While I like my hybrid I think I'd also like to try an EV.
You can also "really get nailed" on the cost of gas, seriously so and you can avoid this for either gas or amps by planning stops to minimize the cost of either.
EVs on Long Road Trips
- Thread starter buster
- Start date
You can also "really get nailed" on the cost of gas, seriously so and you can avoid this for either gas or amps by planning stops to minimize the cost of either.
When I think rural I always think of middle of nowhere Montana or parts of Kentucky.
Oh, is that all?
And one has to wonder if it'll just be better in the future. Better apps, more chargers -> less planning necessary. Rural might still be a problem but wasn't it always? rough roads, long distances between gas stations, no signs, etc.
If I wasn't cheap I'd contemplate one. It'd cover 90% of my needs, maybe 95%. Good enough, heck my current vehicle only does 95%.
If I wasn't cheap I'd contemplate one. It'd cover 90% of my needs, maybe 95%. Good enough, heck my current vehicle only does 95%.
I am looking too but I will price insurance on the EV(prior to buying) and have you looked at the cost of charging (if you arent at your home)
its as much as gas... which for a trip might be ok.
If I buy an EV it will be second vehicle and probably no trips that need more than 1 charging stop per way.
The new cx-5 hybrid looks exciting for middle ground.. but the engine woosh.. who wants a first year compression ignition gas engine?
South Dakota is one of the least densely populated states in the United States. Topic came up on reddit.
Two very different experiences:
"What a day to ask on! Cold temps can cut your vehicles distance in half. I’ve done several EV road trips, and it mainly comes down to planning. Often never skipping a major charging station if they’re more than an hour apart. If it’s supercharging it’s really not much more than a bathroom/food break anyways, but outside of the sub zero temp it’s great. If I’m road tripping the coldest days I usually prefer to stop a little more often anyways. As I get older I have less desire to power through to a destination purely to maximize time. Every year range anxiety continues to become less of an issue anyways as more and more charge points come online. Family members have been driving EVs for more than a decade now so the volume of options seems like such a luxury now!"
"Wife and I bought an EV to trim down the cost of her daily commute to and from Sioux Falls ($9k -11k/yr depending on fuel costs and routine Maint.) Depending on Wind and Temps the 300+ range battery can use 80% to travel 110 -120m round trip. There's a lot more public charging than I realized before ownership, but we still utilize my ice vehicle to make extended trips that mostly utilize highways instead of interstates.
Also that whole 80mph speed limit thing doesn't really help Gas Consumption or Battery Efficiency, if you slow it down you'll get a lot better of both."
Two very different experiences:
"What a day to ask on! Cold temps can cut your vehicles distance in half. I’ve done several EV road trips, and it mainly comes down to planning. Often never skipping a major charging station if they’re more than an hour apart. If it’s supercharging it’s really not much more than a bathroom/food break anyways, but outside of the sub zero temp it’s great. If I’m road tripping the coldest days I usually prefer to stop a little more often anyways. As I get older I have less desire to power through to a destination purely to maximize time. Every year range anxiety continues to become less of an issue anyways as more and more charge points come online. Family members have been driving EVs for more than a decade now so the volume of options seems like such a luxury now!"
"Wife and I bought an EV to trim down the cost of her daily commute to and from Sioux Falls ($9k -11k/yr depending on fuel costs and routine Maint.) Depending on Wind and Temps the 300+ range battery can use 80% to travel 110 -120m round trip. There's a lot more public charging than I realized before ownership, but we still utilize my ice vehicle to make extended trips that mostly utilize highways instead of interstates.
Also that whole 80mph speed limit thing doesn't really help Gas Consumption or Battery Efficiency, if you slow it down you'll get a lot better of both."
two EV road trips no problems
This^^^^^^^^^^^^^
JHZR2
Staff member
I wouldnt be concerned about finding a charger.
The issue is the obnoxious cost. It costs more per mile than our minivan costs on gas. And since you can’t charge from home, you’re kind of stuck.
The issue is the obnoxious cost. It costs more per mile than our minivan costs on gas. And since you can’t charge from home, you’re kind of stuck.
I love Peter Santenello's videos. I'd love to meet him some day. His series on the Amish was my absolute favorite. I think there's a few areas that may require a bit more charging to make the next charger owning an EV and as much as I travel between Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa I haven't found it to be any problem. That's not to say there aren't areas that could still have issues in this case. I find while it is possible to get the prices to creep closer to gasoline cost, it still is cheaper and home charging more than negates the extra cost of public fast charging anyway. Then again I own Teslas and get preferred pricing at Tesla Superchargers so it still feels cheap to me.
For me when it comes to charging and preferred pricing I'd only buy a Tesla. Everything else that offers what I have with my Teslas is more expensive and none of them have FSD. I've been critical of FSD in the past, but I use it nearly every time I drive and I'll never own another car that doesn't have it. It's not that I can't drive or don't like driving, but there's things that FSD sees before I do at times and I truly see it as a valuable safety system. I'm less likely to use it in town, but I drive a lot at night on rural roads and it always sees deer well before I do and I've hit 3 deer in the last 10 years. I've yet to hit one with FSD active.
At the end of the day what you don't know you don't know, and with never doing it yourself, you just don't know.Not worth the inconvenience for me, which is why I don't own one. I ran with @buster 's numbers, even for me they're not worth it. Maybe it's my age, as I get older I like simple, and when I want something I want it and rather not wait or have any hassles. The 95% 5% numbers wouldn't even be remotely close. If they're that close for him he should go for it, as long as that 5% doesn't start growing should he really start to travel.
I don't mean that as an insult, it's just more of a mental block than reality. If it was that big of an issue I would have been stranded multiple times traveling multiple states. There's no hassles. If you're using GPS which most people use when they don't know where they're going it does the math and tells you where to charge. With FSD you don't even have to touch the wheel for any of it. It'll perfectly park it at the charger when you need to stop.
I'm still amazed at the amount of EV haters that post here to tell of their non experience of why they won't ever own an EV. Thanks for the laugh.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Buc-ee’s alone adds something like 4 states per year - on top of adding to current states and are well past 50 locations - easy to knock off a half hour or so refreshing vehicle and passengers …
The map will grow …
The map will grow …
I get 'free' supercharging for the Plaid. In fact I only charge it at Superchargers. Of course you pay for it in the price of the car, and it's not transferable to the next owner.
Google Maps has added EV Profiles for almost every EV out there if you’re using Android Auto. So you can get great route planning on anything.
I believe some EVs are getting/have got planning through Apple Maps too.
Plus, A Better Route Planner is very popular too.
It’s all very easy nowadays. I prefer to use the myCadillac mobile app with my LYRIQ and send the results to the car.
https://blog.google/products-and-pl...trip-planning-for-350-android-auto-ev-models/
I believe some EVs are getting/have got planning through Apple Maps too.
Plus, A Better Route Planner is very popular too.
It’s all very easy nowadays. I prefer to use the myCadillac mobile app with my LYRIQ and send the results to the car.
https://blog.google/products-and-pl...trip-planning-for-350-android-auto-ev-models/
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I'd be up for that deal
You're welcome! I find people like yourself equally amazing. Glad you got a laugh, I had a good one too. Enjoy the day.
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JHZR2
Staff member
Pretty sure that offer is long gone so anyone looking to buy won’t get the same.
I know someone who has the same deal so holds onto the car as it is a great deal. His battery also recently failed, under warranty.
Yesterday I drove from northwestern Maine to southeastern Pennsylvania via New Hampshire, Vermont and Albany, NY. The trip time was 10:15 including two stops of about five minutes each. I am contemplating making the move to a Tesla model 3 next year so just for laughs and grins I pulled up the Tesla route planner and forced it to follow my route as best as possible. The recommendation was three charging stops. Assuming 15 minutes per stop this would add 35 minutes to the trip.
That is what rental cars are for if you have an EV.
