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Do you need to charge your electric car when it's empty?
I don't often get range anxiety but when my electric car is on empty, do I need to charge it, or do I still have some distance left?
Chanice Boyd · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
That’s a critical question. Many electric vehicle owners experience range anxiety at some point, but when your car indicates that it’s empty, it’s time to recharge.
If you’ve ever owned a gas-fueled vehicle, you know that your gas tank has an extra 20 to 30-mile reserve after your car signals that your tank is empty.
Electric cars
have a similar system in place. So when you get the alert, you can rest assured knowing that your battery pack still has at least 5 kilowatt-hours of power left. You should still take that warning as your sign to charge-up ASAP. Just because the reserve is available doesn’t mean you should drive your EV until the battery is completely drained. Extreme high and low states of charges can cause your battery to degrade faster.
How to avoid driving on ‘E’:
- Just like charging your phone, top up your EV’s battery during the day and give it a full charge overnight.
- Make good use of your parked time. Find charging stations that are aligned with your errands and lifestyle.
- Top up with fast chargers.
Now that you know how to combat range anxiety further and correctly charge your battery, you should ensure that you have the best possible car insurance coverage for your EV.
Jerry
can help you shop around to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.If you’re hesitant to switch plans or insurance providers because you’re worried about the work involved, don’t be. Jerry does all the paperwork for you and even helps cancel your old policy! And if you have any questions along the way, text one of our agents through the app. They will always be there to assist you.
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- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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