How to Take a Road Trip in an EV

If you haven't yet purchased your EV, you have three types to consider. The first is hybrid, which blends gas and electric power. This provides drivers with long ranges, spectacular fuel economy by prioritizing electric power, reduced emissions, and never needing to be plugged in. Plug-in hybrids have similar benefits but bridge the gap between hybrid and all-electric vehicles as a PHEV needs to be plugged in. However, when a PHEV battery is depleted, the vehicle can run solely on the gas engine until you reach a charging station, making them ideal for long road trips. Vehicles like the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe or Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid are examples of a PHEV and make excellent family road trip vehicles. Lastly, battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs, run solely on electric power, eliminating the need for gasoline and reducing your carbon footprint to zero, which is phenomenal on a road trip.

To ensure you never get stuck without a charge, you'll want to plan your journey around charging stations. To do this, you must first make sure you know your vehicle's range. Once you know this, it's advisable to subtract a few miles. This way, you have some wiggle room to put your mind at ease when you're getting close to needing a charge. A great way to plan your trip is to find charging stations near activities and meal stops. The main reason for this is that charging your EV takes longer than filling up a gas tank. While you won't always find a charging station next to a lake or by a trailhead, you likely will find one near restaurants and shopping centers so you can get a bite to eat or get supplies while you recharge. However, some state and national parks are installing charging stations. Another good piece of advice is to bring some activities along to keep busy while you recharge. Maybe a football, frisbee, bikes, roller skates, or games. You can use smartphone apps like PlugShare, ChargeHub, EVGo, and apps provided by the brand of your vehicle to find charging stations along your route. Lastly, you should also have a backup plan, as there is always a chance that a charging station may be busy charging other vehicles or down for maintenance.

Another way to get the most out of your EV road trip is to drive in a way that will save your range. The range of your vehicle given by the manufacturer is an estimate that will vary depending on how and where you drive. Everything in an EV, from the drivetrain to the infotainment system, runs off the battery. Therefore, in order to extend the range, you should minimize battery usage. This includes avoiding using the air conditioning or heating as much as possible, not having a lead foot, and using regenerative braking to decelerate. EV batteries have an ideal operating temperature, just like internal combustion engines, although much lower. If your travels take you to a cold climate, bringing your battery up to the right operating temperature uses a lot of battery power, decreasing your range without even moving. Therefore, if at all possible, you should warm up your car's battery while the vehicle is plugged in so that it uses power from an external source to warm up instead of the battery itself.

If you're looking for an EV you can road trip with, East Carolina Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram has the PHEV inventory you need. As we mentioned above, PHEVs are perfect for road trips as they can run on gas power, keeping you on the road even if your battery dies. With vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe in stock, we're confident to have the PHEV you need for your next adventure. Shop online or come see us in-store to take a test drive. We look forward to working with you!