Road Trips with Electric Vehicles – Better & Better

Road Trips with Electric Vehicles

Back in 2016, Bev & I took the plunge when we purchased our first electric vehicle. While we have throughly enjoyed our Tesla the past 6 years, the first couple of years were more of a challenge when taking road trips.

Shifting My Mentality on Charge Stops

The first & most important transition for us was adapting to charge stops. Overcoming the mental hurdle that one needs to “gas up & go” was difficult at first. As anyone with an EV knows, a charge stop could last 15 to 45 minutes; depending upon how far to your next stop & the number of vehicles currently charging.  Arriving at the idea that, yes, I have that kind of time to stop, grab a coffee, stretch my legs took me a few trips. Now I look forward to the travel downtime.

Also, 6 years ago, Tesla charging stations were not as ubiquitous as they are now. With more & larger charging stations available, stop options are more flexible. On a recent trip to Las Vegas, we stopped at the outlet mall in Barstow. With dozens & dozens of chargers, lots of places to eat & stores to wander through, the time passed very quickly. Now, I’m usually reminded by the Tesla App that I’m fully charged & it’s time to go.

Innovation, Newer Cars, Faster Charges

If you’re considering  getting a new EV, there have been numerous advancements to the technology.  As our vehicle is 6 years old, many recent EV innovations have been introduced that compliment road tripping: A greater variety of Charging stations, quicker charging times &, most importantly a greater driving range between charges With 300 plus miles available between charges, it’s likely you’ll want to stop, before you have to! The Federal Government recently committed to adding 50,000 additional charging stations across the country. Long range road tripping will become even easier.

Eye on the Prize – A Cheaper Trip

Even with the minor inconvenience of charge stops, EV owners save on average 60%  of the cost of gas powered vehicles. Yes, you’ll pay more for your EV upfront. Although, there are some Federal & State rebates that help off set some of those front loaded costs.

As more auto manufactures are moving to EV platform production, the parity in cost between gas & electric will become less consequential.

From a green standpoint, the lack of a tail pipe is also a nice bonus if climate change is on your radar.

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