Is Range Anxiety Real? The Truth About Charging a City EV

The ASTRAUX Team
2026-04-09T16:51:32+08:00

Range anxiety is real — but it was built for the wrong vehicle. Here is what charging a city EV actually looks like day to day, why you probably do not need a garage, and how the AL6 and AL7 fit into real commute distances across Europe, the US, and major cities worldwide.

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EV · Charging & Range

Is Range Anxiety Real?
The Truth About Charging a City EV.

You have probably heard the term range anxiety before — the worry that your electric vehicle will run out of charge before you get where you are going. It is one of the biggest reasons people hesitate before switching to an EV.

Here is the thing: range anxiety is real, but it was designed around the wrong vehicle. It belongs to long-distance highway driving in a full-sized electric car. For a city EV like the AL6 or AL7, the entire charging picture looks different — and once you understand how it actually works, the anxiety largely disappears.

Daily Distance

How Far Do People Actually Drive Every Day?

Before worrying about range, it helps to look at what daily driving actually looks like — not the highway road trip, but the regular Tuesday.

In Europe, most daily commutes are short. The average one-way commute time across EU countries is around 25 minutes. In Italy and France — two of ASTRAUX's priority markets — commute times are among the shortest in Europe, typically under 25 minutes each way. At city speeds, that translates to roughly 10 to 20 km per direction, or 20 to 40 km of total daily driving for most urban commuters.

In the US the picture is broader. The average American commute is around 33 km each way, making a daily round trip of approximately 65 km. In dense urban areas like Chicago and Los Angeles — where ASTRAUX's US launch is focused — commute distances tend to be shorter, with a growing share of urban workers travelling under 10 km to work.

Across other major cities worldwide — from Tokyo and Singapore to São Paulo and Dubai — urban commute patterns follow a similar logic. Dense city centres with high traffic mean shorter distances and slower average speeds. Most urban commuters in these environments cover between 20 and 50 km per day in total.

The AL6 covers up to 95 km on the entry variant and up to 180 km on the Pro and Ultra. The AL7 covers up to 150 km per charge. For most city commuters — whether in Europe, the US, or any major urban centre — a single full charge covers anywhere from 2 to 7 days of typical daily driving before you need to think about plugging in again.

Charging

How It Actually Charges — And Why It Is Simpler Than You Think

Those numbers already take the edge off the range question. But the charging side matters just as much — because the other half of range anxiety is not about distance, it is about the hassle of keeping the battery topped up.

Both models use a standard European AC 7-pin charging port, compatible with Mode 2 and Mode 3 charging.

Mode 2 means a standard household plug with a control box on the cable — no wall box, no electrician, no special installation. You plug it into any regular socket at home, at the office, or anywhere else that has one.

Mode 3 is a dedicated EV charging point — the kind found at public charging stations, car parks, supermarkets, and increasingly on city streets across Europe and in major urban centres globally.

Charge time from empty is 2 hours for the AL6 entry variant and 4 hours for all other variants. In practice most people do not charge from empty. They plug in at the end of the day with some charge remaining and top up overnight — the same habit as charging a phone. By morning the vehicle is full.

No Garage Required

What If You Do Not Have a Garage or Driveway?

This is where most EV conversations break down — because most EV content is written for people with private parking and a home wall box.

For a city EV the situation is fundamentally different. The charge times are short enough that a public charging stop is not a significant inconvenience. Four hours covers a full charge from a public point, a workplace charger, or a car park while you are doing something else. You are not waiting at a rapid charger hoping it is free.

Public charging infrastructure has expanded significantly across European cities, major US urban centres, and city networks worldwide. Most major city centres now have accessible public charging points within a short distance. Workplace charging is increasingly common globally, and on-street residential charging is being added in many cities specifically for residents without private parking.

For a vehicle that covers up to 180 km on a charge and averages 20 to 40 km of daily use in European cities, around 65 km in the US, or 20 to 50 km across other major urban centres worldwide — a full charge once every few days from wherever is most convenient is the realistic picture. Not a daily expedition to find a charger.

The Practical Version

Any One of These Is Enough

At home: Charge overnight on a standard socket — no equipment needed, full by morning.

At work: Plug in when you arrive — done by mid-morning.

In the city: Use a public point while you shop, park, or go about your day.

For the way a city EV is actually used, any one of these is enough. You do not need all three.

The Verdict

The Honest Answer on Range Anxiety

Range anxiety for a city EV is largely a concern that does not match the reality of how these vehicles are used. The ranges exceed most daily city commutes by a significant margin. Charging is simple, compatible with standard infrastructure globally, and requires no special equipment at home. Charge times are short enough that a public stop fits naturally into a normal day.

The anxiety comes from imagining a long highway journey in a vehicle built for a daily city commute. Once you separate those two scenarios, the concern largely resolves itself.

Up Next
Is a Light EV Actually Safe? Breaking Down What's Inside Yours

We address the concern everyone has but rarely says out loud. Next week we break down the structure, braking, and safety systems built into the AL6 and AL7 — and how they compare to what the category is legally required to include.

Range figures are based on WMTC test standard conditions. Real-world range varies depending on driving style, road conditions, temperature, and use of vehicle systems. Commute distance data referenced from Eurostat and US Census Bureau sources. Charging infrastructure availability varies by location.