Great tips! It should be required viewing when people purchase an EV. So many people do not know any of these things and you broke it down in a way that is easy for people to understand. I was talking to ladies at work who were saying that they were scared to buy an EV because of range anxiety, charging in winter, cold weather, and so on. Literally they are scared of every negative stereotype that EV detractors put out on the internet that have been debunked. They all have short commutes, park in attached garages, don’t go on long trips, and so on. They are the perfect demographic to own EV’s. They would never have to see a gas station as they could just pull in their garages and just wake up each day to a car that is charged, warm, and not have to worry about oil changes, tune ups and so on. Out of the 3 I talked to, one of them wants one now.
Great tips and great podcast! One thing I’d add as emphasis even as you did cover somewhat, is that of having a back-up charger in mind. Specifically when you are in a relative changer desert in some of the more rural areas. When it looks like you are going into these kinds of areas then several things to emphasis or add to your advice. Similar or analogous items to what I list will apply to very rural road tripping for ICE vehicles too. Have a few types of plug adapters for your mobile power supply beyond the standard two that come with most of them. Know RV campgrounds along the route, in an emergency you maybe able to plug in (if you have the right adapter for your selectable input mobile power supply) for a nominal fee. Time to throw out the idea of challenging the range estimates. When you’re really in these areas, the open and operating fast charger is an opportunity to top off even if your planning suggest you might be able to make the next one. These areas tend to have single units and the probability they will be up is dicey. Besides the charger early adapters in rural areas often are interesting small businesses that would be a nice stop to patronize. When you use filters in Plug Share (especially for charger speed) then once you have your route planned then go back over the route with the filters turned off. This will highlight possible backups of very slow, but usable level 2 opportunities as well as some people add things like people who are willing to offer use of their home units or an outlet. Yes, nice people do exist out there. Other safety related additions to your general statement about know your EV. Know your emergency features for your EV. Things like what if the accessory 12 v battery goes out, how to open your various doors, frunks, and ports that are normally using that accessory power. Also how to open the car doors them self in an emergency. Always have cash in smaller bill ($20’s or $10’s) as the local campground or small business may not take credit cards and certainly won’t have a “app.” This applies to everyone traveling in a rural area regardless of vehicle. Smaller businesses often refuse to take cards due to what they perceive as onerous use fees that Visa and Master charge levy per use. And others will charge more for CC use over cash. Where I am a significant number of cafes and restaurants are cash only and they often are the ones with better food too. Again this was a great podcast and I’ll note that I travel with my dog too and I love that you included the dog angle to your tips. I love when you include your buddy in the videos you do!
Knowing the rate at which your EV uses energy at all speeds can be important. Sometimes the car does this for you, or provides enough information to permit you to make these calculations. Understand that EV efficiency varies a lot with increased or decreased speed. Reducing your speed, if you need to, can make your car upwards of 25% more efficient, depending on your highway speed. This permits you to stretch the distances between chargers, or to actually reach the next charger when unforeseen things come into play such as big headwinds, rain or snow, trip reroute due to road construction, accidents, or closed roads.
Exactly! My Tesla would tell me what speed to slow down to in order to arrive with a buffer, but my VW very amusingly just announces that I won’t make it. Plus it reroutes to a different charger than the one I picked. Their choice is usually worse and I have to change it back which adds stress. With the VW I do go 70-72 on some of the longer charging pairs even though it’s annoying when the speed limit is 80 and everyone is whizzing past. I will be happier in the future when there are more choices. I’m fine with stopping more often for shorter periods rather than charging to 80% to get to the next charging station. I haven’t had to stop for more than 30 minutes except once when there was a long stretch between charging and a slow charger, but when the Tesla units are open to CCS cars that stop would be more convenient since there are four supercharger plugs at a hotel with a nice restaurant in town
"Change is hard." Early in our steep learning curve, we found being logistically diligent, while learning to adjust traditional expectation and desires a useful practice. We have discovered more interesting eateries, downtowns and historical spots, while charging, than at a petrol station a few meters from an interstate. Thank you for sharing
10:20 Vinfast - Boundless Together. It means breaking your limit (safety zone) and communicate. It also means reducing your distance, physical and friendship. More the smile !! Less the stress.
Hi Francie, you are my people. I absolutely plan stops using spreadsheets, it was invaluable in support of my road trip from Toronto to Houston and back (6,500km/4,000mi). In addition to all the charge point provider apps, PlugShare, and ABRP, I had physical maps (old school), a back up phone, and an ELECTRIC SCOOTER. The micro-mobility device folds relatively compactly and let me use Airbnbs and hotels that didn't have Level 2 chargers but were within a couple of miles of one. It was also useful for slower DC Fast Chargers, around 50kW or so, so I could hook up and go get a meal not too far but much farther than I could walk to and from. The back up phone because during a previous road trip from Toronto to Cape Cod (2,000km/1250mi round trip) my allegedly waterproof phone wasn't. It got splashed while I was out kayaking and I ended up having to purchase a cheap burner phone. It would have been much harder, impossible(?), to get home without having the charge point apps and a working phone. For our upcoming road trip to Canada's East Coast I'm obtaining a Tesla to J1772 adapter, there was one hotel I stayed at last time that had only Telsa Level 2 outlets. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve taken 5 road trips with my Bolt EUV so far. I think it’s good to over prepare a bit on the first time, since you might not know what range will actually be like for that car on that day. But I found it unnecessary to put a ton of thought into subsequent trips, because I got a good sense for how the car will perform after my first go. I did glance at PlugShare to see what the charging situation was for every one, but no spreadsheets were required 😊
My list: - Bring Level1/2 charger with various plug adapters (only needed to use it once) - Level2 charging adapters J1772 to Tesla - Bring DCFC adapters based on which EV (ccs to tesla, tesla to ccs) - tire inflation pump - flares/emg lights - rain coat / umbrella - water bottles in cooler - blankets - snacks - meds - first aid - spare clothing that can get dirty - tire iron - knife/seatbelt cutter/window break tool - power packs for electronics - flashlights - jack pads Hope that helps! -
Great episode, Francie! I really enjoyed it. Before heading out on my first EV-powered cross-country trip (my sixth crossing at the time), I spent several Saturdays taking 12-hour-long day trips. Just like you suggested, I wanted to get familiar with my car. I wanted to know how far I could go between charging stops. How elevation changes impacted range. How well the energy planner incorporated elevation changes into the planning. How long the charging stops ACTUALLY are since the 10-80% figures are always so optimistic. How the car behaves during charging. What kinds of sounds the car makes (they can be scary!) What the app shows. What alerts I received as I was approaching the "time to leave" point. Even with all that planning, I did miss a "time to go" message at the Route 66 Museum in Kingman, AZ (can you blame me?) When I checked to see how much more time was needed, I noticed that the charge blew right past "time to go", and 80% as well. It was at 94% and still going. Oh, and don't worry about the spreadsheets. I use ABRP and Google Maps for months leading up to the trip and plan out all of my hotel stays in both directions. Yes, it's nice when a hotel has a J-1772, but there's no way I'm relying on one being available and in working condition. I book all my hotels within 5-10 minutes of supercharger and if I can charge for free at the hotel, great. If not, that's fine, too.
I would also add an adapter between J1772 and Tesla for Level 2 charging. Also, if you find you cannot charge overnight, it is best to charge before at the end of the day vs the first thing in the morning.
I know you mentioned it in the video, but I want to emphasize the importance of speed. If you are running low on your way to a charger (or destination) and are worried you won’t make it, just slow down. I know that can seem frustrating, but it saves a huge amount of range. Consider it as a tool. Recently, a Hyundai Kona EV, which is EPA-rated for 258 miles of range, drove 600 miles on a single charge. The speed was about 25MPH. I’m not saying you should drive at 25MPH on the highway, but this shows that EVs can go much farther if you slow-down. Tesla will actually calculate the speed you need to go if you’re getting low. On a trip, where I left a charger a little too soon, my Tesla said I needed to slow down to 65MPH to make it. The warning only popped up when I was about 30 minutes from the charger
Keep cleaning supplies in your car, most gas stations have a windshield squeegee near the pumps. EV charging stations do not. Really nice to have if the windshield gets dirty.
I admit to pulling into a traditional gas station to purchase a drink or snack, use the squeegee, and the rest room. I'm from Canada and visiting a Buc-ees with a DC Fast charger was its own unique experience.
This was great Francie. One more thing is to have a trained Co-pilot either in the car or remote if you need guidance to adjust your trip or find an unscheduled charging or food stop. Ideally somebody they can see your location live and look ahead to chargers and their health and food and it's goodness.
One missing points is checking the weather and adapting charging points to that weather. Rain or running the air conditioning due to heat can cost a few percent of your range compared to good weather.
Based on my experience, the best advice I could give someone attempting to do a roadtrip in an EV would be that if where you are going, or the shortest route you need to take to get to your destination is not served by an Interstate highway, your trip is just not possible. EV charging facilities are 99.93% located along Interstate highways, with very few to none located along US and State highways. In certain parts of the country (most of it) those Interstates are spaced 250-300 miles apart, especially in the central and western US, which is beyond the range capacity of most EV’s sold today, even if you charge to 100%. So enjoy road trips using Interstates but if you have to travel US or State highways, use an ICE vehicle.
They are adding more charging all the time. I drive between Seattle and Green Bay and Chicago each year. I did 5 trips in a Tesla and it’s very easy on I-90, I-94, or I-80. Most Tesla chargers are 100 to at most 150 miles apart on those routes. On I-5 they can be 20 miles apart. My last two trips were with my VW using CCS. In 2023 Northern Wisconsin was a charging desert except for 24kW units at Harley dealers and a single ChargePoint at the Appleton airport rental lot. This year Electrify America has filled in with units between Green Bay and Minneapolis, plus a lot of car dealers have installed charging that is available 24/7. I especially call out Sheridan Jeep for plugging the gap in Wyoming with a ChargePoint unit and Sioux Falls Ford for having 7 EV Connect units. Ford dealers seem to have more chargers than others in a lot of small towns. I would always plan a route with PlugShare before starting to make sure whatever particular car you have can make it
This is a great observation. I think this points out the need to plan ahead and locate all of the available charging stations along the way to see if it is even possible. I am planning a trip to Yellowstone this summer, and the route there is mostly along freeways, so no problem with getting a charge, but the way back cuts across central Oregon, and both of my possible routes have but a pair of relatively slow Chargepoint stations about halfway. I'll be able to make it, but it will probably require about an hour or more to charge up enough for the next stop, and I'm going to have to hope that the stations are in working order! But, as kenmcclow8963 pointed out, more stations are being added all the time.
@@kenmcclow8963 You did not mention a single non-Interstate highway, so I rest my case. Yes, it is very easy to do a roadtrip on an Interstate, but as I said in my original post, it your route does not involve Interstates, you are just out of luck. If you cannot drive an Interstate or if your destination does not involve driving on an Interstate, your road trip is a no-go, unless you can time your charging stops to coincide with when you cross an Interstate, and if you do not mind driving 40-50 miles out of your way to find a charging stop along that Interstate and then come back to continue your trip on your original route. The charging situation will vastly improve in this country when charging sites are finally built along US and State highways, which carry more traffic in total than do the Interstates, but have been completely ignored up till now by the charging providers.
@@glenngore6609 The place I go in Door County is 70 miles beyond Green Bay. Green Bay (technically Howard WI) is the nearest fast charger for CCS. Tesla has one in Sturgeon Bay, but beyond that is all level 2, or level 1. This year my mom’s timeshare place had a sign banning EV charging at the wall outlet in the garage where I used to charge the previous 5 years, but there is a level 2 in town at the Post Office/ Library that is easy walking distance to a bunch or restaurants and stores, and another level 2 in the next town near a restaurant we often go to and a bunch of level 2’s at the library in another town very close to a bunch of restaurants and the grocery store. I’ve been doing that for seven years. All the highways in Northern Wisconsin are state highways not interstates. The point is that it’s pretty easy to get around if you want to. All of the chargers I mentioned give about 30 miles per hour and are a 5-10 mile drive from the condo, so sitting in a restaurant nets you 30-60 miles of range. We have come a ways from when you had to be super dedicated to convince RV parks to let you charge to go down the interstate, but all those places are still there for a solid overnight charge if they are willing
I have driven long stretches on non-interstate highways several times with a 270 EPA-mile Model S. Plan ahead to see if charging is available, and as Francie suggests have a backup charger for each stop in case it is needed. Campgrounds with 50 Amp service can be a good backup option when off the beaten path. I made these trips with a combination of hypermiling, L2 charging for 1-2 hours to add a few extra miles range, booking hotels with L2 charging, and planning less miles/day travel when needed.
Every situation is different. If more than one person is going, someone can do the nav and charger planning on the fly. The type of EV matters a lot. Leaf road trips are special because of how elevation gain affects range, battery heating, using frontage roads so you can drive more slowly. Plus EVgo. ChargePoint, and EA are ripping out CHAdeMO at a breakneck pace, sometimes without notice. With our Mach-e, we just set the destination, let the car add the chargers, and go on a 600 mile trip. Maybe take an adapter or 2. There is nothing so annoying as the 80% rule. With small battery cars, you will charge above that. We had one car that didn't taper much until 95%. But usually you just charge until you have your buffer for the next charger stop. Don't forget those RFID cards!
Good advice and love the attitude comment, road trip adventures can be much more fun if you approach hurdles with a positive outlook and often makes the trip much more memorable.
Excellent advice Francie. Especially: "Get out of your dang car." You are going to be sitting in your car most of the day driving, why for the love of G-d would you not get out of your car while charging? Walk to the restroom and back, if the car is sufficiently charged to make it to your next stop, then leave immediately. For longer stops, walk to a restaurant and eat there, or just get your daily walk exploring the area.
Another good tip mentioned here was to carry window cleaning supplies. You can clean your windshield while getting a little extra charging in. Much better than sitting in your dang car!
Francie, we are so pleased you took the risk of a road trip. A while back you had much less confidence and “chickened-out” for a road-trip by using a gas car.
Great video. In the UK I use Zapmap to plan my trip. Thankfully there are many more chargers across the country including at / or close motorways and major roads.
Francie this is an excellent episode and will be so useful for people who are new to EV Road tripping. Thanks! Curious about your route planning spreadsheet format - an episode dedicated to that?
Simple tools. So many EV problems can be solved by disconnecting the 12 volt battery with a 10mm wrench for a few minutes. Also read and even bring your owners owner's manual when on long trips. It has information that may be useful.
Good tips, but to a non-EV enthusiast, these types of posts make EV ownership seem overly complicated. Keep that in mind when talking to ICE owners. For EVs with good route planning, suggest using apps to check amenities near the charger, alternate locations, etc but trust the car. For EVs with poor or no route planning, using apps is a must. We need to simplify the EV ownership experience to help people make the switch.
Good tips, Francie. I've been on more long distance EV roadtrips than I can count, once driving all the way from Utah to the east coast and back. When it comes to adapters, I have to say that E'loon screwed up big time by firing Rebecca Tinucci, which has caused the J3400 rollout to bet set back at least a couple of months, if not longer. My own experience is that it only takes 15-to-20 minutes to charge to 80%, just right to visit the restroom and clean the kamikaze bugs off the windshield! As for destination charging, I just with there were more motels that offered both EVSEs *AND* were pet friendly. My one biggest tip is to have… patience! Until the infrastructure becomes more widespread and reliable, it is inevitable that you might have to wait at a DCFC site to plug in -even at Superchargers. And I predict it's going to get worse before it finally gets better.
My tip, know your car's charging capability and dont use higher rated dc fast chargers than your car can utilize, unless its the only open/working option.
IMO, there is no need to try to arrive at as low an SOC as possible. I plan for 20%, but if consumption is higher than plan I am OK with as low as 10%. If the car is at 50%, or even 70%, and I need a restroom break I stop and charge while walking to the restroom and back, 5-10 minutes. So what if the car charges slower? That is charging that I will not have to do later in the day. Although if I am going to take a 1 hour lunch break, then it is good to be as low SOC as practical, to get the most energy possible in that hour.
It’s sad that phone apps are needed to do a lot of public charging of BEVs … mass adoption of BEVs can never happen without seamless plug-and-charge and/or simple credit-card payment, period. And this goes hand-in-hand with the other prerequisite for mass adoption of BEVs: attendants at all fast-charging stations to troubleshoot problems instantly and provide security for both stations & customers
It is her assigned company car. It was bought to provide content for RUclips, and it is doing the job. I am sure Out of Spec Motoring is happy with their decision to lease the VF8.
I know i need to take a dry run because i've never fast charged and havent used cruise control since i had an accident with it on 20 years ago, but i'm going on a 5 hour trip in a few weeks! also consider a service, I guess - i used to always get an oil change before my road trip but i just got a regen system check message today so even tho i barely use my ev, i am thinking i might feel better getting a service
WRT flashlights: Don't get one with non-rechargeable cells. Go for rechargeable. Ideally, wireless charging. AA, AAA, C…those little piss-ants are just so 20th Century. Don't settle for it.
Number one tip is just rent a gas vehicle and never have to worry. Get more time at your destination, stop mostly for bio needs over being dragged down by only being able to use 70% of your "tank".
I never would rent a gas vehicle for a road trip. I have been taking Tesla road trips for 8 years and prefer EV road trips to flying or gas vehicles. Also I charge to 100% before leaving in the morning and during lunch and dinner breaks. No need to limit to 70%. For daily driving I charge to 80%, which is more than enough to handle day trips or any unexpected extra driving.
@@georgepelton5645 The whole comment completely avoided the actual point that in order to get to 100 you'd have to wait an extra hour over your usual 30 minutes to get to 80. When on a second leg of a trip it's idiotic to charge to 100. Again, a typical EVangelist completely ignoring the limited reality of EVs and misleading people.
Great tips! It should be required viewing when people purchase an EV. So many people do not know any of these things and you broke it down in a way that is easy for people to understand. I was talking to ladies at work who were saying that they were scared to buy an EV because of range anxiety, charging in winter, cold weather, and so on. Literally they are scared of every negative stereotype that EV detractors put out on the internet that have been debunked. They all have short commutes, park in attached garages, don’t go on long trips, and so on. They are the perfect demographic to own EV’s. They would never have to see a gas station as they could just pull in their garages and just wake up each day to a car that is charged, warm, and not have to worry about oil changes, tune ups and so on. Out of the 3 I talked to, one of them wants one now.
Great tips and great podcast! One thing I’d add as emphasis even as you did cover somewhat, is that of having a back-up charger in mind. Specifically when you are in a relative changer desert in some of the more rural areas. When it looks like you are going into these kinds of areas then several things to emphasis or add to your advice.
