The cost of running an electric car

[Cobaltblue]

Most of the ancillaries on an electric car use a negligible amount of power compared to the motors. That includes, lights, wipers, radio etc. The only things that use significant power are heating and aircon. These can definitely affect the range.

Not only that but (on my Leaf at least) the ancilliaries run from a separate 12v accumulator and not from the traction battery, so turning on lights, wipers, radio, heated seats etc has precisely zero effect on range.

Hugh

That's true the ancillaries are driven off in my case a 16V Li-ion battery but that in turn is charged by the traction battery. This is one of the things that catch people out and result in being broken down at the roadside. The Ancillary battery is charged by the traction battery but when the traction battery reaches a certain state I thinks its 5% it stops charging the ancillary battery. Not a problem unless you leave it like that and go on holiday or leave it in the drive once the ancillary battery gets down to a certain level it will no longer accept a charge even though your traction battery is 100% then you drive off and the ancillary battery fails so now you have no power for the management systems lights and even door locks.
Top Tip don't leave your car in Sentry mode for long periods of time   one of my colleagues won't do that again.

Cheers

Mike T