Traveling by EV from Montreal to Wells Beach, ME in a Nissan Ariya.
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
When on a road trip, does comfort and eco-friendliness trump practicality and travel time. The simple answer is: “it depends”. That’s what I discovered on a recent EV road trip to the Maine shores at the wheel of my luxury EV.
As a 2-car family, we had a choice of taking our conventional gas-powered 2023 Nissan Rogue or our Nissan Ariya EV. It was a toss-up between the Rogue’s additional space and the quieter ride or the Ariya. In the end, we went for the Ariya. But better planning would have taken some the anxiety out of what should have been a 4.5 to 5-hour EV road trip.
EV Road Trip Travel Guide
This travel guide is based on our own personal driving experience. In it, we share some tips and observations we’ve made along the way in hopes that other happy travelers get more enjoyment out of their road trips behind the wheel of their electric vehicle. This travel guide discusses EV road trips from a non-Tesla perspective and is written for owners of CCS-enable electric vehicles.
My EV
My EV is a Nissan Ariya Platinum+ e-4orce 2023. It has a theoretical range of 441 km (274 miles). It is comfortable, quiet and handles like a dream under a range of driving conditions. And we experienced many of those conditions on our drive through Vermont, New-Hampshire and Maine on our way to Wells Beach. Our itinerary provided an assortment of steep inclines and pouring rain as we crossed the mountains, gusting winds, winding roads and heavy traffic crossing the border.
An EV Road Trip Has Some Distinct Advantages
We love to go on road trips. Ah, the freedom of the open road! Discovering awesome scenery, new locations and friendly people along the way. But taking an EV on a road trip is fraught with challenges and limitations. At the same time, EVs have many distinct advantages that are worth considering.
Comfort
The trip to Maine is roughly 5 hours on paper. Add in delays at the border crossing, stops for charging and lunch and you’re looking at 7 hours spent behind the wheel. Comfort is a key consideration. EVs are typically roomier because of the absence of a traditional drive train. The extra leg room is great for passengers and driver alike. Plus you have some extra room for a bag of snack along the way.
Quieter Ride
One of the most remarkable features of an EV is the sound level inside the car compared to traditional vehicles. When you’re driving on highways for several hours, lower sound levels translate into less stressful driving. It’s also easy on the ears. And when I choose my favorite Piano Chill playlist, the experience is downright relaxing.
Increased Stability
EVs are typically much heavier than traditional vehicles due to the weight of the battery. This can translate into better stability in marginal driving conditions. For example, during our road trip, highway 89 was severely rutted in some areas of Vermont and we had a scary episode of aquaplaning caused by a deluge of rain and a steep downhill grade. Had it not been for the extra weight and responsive steering of the Ariya, we would have ended up in the guardrails.
Better for the Planet
If you own an EV, one of the motivations, aside from saving on gas was probably reducing your carbon footprint. The distance to Wells Beach, ME is 304 miles according to Googlemaps. That’s over 600 miles in addition to driving locally while on site.
Had we used our Rogue for the trip, that would have resulted in 0.12 tonnes of CO2e. Of course, you can choose to offset your emissions through various reforestation or other offset programs.
Drawbacks and Limitations of Taking an EV on a Road Trip
Taking an EV on an extended drive is not all unicorns and rainbows. There are some serious and often stressful limitations, the main one being running out of juice, also colourfully known as “range anxiety” . The issue is that the network of charging stations is in bad shape in many areas with spotty coverage and poor maintenance.
Defective or Offline Charging Stations
We found that on average, about half the charging stations we encountered were either offline due to connectivity issues, damaged, or defective. That means longer waits or the need to find an alternative source.
Long Wait Times
At one electrify America charging area, located in a Wal-Mart parking lot, 2 out of the four stations were inoperative. For each of the remaining, there were 2 cars ahead of us waiting for a charge. Fortunately, they were Cat 3 stations with a 350Kw capacity so charge time was only 25-30 minutes for each, but we lost an hour in total. Plan ahead and pack a lunch to eat while you’re waiting/charging to save time.
Slow Charging
Believe it or not, there are still many Category 1, 6.5Kw charging stations along the highway in many areas. These are impractical as they require a day or so to achieve a full charge. So be very careful when choosing a stop.
