Consider purchasing an air compressor to keep in your vehicle, for quick and easy top-ups to your tires on the go.
Utilise regenerative braking
Lots of EV models have regenerative braking, a system that recharges the battery slowly whenever the brake is pressed. Built-up, traffic-heavy areas can often drain your battery quicker, but regenerative braking can help extend your charge in these situations instead. This method is simple but effective – you most likely won’t even notice that regenerative braking is enabled, but you may well notice the increased range!
Refrain from fully charging your EV
Of course, charging your EV to 100% will provide the highest amount of miles. This is handy for long journeys but can be detrimental in the long run. The final 20% of charging is often slower, heating the battery more in the process. This can degrade the battery over time. Do not be deterred from charging to 100% if you need the full charge for your journey, or cannot regularly recharge, but if you have easy access to a charge point, charging to only 80% each time is recommended.
Some of these methods may only conserve a small amount of battery life, but on a long journey, every mile counts! Implementing a few, or all of these tips should give you a more than notable difference in your battery range, whilst maintaining the battery for a longer life span.
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Car cannibalism: What it is and 3 tips to avoid it

Mark Barclay, My Motor World
Car cannibalism has been on the rise now for several years — but what exactly is it, and what are the risks? More importantly, how can you ensure that your vehicles are protected? The good news is that there are ways to protect your car from thieves, and here My Motor World share a few of the best.
What is car cannibalism?
Car cannibalism refers to the crime of stripping a car for its parts without stealing the whole vehicle (though it may also be stolen in some cases). A lot of the time, the parts that are stolen are those most commonly needed to repair a car after a minor crash, such as bumpers, grills, lights, and fenders, or any other high-demand parts that thieves can sell to make a profit. Other times, thieves may steal to order, meaning they target vehicles with specific desirable parts or expensive add-ons with resale value. Because of this, every kind of car from pricey vehicles to those popular with young drivers are at risk.
How to avoid car cannibalism
The best way to protect your car from thieves is to keep it out of sight. But even if you have been targeted, there are still ways you can deter a theft in progress or potentially recover your stolen parts afterwards.
Park in a safe area
Always park your car in a safe area, even when parking for short durations. For long stays, private car parks and garages are the safest as they are usually locked and have CCTV or other security measures in place. However, if you don’t have access to one of these, then a well-lit area with lots of footfall may be enough of a deterrent. Since many of the parts being stolen are from the front of the vehicle, it could be useful to park facing a wall where possible to make the theft more difficult. Always ensure that your vehicle is locked and take your keys with you — not only is this safer, but many car insurance premiums won’t pay out if you haven’t properly secured your car.
Mark your parts
It’s unlikely you’ll ever recover your parts if they are stolen but marking them can make it easier for the police to identify, which means you potentially could get your stolen parts back. In some cases, marked parts can be a deterrent if the thief notices the marking, as they’ll be more reluctant to steal a part that can be traced. People buying the parts may also realise they have been stolen if they’re marked, and if so, they may be more likely to contact the police.
Use technology
It’s worth putting a camera in your vehicle such as a dashcam if you haven’t already, and a tracker can help you locate your car in the event that it is stolen. If you park in a driveway or just outside your home, a video camera on your property may catch the thieves in the act and prove useful to the police investigation. A security light that goes on when it senses movement can even be enough of a deterrent, and both of these options may be cheaper than replacing the stolen parts.
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Is misinformation putting the brakes on the used EV market?

Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO of myenergi, explores the latest second-hand EV sales data and discusses whether dated views and misconceptions are holding back the transition to electrification.
According to insight from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), more than 30,500 second-hand battery electric vehicles (BEVs) changed hands in the second quarter of 2023, an 81.8% rise on the same period last year.[1] Used plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also grew in popularity, with sales up 11%.
In terms of availability, a quick search on Autotrader brings up more than 16,500 results for used BEVs and nearly 11,000 results for used PHEVs, spanning 47 manufacturers and hundreds of models – from hatchbacks and hybrids to coupes and convertibles. The choice is truly vast, and availability is immediate.
While you can’t miss the mix of top-end nearly new models pushing upwards of £100k, there’s also a huge choice of cars for far less than £17,920[2] – the average UK spend on a second-hand vehicle. You might have to compromise a little when it comes to colour, features or mileage, but the listings are packed with brilliant buys!
The used EV market should be thriving – and such impressive growth figures suggest that progress is building fast. However, when you dig beneath the surface, the reality is a little different. Indeed, as a percentage of total used car sales, plug-in vehicles comprise less than 2% of transactions. There seems a dichotomy between the growing opportunity and lacking consumer confidence.
But why? Well, even though the choice is there, many motorists are still put off by misinformation. From battery systems failing and range figures plummeting, to planned obsolescence after an initial three-year finance deal is up, we’ve all heard the rumours.
But what’s the truth? How long can you really keep an EV? When will you need a new battery? Does the range start to drop quickly after purchase? What’s more, with energy market volatility seeing electricity prices rocket, do the risks really outweigh the benefits of EV over ICE?
Are used EVs a ticking time bomb?
In short, no. While perceived battery life is still a concern for some motorists, experts suggest that the average electric vehicle battery (EVB) can last almost 20 years, or 200,000 miles – a significantly longer lifespan than the typical internal combustion engine and far longer than today’s average length of vehicle ownership. What’s more, while battery efficiency will eventually start to drop, the average EV will lose just 2% of accessible range per year – an arguably minor decline.
It might sound obvious, but the latest models have been designed to far outperform their petrol and diesel predecessors. Significant investment has been made by manufacturers into designing ever-more capable vehicles to suit the needs of tomorrow’s drivers and it really shows. The EVs of today, which include those on our list, have excellent ranges, impressive durability and are cheap to maintain thanks to fewer moving parts.
The anti-EV movement will tell you otherwise, but electric vehicles aren’t designed to fall apart after a few years. They’re not programmed to break, to slow down, to lose efficiency or to rack up costly servicing bills. Vehicle manufacturers are pioneering the future with cars that really are here to stay.
So, while scaremongering is commonplace, switching to electric really is the sensible option for motorists. Need a nippy run-around for your trips into town? There’s countless hatchbacks that’ll suit you down to the ground. Need something a little bigger for motorway journeys? You can pick up an SUV, saloon or estate that’ll keep on going for another decade.
But what about the elephant in the room? The volatile energy market and high electricity bills. Will your used EV quickly become a drain on your finances? Will the price cap rise far above falling petrol prices, leaving me between a rock and a hard place? All important questions but, again, motorists shouldn’t be concerned.
While the environmental benefits of EVs are widely publicised, the financial benefits are equally as impressive. At current prices, a small hatchback would cost less than £650 per annum for the average driver to run if they charge at home. Even though these prices will increase when the energy price cap changes, EVs will still be the most cost-efficient option by far – especially with fuel prices pushing £1.50 per litre (for diesel) and an average tank (55 litres) costing upwards of £80.
The real cheat is if you have a solar array and an eco-smart home EV charger, like the myenergi zappi. In this instance, you can effectively charge for free by self-consuming your self-generated renewable energy – zero fossil fuels, zero reliance on the grid, zero emissions travel. Of course, it requires an up-front investment, but the ability to take total control of your home energy use is an attractive one.
So, should you look to the used market for your next EV? Well absolutely – there really is something for everyone. What’s more, with a huge selection and less than average demand, you’ll likely grab a steal!
As we move ever-closer towards 2030, however, the used EV market must become a key part of the UK’s transition to electrification. The laggards and self-professed petrolheads will continue to spread misinformation, but the reality is really quite different from the current driver perception. Let’s not allow rumours to slow the transition to electrification.
[1] Second-hand electric vehicle sales soar to record levels | Business News | Sky News
[2] https://plc.autotrader.co.uk/news-views/retail-price-index/
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Tapping into the connected car ecosystem could unlock new opportunities for payment providers

Car manufacturers continue to develop connected consumer experiences, opening up precious new revenue streams and opportunities to improve the customer experience of their marques and foster deeper brand loyalty. Olivier Bessi, Head of Fintech solutions at Star, looks at the opportunities for fintechs in the connected car ecosystem.
The value of in-car payments could reach $86 billion by 2025, up from $543 million in 2020, according to Juniper Research. Car makers are keen to seize the opportunity to drive revenue growth and foster long-term business sustainability, thus becoming active players in the digital economy. How can payment specialists get involved despite not being experts in the automotive space?
Providing drivers with the ability to make payments – for anything from parking, tolls, fuel and food on the go to roadside assistance – directly from the vehicle dashboard, provides a speed and convenience turbo boost that could significantly increase brand loyalty for car manufacturers.
Further opportunities to customers are also available. For example, if a customer has a flat tire and needs roadside assistance but can’t afford to pay for one upfront, providing buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions as a roadside payments solution could boost subscription-related services and further foster customer loyalty. This innovative approach not only offers immediate financial relief to customers in unexpected situations but also presents an additional untapped revenue stream for car manufacturers, diversifying their service offerings.
Navigating go to market complexity
With no heritage of payment solutions, the payment ecosystem is a complex one to navigate for car manufacturers.
Finding the right financial ecosystem partners will be critical for them as they develop hybrid or capsule solutions for car users; pinpointing use cases that truly enhance the customer experience – beyond the obvious, like paying for tolls and gas.
For example, paying for quick service food, groceries and scheduling and paying car maintenance are all potential applications. Data and AI technology baked into in-car systems could suggest relevant goods and services, anticipate drivers’ needs, and shed light on desires they didn’t even know they had, providing a true open road experience.
Manufacturers may want to build their own in-car systems to empower dealerships and more directly manage the impact the experience has on customer loyalty but building an operating system from scratch, the approach being adopted by Mercedes for example, is an enormous investment.
There is a huge opportunity for fintechs to work together to help manufacturers overcome the multiple hurdles such as compliance with payment regulations and the security of sensitive customer information.
Fintech’s innate understanding of consumers’ payment needs will help manufacturers shape their offerings accordingly and create sensible subscription models that lead them to their endgame.
Where are the opportunities?
Payment providers and fintechs can help car manufacturers with several nuanced, technical aspects beyond building or outsourcing. Keeping the customer as the focal point and devising a holistic approach to payments that enables access to a strong network of partners is crucial.
When it comes to the secure and seamless protection, storage and analysis of customer transaction data for example, they can short circuit the journey to full connectivity and overcome technical and regulatory hurdles such as data encryption and privacy laws, breach prevention measures, adherence to industry-specific regulations like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), or access to major card schemes as a principal member.
The future customer journey is the endgame to keep in mind for car manufacturers and fintechs alike. Partnering will get you there quicker and deliver a consistent digital payment experience across brands and vehicles, increasing adoption, decreasing confusion and making it easier to onboard new merchants as the retail ecosystem expands.

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