Efficient driving and safe driving turn out to be nearly the same discipline. The habits that reduce fuel consumption, mainly looking further ahead and making gentle inputs, are the habits instructors teach for safety reasons. Electric vehicles make this more visible, because the energy cost of driving badly appears on a display in real time.
The Fundamentals Apply to Any Vehicle
Accelerate progressively rather than sharply. Anticipate stops early enough to coast rather than braking hard, since every hard stop converts energy you already paid for into heat.
Steady speeds are more efficient than fluctuating ones. Excess weight and roof racks cost more than people expect, and underinflated tires increase rolling resistance measurably. Checking pressure monthly is the cheapest efficiency measure available.
What Feels Different in an Electric Car
Torque arrives instantly and in full. There is no delay while a transmission responds, which makes an unfamiliar electric vehicle easy to accelerate more briskly than intended. New drivers should treat the pedal with more care than they would in a comparable combustion car.
The absence of engine noise removes a cue you have been using without realizing. Speed is harder to judge by ear, so the speedometer becomes more important. It also makes you quieter to pedestrians and cyclists, who may not hear you approaching in a parking area.
Regenerative Braking
Lifting off the accelerator slows the car while recovering energy, and in one-pedal driving mode the effect is strong enough that the friction brakes are rarely needed.
Two things to know. Brake lights do not always illuminate under regenerative deceleration alone in every vehicle, so the driver behind may get less warning than usual. And regeneration is reduced when the battery is cold or nearly full, meaning the car coasts further than expected on a winter morning.
Range Planning
Range falls in cold weather, at sustained high speed, and when climbing. Plan around actual conditions rather than the rated figure, and identify charging options before you need them rather than at low charge.
Charging Etiquette
Move the car once charging completes, since occupying a charger while parked is the main friction in public networks. Do not unplug someone else's vehicle. Report broken units.
Efficient technique is the same technique that makes you predictable. See defensive driving habits and the skills instructors emphasize.