Why an EV can make a good road trip great

Friday, 14 January 2022

EVs aren’t generally the first thing that pops into mind when thinking about a road trip vehicle.

Think of a road trip and you might think of a classic convertible. Top down in the hot summer sun on your way to the bach for a week.

Or perhaps you think of an ancient van full of your mates, barely pushing past 100kmh but filled with laughter and memories.

This wasn't some glamorous electric-powered holiday around New Zealand; it involved roadside diarrhoea, a road that floats and a near-serious accident.

Maybe it’s a modern grand tourer, quiet and luxurious, designed to get you there in as much style as possible.

I would like to posit another option as a road trip vehicle. It might not have quite the same allure as a Ford Mustang or VW Kombi - yet - but it might one day. I’m talking about EVs.

**READ MORE:

There are chargers all over the country now, so range anxiety can become an excuse to stop and explore an area you might normally pass by.

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If you’re lucky enough to own a Porsche Taycan or Audi e-tron GT, it might pay to make sure you plan for charges. Those twisty B-roads can be very tempting...

I made a trip from Auckland to Rotorua in an electric Mercedes-Benz EQC last year, and it was great. You get all the benefits of a nice modern car - active cruise control, a good stereo, quality interior - with the only added requirement of being aware of nearby chargers.

Chargenet’s ‘hyperchargers’ can supply up to 300kW of power, meaning cars that support the extra kilowatts can charge in the time it takes to stand in line for a coffee.

And that’s actually a good reason to go on a long trip in an EV. You can plan your journey to stop over in a town you might have passed through otherwise, exploring more of the country and helping the local economy.

They do say that it’s about the journey, not the destination.

There are hundreds of chargers along highways in New Zealand now, making the planning side of things relatively easy too. It can be something as simple as driving to Taupo and having a coffee on the shores of the lake while your car charges up!

The Coromandel has at least three charge points dotted around the peninsula – one in Thames, one in Whitianga and another in the township. There’s also a charger in Tairua and Whangamata, so that whole area is open for electric exploration.

A quick glance at the Chargenet map reveals there are about two dozen charge spots between Taupo and Wellington. If you’re wanting to a length-of-the-country trip, there are around ten chargers on the east coast of the South Island between Blenheim and Christchurch – and that’s just on the coastal route.

Then there’s the driving part. EVs are really nice to drive for longer distances, being silent and smooth. Most ICE vehicles these days are also pretty good in this department, at least in terms of powertrain, but considering EVs also tend to be more aerodynamic in order to eke out more range, they exhibit less wind noise as well.

And if you’re lucky enough to drive a sportier electric vehicle, like a Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, or a higher-end Tesla, you can have a thoroughly fantastic time through the B-roads.

You might want to be a bit more careful with the range buffer between destinations as full-throttle driving in an EV can really suck the juice, but the instant shove of torque is an addiction rarely satisfied elsewhere.

Plus, consider the fact that fuel is freakishly expensive at the moment and recharging is not. And that most new EVs can drive for more than 400kms at a time anyway.

Also, while some EVs might lose boot space due to the extra batteries, they typically gain storage up front where the engine used to live.