The must-know facts before you dive into the EV world

EVs can make motoring simpler, but there is a learning curve that it pays to get on top of. Here are eight things you may not know about electric cars.

Toby Hagon

2 min read

12:00AMMay 26, 2023.

Updated 5:19AMMay 27, 2023

No matter what charger you install at home, you will be able to charge every model of EV.

EVs can make motoring simpler, but there is a learning curve that it pays to get on top of.

Here are seven things you may not know about electric cars.

1. All EVs use the same charging plug

Charging an EV can be confusing to people who’ve experienced decades of petrol and diesel.

But one thing that should be simple is home charging. Every EV currently on sale uses a Type 2 port for regular AC charging (faster DC charging is a different story). That means that no matter what charger you install at home – or whether you just charge from a home powerpoint – you’ll be able to charge everything from a Kia to a Tesla, or an Audi to a Volvo.

2. Battery power can impact motor power

Batteries lose voltage as their state of charge is depleted. Anyone who remembers their high school physics will remember that the voltage directly relates to the outputted power.

That means EVs can produce less power when the battery loses charge. Some Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes, for example, will accelerate slower when the battery is depleted.

3. They’ll use more electricity than you put in

Any electrical circuit has minor losses – mostly in heat – so when 50kWh of electricity leaves your powerpoint you may lose 5-10 per cent by the time it makes it into your battery pack.

However, given the relatively low cost of running – energy costs for EVs are usually about one-third that of ICE vehicles – and the overall efficiency of the electrical system, it’s still a highly efficient way to get around.

4. A dead battery may not be dead

You’ve got to work hard to run out of electricity in an EV. They’ll usually give you ample warnings and point to nearby charging options in the quest to keep you motoring. Some will also lower electricity use by lowering the top speed or power to give you as much range as possible.

Some will also allow owners to engage a mode that will allow the car to drive another few kilometres if the car does get down to zero driving range.

5. Don’t expect to travel as far as it suggests

Car makers are quick to spruik how far their latest and greatest EV will go, but very few get anywhere near that claimed range for most people’s regular driving.

6. Blame it on different driving styles

Also, if you’re driving in cold conditions – a Canberra morning in winter, for example – you can expect to further shorten the range because the car will use some of its energy to heat the cabin and battery.

7. EVs won’t go as far on a freeway

Petrol and diesel cars typically use less fuel at 100km/h or 110km/h.

Not so in an EV. Electric cars typically use more electricity at speed that they do around town.

Blame it on aerodynamics. The aero drag quadruples as your speed doubles, making the electric motor/s work harder.

Throw in fewer opportunities to regenerate electricity when decelerating – one of the great party tricks of an EV around town – and it means an EV can actually need charging sooner when driving on a freeway.

8. Don’t expect EVs to charge as fast
as they claim

Marketers love trumpeting how fast their EV can charge, referencing the peak power level the car can accept.

But EVs will often hold that peak for only a short period, potentially a minute or two.

Beyond that – and as the battery’s state of charge increases – the car’s software will limit how much electricity it will accept, in turn slowing the charge rate.