How much range can I expect from a BEV?
The logistics of BEV range are really no different to a petrol or diesel car
We’re about to talk abouthowmuch range you can really expect from a battery electric vehicle (BEV). But todothat, it’s helpful to talk about internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles — conventional petrol or diesel, in other words— first.
Weall understand that ICE vehicles will deliver different fuel economy depending onhowand where they are driven. Spend all day driving in gridlock traffic or pilot a vehicle enthusiastically over awinding backroad and it’s obvious that it will consumemore fuel.
So starting with a full tank of petrol or diesel, the distance you can cover before it’s empty— the ‘range’— can vary enormously according to the type of driving.
That’s why official fuel economy figures can really only ever be a guide, no matterhow‘real world’ they aim to be. They are great for comparing one vehicle with another, because the same mandated tests are applied to each vehicle. But the figure you achieve day to day is entirely dependent onhowyou drive.
It’s no different with ABEV. Range is a hugely important metric with BEVS, because people want to knowhowfar they can travel before committing the time required to recharge. So there’s often criticism of BEVS not being able to achieve their claimed range.
Just like an ICE car, a “full” BEV has a certain amount of energy available (a tank of fuel for the ICE, a charged battery for the BEV), and it’s up to the driverhowto extract the most from it. Orhowmuchthey want to enjoy themselves by using it up more quickly!
The issue is clouded somewhat by the convention of talking about range from BEVS versus litres per 100km for ICE cars. Wecould easily talk aboutkwhper 100km for BEVS or simply focus on total range from ICE vehicles. Becauseweuse different terminology for eachwe tend to think the rules of energy use are also different for ICE and Bevcars. But they’re not.
With either powertrain, there are driving techniques that can help maximise the distance from a full tank/charge: being easy on the throttle, anticipating the traffic ahead, reducing weight from personal items carried in the boot. All familiar economy-driving techniques.
BUTBEVS and hybridised vehicles dohave an advantage in that they can also recover energy normally wasted during coasting or braking and use it to add charge back into the battery. It what’s called ‘regeneration’.
Regen-technology is rapidly improving and, in amodern BEV like the Audi e-tron, could contribute to up to 30 per cent of range.
Here’s an intriguing example of the potential. Back in 2018, Audi sent prototypes of its e-tron SUV (the one you cannowbuy) down the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb road in Colorado.
Downthe 31km road, the e-trons recovered about enough energy to drive the same distance again (on the flat, of course).
The technology can work in incredible ways. In an e-tron or Porsche Taycan, for example, when you press the brake pedal, it maynot actually be the brakes slowing youdown. Instead, it could be the drag created by the regen system up to 90 per cent of the time— harvesting energy at the same time.