With the increase in all-electric cars (BEVs) in the Netherlands & Belgium, holiday planning is becoming increasingly important for EV drivers. The recent survey of Elektrische Autovakanties conducted among 965 Dutch and Belgian electric car drivers, offers valuable insights into how EV drivers plan and experience their holidays. In this article, we focus on three key aspects: charging on the road, activities during charging stops and apps used during the holiday.
Charging on the Road
One of the biggest concerns for EV drivers is charging on the road. Fortunately, the survey shows that charging infrastructure in Europe has improved significantly, with major countries such as France and Germany standing out positively.
France gets a score of 4.17 on a scale of 1 to 5 for its charging infrastructure, which is a big improvement on last year. These improvements help reduce ‘range anxiety’, which meant that only 1.54% of EV drivers were stopped by a flat battery.
Tesla Superchargers remain a popular choice among EV drivers. By 2024, 43.6% of EV drivers will have used a Tesla Supercharger. The availability of more fast chargers along popular routes in Europe and lower Tesla charging costs are key factors contributing to this increase.
Despite the new European AFIR legislation, which should reduce the number of charging passes needed, holidaymakers still take an average of 3.6 charging passes with them to ensure themselves the ability to charge while on the road.
Most popular activities during Charging Stops
Charging stops provide EV drivers with the perfect opportunity for a break between travelling long distances on the motorway. The survey shows that ‘letting kids play (let off steam)’ increased tremendously as an activity during charging stops. This highlights the need for parents to combine charging stops with a place where there is a playground or grass area for the kids.
There has also been an increase in the number of holidaymakers shopping and popping in for groceries during charging stops. The development of charging stations at shops abroad means that many holidaymakers combine a charging stop with buying a fresh sandwich at the supermarket. Other popular activities include visiting the toilet, eating a meal and drinking coffee.
With the free &Charge app, you can make your charging stops during the summer holidays extra useful, because by completing tasks (e.g. give feedback on the charging experience in the &Charge Challenges) while charging, you can earn free credits (km) and redeem them for free charging. Thus make sure your holiday is a lot cheaper.
Apps used during the holidays
The app &Charge is one of the apps holidaymakers use during the holidays. Besides collecting free credits (km), many travelers plan their route with a route planner app or search for charging stations along the route with Google Maps.
There are also an increasing number of EV drivers who follow the navigation in the electric car by using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to link the route planner app with the car. That way, you can easily track your route and charging stops via your EV’s infotainment screen.
The availability of the various apps and route planners helps EV drivers plan their journeys efficiently and avoid unexpected situations, contributing to a worry-free and enjoyable holiday experience. Especially when people use the &Charge app during a charging stop to collect free charge credit.
In addition, after the survey results were analysed, a drawing was held among the participants: a lucky winner was randomly selected to receive 2,500 Km from &Charge.
Conclusion
The research report of Elektrische Autovakanties shows that EV drivers will be better prepared and more confident to go on holiday in 2024. Improved charging infrastructure, increasingly better facilities available during a charging stop and the use of convenient apps and route planners all contribute to a positive experience. With these insights, EV drivers can look forward to carefree holidays and enjoy their electric driving experiences across Europe.
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