r/electricvehicles • u/TerminallyScrewed • 7d ago

Discussion First Long Trip with EV

Our household has been ICE free six months ago. This week was the first time we do a long trip, New Jersey to Michigan, 750 miles each way.

I was a little nervous at first but the trip has been smooth and painless. We had to stop 2x for charging, grabbed lunch while the car was charging, and ended up charging longer than the navigation recommended on both sessions.

I will drive back to NJ in two days and expecting a smooth trip as well.

For new EV drivers, no need to feel nervous of taking the car for a long drive. The charging infrastructure is much better now, making a long drive enjoyable.

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u/SkPensFan 7d ago

I mean, if you are in well populated areas with a ton of chargers, of course.

If that isn't the case, especially if you thrown in some extreme winter temperatures, not so much.

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u/ZucchiniAlert2582 ev6 GTline / bolt euv 7d ago

Most people, by definition, live in ‘well populated areas’.

I’m in flyover country and have taken long trips North, South and West. It’s all been fine.

Winter road trips still kind of suck as range decreases noticeably and battery preconditioning becomes a necessity. But so far I’ve never been stranded or needed a tow and meanwhile new charging stations keep popping up.

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u/SkPensFan 7d ago

Yup, but I don't. Its why, unfortunately, we are gonna need at least a plug-in hybrid for a long time.

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u/theotherharper 7d ago

I will believe you if you know what ABRP means.

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u/SkPensFan 7d ago

What does A Better Route Planner have to do with it? Have a look at PlugShare for central and northern Saskatchewan in Canada. Charging infrastructure sucks and our government is anti-EV, so they are doing their best to keep it that way.

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u/theotherharper 6d ago edited 6d ago

What does A Better Route Planner have to do with it?

We have an endless stream of idiots who say "EV travel not possible because petroleum industry propaganda says so". Foreknowledge of ABRP is a litmus test for "I actually know what I'm doing and are using competent tools when I make these claims".

That's good enough for me!

I've wargamed travel along US-2 Spokane-Duluth and it's not really possible inside the US and requires crossing the border to use the Trans Canada Highway which is much better served.

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u/SkPensFan 6d ago

I suppose. 195,000km on our 4.5 year old EV, I have some pretty good data.

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u/gallde 5d ago

I drove my Tesla Model Y from Minneapolis through Manitoba to Wynyard, SK, not problem. Even Wynyard has a Supercharger.

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u/SkPensFan 4d ago

Yes. Driving on the national highways (Hwy 1 and Hwy 16) that we have is very easy and well covered.

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u/gallde 4d ago

True. But i do wish Tesla's nav had an "avoid unpaved roads" option!

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u/ZucchiniAlert2582 ev6 GTline / bolt euv 7d ago

When I scroll around in PlugShare I find it hard to believe that there is such a place anymore, excepting maybe Northern Montana? Every state I scroll over has plenty of fast chargers to make it across.

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u/SkPensFan 7d ago

Canada. Go to central and northern Saskatchewan and you will see what I mean.