The Path to eMobility: Eight smart EV habits for better adoption

“The elevation of a route is important to factor in when driving in new territory with an electric car. Depending on mountain passes, the battery consumption level of an EV will not be the same. For example, going uphill towards a ski resort will drop your range much quicker than on a flat highway. So, for long journeys I always do a little check of the elevation for the entirety of the route. Although watching your range drop can feel a little stressful, keep in mind that going back downhill will have an opposite effect and save some range as it uses much less energy. Sometimes if I know I’ll be driving downhill for awhile, I can even avoid a charging session—even if I’m a little tight between two charging sessions—because I know my EV will use much less energy when descending.”  – Simon, CEO of ChargeHub, owner of a 2015 Nissan LEAF since 2015

“If I’m heading downtown, I always look beforehand for available charging stations with ChargeHub’s map, which lists thousands of EV chargers across North America. Even if I don’t necessarily need to charge my EV, sometimes I’ll spot charging stations in reserved areas near locations I’m trying to get to, or even have access to paid parking lots downtown—for free!”
– Olivier, CTO of ChargeHub, owner of a 2013 Nissan LEAF since 2016

“Before I take off on a long distance trip, I find charging stations using ChargeHub’s EV Trip Planner. This displays all of the EV chargers available on route. It’s also great to see contributions from the EV community who share information about certain charging locations: photos, comments and important notifications. At times, it helps me select an EV charger by seeing what local activities and shops are nearby. ” – Francis, COO of ChargeHub, owner of a 2016 Chevy Volt since 2016 & a Kia Niro EV 2020

 “I did a few long distance trips with my electric car, including Montreal to Lac St-Jean and Montreal to Niagara Falls. My advice is to always have two charging stations in mind in case there is an unexpected issue: a defective or out-of-service charging station; an EV already plugged in; a car parked in front of the charger…you name it! It’s easier if you aim for locations that have several charging options. Having said that, don’t wait until the last moment to charge up!” – Johanne, Customer Service Coordinator at ChargeHub, owner of a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt since 2020

“Surprisingly, you can have an EV even without private parking. I live in Montreal and last year I spent the entire winter in an apartment using only public charging. It was easier than expected! For a healthy battery, I keep its charge between 30-80% charge (unless I plan a long distance trip). This helps in slowing down battery degradation. Another smart habit I started doing when driving on highways is keeping a driving speed between 100 km/h to 110 km/h. The faster you drive an electric car, the more considerable the impact on range will be.” – Jules, Accountant & Financial Controller at ChargeHub, owner of a 2019 Bolt since 2019

 “Try to prevent the battery from discharging to low levels, especially below 20% of its capacity. This goes hand in hand with this second smart EV habit: it’s better to charge frequently as it averts the battery from draining too much.” – Benoit, Executive Advisor at ChargeHub, owner of a Kia Niro since 2020

 “As a mother, I have to admit that the tranquil nature of EVs isn’t effective in making my baby fall asleep—as much as I’d like it to! Regardless of the drop in my baby’s nap times, I have learned to appreciate the calmness EV drives give, even more so in knowing that they generate zero carbon emissions when in use!” – Rebecca, Data Scientist at ChargeHub, owner of a 2016 Kia Soul since 2020

“For the first time, I drove from Montreal to the Gaspé Peninsula with an EV. My advice for new EV drivers is to familiarize yourself with one-pedal driving to drive with ease and increase your range. Essentially, one-pedal driving refers to the ability of some electric cars to be driven almost entirely with the accelerator pedal alone. In that case, lifting off the accelerator kicks in a little regeneration and this allowed me to drive for more than 500km without having to stop for a charging session!” – Tristan, Marketing Manager at ChargeHub
Completed his first EV roadtrip with a Chevy Bolt in 2020