IFS Electric Vehicle Guide
Electric Vehicle Guide
Route Planning and charging
1.Plan ahead!
If a charge on route is required, please ensure you know where you’re heading before you set off. Its best to have 2 options planned, one in case the vehicle isn’t charge and one for the vehicle being 75% charged. We suggest using either ZapMap or ChargeMap apps, but other websites and apps are available. Also, Googler maps now gives you a EV charging option.
- Don’t let the charge level get too low!
We know it’s tempting to push on, but as a rule you should never let the vehicle go under 50 miles range. This will give us so many other options if the charger you have selected has an issue.
- Knowing your charging stations
As you may have already experienced, some of the charging stations are well used and unreliable. From experience the chargers in motorway service stations are the worst, so you may need to go off track to find a more reliable solution. This may seem like a waste of time but coming off the motorway for a few miles to find a working quick charger is far quicker solutions than wrestling with an older charger in the services.
Below is a list of the most modern and reliable charging stations in order according to a recent RAC survey. We suggest looking into these to see if you need accounts and app’s setting up.
- InstaVolt
- Osprey (Formerly Engenie)
- Pod Point
- Shell Recharge
- ESB EV Solutions (London & Birmingham)
- ChargePlace Scotland (North of the border only)
- GeniePoint
- BP pulse (formerly BP Chargemaster/ Polar)
| Type of charger | Power Output | Speed (vehicle dependant) | Locations |
| Ultra-Rapid | DC 100kW + | Up to 100 miles in 10 minutes | Selected Forecourt Services |
| Rapid | DC 50kW | Up to 33miles in 10 minutes | Motorway Services |
| Fast | 7kW | Up to 5 miles in 10 minutes | Home Workplace & Destination |
| Slow | Up to 3Kw | Up to 2 miles in 10 minutes | Home Workplace & Destination |
- Pick a Rapid charger!
You shouldn’t be using any chargers under 50kwh as they are way too slow at charging the vehicle. You should be looking a CCS 50kwh or higher as these will charge a vehicle from 20% to 80% in 20 to 45 minutes.
On the Road
1.Gently away!
Fast acceleration is fun, but minimising it keeps your energy consumption lower, so adjust your driving style.
- Watch your speed
Obviously the faster you go the more energy you will use. We recommend you cruise at around 60mph on the motorway to help increase your range.
- Maximise your re-gen!
Driving an EV can feel like a challenge to see how long you can go without touching the brakes. And that’s how it should be, if you only decelerate using regenerative braking then you are minimising your energy consumption. Make sure you always have regenerative braking on and that you leave enough space for it to slow you down before you need the brake (clearly this is safer too!).
- Turn off/down climate control and heating – if it’s comfortable to do so!
Turning off or turning down your climate control or heated seats will reduce your static energy consumption.
- Choose a route that will minimise your power requirement
This is not always possible! But taking a route that is similarly direct but will require travelling at lower speed will mean you can go further. Also, if you can avoid climbing hills you will improve your range – though clearly you can’t alter the altitude of your destination.
Please stay in contact with the Logistics Team and advise them of any issues.
(Unless you are familiar with the charging network along your chosen route, please try and plan your first charging location at the earliest opportunity using apps like ZapMap. This will make the journey easier and will reduce the risk of range anxiety)
It’s advisable to start looking for a charger when you get to 30–40-mile range, as we all know, the machine you’re hoping to use doesn’t always work.
Suggest you have the following apps installed, as some points may not be available/working
Several vehicles have additional socket points covered by a black cover, see above below the circle. Remove this and there should be a fast charge lead at charging points that connects.
PLEASE NOW CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO COMPLETE THE ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS: