What Are EV Range Anxiety and Range Confidence?
EV range anxiety is the fear of running out of power and getting stranded. Range confidence is the opposite.
Today’s EVs have higher battery capacity, allowing EV drivers to charge less frequently.
Increasing EV charging infrastructure at home, work, and on the go creates range confidence.
Level 2 charging supports home and work charging, and DCFC supports fleets and road trips.
The EV market is here and now.
The EV Market Has Made the Switch and You Should Too. The electric vehicle (EV) market is here and concerns about finding a charging location for your EV are quickly diminishing. Here’s what future EV drivers need to know about driving EVs with a sense of security and confidence.
What Is EV Range Anxiety?
The term "range anxiety" was a common association for early electric vehicle users, who were troubled by the fear of their battery electric vehicles (BEVs, also known as fully-electric vehicles) running out of battery power and the potential of being stranded on the roadside. A study by Cox Automotive revealed that over 80% of consumers hesitated to embrace electric vehicles due to worries about range anxiety, possibly stemming from uncertainty about the technology. Let's admit it: BEVs represent uncharted territory, so it's important to learn about the entire EV network.
Experts contend that range anxiety is mostly psychological. Similar to ICE vehicle drivers who vary in how often they visit a gas station, EV drivers may also vary their charging habits based on personality and acceptable risk. As one German study on psychological range noted, “users tend to avoid critical and potentially stressful range situations planning for substantial range buffers… Range buffers are also likely present in conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles [but] range buffers are more relevant for EV use.” As fueling or charging a vehicle requires monitoring and adapting vehicle usage, drivers must adopt their preferred “buffers” according to a risk assessment and understanding of themselves. That means creating a personal range buffer to reduce range anxiety.
EV drivers consistently say that their range anxiety is less of a problem once they start driving their EV. As stated in research conducted by Volvo Car USA and The Harris Poll in 2019, while 58% of drivers cited running out of power as a barrier to buying an EV, “65% [of EV drivers] say they had range anxiety when they first purchased an EV, but it went away after a few months.” The total number of electric vehicle charging station locations in the United States has more than doubled since that research was conducted, increasing from just 26,959 locations in 2019 to 59,696 locations at the end of November 2023. Other studies found that “more than 95% of daily driving can be accomplished with 100 miles of electric range” and that “more than half of [a fleet of BMW Mini EVs with a 70-100 mile range] could meet 95% of driving needs with 100 miles range using only overnight home charging.” Today’s electric vehicles, which averaged 291 miles of range in 2022, have more than enough battery capacity to meet the daily needs of most drivers.
Why Does Range Anxiety Persist?
It’s simple: drivers are accustomed to refueling at gas stations, and simply driving past one without stopping can induce a sense of unease about battery capacity. But what these internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle drivers don’t realize is that 80 to 90% of charging will take place at home or at work, while the driver is parked. The “top off” mentality of the EV means that drivers are unlikely to run out of charge because they typically “top off” whenever they see a charging station. With technological advancements and the widespread development of charging infrastructure, there is a shift from range anxiety to range confidence.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, the U.S. has over 156,000 charging ports for plug-in EVs installed at the aforementioned nearly 60,000 locations. This number is expected to grow significantly due to the substantial funding poured into electric vehicle infrastructure. The demand for charging outlets is high, with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimating that the country will need 28 million charging ports by 2030 to accommodate the 33 million light-duty electrics projected to be on the road by then.
Blink Charging recently celebrated our second consecutive record quarter, with 5,956 charging stations contracted, deployed, or sold during Q3, and a new total of nearly 85,000 Blink charging stations worldwide. This expansion and contribution from various sources are promising as we anticipate new electric vehicle infrastructure. This means that EV owners can now relax and be assured that the EV community is here to support them.
How Expanding EV Charging Infrastructure Creates Range Confidence
Fundamentally range confidence all comes down to increasing the availability of electric vehicle chargers, which is unfolding thanks to investments from both public and private sectors. Between 2015 and 2020, the number of charging ports more than doubled, and in 2021 alone, it surged by over 55%.
Importantly, the rapid expansion of fast charging networks is also alleviating concerns about electric vehicle range during long-distance travel. Fast-charging stations have become more ubiquitous, reducing charging time and enhancing convenience for drivers traveling long distances.
In September 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration introduced the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. This initiative will allocate funds to states for strategically siting electric vehicle charging stations and establishing a connected network for data collection, access, and reliability. Numerous states have already secured funding for procuring, installing, and interconnecting chargers so they can ensure proper functionality and promote long-term data exchange. Each NEVI-funded site will feature 4+ connectors and a total power capacity of at least 600 kW. These stations will be strategically positioned no more than 50 miles apart along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors and within one mile of a freeway exit or highway roadway.
Thanks to the NEVI program, fully-electric vehicle owners will soon have access to a dependable national network of fast chargers, enabling them to easily charge their vehicles and drive cross-country without delay or apprehension about locating a station.
