7 Things To Consider When Planning A Longer Trip In Your EV

Struggling to plan your EV road trip? You're not alone.

Here are 7 key considerations to make sure your electric car adventure is as smooth and efficient as possible.

Charging Networks: Evaluating the Distance Between Charges and Types of Chargers Available

One of the most crucial aspects of planning a longer trip in your EV is evaluating the distance between charges and the types of chargers available on the route. It can make or break your trip!

First, here’s a quick overview of the seven vital things to consider while planning a longer trip in your EV. Then further down the page, I’ll expand on some of the potentially more challenging or confusing things to take into account, especially if you are only new to a full BEV vehicle!

1. Your EV's typical range: The first thing to note is your EV's typical range and research how many miles you can expect your vehicle to travel on a single charge.

2. Using apps such as ABRP: Use apps such as A Better Route Planner (ABRP) to evaluate your route fully and ensure that you know everything about the EV charging options along the way.

3. High-speed versus low-speed efficiency: High-speed charging may not always be available on your route, whereas slower chargers might provide you a reason to take a break, or stop for lunch or dinner.

4. Road types and terrain affect energy use: Before you assume that heading up into the mountains is within reach of your EV’s typical range, be aware that uphill routes consume more considerably energy than downhill drives (which will often recharge your vehicle!). Choose your route accordingly and make sure you don’t overestimate range estimates if heading uphill for long distance.

5. The type of chargers available at your stop: Different chargers have different charging outputs and standards. Choose the station that matches your EV's capabilities and plug type. And if your EV only charges at a maximum of 80kW, there’s little point in only aiming for ultra-fast 350kW charging stations as you won’t see any benefit from a shorter charging time: you’ll be perfectly fine at 100kW units.

6. Weather and climate conditions: Extreme weather conditions, especially cold temperatures, can drastically affect EV battery life and driving range. If your road trip is happening during winter, make sure you’ve taken into account reduced ranges and that your battery may take a lot longer to charge on an ultra-fast charger. If your vehicle is equipped with battery preconditioning, learn how to use this in very cold weather so your battery is prewarmed before you get to a charger. This way, your battery will recharge at much higher speeds than if cold.

Also, driving into headwinds on highways can be a range-killer for EVs, so plan accordingly for shorter distances between recharges. (It’s no different for ICE vehicles actually, but we tend not to rate our ICE cars on their continuous efficiency. Plus, if your tank gets low, there’s usually a handy gas station not too far away.)

7. Information from other EV drivers: Talk to other EV drivers and gather information about existing charging networks, outages, and the best chargers to use while driving long distances. You might find apps such as Plugshare quite helpful, as well as social media groups where locals might be able to give an update on the current chargers available at your rest stops or destinations.

https://www.plugshare.com/

https://abetterrouteplanner.com/

Understanding Your EV's Typical Range and Outages

As already hinted at above, estimating the distances between chargers you’ll need on your journey isn’t as simple as looking up your EV’s WLTP range and keying it into a navigation system to see if you’ll make it to the next stop.

Unlike an ICE car, where drivers are happy to let the tank run low and not necessarily worry about planning the next step, since (for most trips not in the wilderness) there’s likely to be a gas station in the next few miles, EV drivers will usually “graze charge” – meaning they’ll take a sip of that energy-giving electricity where they can get it.

Need to stop for a coffee or a bathroom break? Plan to get an hour of charging in and you may well “top up” enough.

Again, it’s a different habit to filling an ICE car as not many of us enjoy sitting around in a gas station. Whereas EV charge points are often in very handy “destination areas” such as recreational parks’ car parks, cafes/restaurants, motels, municipal buildings etc

So make sure your EV’s range isn’t what is driving (pun intended) your choice of chargers – instead, plan for relaxing stops, possibly more frequently, to avoid the stress of arriving at that ultra-fast charger with 3% battery… only to find the charger is out of operation or undergoing maintenance.

Which brings me to…

Those pesky unreliable charging networks.