Similar or analogous items to what I list will apply to very rural road tripping for ICE vehicles too.
Have a few types of plug adapters for your mobile power supply beyond the standard two that come with most of them.
Know RV campgrounds along the route, in an emergency you maybe able to plug in (if you have the right adapter for your selectable input mobile power supply) for a nominal fee.
Time to throw out the idea of challenging the range estimates. When you’re really in these areas, the open and operating fast charger is an opportunity to top off even if your planning suggest you might be able to make the next one. These areas tend to have single units and the probability they will be up is dicey. Besides the charger early adapters in rural areas often are interesting small businesses that would be a nice stop to patronize.
When you use filters in Plug Share (especially for charger speed) then once you have your route planned then go back over the route with the filters turned off. This will highlight possible backups of very slow, but usable level 2 opportunities as well as some people add things like people who are willing to offer use of their home units or an outlet. Yes, nice people do exist out there.
Other safety related additions to your general statement about know your EV. Know your emergency features for your EV. Things like what if the accessory 12 v battery goes out, how to open your various doors, frunks, and ports that are normally using that accessory power. Also how to open the car doors them self in an emergency.
Always have cash in smaller bill ($20’s or $10’s) as the local campground or small business may not take credit cards and certainly won’t have a “app.” This applies to everyone traveling in a rural area regardless of vehicle. Smaller businesses often refuse to take cards due to what they perceive as onerous use fees that Visa and Master charge levy per use. And others will charge more for CC use over cash. Where I am a significant number of cafes and restaurants are cash only and they often are the ones with better food too.
Again this was a great podcast and I’ll note that I travel with my dog too and I love that you included the dog angle to your tips. I love when you include your buddy in the videos you do!
Knowing the rate at which your EV uses energy at all speeds can be important. Sometimes the car does this for you, or provides enough information to permit you to make these calculations. Understand that EV efficiency varies a lot with increased or decreased speed. Reducing your speed, if you need to, can make your car upwards of 25% more efficient, depending on your highway speed. This permits you to stretch the distances between chargers, or to actually reach the next charger when unforeseen things come into play such as big headwinds, rain or snow, trip reroute due to road construction, accidents, or closed roads.
Exactly! My Tesla would tell me what speed to slow down to in order to arrive with a buffer, but my VW very amusingly just announces that I won’t make it. Plus it reroutes to a different charger than the one I picked. Their choice is usually worse and I have to change it back which adds stress.
With the VW I do go 70-72 on some of the longer charging pairs even though it’s annoying when the speed limit is 80 and everyone is whizzing past. I will be happier in the future when there are more choices. I’m fine with stopping more often for shorter periods rather than charging to 80% to get to the next charging station. I haven’t had to stop for more than 30 minutes except once when there was a long stretch between charging and a slow charger, but when the Tesla units are open to CCS cars that stop would be more convenient since there are four supercharger plugs at a hotel with a nice restaurant in town
"Change is hard." Early in our steep learning curve, we found being logistically diligent, while learning to adjust traditional expectation and desires a useful practice. We have discovered more interesting eateries, downtowns and historical spots, while charging, than at a petrol station a few meters from an interstate. Thank you for sharing
Well thought out and well done as usual. You are a terrific addition to the OOS Team. Thank you.
10:20 Vinfast - Boundless Together. It means breaking your limit (safety zone) and communicate. It also means reducing your distance, physical and friendship.
More the smile !! Less the stress.
Hi Francie, you are my people. I absolutely plan stops using spreadsheets, it was invaluable in support of my road trip from Toronto to Houston and back (6,500km/4,000mi). In addition to all the charge point provider apps, PlugShare, and ABRP, I had physical maps (old school), a back up phone, and an ELECTRIC SCOOTER.
The micro-mobility device folds relatively compactly and let me use Airbnbs and hotels that didn't have Level 2 chargers but were within a couple of miles of one. It was also useful for slower DC Fast Chargers, around 50kW or so, so I could hook up and go get a meal not too far but much farther than I could walk to and from.
The back up phone because during a previous road trip from Toronto to Cape Cod (2,000km/1250mi round trip) my allegedly waterproof phone wasn't. It got splashed while I was out kayaking and I ended up having to purchase a cheap burner phone. It would have been much harder, impossible(?), to get home without having the charge point apps and a working phone.
For our upcoming road trip to Canada's East Coast I'm obtaining a Tesla to J1772 adapter, there was one hotel I stayed at last time that had only Telsa Level 2 outlets.
Thanks for sharing.
