Electric cars are the future. However, some car owners may be hesitant to embrace the zero-emission future due to the fear that their electric car battery may die where they may not have access to a charger, perhaps in a place far from home or a public charging station. This concern is known as range anxiety.

Several third parties are offering public chargers, eg Electrify America, with many stations located all over North America. The truth though, is that some areas do not have enough charging points, meaning EV owners may find themselves in spots where they cannot charge.

However, there is a lot an electric vehicle owner can do to avoid the horror of being saddled with a low battery on the road or in a remote place. This article contains steps to avoid such a fate.

To start with, range anxiety is not so strange a concept as it affects petrol car drivers too. Many of us have panicked as we watch the fuel level on the dashboard drop. However, it is not as difficult to get to the nearest filling station. This implies that as electric vehicle charging infrastructure improves generally, range anxiety will go down.

So, what can you do to keep range anxiety at bay?

Get a long-range electric vehicle

The battery capacity of an electric vehicle determines how far it can go before you need to charge. Modern electric vehicles are routinely getting more than 250 miles range. For instance, with a car like the Volkswagen ID4, you can drive up to 260 miles with a full battery, which may be sufficient for a week of driving within the city.

Tesla has Long Range version of the Model 3 that lasts more than 350 miles on a single charge. You must however be ready to pay more than the base version.

Install a home charger

Many electric vehicle owners install home chargers because it allows them to charge without stress. However, it can also guarantee that you leave home with enough battery each day. For longer trips, make sure your battery is at 100 percent or close to it so that you can drive longer.

Make a mental note to plug in overnight or on the weekend, with the added advantage of paying less for electricity as those times are usually off-peak periods. It is possible to depend entirely on home charging with good planning.

Home chargers are not very expensive to install and you might be able to take advantage of incentives where you live to even bring down the cost.

Grab every opportunity to charge your car

With destination charging, you may be able to charge your car while you engage in other activities. Take note of businesses or public places that offer free charging and take advantage of them. Some employers offer charging facilities, which means as long as remember to plug in when you arrive, you can leave work with enough battery to get home.

It helps to always carry a mobile charger in your car so you can charge at any standard electric outlet. Even though they don’t charge very fast, you might be able to top up enough to get home or to the next public charger.

Use charging apps to find the nearest public charging stations

There are smartphone apps that allow you to find the public chargers closest to you, eg, ChargePoint, Plugshare, and Zap-Map. Use them to know where you can find chargers in a pinch. When planning your longer trips, map out where you can charge and perhaps, work in a stop-over for a meal or bathroom break. Tesla cars help you plan your route to be as close to Supercharger stations as much as possible.

Some public charging network requires you to maintain membership or pay a fee. However, the small expenses are worth it.

Watch your driving

Your driving habit may help you consume less power, allowing you to drive longer on a single charge. If you avoid high speeds, you can drive longer, just like it happens with internal combustion cars. Use cruise control to maintain a constant speed.

Conserve your battery

When your battery runs dangerously low, you might save some juice to get to a charger by switching off the air conditioner and radio. You could also unplug your phone from the charger.

Consider a plug-in hybrid

If your routine requires longer drives in areas where chargers are not easy to come by, it might be best to consider a plug-in hybrid or PHEV. This type of car has an ICE in addition to an electric motor. An example of a PHEV is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV that allows you to drive more than 31 miles on the battery before the ICE takes over.

While plug-in hybrids may not be completely emission-free, the assurance of a petrol engine backup can help you to overcome range anxiety. It is also a good way to test electric vehicles before committing fully to a non-ICE vehicle.

A similar method to combat range anxiety is to rent ICE cars for longer trips.

While range anxiety is bound to diminish with time, it is possible to rely on an electric vehicle for your everyday driving by taking steps that make your battery last longer.