‘Range Anxiety’ is the fear that an electric vehicle will run out of power during a journey and the driver won’t be able to find an EV charging point.
After high cost, range anxiety is perceived to be one of the biggest barriers preventing EVs from challenging the conventional car market.
Range Anxiety stems from the fact that while conventional petrol/diesel vehicles can be refilled at petrol pumps located literally everywhere, EV charging infrastructure isn’t as widespread yet.
The range of EVs has increased considerably in the last decade courtesy technological advancements.
Like conventional cars have a ‘mileage’, EVs have a ‘range’ and need a steady supply of charging to keep running. Electric mobility is a relatively new technology and the charging infrastructure available to support it is still growing.
According to automobile research & analytics firm ‘JD Power’, “limited driving range of many EVs and the lack of charging infrastructure in many geographies are the primary reasons people do not buy EVs, even if they seek to be environmentally conscious and have the necessary finances.”
For an EV owner, range anxiety mostly kicks in when embarking on an unplanned or emergency trip, the distance of which might exceed the range of the EV.
A prospective owner must be confident that his/her EV offers a decent range and in case it runs out of charge, they will be able to find a charge point nearby that is compatible.
Battery swapping can tackle range anxiety in case of electric two and three-wheelers. It is easy & less costly to establish a dense network of swapping stations even in packed urban areas.
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The central government’s Department of Heavy Industries has proposed setting-up an EV charging station every 25 kilometres. Public sector petroleum companies are also setting-up EV charging stations at petrol pumps. A widespread charging station network is vital, not only to cater to the expected growth in EV usage, but also because of the psychological value.
EV drivers feel confident when they can foresee the journey ahead. Having resources (like apps or web portals) that facilitate route planning, exact location of charging stations, types of connectors at the station, tariffs, etc can help remove psychological barriers around driving an EV.
the American Automobile Association (AAA) presented a surprise fact. Range anxiety seems to affect people who don’t own an EV more than those who do. The survey, held in the US, showed that 91% of all respondents experienced range anxiety before they switched to an electric car. Once they made the switch, 77% of them stated that they no longer have such concerns.
Range anxiety is more common in electric car users rather than electric two-wheeler users. The main strategies to tackle range anxiety among electric car drivers include installing an extensive network of car charging points, constant R&D in battery technology and availability of navigation apps.
To sum it all, an EV user should follow the following to reduce range anxiety:
- Charge your EV at home (either overnight or a few hours before a journey).
- Use an e-mobility or EV charging station locator app.
- Plan ahead & pre-plan the route.
