Considering taking an electric vehicle on a long drive? Plenty of people get range anxiety. But with more charging stations on the roads, things are getting easier. Still, you'll want to have a plan.Thinking of taking a road trip in an electric vehicle? Or are concerns about running out of battery power on a long drive keeping you from buying an EV?
Charging infrastructure has improved over the last few years, and newer vehicles are charging much faster than previous generations. But it still matters what you drive, where you're driving and how much you plan in advance. Road trips can play a disproportionate role in the public conversation about EVs. The vast majority of EV charging happens at home, not at public fast chargers. Many EV-owning households also have a gas or hybrid vehicle they prefer for long trips.
And some EV owners shrug off range anxiety because they simply don't go on many road trips. Ford CEO Jim Farley, in a recent, wrote that Ford’s research shows half of Americans go on 150-mile-plus drives"four days or fewer per year.” Owning a car that's cheaper and easier 361 days of the year, but a bit of a hassle on your yearly holiday drive, might beat out having the dream road-trip machine.
Still, being able to go on road trips is a priority for many people. Here are some tips on how to make a battery-powered long haul more relaxing.Aside from a few models , most modern EVs can handle a long drive but the experience will vary widely. Some EVs, like the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Kia EV6,getting back on the road in less than 20 minutes. Others, like the affordable Chevy Bolt, charge slowly, taking an hour or more.