Range anxiety (the fear of not having sufficient charge to complete a trip) remains the top concern of consumers who have not owned an electric vehicle. In the early days of the modern electric car, that made sense. An electric vehicle produced in 1996, for example, advertised a range of 100 miles (161 km) but, under actual driving conditions, reliably delivered about 60 miles (97 km). Combine that information with a typical charging time of three to eight hours on a Level 2 charger, and range anxiety becomes a rational fear.

We’ve come a long way since 1996. Thanks in no small part to the automotive tribologist, the real-world range of electric vehicles on a single charge has increased to rival the single-tank range of conventional gasoline cars. An article on the topic states: “Current electric vehicles travel about 250 miles [400 km] on a charge, though there are some, such as Teslas, that can do about 350 miles [560 km] on a charge. Many automakers have announced plans to bring to market electric vehicles that promise longer range and even faster charging.”¹ So, how rational is range anxiety in the modern electric vehicle world?

Consider the analogous situation of “running out of gas” in a conventional vehicle. You’ve probably done it yourself, or at least know someone who has. While not a pleasant experience, the situation probably was resolved in a fairly straightforward fashion, either by walking to the nearest filling station to buy some gasoline or to a pay telephone (remember those?) to call a friend, relative or towing service to deliver some fuel. Inconvenient, yes, but something you worry about when buying a vehicle? Probably not.

A recent study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) sheds some light on what happens to range anxiety when someone actually owns and operates an electric vehicle on a regular basis. According to the study:²

• The majority (96%) say they would buy or lease another electric vehicle the next time they were in the market for a new car.
• Almost all owners surveyed (95%) report never having run out of a charge while driving and, on average, they do three-fourths (75%) of their charging at home.
• Those who were originally concerned about insufficient range said they became less or no longer concerned post-purchase (77%).

Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations, says, “Range anxiety has been synonymous with electric vehicles from the beginning. Hearing firsthand from owners that this is no longer a worry may change the mind of those who have otherwise been skeptical to the idea of owning an electric vehicle.”

So, don’t let fear of the unknown (running out of charge) deter you from acquiring an electric vehicle, any more than fear of the known (running out of gas) worries you about conventional vehicles.

REFERENCES
1. Available here.
2. Available here.