Me too, anytime, anywhere, and any route we choose. We also like being spontaneous, a perk retirement has allowed us.
EVs on Long Road Trips
- Thread starter buster
- Start date
Is it even 35 minutes more for the EV when you include the pre and post trip fill up the ice car ?
The EV allows for every outbound trip to be full and for the car to arrive home essentially "empty" yet be ready for the weeks commute without another dedicated stop.
Sometimes if you think about it, you can ask why is this subject so polarizing?
Makes no sense. Just read the posts in the first two pages.
We all buy things that brings us enjoyment. Why a dividing line on EV's OR gasoline vehicles?
Why try to convince others that your method is better?
I see two clear things here.
1. There are those that do not mind stopping during a long trip for 30 minutes to an hour or more to charge a vehicle, possibly depending on the trip multiple times. It's part of the over all enjoyment and fun of an EV. They all admit, gasoline is more convenient but it doesn't bother them to stop. For short trips, if you can charge at home, for many, EVs are more convenient. I get it, I love electronics too. I would love the thought of not having gas engine maintenance.
2. There are those who do not want to stop for 30 minutes or one or two hours longer. (just read the ENTIRE OP (post #1)
Gasoline works better for them. I am one of those, Im not going to be concerned about a 4+ hour trip to my sons house or a 5+ hour to my daughters house having to charge a vehicle during these trips. We do not stop on road trips, we (I) love the open road, 80+ MPH on the interstates. Not a concern in the world about how much charge is left. So our primary large car will always be gasoline. I wouldn't rule out an EV as secondary but that will be a long time down the road since we just bought the gas version of the Equinox in 2025.
3. So I am not so sure, why each side (both guilty) try to convince the other side that there method is better?? They are vehicles with engines, who cares what anyone prefers. I do think by the time most in here are in an old age home that a better (?) technology will come out. I guess, who knows?
Ps in the recent past I also pointed out that the closest super chargers are 75 miles apart here on the coast and the closest Mercedes fast chargers are 1.5 hour drive away. So a family member who comes to visit us in his BMW EV has to stop 1.5 hours away after a 2 hour trip (depending) for a 30 minute charge before getting to our house. The cost itself is roughly the same price as gasoline. He doesn't mind because that stop is at Bucee's
Myself, I would freak out stopping for 30 minutes 1.5 hours from my destination to charge the car. Different strokes.
Makes no sense. Just read the posts in the first two pages.
We all buy things that brings us enjoyment. Why a dividing line on EV's OR gasoline vehicles?
Why try to convince others that your method is better?
I see two clear things here.
1. There are those that do not mind stopping during a long trip for 30 minutes to an hour or more to charge a vehicle, possibly depending on the trip multiple times. It's part of the over all enjoyment and fun of an EV. They all admit, gasoline is more convenient but it doesn't bother them to stop. For short trips, if you can charge at home, for many, EVs are more convenient. I get it, I love electronics too. I would love the thought of not having gas engine maintenance.
2. There are those who do not want to stop for 30 minutes or one or two hours longer. (just read the ENTIRE OP (post #1)
Gasoline works better for them. I am one of those, Im not going to be concerned about a 4+ hour trip to my sons house or a 5+ hour to my daughters house having to charge a vehicle during these trips. We do not stop on road trips, we (I) love the open road, 80+ MPH on the interstates. Not a concern in the world about how much charge is left. So our primary large car will always be gasoline. I wouldn't rule out an EV as secondary but that will be a long time down the road since we just bought the gas version of the Equinox in 2025.
3. So I am not so sure, why each side (both guilty) try to convince the other side that there method is better?? They are vehicles with engines, who cares what anyone prefers. I do think by the time most in here are in an old age home that a better (?) technology will come out. I guess, who knows?
Ps in the recent past I also pointed out that the closest super chargers are 75 miles apart here on the coast and the closest Mercedes fast chargers are 1.5 hour drive away. So a family member who comes to visit us in his BMW EV has to stop 1.5 hours away after a 2 hour trip (depending) for a 30 minute charge before getting to our house. The cost itself is roughly the same price as gasoline. He doesn't mind because that stop is at Bucee's
Myself, I would freak out stopping for 30 minutes 1.5 hours from my destination to charge the car. Different strokes.
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AG, there is truth in your post, but from a large extent, the difference is between those with EV ownership experience and those without.
I have more EV experience than most here, and I've said since day 1 EVs are not for everyone. I've also said I held many of the beliefs we see posted, only to find reality is no where near what I thought. These cars are different, you learn.
It is also true that cars that cannot use the NACS connector may have more trouble finding charging opportunities. And some EVs charge at different rates than others. Of course, that issue is minimized by plugging in overnight but maximized on the road.
I'm a numbers guy. We use our EV far more than our ICE vehicles. The ICE vehicles spend so much more time fueling; it is not even close. Now add in ICE service requirements... Sheesh!
