Driving to the slopes? Our top 5 EV tips from Fastned snowsport enthusiasts
Are you heading to the slopes this winter? Did you know that it’s easy to get to the mountains in your electric vehicle? With a bit of extra planning and know-how, you can easily make the journey to your favourite ski resort driving electric.
We’ve asked our top snowsports enthusiasts and resident EV driving experts to help you navigate this season’s snowy conditions and your next winter holiday. And we’ve even thrown in some advice from our Fastned mechanic to give you some general winter driving tips to make sure you’re all clued up.
Caro De Brouwer, Director of Network Development
Lives in: Belgium
Snowsport: Ski
Favourite snowy location: Val Thorens, France
“Driving my EV in the winter is super pleasant, because we can preheat the car before we leave. That is an absolute must, if your car has that feature. Preheating makes the car and seat nicely warm, but also brings the battery up to the most optimal level where it can deliver the largest range.”
Regie Algoe, Office IT Lead
Lives in: Netherlands
Snowsport: Ski
Favourite snowy location: Kals-Matrei, Austria
“Cold temperatures can reduce battery efficiency, so it’s good to keep a close eye on your EV's range and adjust your speed if necessary to conserve energy. Pre-condition your battery while connected to a charger before starting your journey. This will optimise its performance in the cold.”
Josie West, Sustainability and Office Coordinator
Lives in: UK
Snowsport: Snowboard
Favourite snowy location: Fieberbrunn, Austria
“Pre-planning your route and where you can charge is essential. Always have your charging location mapped out along your journey and a backup location just in case. It never hurts to have a backup to the backup either.”
Teddy Kealey, UK Expansion Manager
Lives in: UK
Snowsport: Ski
Favourite snowy location: Alpe d’Huez, France
“Keep your regenerative breaking settings on full. This means that when you’re cruising down those long and winding mountain roads you can recoup some of that spent energy to maximise efficiency.”
Lastly some advice from Laurent Morales our Senior Network Developer in France who worked as a mechanic when he was young and lives in the Rhones Alpes:
“It’s a good idea to use winter tyres when driving in cold and wintery conditions. These are made of a special rubber compound that’s softer than traditional tyres and has a different tread to remove snow while driving. You can identify winter tyres by the M+S mark standing for mountain and snow. In some areas, snow tyres are mandatory so check regulations before you travel.”