Electric cars: Range anxiety and how to beat it

Ready to rent an electric car, but worried about whether it will have enough juice for your journey? Even if you’re sold on the idea of driving an electric vehicle (EV), you might be worried about how long its battery will last, as well as where to charge electric cars when you’re traveling in a new area.

But if you’re keen to explore the many benefits of driving an electric car – low emissions, a quieter ride, and lower running costs among them – don’t let range anxiety stop you from giving it a go. With improving technology and a growing number of charging stations, you can leave your worries about charging an electric car behind and just enjoy the ride.

What is range anxiety?  

Range anxiety refers to a driver’s fear that their vehicle will run out of battery power before they reach their destination. If you’re thinking about renting an EV for the first time, you might be wondering how long electric car batteries last, and how far an EV can go on one charge.

This concern is understandable – no one wants to be stranded with a flat battery. However, with a bit of planning and know-how, you can leave range anxiety behind you. 

How far can electric cars go? 

Over the years, electric cars’ range has improved dramatically. In the late 1990s, EVs could drive 60-80 miles, but improvements in battery technology have pushed this beyond 200 miles on average. When you rent an EV from Hertz, you’ll certainly have no trouble, with a range of up to 260 miles for a Tesla Model 3, 330 miles for a Tesla Model Y and 270 miles for a Polestar 2.

So, while you won’t be able to drive from dawn till dusk, EVs are great for day-to-day driving and multi-stop road trips. Electric cars also offer better efficiency in city settings, thanks to regenerative braking: the ability to build up power reserves when stopping repeatedly. 

Charging stations for electric cars

Charging an electric car is easier than you may think: you probably drive past public charging stations every day at hotels, shops, public parking lots and gas stations, as well as official charging stations. If you’re worried about finding somewhere to recharge, plan your route before you travel so you know where to charge your electric car.

If you plan to charge an electric car at home, it’s best to have an EV charging unit installed for safety and speed (plugging into a domestic socket with an adaptor can put charge time beyond 24 hours). So, if you’re renting an EV and staying with friends and relatives who usually drive gas, you may want to stick to public charging points rather than relying on their home setup.

How many EV charging stations are there in the USA? 

There are more than 140,000 EV chargers across the USA, so finding EV charging stations for your electric car shouldn’t be too hard – for comparison, there are around 145,000 gas stations.

EV adoption is higher along the west coast of the USA – California accounts for 39% of registered EVs in the country. So it’s no surprise that EV drivers are well catered for in this area, with the West Coast Electric Highway (a road network rich in fast-charge points) running through Washington, Oregon and California.

Hertz has rental locations in most major travel destinations across the US, including charge-station hotspots such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, Austin, Kansas City, Seattle and Boston. Ask your rental team to advise you about local availability so you can be sure you’re never far from a charging station before you head off in your EV rental.

What’s the quickest way to charge my EV?

The quickest way to charge your electric car is a DC fast charge socket. These chargers allow the battery to charge to almost full capacity (60 – 80%) in less than an hour. If you’re renting a Tesla, you can use Tesla Superchargers to add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

Where can I charge an electric car for free?

Charging an EV is a cost-effective alternative to using gas – particularly with recent increases in fuel prices – but it’s also possible to find some places where you can charge your electric car for free if you need an emergency top-up. Some businesses offer limited free charging, while there are also a few local government schemes and non-profit organizations offering free power. Services such as ChargeHub and PlugShare can help you find free electric car charging stations across America.

How to beat range anxiety

Follow these tips to ensure you never feel range anxiety and you can enjoy your EV experience: 

Use charging apps:

Check up on electric car charging stations in your city and along any routes you are traveling with apps such as ChargeHub and PlugShare. These can show you charging stations on a map and provide directions to your nearest charging station.

Read up and prep your travel guide

When you’re planning a trip to a new area, add charge point research to your list along with good places to sleep and eat. You’ll be able to build an itinerary that powers up your car while you’re refueling yourself. 

Take it smooth

Although it’s tempting to put your foot down on the freeway, it’s a good idea to take things smooth and steady when you’re driving an electric car. Hard acceleration and sharp braking drain the battery faster – just as they would your gas tank. In fact, the principles of driving an electric car well are largely the same as driving a traditional car. 

Learn the basics

Before you drive off the Hertz lot, make sure you ask one of the team to give you a full run-down of your rental car, so you know exactly how to drive your electric car and how to charge it. 

Now that you know range anxiety is nothing to fear, it’s time to start planning your first trip in an electric car – take a look at the Hertz range of EV rentals and get ready to enjoy a greener, cleaner, quieter ride.