What exactly is range anxiety? It’s the nagging fear held by many electric vehicle (EV) owners that their car will run out of battery power before they arrive at their destination. Obviously no-one wants to run out of juice before they get where they’re going.
But advances in both battery technology and the UK’s EV charging infrastructure mean that this commonly held fear should soon be a thing of the past.
In fact, 2025 has already seen some significant milestones for battery technology that mean EV range is now greater than ever before. So why is EV range anxiety still such a hot topic for motorists?
Three reasons why electric vehicle range anxiety is exaggerated.
There are a number of reasons why range anxiety is still a big worry for potential EV owners, but the three most common are:
We’ve become used to battery anxiety because of our mobile phones.
We’ve all had our phones die on us at inconvenient times, and many smartphone users are now ‘hard wired’ to keep an eye on their available charge at all times – a worry that they carry over into their EV use.
Yet the world’s battery producers have pumped billions into packing greater capacity into EV batteries, extending ranges far beyond what they were in the early days of electric cars. So range anxiety should really be on its way out.
Petrol stations are highly visible. Charging stations aren’t.
This is because most petrol stations were built in the days before GPS sat navs. This meant they had to be placed on main roads, and be highly visible.
But now most people have in-car sat nav or maps on their phones, so EV charging stations can be put in cheaper, less prominent sites.
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Drivers are used to fuel gauges, not battery charge indicators.
When you’re used to a simple, linear fuel gauge, you don’t start to worry about fuel range when the gauge falls below three-quarters full. You can wait until you’re a quarter full, or the warning light comes on, before you stop to refill.
As mobile phone users, we’re used to panicking about looking for a charger as soon as our battery indicator shows about 60%. That worry becomes unnecessary when you’re driving a sophisticated, modern EV.
Electric vehicle range has come a long way.
You might be surprised to know that electric vehicles have actually been with us since the 1830s, when early models could only manage around 1.5 miles at 4mph before new batteries had to be fitted. While the range of EVs was up to a much more impressive 80 miles by the 1890s, it wasn’t until the commercialisation of lithium-ion batteries in the 1990s that rechargeable EVs with really usable ranges became possible. Even so, more recent developments in battery technology mean that 2025 has become a pivotal year for the future of EVs.
Battery technology breakthroughs for 2025 and beyond.
The big challenge for EV battery manufacturers is to increase the ‘energy density’ of each battery. Or to put it in simpler terms, to make every battery capable of holding more charge within the same space. With an eye to the future, many manufacturers are now experimenting with other types of batteries that could one day replace lithium-ion batteries.
Solid-state batteries. These have solid rather than liquid ‘electrolytes’ inside, and potentially enable faster charging and higher safety standards. They could also be lighter, smaller and longer-lasting than existing batteries.
Lithium-sulfur batteries. Not only do these batteries enable greater energy density than lithium-ion batteries, they also work without the need for expensive metals like cobalt, which are also ethically and environmentally damaging to mine.
Sodium-ion batteries. These use sodium instead of lithium, which is a far more abundant and accessible element. Manufacturers of sodium-ion batteries also say that they can recharge 10 times faster than lithium-ion batteries and predict that they will last for up to 50,000 recharging cycles.
Scientists are also working hard to improve the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, with researchers now claiming to have travelled over 1,000km1 on a single charge. So whichever type of EV battery becomes the standard in the future, it seems likely that electric vehicle range anxiety will soon be a thing of the past.
How to improve EV range prediction and efficiency.
It’s good to know that the EV battery boffins are hard at work in their labs, but EV drivers also have a part to play in getting the best possible range and value out of every single charge.
Naturally the weight of the EV, as well as the size and weight of its battery will affect the distance you can get out of every charge. But, just like when you’re driving a petrol or diesel car, EV drivers will generally be rewarded with extra range if they drive with a fairly light right foot. After all, hard acceleration and high speeds will always tend to drain your EV’s battery quicker than more sedate driving.