I’ve taken 5 road trips with my Bolt EUV so far. I think it’s good to over prepare a bit on the first time, since you might not know what range will actually be like for that car on that day. But I found it unnecessary to put a ton of thought into subsequent trips, because I got a good sense for how the car will perform after my first go. I did glance at PlugShare to see what the charging situation was for every one, but no spreadsheets were required 😊
13:13 Very good idea. Step out of the car while it is charging. There can be more fun outside than sitting in the car during the journey.❤
My list:
- Bring Level1/2 charger with various plug adapters (only needed to use it once)
- Level2 charging adapters J1772 to Tesla
- Bring DCFC adapters based on which EV (ccs to tesla, tesla to ccs)
- tire inflation pump
- flares/emg lights
- rain coat / umbrella
- water bottles in cooler
- blankets
- snacks
- meds
- first aid
- spare clothing that can get dirty
- tire iron
- knife/seatbelt cutter/window break tool
- power packs for electronics
- flashlights
- jack pads
Hope that helps!
-
Great list!
Great episode, Francie! I really enjoyed it. Before heading out on my first EV-powered cross-country trip (my sixth crossing at the time), I spent several Saturdays taking 12-hour-long day trips. Just like you suggested, I wanted to get familiar with my car. I wanted to know how far I could go between charging stops. How elevation changes impacted range. How well the energy planner incorporated elevation changes into the planning. How long the charging stops ACTUALLY are since the 10-80% figures are always so optimistic. How the car behaves during charging. What kinds of sounds the car makes (they can be scary!) What the app shows. What alerts I received as I was approaching the "time to leave" point. Even with all that planning, I did miss a "time to go" message at the Route 66 Museum in Kingman, AZ (can you blame me?) When I checked to see how much more time was needed, I noticed that the charge blew right past "time to go", and 80% as well. It was at 94% and still going.
Oh, and don't worry about the spreadsheets. I use ABRP and Google Maps for months leading up to the trip and plan out all of my hotel stays in both directions. Yes, it's nice when a hotel has a J-1772, but there's no way I'm relying on one being available and in working condition. I book all my hotels within 5-10 minutes of supercharger and if I can charge for free at the hotel, great. If not, that's fine, too.
I would also add an adapter between J1772 and Tesla for Level 2 charging. Also, if you find you cannot charge overnight, it is best to charge before at the end of the day vs the first thing in the morning.
Great job, Francie. I look forward to this podcast every week.
I know you mentioned it in the video, but I want to emphasize the importance of speed. If you are running low on your way to a charger (or destination) and are worried you won’t make it, just slow down. I know that can seem frustrating, but it saves a huge amount of range. Consider it as a tool. Recently, a Hyundai Kona EV, which is EPA-rated for 258 miles of range, drove 600 miles on a single charge. The speed was about 25MPH. I’m not saying you should drive at 25MPH on the highway, but this shows that EVs can go much farther if you slow-down. Tesla will actually calculate the speed you need to go if you’re getting low. On a trip, where I left a charger a little too soon, my Tesla said I needed to slow down to 65MPH to make it. The warning only popped up when I was about 30 minutes from the charger
That is a great tip!
Keep cleaning supplies in your car, most gas stations have a windshield squeegee near the pumps. EV charging stations do not. Really nice to have if the windshield gets dirty.
I admit to pulling into a traditional gas station to purchase a drink or snack, use the squeegee, and the rest room. I'm from Canada and visiting a Buc-ees with a DC Fast charger was its own unique experience.
This was great Francie. One more thing is to have a trained Co-pilot either in the car or remote if you need guidance to adjust your trip or find an unscheduled charging or food stop. Ideally somebody they can see your location live and look ahead to chargers and their health and food and it's goodness.
One missing points is checking the weather and adapting charging points to that weather. Rain or running the air conditioning due to heat can cost a few percent of your range compared to good weather.
Excellent point. It is important to plan for more energy use when raining, snowing, extreme cold, or high winds.
Based on my experience, the best advice I could give someone attempting to do a roadtrip in an EV would be that if where you are going, or the shortest route you need to take to get to your destination is not served by an Interstate highway, your trip is just not possible. EV charging facilities are 99.93% located along Interstate highways, with very few to none located along US and State highways. In certain parts of the country (most of it) those Interstates are spaced 250-300 miles apart, especially in the central and western US, which is beyond the range capacity of most EV’s sold today, even if you charge to 100%. So enjoy road trips using Interstates but if you have to travel US or State highways, use an ICE vehicle.
They are adding more charging all the time. I drive between Seattle and Green Bay and Chicago each year. I did 5 trips in a Tesla and it’s very easy on I-90, I-94, or I-80. Most Tesla chargers are 100 to at most 150 miles apart on those routes. On I-5 they can be 20 miles apart. My last two trips were with my VW using CCS. In 2023 Northern Wisconsin was a charging desert except for 24kW units at Harley dealers and a single ChargePoint at the Appleton airport rental lot. This year Electrify America has filled in with units between Green Bay and Minneapolis, plus a lot of car dealers have installed charging that is available 24/7. I especially call out Sheridan Jeep for plugging the gap in Wyoming with a ChargePoint unit and Sioux Falls Ford for having 7 EV Connect units. Ford dealers seem to have more chargers than others in a lot of small towns.
