TCS does range comparison: You can actually go this far in your e-car

That’s how the federal government now sees it, too, and differentiates according to consumption when giving energy efficiency labels to e-cars. In the past, all e-cars received top class A, after retuning it was only 70 percent. Because only e-cars that consume less than 18.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity per 100 kilometers receive A. These are, for example, Tesla’s best-selling Y and Model 3 or the electric Renault Megane.

As with combustion engines, ex-factory consumption data for e-cars is not particularly meaningful. For example, the German automobile club ADAC found this in its tests. According to testers, the VW ID.4 GTX 4 Motion consumes 26.9 kWh instead of the stated 18.3 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers.

Accordingly, the range information given by the manufacturers should be handled with care. There are some key differences here too, according to the testers of Touring Club Schweiz (TCS). Instead of the promised 500 kilometers, the Nio ES8 only managed 443 kilometers in the TCS test.

As a result, actual range depends on many factors, but above all on driving style. Simply put, the consumption characteristics of e-cars are the exact opposite of internal combustion engines. This means that petrol or diesel cars are particularly thirsty in the city. E-cars are economical in city traffic thanks to their high efficiency.

The picture on the highway is different: the faster the driver drives, the higher the power consumption. Internal combustion engines, on the other hand, consume less fuel on the highway than in city traffic.

So if you want to get there faster with an e-car, you’ll drive slower. According to TCS, e-pilots save up to 30 percent in energy if they only drive 100 kilometers per hour instead of 120 kilometers per hour. The air conditioning system also draws electricity.

Traps on the range screen

Depending on the vehicle and software, caution is also recommended with the range display: this is usually based on the last kilometers traveled. If you then drive through flat terrain into the mountains or suddenly there’s a long highway climb ahead of you, you’re in for a nasty surprise. Because then consumption increases rapidly and the remaining range melts faster than snow in the spring sun.

Built-in navigation systems don’t always show all nearby charging stations, either. That’s why every e-driver should have charging apps from Swisscharge, Plugshare, Nextcharge or TCS on their mobile. Recharges can usually be paid through the app; A charge card is not necessarily required for every provider.

It’s annoying: unlike gas stations, charging stations aren’t usually specified how much electricity costs are. This is because the price per kilowatt hour charged differs depending on the charge card provider. Those who “fill” pay more. However, electricity prices are listed in the recharge app. The price differences at charging stations can be huge, so it’s worth comparing before you leave.

Tesla drivers have an easier job here: If you use the brand’s own supercharger, you don’t need a charging card because the charging station recognizes the car and automatically calculates the electricity price.

But installing the Tesla app on your mobile is also beneficial for drivers of other brands. Because the e-pioneer is increasingly opening its compressors to cars from other manufacturers.