Believe it or not, my driving style has completely transformed. On the road, I am now a calmer and less stressed driver.
I have evolved from being Jeremy Clarkson to Daniel O’Donnell.
You know that person who blissfully travels at 100kph on a 120kph motorway? That’s me. And that driver who doesn’t constantly try to pass the bus in front? Also me.
And the one who no longer accelerates when they see an orange light? Check.
Was it an epiphany or a sudden transformation into a better person? No. It was the result of my ‘range anxiety’ – the bane of owning an electric vehicle – turning into self-interest.
You see, when you drive an electric car, higher speeds drastically drain the battery and reduce the range.
In my case, I’ve observed that this happens when I exceed 80kph.
Here’s an example: if I drive from Dublin to Belmullet, Co Mayo in my VW electric car, following the speed limits (120kph on the motorway section and 100kph on the rest of the road), I’ll use up around 90% of my car’s battery. In cold weather, it increases to at least 95%.
Considering the limited availability of electric chargers on this route and the inadequate public infrastructure in Ireland, this always fills me with anxiety. What if I run out of battery and get stuck in Bangor? Does my breakdown service offer electric recharging? These questions loom over me.
But if I lower my speed to 100kph on the motorway and 85kph on primary roads, I can reach Dublin to Belmullet with about 80% battery (or around 85% in cold weather). And driving well below the speed limit surprisingly brings a sense of relaxation. The tension of trying to gain a few seconds by darting into the fast lane disappears. I can now relax and allow my mind to wander.
“Oh, look at the color of the hills today.”
“Oh, I never noticed that McMansion has eagles on the gateposts.”
“Oh, isn’t that sunset pretty?”
It’s almost a form of mindfulness.
Please forgive me if this revelation is something you already discovered long ago. But for me, it’s an entirely new experience. What’s even more incredible is that it has influenced my driving behavior even when the
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
