What is Range Anxiety?

Range anxiety is the fear that an electric vehicle, or EV, driver can experience if they’re going to run out of battery power before reaching their destination or the availability of charging stations along the way.

People who don’t have an EV may experience this psychological barrier and will associate this issue as a reason not to go full electric. Which may lead them to look into hybrid vehicles or traditional internal combustion engines.

The fear comes from the limited range the vehicle has on one full charge compared to the speed and convenience of refueling internal combustion engines.

Electric vehicle drivers have range anxiety due to the time it takes to charge or the possibility of being stranded if they miscalculate their range.

Is Range Anxiety a thing of the past?

There has been a lot of progress for range anxiety, however it may not be entirely a thing of the past.

Improved Range: Newer electric vehicles generally have longer ranges, depending what electric vehicle you’re looking at, compared to older models.
There have been advances in the batteries and are continuing to improve them, helping the environment and extending driving ranges.

Improved Charging Network: Throughout the UK, charging infrastructures and networks are expanding and becoming more available. Making it much more convenient for electric vehicle owners. This is one big step in removing range anxiety and helping EV drivers find stations and reduce charge time.

Smart Navigation and Range Estimation: A lot of new EVs come with smart navigation and accurate range estimation, considering all factors, such as current battery charge, driving conditions and charging stations. Helping the EV driving plan their route accordingly.

Even though there’s been a lot of progress, there’s still some challenges and even new ones. As EV’s are getting more popular, there can be higher demand at charging stations which may create congestion, leading to longer waiting times. There’s been increases in prices at charging stations.

What is the difference between Range Anxiety and Charge Anxiety?

Range Anxiety

Definition: Range anxiety refers to the specific concern that an EV driver experiences of running out of battery before reaching their destination.

Causes: Range anxiety is due to the limited driving range of the vehicle on a single charge and the inconvenience of finding a charging station.

Charge Anxiety

Definition: Charge anxiety surrounds the fear of the charging process itself. The cost and the accessibility of charging stations.

Causes: The cost has changed, unfortunately going up depending on the station. As well as the charging time for the vehicle and the potential queuing for the charging station, which may hugely delay the drivers journey.

Conclusion

Though it is completely normal to have a fear of change, it’s a lot easier to adapt than you think and it’s clear that things are improving rapidly to combat range anxiety.

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Get in touch with the team to today to get you started!

Would you like to know more?

Do you have any questions? Get in touch and I will be more than happy to help answer any questions you may have. Additionally, you may also be interested in ‘Charge Anxiety’ – if so, read my blog post about it here.