Bad weather has been reported in the mountains of southern Norway on Monday. That is why many people are probably planning their journey home from the Easter holiday on Easter Day. This can lead to long queues at the most popular charging points on the way down from the mountain on Sunday. The Norwegian Automobile Association (NAF) still believes that it is possible to avoid charging queues with a few simple measures. – Think alternatively when you travel. Drive at different times than everyone else, and you avoid both car queues and charging queues, says Nils Sødal, senior communications advisor at NAF. It is not always easy to follow Sødal’s advice when everyone is on holiday at the same time and many people are controlled by the Easter weather. But then there are also other tips. There may soon be involuntary long breaks at the charging stations down from Easter Mountain this Easter. Photo: Arne Stubhaug / news Find the “secret” places More than 6 out of 10 of those who have celebrated Easter in Norway have traveled to the cabin this year. This is shown by figures from NHO Reiseliv. A record number of these drive electric cars, which can lead to very long charging queues this Easter. There are certain charging points along the main roads which traditionally have the most queues on departure days. Then it is necessary to check whether there may be other charging options. – Just by turning off the main road and driving a few kilometers to the nearest town, you can find charging stations without queuing. You may even see a new place on the road, says Sødal. Nils Sødal, communications advisor at NAF, is concerned that people have to be a little sneaky when they drive an electric car home from the Easter holidays. Photo: NAF Time you should avoid The charging app Elton has shared its data from Easter last year, and it is clear that there are some times you should avoid in order to avoid the charging queue. 1st and 2nd Easter Sunday between 10am and 12pm, and between 6pm and 8pm. At these times, the pressure on the charging stations is on average 150% greater than on a normal day. These will not be left alone when the electric drivers return home from holiday on Sunday. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news – My advice is to travel on Easter Monday to avoid queues. If you have to leave on Easter Sunday, the pressure is relatively evenly high throughout the day, and only decreases at eight o’clock, says general manager at Elton, Jørgen Elton Nilsen. The charging stations Elton has obtained data from are a selection of the most popular lightning chargers along the roads to popular holiday cottage destinations. Below you can see at what time the charge pressure is greatest. The tables are distributed on Easter 1st and 2nd, and on popular and less popular charging stations. Elton’s numbers on charging pressure at Easter last year (2022) Photo: Elton Time to save on snacking Elton has also looked at the less popular charging stations, and agrees with NAF that there are good opportunities to avoid queues here: – It can be a lot of queues to save on choosing chargers that are a few meters away from the main road. He points to an example: At a less popular charging station between 8 and 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday, there will be 39% greater pressure than normal, while at a popular station along the main road there will be 116% greater pressure at the same time. Something that characterizes the less popular charging stations is that they are not located near a cafe or petrol stations, toilets or shopping opportunities. – In other words, there is a lot of time to save on eating lunch, says Elton Nilsen. NAF’s 10 charging rules Charge the battery to 100 percent before long trips. Also switch on the pre-heating until the time of departure and keep the charger connected until you leave. Heating the passenger compartment and battery with electricity from the mains reduces the car’s consumption. Familiarize yourself with the charging offer along the route you will be driving. Remember that the car uses more electricity when there is rain, snow and freezing temperatures. Therefore, calculate extra charging stops in winter and in stormy weather. Prepare apps or charging chip before it’s your turn If it’s been a long time since you’ve charged along the way, it’s a good idea to check the apps and charging chip you like to use. Check that you are still logged into the charging apps, that the apps are updated with the latest version, that card information is updated and check that your charging chip is connected to the charging operator you want to use it on. When it’s your turn on the charger, it’s a good idea to already have this ready. Then you don’t take up space unnecessarily by spending time logging into the app or looking for the chip. Charge when you stop, don’t stop to charge. Use the driving breaks to recharge. With a newer electric car, you don’t need to have a long break before you have enough power to move on. Use a lightning charger if the car can handle it There are more and more lightning chargers at charging stations around both Norway and Europe. These can deliver power of up to 350 kW, but you will not enjoy this if your car cannot handle receiving that much power. If a charger can deliver 150 kilowatts, but your car can only accept 50 kilowatts, it is unnecessary to take up space on a lightning charger. It is also a waste of money. The lightning charger usually costs more. Charge the battery to 80-90 percent The battery on most electric cars charges much more slowly when it is almost full. It can take as long to charge the last percent as the first 80. Therefore, we recommend that you only charge to 80-90 percent on the fast or lightning charger, and rather insert a charging stop if you need more power to get there where you are going. If there is a queue at the fast charger, you are considerate if you end the charge when you have enough power and not necessarily a full battery. See someone struggling to start charging? Help them. There are new electric drivers who may be visiting the charging station for the first time, and there is a lot to familiarize yourself with and become confident about. A friendly smile and a “can I help you” make the experience at the charging station better for everyone. Quick chargers have built-in cables like on a petrol pump. When you have finished charging, the cable must be hung properly in place in the charging station. If something is broken or not working properly, take the trouble to notify the owner of the charging station. You will not progress faster even if you stress. Charge your own batteries when you stop to charge. A rested and fed driver is a safer driver. Charge safely and smartly at home and in the cabin Make sure you charge safely and correctly both at home and in the cabin. If you rent a cabin, check with the landlord if you can charge there before connecting. Talk to an electrician if you are in doubt about what you should do. Then you can also get advice on smart and economical charging. Change in weather poses problems on Easter Sunday But even though there will be shorter charging queues on Easter Sunday, the weather could pose problems for those who postpone their journey home for another day. A transition to worse weather is expected in southern Norway on Monday. In the mountains, a danger warning has been issued about snow drifts due to increasing wind and snowy weather. A lot of snow has been reported and especially on Easter Monday. Then there can be difficult driving conditions like here from national highway 9 in Setesdal. Photo: Hans Erik Weiby / news Then it will be extra important for those who will be driving home on Monday with an electric car to be prepared. – Remember that the car uses more electricity when there is rain, snow and freezing temperatures. Therefore, calculate extra charging stops in winter and in stormy weather, says NAF advisor Nils Sødal. – All motorists in Norway are advised to bring extra warm clothes to be able to wait for a tow truck. For electric motorists, this is extra useful. The clothes can make you less dependent on using up the battery for heat, says Elton Nilsen.
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Avoid the charging queue on the way home from Påskefjellet – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
