A couple took an electric car on a 1,500 mile road trip. They had to stop 12 times and forgo heat due to their range anxiety.

Business Insider ^ | Feb 14, 2023, 2:39 PM | Grace Kay

[Red Badger]

Taking an electric car on a road trip can be a stressful experience — at least according to a couple who took their Kia EV6 on a cross-country trip from Michigan to Florida.

Axios reporter Joann Muller said her husband took the electric car on a 1,500 mile road trip — she joined him part-way through — to see if the US is truly ready for mass EV adoption. While electric cars are becoming more prevalent, charging infrastructure isn't quite what it should be, Muller wrote.

"We were constantly thinking about where to charge next," Muller wrote of her experience during the trip. "It occupied our minds more than where to eat or spend the night."

They stopped 12 times to recharge the car, which has an estimated battery range of 274 miles, over the course of the 1,500 mile, four-day journey, and that charging times were between 20 to 55 minutes.

The reporter said that while they were never afraid of getting stranded, the trip took a lot more planning than it would have with a traditional combustion-engine vehicle. The couple had to juggle "route-planning apps and billing accounts with various charging companies, which can get confusing," as well as dealing with "glitchy" chargers.

Muller said her husband drove the car alone from Detroit to Washington DC, where they met up to head to Florida. During his solo portion of the trip, he said he was so "anxious" about the drain cold temperatures would have on the battery that he didn't use the cabin heat, choosing instead to rely on the heated steering wheel and seats.

While EV range continues to improve, charging infrastructure still poses a major hurdle for electric-vehicle adoption.

[Leaning Right]

What a silly couple in that story! I take my EV on long road trips, too.
And I have never once experienced “range anxiety” (that’s my car in the picture below).

[bray]

An EV would have a really tough time making it over the Rockies and Cascades. They would have no chance in winter.

[eyeamok]

Theres a lot of room in the back of that car, I just looked at the pictures. They could have easily put a 10KW Generator in the back and used it to charge their car whenever they wanted.

A 9500W Predator at Harbor Freight is only $2500 and they work quite well and are very quiet, I have 2

[Allegra]

LOL

[GOPJ]

But, but, but... what about the jobs for 6 year olds living in 3rd world countries digging the rare earth elements needed for the batteries? What will they do if battery operated cars don’t sell?

[Red Badger]

First of all, why did they attempt this in the winter?

Second, why did they attempt it at all?.................

[eyeamok]

First of all, why did they attempt this in the winter?

I never question peoples motivation to challenge Darwin, and I am against any type of intervention when they do so. I just want to sit back with a glass of wine and watch

[bitt]

p

[Jolla]

That is what I was thinking, if they had anxiety traveling east a west coast swing would have not gone too well at all.

[McGruff]

“We were constantly thinking about where to charge next,” Muller wrote

Sounds like the American dream.

[Red Badger]

30 years ago they would have been talking about credit cards...............

[spokeshave]

Ha....thats a keeper.

[No name given]

Just another reason not to buy an EV.

[I want the USA back]

Is AAA equipped with HUGE trucks with HUGER battery packs for charging broken-down cars?

When EVs outnumber normal cars, the highways will be a disaster, with stalled cars everywhere, and tow trucks needing 20 minutes to give you enough of a charge to get home.

[fremont_steve]

I own a Tesla Model 3. it has the smallest battery Tesla makes. I would have to recharge every 200 miles and likely spend 30 minutes per charge. Some of those stops likely would be overlapped with food and sleep stops. So maybe 4 of 6 stops would be time I paused anyway. There is also the strategy to charge half way up and charge more often....which means you spend 10 minutes at the charger...but charge 40 60 percent instead of 80 plus percent. Likely you knock 30 percent of your charge time off with that approach

[stylin19a]

Muller said her husband drove the car alone from Detroit to Washington DC,

about 530 miles give or take. The article doesn't mention how long that part of the trip took.

The same approximate trip Stabenow bragged about...in a Chevy Bolt -an EV that gets less miles(259) on a full charge and she did it in late spring.

[Red Badger]

I sense a business opportunity!.........................

[McGruff]

he said he was so "anxious" about the drain cold temperatures would have on the battery that he didn't use the cabin heat, choosing instead to rely on the heated steering wheel and seats.

I guess you wouldn't want to travel across country on Route 66 in the summer time. Do their windows roll down?

[Political Junkie Too]

But the drove with pride!

-PJ

[Red Badger]

😂👌....................................