For example, driving the fairly light and agile Renault Zoe at a steady 31mph can enable you to go for 278 miles on a full charge. Whereas if you’re doing 56mph - which is generally the most economical speed in a petrol vehicle - you’ll only get around 190 miles on that same charge.
How advanced algorithms and real-time data are reducing EV range anxiety.
One of the best ways to avoid EV range anxiety is to reduce the uncertainty some drivers may feel about driving a battery-powered car. That’s because not only do many drivers not trust the range figures given by EV manufacturers, it’s also important to point out that there are many, many things that can affect the range you will get on any given journey.
Everything from using aircon to headlights will drain your battery, as will ‘spirited driving’ and motorway speeds. It’s worth noting that hilly journeys will deplete your electric vehicle’s battery quicker than smooth, flat roads. It’s also worth bearing in mind that, much like your phone’s battery, an EV battery will always offer you better range when the air temperature is well above zero.
So how do you take all of these things into account to understand the range you can expect from your EV from day to day? Well, the good news is that the EV industry is using machine learning and artificial intelligence to make predicting battery usage much more of an exact science. By studying data from thousands of journeys and using a technique called map conflation, they are able to create data models that can make predictions about your EV’s range for any planned journey more accurately than ever before.
Charging infrastructure: moving towards greater speed and better accessibility.
It’s a simple fact of life that while most EV owners would prefer to charge their car on the drive, there are going to be times when you will need to recharge your EV when you’re away from the charger at your home. That’s why it’s good to know that Britain’s EV charging infrastructure is getting bigger and better all the time.
The expansion of ultra-fast EV charging networks.
While it’s great to have an EV charger on your drive, sometimes you’re going to have to look for one when you’re actually out for a drive. So it’s good news that not only are there more charging stations out there than ever before, many of them are ultra-fast chargers that make recharging faster and easier than would have been possible even a couple of years ago.
Known as both ultra-fast and ultra-rapid charging stations, they’re capable of charging most EVs with up to 100 miles of range in around 10 minutes. When you consider that even topping up with petrol or diesel means a few minutes spent at a filling station, that makes ultra-fast charging stations a bit of a game changer for EV owners. It’s also worth bearing in mind that reducing charging times reduces the number of queues you’re likely to encounter at charging stations.
We’re on the way to building a network of more than 13,000 ultra-fast charging stations across the UK. That means the already decent charger coverage of the UK’s roads is getting better all the time. But even if you aren’t near one of our ultra-fast EV charging stations, it’s easy to find EV chargers across the UK with things like the E.ON Drive Comfort app. Do bear in mind though that places like Wales, the Scottish Highlands, and National Park areas like the Lake District and Snowdonia do have fewer chargers, meaning you will have to do a little more planning if you’re going on a long journey.
Home EV charging solutions with E.ON Next.
Figures from the AA suggest that while range anxiety is still a problem for potential EV buyers, around 95% of car journeys are actually less than 25 miles. So modern electric vehicles have plenty of range for everyday driving. They’re also incredibly cheap to run, with 220 miles worth of EV range costing around £17, according to Energy Saving Trust figures compared to around £45 if you fueled up to drive the same distance in a petrol or diesel car.
But the good news doesn’t end there. If you have your own home EV charger, a smart meter, and an EV tariff such as Next Drive, you could fully charge your EV overnight at off-peak prices.
It’s also incredibly easy to get a home EV charger installed by us. You can get started right away by checking to see if we’re installing chargers in your area. If we do, the next step is to get a quote. We offer affordable and professional EV charger installation with a 3-year warranty as standard.
You can get a home EV charger from us in just four simple steps:
Choose the right charger for your needs. Corded or cordless, it’s up to you.
Get a quick quote. Just tell us where you live and where you want your charger.
Book a free video survey. So our surveyor can call to check if the location is suitable.
Get it installed. Our trained professionals will have you ready to charge in no time.
Best of all, if you’re on an EV tariff, you should be able to fully charge your EV overnight using off-peak electricity. This allows you to run your EV as economically as possible, and also to hopefully make EV range anxiety a thing of the past.
Get an EV charger