Alleviating EV Range Anxiety

Although electric vehicles offer benefits aplenty – ranging from a smaller environmental footprint to reduced fuel costs – potential buyers often fret over the vehicles’ perceived lack of range.

Make no mistake, an electric vehicle running on a fully charged battery falls short of a gas-powered vehicle in terms of potential range. Due to the way vehicles turn gasoline into power, a gas-powered vehicle simply packs more potential energy than its electric counterpart.

However, the engineers of Ford’s electric and hybrid vehicles have made painstaking efforts to ensure that these vehicles can serve almost any need imposed on them.

EPA Estimated Range

The number most often referred to in discussions of electrical vehicles’ potential travel distance is the EPA-Estimated Range. This figure refers to how far the vehicle can travel on a single charge.

When looking at a vehicle’s EPA-estimated range, it’s important to keep in mind that this figure summarizes tests of the vehicle’s potential range in both highway and city environments. If using an EV in the city, a single charge will more often than not give you something like seven hours of consistent use. It’s on the highway where energy expenditures become an issue.

Unlike gas-powered vehicles, electric vehicles’ energy expenditure increases along with their average speed. So, if traveling 75-miles-per hour, your EV will have a much smaller range than if you’re driving an average of 35 MPH.

However, despite these limitations, a little planning can ensure your EV will serve just about any need.

Making Your EV Work Trips of All Sizes

Charging and trip planning

In just a few short years, the United States has grown a profusion of publicly accessible electric vehicles charging ports. Though some states have a higher density of ports than others, Ford’s Power My Trip planner, included with all Ford EVs and hybrids, will optimize a route for you that ensures you have plenty of opportunities to stop and charge your car

Limiting vehicle accessory use

Running the AC, heater or others of your electric vehicle’s accessories significantly taxes its battery. You can extend your EV’s expected range by as much as 70% by limiting the use of vehicle accessories such as AC, heating and seat-warmers.

Consider a hybrid or plug-in hybrid

Ford hybrids and plug-in hybrids combine the convenience of an electric motor with the powerful performance of a gas-powered engine. The best of both worlds!