Yes, it’s true, the EV charging infrastructure is still in its infancy (and worse in some countries). Unless you are traveling in Norway, expect that you will come across a charging hub where some of the individual outlets simply aren’t working.

If you use the Plugshare app, you may be warned if a specific outlet isn’t working, or if there is an outage, though it’s not always guaranteed to be 100% accurate. One tip is to look at the recent charging history – if several folks have logged in over the last couple of days, there’s a very decent chance this charger is working just fine.

Some apps such as ABRP (A Better Route Planner) will actually take into account the weather, the terrain, and your vehicle and try to match you up with specific charging stops along the way. (see further down for more info about ABRP).

But the best tip is to make sure you’re always carrying a Type 1 “granny cable” that you can plug into ANY electrical outlet. In an emergency, find the nearest socket and plug in. You might be there a few hours, but it will get you to the next faster charger.

Remember: where there is habitation, there is usually electricity and a spare power socket! You’re unlikely to end up totally stranded.

And one last thought: a change of mindset can really help. If you choose a non-highway route (which can be physically shorter, but take slightly longer due to lower speeds), this can benefit your EV’s range. Beware of Google Maps, which will usually choose the fastest route – which for an EV, isn’t always the one that uses the least energy.

Using Apps Such as ABRP to Optimize Your Route

Using apps such as ABRP (A Better Route Planner) can help you optimize your route when planning a longer trip in your EV.

This app (available on both iOS and Android) will allow you to get down to the nitty gritty, and if you are willing and able to connect it to an OBD “dongle” (a small device you can plug into your car’s diagnostic system), then it will read the car’s actual consumption realtime.

Basically, you tell the app what model of car you drive; the destination, the current state of charge (SoC) and the desired SoC on arrival. It will then calculate the best route and charging stations along the way. If you are using the OBD-dongle connection, the current SoC is read automatically.

You can also customize your journey and tell the app how many stops you’d like, what maximum SoC you’d like to achieve at each stop, etc etc.

Then ABRP will calculate the route and give you the guided navigation.

It’s the perfect app for a longer journey, especially through roads or areas that are unfamiliar.

And it’s global!

You can also connect the app via Apple Carplay or Android Auto to display on your car’s infotainment screen (NOTE: some app features require you to purchase the full app – but it’s well worth the money).

Pro tip 1: Always carry appropriate cables and consider slower but shorter routes to save electricity versus longer routes at high speed that take the same time. Additionally, seek information from other EV drivers to get firsthand advice on the best charging options along your route.

Pro tip 2: Check Plugshare to make sure the charging station ABRP is taking you to has been recently used and/or has positive feedback.

Here’s the link to an official overview of ABRP:

https://www.iternio.com/abrp-intro

High-Speed Versus Low-Speed Efficiency: How Road Types and Terrain Affects Energy Use

Though both BEVs and ICE cars are affected by the types of road and the speed at which they are driven, there are some key differences:

Electric cars are equally efficient at almost any speed (with some drop off at very high speeds).

Gas or diesel-engine cars are extremely inefficient at lower and frequently varied speeds (ie a lot of speeding up and slowing down), as well as around the city streets.

On the other hand, many ICE vehicles hit their sweet spot of efficiency (in fuel energy converted to power at the wheel) at constant moderate to higher speeds (with no braking).

This can confuse EV owners, who can find their “range” drastically reduced at sustained highway speeds. Or when driving uphill for long periods. They then wonder is there is something wrong… but it’s simple physics: more power is consumed (no matter the vehicle) the faster they are required to be pushed through the air (or uphill). This relationship is not linear, either, so at very high speeds, much more energy has to be consumed.

Whereas at low speeds (town driving), the effect of air resistance is far less in relative terms. And because your EV is equally efficient AND can take advantage of regenerative braking much more around the city with stopping and going and top up the battery.