Charging Capped at 80%
Many charging stations cap the charge amount at 80%. Although this is better for the battery long term, it may prove impractical for long-distance travel. Check for details on the providers website when planning your trip. You sometimes may want to get as close to a full charge as possible.
Accepted Method of Payment Can Vary
Some stations accept major credit cards, other require that you use their app (with pre-billed amount tied to a credit card). Electrify America, for instance, has an app, but also allows direct payment using a credit card. ChargePoint on the other hand requires their application in order to function.
The Quebec-based Circuit Électrique has partnerships with other networks both locally and across the border including Flo, Chargepoint (did not work), SWTCH, Hypercharge, etc.
A Word About Tesla Supercharger Stations
Tesla provides the most extensive network of charging stations with 6000 locations hosting over 33,000 charging ports. According to Edmunds.com, Tesla provides the most fast-charging stations of any network. “double the number of fast-charging ports as its three top rivals combined “. At the service areas where we stopped, there were a dozen Tesla stations and only 4 non-NACS stations.
I also recently learned that some Tesla Supercharger stations are equipped with CCS adapters meaning you can use the on non-Tesla vehicles. To date, I have yet to find such chargers. According to Tesla’s interactive map, there are only a handful available in the northeast.
Happy Travel Tip
When planning your trip, you’ll need to consider the total distance of the trip, the autonomy of your vehicle as well as factors that could limit the distance you can actually get out of a charge.
Going to Maine required us to drive through the Adirondacks and the White Mountains. The change in elevation gobbled up a lot of juice. It’s better to recharge sooner than later and make sure you have at least 25% charge when you get there. That added cushion could be a lifesaver if the station you’d planned on using is out of service.
EV Road Trip Challenges: So Many Brands, Networks and Apps
As you know, there are many charging networks operating under different brands. And each has its own application, charging policies and methods of payment. When planning your trip, take this into account and ensure that you have pre-installed all the apps on your phone.
This is important because cell coverage may be spotty in some areas making downloads a painfully slow process. Sure, there’s probably WIFI nearby, but by the time you get the password, you’ve lost precious minutes, adding to your drive time.
Beware of Pre-billing
Some applications will create a reserve of cash in your account. We were surprized when one app charged us a full 50$ because the account had fallen below 5$. I would wait until you’re sure you’ll need the app before adding a credit card.
EV Road Trip Charging Tips and Advice
Plan your itinerary carefully. Using Google Maps or other equivalent tools, identify the most promising charging stations along your route. Add them as a stop on your itinerary. Copy the link to the itinerary and send it to your phone. Or paste it in a Note for easy access. Create an alternative itinerary with another fallback stop just in case.
Sure, your vehicle’s built-in navigation system will help you search for stations along the way, but they’re hard to use while driving. Easy access to important details like the category and charging output is important because you can’t effectively search while driving. Searching for a Cat3 350Kw/h station while driving is downright dangerous. Be prepared. Worst case, pull over at the neared exit while you conduct your search.
Charge the Night Before Your Return
While at your destination, achieving a full charge can take up precious time, particularly if there are many vehicles in line ahead of you. If you recharge the night before you leave, you’re more likely to find an available station. Plus you can head out without delay the next morning.
Use ECO Mode to Increase Range
Many EVs have multiple drive modes, one of which is an economy mode. As the name indicates, its purpose is to extend the cruising range of the vehicle by controlling the accelerations speed of the vehicle.
This is particularly helpful when traversing mountainous terrain. As you go up a steep grade using cruise control, the vehicle automatically accelerates to maintain the selected speed. Eco mode makes the acceleration less “responsive”, thereby reducing the increased energy drain. I didn’t use it on the first portion of our trip and found myself at 15% upon arrival at my destination — very uncomfortable indeed.
Conclusion – Is It Worth It? Yes, But…
With a little pre-planning, including some fallback options in case of charging station issues, taking your EV on a road trip can be a very enjoyable experience. The reductions in carbon emissions and the cost savings on fuel make it a sensible choice. And the low noise environment makes driving long distances much less stressful and tiring.
Terrain, road conditions and charging station availability as well as your EVs maximum autonomy will dictate where it is feasible. But the most important thing to keep in mind, is plan for the unknown to avoid running out of juice.