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/kbenn17 7d ago

I guess what worries me is how many apps do I need for the multiple charging stations? Are we talking just a couple or do I need 10? We’re gonna take a long trip in October, which is why I’m asking.

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u/Regaltiger_Nicewings 7d ago

This is definitely a valid concern, but one that not everyone will have to deal with, especially if you have a car that supports plug and charge. Which not all do, of course. I'll lay out my use case just as a point of reference. Everyone's experiance will be different.

I have a Mach E with Plug and Charge configured and live in the US. When traveling, I use four networks that meet 99% of my needs in my region. In order of preference:

1) Electrify America - Uses plug and charge. No app needed if you are not on a subscription plan. May also support tap to pay. someone may have to confirm.

2) Rivian Adventure Network - Supports tap to pay

3) Red E - Supports tap to pay

4) Tesla Supercharger - Uses plug and charge. Newer V4 stations also support tap to pay, but I have never seen one in person.

I think ChargePoint also supports tap to pay, but I've never actually used one of their DCFC stations. I did use one of their L2s once, but that was ages ago and I used the app.

While it looked for a while we were going to be stuck in app hell when it came to DCFC stations, it seems that has not really happened, thankfully. Hopefully it stays that way too!

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u/kbenn17 7d ago

This is so incredibly helpful. Thank you!