Holidays with the e-car

The range of electric cars has increased significantly in recent years. Longer journeys in electric cars in Europe are possible without major obstacles. The network of fast charging stations is particularly well developed on motorways and also extends into neighbouring countries.

In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, there are significantly more charging options than in this country. The neighbouring countries of Austria, Switzerland and France have a similarly well-developed network as in Germany. In Italy or Croatia, however, the network is thinner. Here, holidaymakers with electric cars should find out more about the charging options along their travel route in advance.

The European agreement on the Combined Charging System (CCS) has firmly defined the charging standard in Europe. This means that plugs and charging methods are standardised. The navigation system will show you where the nearest charging station is located.

Electric vehicles are fully suitable for holidays, even caravans can be towed electrically if the towing vehicle has an appropriate towing capacity. However, as with the combustion engine, larger models are more suitable for this.

If you want to take a caravan with you on holiday, you will of course need more energy. Experience has shown that recharging is necessary after approx. 200 kilometres. One advantage for caravan drivers has proven to be that fewer mechanical problems, such as gearbox wear, occur with electric towing vehicles.

To save energy when driving an electric car, all electrical consumers that are not necessary should be switched off. If the energy reserve is running low, the e-mode, which is available in many electric cars, often helps. Here, the software optimises energy consumption. This has an effect on driving behaviour.

If you want to drive as many kilometres as possible on one battery charge, you should be prepared for a rather leisurely drive. The faster the car drives, the more energy is consumed.

If you drive into the mountains, you can recharge without stopping. This is because the battery is partially recharged after a long downhill ride.

The prerequisite for this is to drive with foresight and use the electric "engine brake" evenly.

In most vehicles, there is virtually no need to brake at all; the vehicle automatically switches to a higher recuperation mode when coasting for a long time, meaning that the energy is optimally recovered and stored.

However, you should plan well for longer journeys. The number of charging stations at motorway service stations is increasing. Tank & Rast, the largest operator, has now installed charging points at every petrol station. But charging takes time. Good planning is therefore important.

The website of the Federal Network Agency has a register of charging points in Germany. An Excel list, which is updated regularly, can be downloaded from the agency's website. Alternatively, there is an interactive map: fast-charging points are marked with red dots, normal charging stations with blue dots. By clicking on the dots, information such as the operator, address and the respective technical equipment of the charging station is displayed.

The LEMNET website provides a comprehensive Europe-wide directory of charging stations, with more than 140,000 charging points at 45,000 locations to date. The site also offers a route planner. The search results are displayed on a Google Maps map, and users can download the route to their navigation device as a GPX file. The route can be customised precisely in the electric car route planner. To do this, users must enter their own vehicle model, battery capacity and plug type as well as the average energy consumption. The site uses this data to calculate suitable refuelling intervals. The calculations assume that you start with a fully charged battery.

Anyone travelling with an electric car should find out about international options from their mobility provider before setting off, as there is currently no standardised access and payment system. Sometimes you need a charging card, sometimes an app.

Currently, the online payment service PayPal or contactless payment via NFC and mobile phone work. Abroad, you can often pay directly at the charging station with a debit or credit card. Charging costs also vary greatly, from free to very expensive.

If you take out a contract with a mobility provider, you can save costs, but are dependent on roaming. Electricity is generally more expensive if you charge without pre-registration ("ad hoc").

Charging time is often billed, which can have a negative impact on costs for charging stations or vehicles with a low charging capacity. Ideally, you should therefore plan a longer journey with your electric car along fast-charging points to minimise waiting times.

Beware of the cost trap: Some electricity providers charge for the time spent standing at the charging point beyond the charging process in order to prevent charging points from being misused as car parks.