How to save using an electric car - explains the expert

Traveling with an electric car offers many different benefits, including the possibility of financial savings. One of the advantages of electric cars is their charging, which is more convenient and cheaper compared to internal combustion cars.

However, despite this, there are various ways to make the everyday process of charging your car even more wallet-friendly. Kārlis Mendziņš, head of Eleport in Latvia, shares recommendations on how to save money by charging your electric car, and what is more profitable - charging at home or at public stations.

Plan and optimize charging at home

Although charging electric cars at home is often cheaper and, to some extent, more convenient, the actual prices of electricity play an important role in this process, which are variable as a result of market fluctuations, weather, electricity demand and other factors. If you charge your car at home every day and pay for electricity every month according to changes in the electricity exchange, then a great way to save is to choose to charge your electric car in periods when electricity prices are the lowest. By planning and optimizing charging times and keeping an eye on exchange prices, you can save significantly by taking advantage of lower electricity tariffs. For example, in August, the lowest price of electricity in the Baltics was -19,96 EUR/MWh, while the highest was 407,42 EUR/MWh, indicating significant fluctuations in the price of electricity.

Avoid fluctuating electricity prices

Public charging stations also offer many different advantages and conveniences in daily charging of electric cars – it is possible to do without the large investments required when installing charging stations at home, a significantly higher charging capacity is provided, and stable service prices are provided. Most public charging stations, including "Eleport", offer fixed prices to their customers, which means that you can charge your electric car regardless of the price of electricity on the exchange. When charging a car at public charging stations, it is recommended to initially compare the prices of different service providers.

Likewise, "Eleport" creates its charging infrastructure in such a way as to ensure a convenient and fast charging process, which can be combined with the daily needs of customers. The stations are mainly located near various supermarkets and shopping centers, providing an opportunity to combine shopping and entertainment with the useful aspect of car charging.

Review your daily driving habits

Similar to internal combustion cars, when driving an electric car, your driving style, charging habits, daily distances and routes can affect your electricity consumption. For example, very short and jerky rides will use more energy than steady and long distances. How hard you press the accelerator is also important, because at higher acceleration, the car consumes a higher amount of energy. The weather also has a significant impact on energy consumption – both heating and air conditioning reduce the battery life of an electric car. Considering that adjusting the cabin temperature is the second largest energy consumption after driving the car, the most economical weather seasons to travel with an electric car are early autumn and late spring. Despite all the nuances, each electric car, like its user, is individual, so to ensure an economically beneficial experience of using a car, it is important to choose the car that best suits your needs, as well as the most appropriate charging solution.