I would always plan a route with PlugShare before starting to make sure whatever particular car you have can make it
This is a great observation. I think this points out the need to plan ahead and locate all of the available charging stations along the way to see if it is even possible. I am planning a trip to Yellowstone this summer, and the route there is mostly along freeways, so no problem with getting a charge, but the way back cuts across central Oregon, and both of my possible routes have but a pair of relatively slow Chargepoint stations about halfway. I'll be able to make it, but it will probably require about an hour or more to charge up enough for the next stop, and I'm going to have to hope that the stations are in working order! But, as kenmcclow8963 pointed out, more stations are being added all the time.
@@kenmcclow8963 You did not mention a single non-Interstate highway, so I rest my case. Yes, it is very easy to do a roadtrip on an Interstate, but as I said in my original post, it your route does not involve Interstates, you are just out of luck. If you cannot drive an Interstate or if your destination does not involve driving on an Interstate, your road trip is a no-go, unless you can time your charging stops to coincide with when you cross an Interstate, and if you do not mind driving 40-50 miles out of your way to find a charging stop along that Interstate and then come back to continue your trip on your original route. The charging situation will vastly improve in this country when charging sites are finally built along US and State highways, which carry more traffic in total than do the Interstates, but have been completely ignored up till now by the charging providers.
@@glenngore6609 The place I go in Door County is 70 miles beyond Green Bay. Green Bay (technically Howard WI) is the nearest fast charger for CCS. Tesla has one in Sturgeon Bay, but beyond that is all level 2, or level 1. This year my mom’s timeshare place had a sign banning EV charging at the wall outlet in the garage where I used to charge the previous 5 years, but there is a level 2 in town at the Post Office/ Library that is easy walking distance to a bunch or restaurants and stores, and another level 2 in the next town near a restaurant we often go to and a bunch of level 2’s at the library in another town very close to a bunch of restaurants and the grocery store. I’ve been doing that for seven years. All the highways in Northern Wisconsin are state highways not interstates.
The point is that it’s pretty easy to get around if you want to. All of the chargers I mentioned give about 30 miles per hour and are a 5-10 mile drive from the condo, so sitting in a restaurant nets you 30-60 miles of range.
We have come a ways from when you had to be super dedicated to convince RV parks to let you charge to go down the interstate, but all those places are still there for a solid overnight charge if they are willing
I have driven long stretches on non-interstate highways several times with a 270 EPA-mile Model S. Plan ahead to see if charging is available, and as Francie suggests have a backup charger for each stop in case it is needed. Campgrounds with 50 Amp service can be a good backup option when off the beaten path. I made these trips with a combination of hypermiling, L2 charging for 1-2 hours to add a few extra miles range, booking hotels with L2 charging, and planning less miles/day travel when needed.
Every situation is different. If more than one person is going, someone can do the nav and charger planning on the fly. The type of EV matters a lot. Leaf road trips are special because of how elevation gain affects range, battery heating, using frontage roads so you can drive more slowly. Plus EVgo. ChargePoint, and EA are ripping out CHAdeMO at a breakneck pace, sometimes without notice.
With our Mach-e, we just set the destination, let the car add the chargers, and go on a 600 mile trip. Maybe take an adapter or 2.
There is nothing so annoying as the 80% rule. With small battery cars, you will charge above that. We had one car that didn't taper much until 95%. But usually you just charge until you have your buffer for the next charger stop.
Don't forget those RFID cards!
Great tips and video! You're the best!
Good advice and love the attitude comment, road trip adventures can be much more fun if you approach hurdles with a positive outlook and often makes the trip much more memorable.
Excellent advice Francie. Especially: "Get out of your dang car." You are going to be sitting in your car most of the day driving, why for the love of G-d would you not get out of your car while charging? Walk to the restroom and back, if the car is sufficiently charged to make it to your next stop, then leave immediately. For longer stops, walk to a restaurant and eat there, or just get your daily walk exploring the area.
Another good tip mentioned here was to carry window cleaning supplies. You can clean your windshield while getting a little extra charging in. Much better than sitting in your dang car!
Francie, we are so pleased you took the risk of a road trip. A while back you had much less confidence and “chickened-out” for a road-trip by using a gas car.
Great video. In the UK I use Zapmap to plan my trip. Thankfully there are many more chargers across the country including at / or close motorways and major roads.
