With range still being a huge issue surrounding electric cars, they are clearly far from ideal vehicles for long-distance trips, but it doesn’t mean that going on a road trip in an EV is a mission impossible. While most people would not dare to start such an adventure, given that electric cars are more suitable for city driving, or for short-range commutes, because of their limited range, longer trips in an electric vehicle are actually quite feasible, as long as you plan your route accordingly and make sure you use driving techniques and behavior that help extend your car’s range.
Obviously, the biggest challenge of an electric car road trip is finding charging stations along the route, and recharging your car’s battery as quickly as possible, so you don’t have to take long breaks too often. Maybe a couple of years ago, this was an issue that was difficult to get around, but now, there is a relatively good charging infrastructure, albeit only in certain parts of the country, which allows you to cover longer distances in a reasonable time. Even so, you must choose a route that will allow you to be near a charging station during the whole trip, so that you don’t get stranded with an empty battery, and no station in sight.
If you are driving through an area that doesn’t have any charging stations, you can go to an RV park, since most such parks have designated spaces with hookups, that usually provide RVs with electricity, but can also be used to charge electric vehicles. No matter how many stations there are along your route, bringing an emergency recharging kit along is always a smart move. It’s basically a device that is called Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, which includes a portable charging cable and a couple of power adapters, allowing you to connect your car to a standard household outlet, and recharge your battery fairly quickly. This way, you will get enough range to get to the nearest charging station and fully charge your battery, before you can continue your trip.
Another factor you need to take into account when driving long distances in an electric car, is that your driving habits and road conditions may affect your car’s range. There are a few driving habits that can drain your battery pretty quickly, such as fast acceleration and hitting the brakes too hard, and driving at high speeds for longer periods of time. Additionally, excessive use of the car’s air conditioner decreases range, as well. Climbing hills, and driving in stop and go traffic can cause a battery to go empty much sooner than expected.
Even with all these challenges and the extensive planning that is required, electric car road trips can be quite fun and fulfilling, given that one of the biggest downsides of electric cars – long recharge times, can make your trip that much more rewarding, as it will give you some extra time to stop and enjoy the beautiful sights and discover some new places along the road.