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Just gassed up my Expedition ahead of a long road trip. It came out to $100 and it wasn't even full. I forgot how expensive running that thing can be. My EV isn't big enough for all the stuff we're bringing. Can't wait till there are more three-row options that can tow. I would have rented an EV9, Gravity, etc, but none available in my area
There are always going to be people with issues. I've had success just using Plugshare to pick chargers every 180 - 220 miles on my route. It takes like 10 to 15 minutes of planning. My vehicle will do it automatically as well, but I don't trust the recommendations because of potential for congestion and charger reliability, so prefer to select my own. I also pick locations with a backup nearby. The Supercharger network is very helpful as well. The one time I had a big issue was when my destination had power out due to a tornado AND the hotel messed our reservation. We had to limp the vehicle 40 miles to a Supercharger (it was a Model Y rental).
All valid concerns for sure. For me ruling it out was a no brainer. You seem to be wrestling with it, which is good. If you do pull the trigger and feel it was a mistake after the fact and want out you are going to lose money. If you're anything like me, you don't like losing money. Having said that If I were remotely interested I'd be talking to guys who've driven them over 100K miles, and made long trips driving the vehicle under conditions and a user profile similar to yours. Speaking to people who short hop them, don't use one the way you plan to, or haven't logged over 100K of EV ownership miles on one really isn't going to help you much imo.
There's cold temperatures and blizzards even in new Mexico. New Mexico regularly has lower low temperatures than Maine.
Hybrid.
You will spend more time stopping for gas than you will charging at home overnight over the lifetime of the vehicle. It more than evens out over time.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.
That's not to say it makes long trips shorter, it doesn't. But the overall time suck favors the EV if you can charge at home. I only ever stop at a gas station anymore for buying a Big Gulp.
I wouldn't do it. I don't see any upside personally. If others want to do it good on them.
If I had all the time in the world I might ride my Bike across the USA. Or even walk. I think I could walk to LA from here and see all the meaningful sights along the way in about 1 year. Most would think this is nuts. Sounds like fun to me. Better than searching for an EV charger anyway. To each there own I say.
Patman
Staff member
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It would not work for me. The time it takes to charge and the cost to “Fill up” is a no go. During the hot summer months in the desert the charge stations run on huge loud diesel generators or natural gas as it is.
if you fly somewhere, that is.
I would never rent an ICE vehicle to take a road trip just for the pure sake of having an ICE vehicle.
Now if I needed to take 9 adults somewhere, that would be a different story, and I would be open to renting an ICE vehicle.
One huge factor for me is how much cost and hassle would it be to set up a level 2 charger at home. Our 1870 house has limited electric service and funky wiring. An electrician I had here ballparked it at $5-10K to upgrade us enough so we could run an electric stove. Plus, we may move within a few years so not sure the investment would be worth it. Plus no garage and car would be parked outside year-round, possibly cold soaked down to well below zero at times. Very few nearby public chargers so that would be out. Regularly do 450-500 mile round trips (or more) so need good range.
The Tesla adapter "saved us"?? what kind of nonsense is that?
save the drama, for your mother.
I did ultradistance riding when I was younger and one thing I have learned is, if you fill up the bicycle engine on junk food at convenience stores, it is cheaper to drive.I wouldn't do it. I don't see any upside personally. If others want to do it good on them.
If I had all the time in the world I might ride my Bike across the USA. Or even walk. I think I could walk to LA from here and see all the meaningful sights along the way in about 1 year. Most would think this is nuts. Sounds like fun to me. Better than searching for an EV charger anyway. To each there own I say.
The most I've done in 1 day is over 250 miles on the bicycle and I planned to spend over $100 on food and hydration stops for that distance, not to mention the preparation like buying bars for eating between stops and my preferred hydration powders. General rule of thumb was 1 Clif bar per hour and one water bottle for every 10 miles, then stop around 25-35 miles, or per availability if necessary, try not to exceed 40 miles between stops especially on warmer days. That has to be route planned for, unless you want to install a rack on your bike and carry a couple of gallons of water with you. And yeah route planning...takes far, far, far more time than any EV.
Longest multi-day timed event was 1000KM or 625 miles, I did that twice in 2007 and 2014. I budgeted more like $250 for food and drink on those rides, not including the cost of the overnight hotels, not like you crash out more than 4 or 5 hours being on a timed event, but anyway.
Then I had a family and I don't have time for that stuff anymore, not at that scale anyway. My wife already calls my road bike "mistress". Even a couple of hours of time spent with her on Saturday morning makes the wife jealous. It is what it is.
But yeah that said I agree, if I had all the time, I would definitely ride there.
Nothing to do with money. You saw where I said it would take me a year to cross the country right?
Gets pretty dicey past New Mexico.
Cheapest way to get anywhere of distance is to fly.
Definition of clueless. Head in rear.I wouldn't do it. I don't see any upside personally. If others want to do it good on them.
If I had all the time in the world I might ride my Bike across the USA. Or even walk. I think I could walk to LA from here and see all the meaningful sights along the way in about 1 year. Most would think this is nuts. Sounds like fun to me. Better than searching for an EV charger anyway. To each there own I say.
Definitely better than the train.
