An EU research project has come up with new driving strategies that boost efficiency, driving range and safety of electric vehicles (EVs).

The OpEneR project, which stands for Optimal Energy consumption and Recovery, has developed new functions and better connected systems in EVs which could help save up to 30% of energy, the European Commission said.

An “eco-routing” function calculates the most energy efficient route, “car-to-infrastructure communication” provides information about traffic light status and signals on the dashboard display gives braking tips.

It lets the driver know when to lift the pedal as they approach traffic lights, city boundaries, speed limits or other vehicles.

Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice President responsible for the Digital Agenda said: “Who wouldn’t want to have a better and safer driving experience while saving money and our environment? We need smarter and greener ways to move: EU projects like OpEneR go in the right direction.”

The new solutions are to be commercialised and integrated into production of new models, making EVs “even greener”.

The Commission provided €4.4 million of funding for the project.