Francie this is an excellent episode and will be so useful for people who are new to EV Road tripping. Thanks! Curious about your route planning spreadsheet format - an episode dedicated to that?
Thanks Francie.
Simple tools. So many EV problems can be solved by disconnecting the 12 volt battery with a 10mm wrench for a few minutes. Also read and even bring your owners owner's manual when on long trips. It has information that may be useful.
For us it was worth paying $5/mo for ABRP plus, since we were towing and needed to plan stops with particular efficiency and multiple networks.
Good tips, but to a non-EV enthusiast, these types of posts make EV ownership seem overly complicated. Keep that in mind when talking to ICE owners. For EVs with good route planning, suggest using apps to check amenities near the charger, alternate locations, etc but trust the car. For EVs with poor or no route planning, using apps is a must. We need to simplify the EV ownership experience to help people make the switch.
Good tips, Francie. I've been on more long distance EV roadtrips than I can count, once driving all the way from Utah to the east coast and back. When it comes to adapters, I have to say that E'loon screwed up big time by firing Rebecca Tinucci, which has caused the J3400 rollout to bet set back at least a couple of months, if not longer. My own experience is that it only takes 15-to-20 minutes to charge to 80%, just right to visit the restroom and clean the kamikaze bugs off the windshield! As for destination charging, I just with there were more motels that offered both EVSEs *AND* were pet friendly. My one biggest tip is to have… patience! Until the infrastructure becomes more widespread and reliable, it is inevitable that you might have to wait at a DCFC site to plug in -even at Superchargers. And I predict it's going to get worse before it finally gets better.
My tip, know your car's charging capability and dont use higher rated dc fast chargers than your car can utilize, unless its the only open/working option.
Good tip that will help everyone around as well!
I did not know that Expedia has an electric charging filter. Thanks.
Great video, Francie. Thank you.
Top Tip: Don't leave your charging cable at home, Francie 😊
IMO, there is no need to try to arrive at as low an SOC as possible. I plan for 20%, but if consumption is higher than plan I am OK with as low as 10%. If the car is at 50%, or even 70%, and I need a restroom break I stop and charge while walking to the restroom and back, 5-10 minutes. So what if the car charges slower? That is charging that I will not have to do later in the day.
Although if I am going to take a 1 hour lunch break, then it is good to be as low SOC as practical, to get the most energy possible in that hour.
It’s sad that phone apps are needed to do a lot of public charging of BEVs … mass adoption of BEVs can never happen without seamless plug-and-charge and/or simple credit-card payment, period. And this goes hand-in-hand with the other prerequisite for mass adoption of BEVs: attendants at all fast-charging stations to troubleshoot problems instantly and provide security for both stations & customers
Francie If you had a time travel, would you buy VF8 😂
It is her assigned company car. It was bought to provide content for RUclips, and it is doing the job. I am sure Out of Spec Motoring is happy with their decision to lease the VF8.
thhhannnk u!!!
Water for goat?!?! That's funny
I dont know content, just like 😊🎉
I know i need to take a dry run because i've never fast charged and havent used cruise control since i had an accident with it on 20 years ago, but i'm going on a 5 hour trip in a few weeks! also consider a service, I guess - i used to always get an oil change before my road trip but i just got a regen system check message today so even tho i barely use my ev, i am thinking i might feel better getting a service
I’ve started carrying some slime to use with my portable air compressor for tread side flats, anyone else? Or tire plugs?
I have tire plugs and a compressor. Slime doesn't work with EV tires that have foam inside to dampen noise.
WRT flashlights: Don't get one with non-rechargeable cells. Go for rechargeable. Ideally, wireless charging. AA, AAA, C…those little piss-ants are just so 20th Century. Don't settle for it.
Number one tip is just rent a gas vehicle and never have to worry. Get more time at your destination, stop mostly for bio needs over being dragged down by only being able to use 70% of your "tank".
I never would rent a gas vehicle for a road trip. I have been taking Tesla road trips for 8 years and prefer EV road trips to flying or gas vehicles. Also I charge to 100% before leaving in the morning and during lunch and dinner breaks. No need to limit to 70%. For daily driving I charge to 80%, which is more than enough to handle day trips or any unexpected extra driving.
@@georgepelton5645 The whole comment completely avoided the actual point that in order to get to 100 you'd have to wait an extra hour over your usual 30 minutes to get to 80. When on a second leg of a trip it's idiotic to charge to 100. Again, a typical EVangelist completely ignoring the limited reality of EVs and misleading people.
Francie that Eye neckless freaked me out....seriously. :(
Here's a personal tip for me, if you see me at a charger please don't talk to me. ;-)
None of this is needed if you own a Tesla.
Better just to get a Tesla.
Here is my one and only tip. Get a Tesla.
My advice for everyone is stay away from unsafe car like vinfast
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