Here’s a compact “cheat sheet” with practical things you can do to extend the range of an EV – regardless of model.
1. Driving style = the biggest factor
- Keep your speed down
Air resistance increases quadratically – dropping from 110 to 90 km/h can give you a lot of extra range. - Smooth driving
Accelerate gently, keep a steady speed, avoid “accelerate–brake–accelerate”. - Plan your braking
Lift off the accelerator earlier so that regen handles as much of the braking as possible. - Use cruise control when it makes sense
On country roads/motorways it can give smoother driving and lower consumption.
2. Climate: heating & cooling
- Preheat the car while it’s plugged in
Set a departure time in the app/car so the cabin and battery are heated from grid power instead of the battery. - Use seat and steering wheel heating instead of high cabin heat
They use much less energy than heating all the air. - Set a reasonable temperature (e.g. 19–21 °C)
Every extra degree costs kWh, especially in winter. - Use recirculation in cold weather
Reuse the already heated air when possible (but keep an eye on fogging).
3. Planning & route
- Plan away unnecessary high speeds
If you have some time margin, pick 90-roads instead of 120-motorways when possible. - Avoid traffic jams if you can
Stop-and-go with a cold battery gives higher consumption. - Use the car’s eco/range mode
Power, climate and top speed are often limited slightly – but you gain range.
4. Car condition: tyres, load, aerodynamics
- Correct tyre pressure
Check regularly. Too low pressure = higher rolling resistance = worse range. - Energy-efficient tyres
“EV tyres” or A/B-rated tyres can make a noticeable difference vs heavy, aggressive tread patterns. - Remove roof box/roof racks when you don’t need them
They can eat 10–20% of your range at motorway speeds. - Clear the car of unnecessary weight
An extra 50–100 kg affects consumption, especially in city driving.
5. Charging & battery care (indirect range)
- Charge at home often to e.g. 70–80% for daily use
Then you usually have a “good buffer” without driving around at 100% (unnecessary for battery health). - Plan rapid charging around battery temperature
After a longer drive the battery is warm and takes in power more efficiently – higher average charging speed. - Avoid staying long at 0–5% or 100%
Not directly about range, but better long-term battery health = maintained range over time.
6. Specifically for cold climate (Sweden bonus)
- Keep the car in a garage if possible – higher starting temperature for both cabin and battery.
- Brush off snow and ice from the car completely – snow = extra weight and worse aerodynamics.
- Short, frequent cold starts eat range:
Try to combine errands into fewer, longer trips so the car has time to warm up.
7. Small habits that add up
- Use as your “default”: eco mode + seat heating + slightly lower speed than the speed limit.
- Look at the car’s consumption history (kWh/100 km) and test different behaviours – it almost becomes a “game”.
- Learn at which speeds your specific car is most efficient (often around 70–90 km/h).