Guide to Electric Cars

How far can I drive an electric car?

The range of an electric car depends on the size of the battery, and how and where you drive the car. Driving uphill or fast on a motorway will use more battery than driving around a city. Driving style, air conditioning/heating, and outside temperature will also make a difference.

To find out battery capacity and estimated range of any electric car in Europe, check the Electric Vehicle Database. You can also read our eco-driving-tips to help save battery life.

Returning an electric car

When you rent an electric car with Connect with a dedicated charging point, you are expected to start charging the car upon return, to ensure it will be recharged for the next driver. If there is a problem with charging the car at the end of your rental, we ask that you report it to us by selecting “the car isn’t charging” and report the details of the problem(s).

This information is essential for the owner of the car to be able to solve the problem before the next rental starts.

If you don’t report the charging problems or haven’t clearly explained the charging problems, you will be charged €20/ 200 kr/ $25.

If the car doesn't have a recharging point, you are expected to return the car with at least 70% battery level.

How do I charge an electric car?

Charging instructions vary slightly from car to car. But it generally works like this:

1. Open the charging port by pressing the button next to the steering wheel, or on the keyring.

2. Take the charging cable out of the boot and connect it to the charging point and the car.

3. Start charging by following the instructions on the charger. The battery charge percentage and remaining time will be displayed on the dashboard of the car.
   

4. When ready, stop charging by following the instructions on the charger.
   

5. Detach the cable from the car and the charger, and put it back in the boot of the car.

NB: If you’re returning the car at the end of the rental to its reserved parking spot with a dedicated charger, you can leave the car charging.

Don’t let the battery go under 10%

This is to ensure you always have enough power to reach a charging point, and to avoid damaging the car. To increase charging speed and prolong battery life, we advise keeping the battery between 20% and 80% charged.

How long does it take to charge an electric car?

Charging time depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point. Charging an electric car from empty to full with a 60kWh battery at a 7kW charging point will take around 8 hours. Charging the same battery with a 50kW rapid charger will give most cars an extra range of 150km in half an hour.

Need an extra boost on a long journey

Use a rapid charger. But remember, rapid chargers slow down when the battery reaches 80%. It's best not to use them to charge above this level. They’re also more expensive.

Not using the car for a while?

Use slower charging, e.g. overnight.

Where can I charge an electric car?

Chargemap helps you find the charging points closest to you, as well as plan your route to include charging stations you can stop at. The app is kept up-to-date by a community of electric car drivers.

You can also search for “charging station” in Google maps to see the nearest charging points to you.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

Chargeprice estimates the cost of your charging session and compares the prices of different operators.

What is the difference between an electric and a hybrid car?

An electric car runs on battery power alone. A hybrid switches between electric and a combination of petrol and electric power. A plug-in hybrid car can be charged like an electric car to use less petrol.

How can I make the battery last longer?

Driving in a more eco-friendly way will help save battery life and lessen your impact on the environment.Check out our eco-driving tips.