If ICE vehicles were supplied with the same type of “guess-o-meter” that is in every EV, owners would be shocked at the changes in range estimates…

So long story, cut short: your EV’s range will be more extended at slower speeds and on flatter terrain. Expect to lose some range when more power is needed, either to push through air at high speeds, or to travel uphill for extended periods. The one advantage of the latter is that you’ll put a load of energy back into the battery coming back down those hills!

Cables to Carry: What You Need to Charge On the Go

If you're going on a long road trip in an electric car, it's important to bring charging cables that are compatible with the charging infrastructure you'll encounter along the way. Here are some types of charging cables to consider bringing:

Level 1 Charging Cable - These are the standard charging cables (the “granny cable” as I’ve called it here!) that come with most electric cars. They are designed to plug into a standard 120 or 240-volt wall outlet (actual voltage depends on your country) and can take up to 24 hours to fully charge your car's battery. While not ideal for a road trip, as stated before, it's always a good idea to bring this cable as a backup.

Level 2 Charging Cable - These cables use an AC 240-volt power supply and can charge your electric car much faster than Level 1 cables. If you're planning on staying in hotels or other accommodations along your route, you may want to bring a Level 2 cable that is compatible with the charging stations at those locations.

DC Fast Charging Cable - These cables can charge your electric car very quickly, in as little as 30 minutes, and are often found at rest stops or along major highways. But in general, most DC charging stations will have tethered cables, so there is nothing extra you need to bring. NOTE: In some locations and countries, Tesla superchargers may be open to use by all brands – and in some countries (the USA, for example), you may need a special adaptor to make the connection work. (In other countries, Tesla use the same CCS2 connector global standard). This is easily checked on Plugshare before you leave.

However, not all electric cars are compatible with DC fast charging, so make sure to check your car's specifications before bringing one of these cables.

It's always a good idea to research the charging infrastructure along your planned route before heading out on a long road trip. That way, you can be prepared with the right cables and know where to stop for charging along the way.

Fun fact: Despite their extra planning and charging requirements, electric vehicles offer a an excellent, cost-effective, quiet, and environmentally friendly alternative to gas-powered vehicles.

Slower But Shorter Routes Save Electricity Versus Longer Routes at High Speed That Take the Same Time

Ever used Google Maps (or Apple Maps) and immediately picked the route that was three minutes faster?

Wait… if you’re in an EV and don’t mind sacrificing a few minutes, you’ll possibly increase your expected range!

How?

Because often the faster route on Google Maps takes less time because it’s mostly highway-speed roads, with fewer stop lights or junctions.

So how come it only saves three minutes?

Because it’s a longer route – possibly 20% longer. But taken a higher speeds.

So add those two things together: more miles driven and at highway speeds and you may have saved three minutes—but in an EV that will come at the cost of range.

A slightly slower (and usually shorter route) with some stop-start driving can really play a big part in maximizing your EVs range.

Sometimes the tortoise wins…

Weather and Climate Conditions: How They Impact Your Trip

When planning a long trip in your EV, it is essential to consider the weather and climate conditions that you may encounter on your journey. Extreme temperatures, rain, snow, or strong wind can all impact your EV's range and charging capabilities, making it more challenging to reach your destination.

Here are some tips to help you plan your journey:

• Check the weather forecast and prepare for extreme temperatures, snow or rain by bringing warm clothes or rain gear.
• Be aware that using heating or air conditioning can significantly reduce your EV's range, so plan accordingly.
• Avoid driving on hilly terrain or at high speeds, which can decrease your EV's range and increase energy use.
• Check for charging networks, the distance between charges, and the types of chargers available at your stop before embarking on a long trip.
• Carry cables that can connect your car to different types of chargers or outlets.
• Use apps such as ABRP to plan your trip according to your EV's typical range, charging locations, and outages.
• Consider taking slower but shorter routes that save drain on the battery versus longer routes at high speed that take the same time.
• Gather information from other EV drivers or online forums to help you better understand how weather and climate conditions affect EV performance.

These tips will help you plan a successful long trip in your EV and make it an enjoyable experience.