Nissan has produced a useful guide to EV Driver Etiquette – a one-stop manual for EV drivers.
Drawing on the company’s extensive heritage as a pioneer in mass-market electric mobility, the pocket guide is designed to provide digestible, reassuring advice for both new and seasoned EV drivers.
‘Nissan EV Driver Etiquette’ is infused with a series of simple yet insightful tips, carefully curated to help electric car drivers connect even more with their EV. It also features guidance on how to support fellow EV drivers and simple ways to boost confidence on the road.
It also addresses a broad list of everyday EV driving scenarios, including everything from an EV preparation checklist to how to help others in the EV community.
Brice Fabry, Zero Emission and Ecosystem Manager at Nissan Europe, said: ‘The electrified driving experience is constantly evolving as technology develops, so the established rules of the road may not always lend themselves to electric car drivers’ habits.
‘Attitudes to personal mobility are rapidly changing. It’s crucial that we make the driving experience enjoyable and accommodating for all drivers as we increasingly embrace electric mobility and help each other forward.’
Sharing is caring
Lend a helping hand by sharing your own tips on local public charging points with friends and family, or use apps and forums to pool your advice with tips from fellow EV drivers in the local area. With the Nissan Charge app, you can help everyone in the EV community by advising which points are the best, helping them to plan any necessary long journeys with ease.
Consider your fellow EV enthusiasts
Avoid unplugging other drivers’ EVs at public charging points and if you have a charging point at home, consider offering it to your neighbour in a way that is safe and compliant. Eighty-eight per cent of people prioritise charging at home, so sharing your charging spot if needed could go a long way and might make someone’s day.
Avoid ICEing and a frosty reception
Just as you would avoid parking at an unused fuel pump, save everyone the hassle by not parking in an EV charging spot if you don’t intend to use the charger. Just as disabled drivers need the use of designated spaces, EV drivers need their own spots to charge.
If you do need to charge your electric car, be considerate and think how long you need to charge it for.
Take good care of your battery
Avoid leaving your EV at low battery level for a long time to ensure battery capacity and minimise the impact on driving range.
Plan your recharge
If you’re planning a longer journey, plot out your route first and make use of mapping services to see the available charging points along the way. Planning ahead always pays off; it goes a long way to making a lengthy trip even easier.
Don’t need much power? Leave a friendly note
If you don’t need to charge for very long at a public charging point, why not leave a nice note on the windscreen or the charger for the next EV drivers to let them know how long it will take you, or at what time you will be coming back?
Check your tyres and driving settings
To maximise power efficiency, switch on your car’s energy-saving modes and ensure your tyres are inflated to the manufacturer-recommended level.
You can boost the efficiency of your electric car with a couple of quick steps. Choosing the appropriate drive mode is key. With the Nissan LEAF, you can choose Eco-Mode to optimise your journey, recommended for city driving. Also, Nissan’s unique e-Pedal technology to accelerate and decelerate your LEAF using one pedal optimises regenerative braking and lets the car do the work. Activating the LEAF’s B mode further enhances regenerative braking, providing even more energy on the move.
Explore the range of available charging options
An electric car is like a sleeping cat; it’s inactive for around 20 hours every day, so make the most of this time.
Whether it’s rapid public charging point, an installed wall unit at home, or a standard domestic plug, you can effortlessly charge your electric car wherever you can access mains power – just like your smartphone.
Look after your local charging points
Just as you would look after your charging solutions at home, take care of your local public charging infrastructure so that everyone can benefit.
The Nissan Guide to EV Driver Etiquette can be downloaded here.