First things first: we don’t have to plug in our electric car that often in day-to-day life – because the range of the latest electric cars is better than you think. We rarely drive 400 kilometres or more in a single day. If you do have to cover a longer distance and charge on your way, Switzerland has a superb charging infrastructure .
The charging time of an electric car varies. It depends primarily on the battery capacity, but also the power of the charging station. Larger batteries require more time and fast-charging stations are – as the name suggests – significantly faster than charging stations that use alternating current (AC).
Whichever charging station you choose: you can keep the waiting time stress-free. You just need to know how…
The best tips for your charging stop
Tip 1: Stretch your legs
Breaks are important – both for the body and when driving an electric car. Therefore, use the charging stop to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. You can also incorporate the stretching exercises from your fitness programme into your break. This keeps your body and mind fit and gets you ready for the final journey to your destination.
Tip 2: Listen to topical podcasts
Have you ever treated your ears to the latest podcasts while driving instead of listening to the same songs over and over again on the radio? No? If not, you should definitely try it out! Podcasts can be pretty entertaining – so entertaining in fact that you may end up losing track of time. And this applies to the charging time too…
The most popular podcasts from Clyde team:
- Something that’ll teach you things: Wissen Weekly
- Something that’ll keep you informed: NZZ Akzent
- Something that’ll make you laugh: Gemischtes Hack
- Something that’ll give you the creeps: Verbrechen, Zeit Online
Tip 3: Listen to the latest Clyde playlists
Podcasts aren’t your thing after all? Not to worry, how about this for the perfect solution for you and your ears: Be sure to check out the Clyde Spotify channel. The best songs for driving – and to pass the time while charging – are waiting for you here.
But remember that excessively loud music can drown out the warning signals of other road users or the warning of a siren. It can also reduce your reaction time considerably. Therefore, please do not overdo the volume – thank you!
Tip 4: For a good view: clean the windows
Okay, compared to tips 2 and 3, this tip may seem a bit boring… But the downtime while charging is the perfect opportunity to restore your electric car’s innate beauty. And this also includes shiny windows. Remove annoying insect residues with special insect remover. Don’t worry: it won’t corrode paintwork, glass, metal or plastic so you can guarantee good visibility with no stress. Also recommended particularly if there is no windscreen wiper available at the charging station: windscreen sponges with integrated water tank.
Tip 5: Say "hello" and talk to your fellow electric car drivers
Not the only electric car driver who’s charging up right now? Cool! Then why don’t you try talking to some other electric car fans? Discuss ideas about electric mobility: what do you like, and what isn’t quite so great? What cars do you drive and why? Maybe you can learn something too. Impromptu conversations are always interesting!
And finally, always remember the 20/80 rule. If possible, your battery level should not fall below 20 percent and you should charge your battery to a maximum of 80 percent. This not only keeps your charging time short, but also helps protect the battery.
Fancy putting an electric car to the test?
You find e-mobility exciting, but don’t know which vehicle is right for you? Then you should waste no time and pay Clyde a visit online. Thanks to flexible terms and mileage packages, you can test electric cars in complete relaxation and find out whether e-mobility has a place in your everyday life.
