Tips: Electric Car Road Trip Don’ts

Planning Ahead Is the Key To A Fun Trip

If you’re planning a road trip in an electric car, you’re going to want to make sure you’ve done plenty of planning and research first. You don’t drive an electric car the same way you do a traditional car, so you need to make sure you’re prepared for what’s to come. Planning is absolutely crucial. One of the main things you need to do is plan your route around charging stations. Of course, there are quite a few other things you’ll need to consider. Read on to learn more!

Don’t Set Off Without Locating Your Charging Stations

When planning your route, you need to ensure you locate charging stations on the way. Taking a scenic drive is always nice, but you may not want to do this if you’ll miss out on charging stations. Freeways are boring, and may not be the most exciting way to take a road trip, but they will get you to where you’re going and help you to save charge. This doesn’t mean you can’t drive through a remote area; just that you’ll have to be extra careful, ensuring you have as much charge as you need before you do.

Don’t Forget Your Long Cable and Your Manners

One of the best charging tips you’ll ever get is to take a long cable with you for charging at regular (Level 1) outlets. You never know when you might need to charge your car in an unusual place. You should also remember, it’s the etiquette among electric vehicle drivers that you don’t hold on to a spot once your battery is 100 percent full. If you leave your car to charge and wander off somewhere, it’s better to leave a note to let others know that they are free to unplug your car once it’s done. You should leave a buffer of around 15 miles in your car to avoid getting stranded. Roadside assistance should be your first port of call if you do get stranded.

Depending on how long you need to recharge your car for, you may use the time for sightseeing or staying somewhere overnight. Make it a part of your trip. Just make sure you know the differences of driving in a new place–for instance, driving barefoot is usually legal in Texas and other states, these states don’t like it, and officers may give you a ticket if they pull you over.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Driving Efficiently

You may have planned plenty of stops, but you should still drive efficiently. The faster you go, the more aerodynamic resistance will come into play. Drafting is another strategy you can use to improve your car’s efficiency. By simply driving behind a large vehicle you can improve your own vehicle’s efficiency as you’ll have a lot less aerodynamic resistance to cut through.

Don’t Forget To Take Advantage of the Perks

As an EV owner, you can take advantage of special perks. For instance, carpool lane access, priority parking spaces in certain shopping centers, free valet parking, free hotel charging and much more.

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