One reason EV owners appreciate their cars so much is because they make for great road trip vehicles; however, those not driving Tesla still face charging issues during long distance drives.
To help these drivers, CR consulted eight veteran Tesla drivers and one first-time renter on how they had handled EV road trips. Here are their insights:
Autopilot
Tesla’s Autopilot system has long been misunderstood by both supporters and detractors alike, due to its complexity. Even Tesla’s marketing material can seem vague at times; yet when examined carefully there may be answers that seem obvious that are designed to protect its users.
Long trips require driver interaction, which can become tiresome and mentally exhausting. But if they fail to respond within a set timeframe, Autopilot systems disengage automatically and alert the driver accordingly.
Though controversial, Tesla owners and users rave about how its Autopilot system makes road trips less stressful and safer than with traditional vehicles. Insider interviewed several veterans as well as new renters to get advice on making the most out of this technology.
At first, they advise understanding exactly what Autopilot can and cannot do. This system employs multiple cameras and powerful neural net processing to monitor its surroundings – giving drivers greater awareness than they would have without it. Autopilot automatically adjusts speed and steering; activates hazard warnings; detects traffic lights/stop signs/parking features to navigate tight spaces with ease and more!
If drivers ignore several “Forced Autopilot Disengagements” while using the system, they’ll receive a warning on the display to resume control of their car. If this message is ignored multiple times, however, all functions that require driver input will disengage and disable entirely; and their car will display a message saying: “Please return to manual driving and monitor your surroundings.”
Before commencing a journey in their Tesla vehicle, owners should ensure it has enough battery power. To assist them with this endeavor, their car’s Navigation system provides fast routes as well as information on nearby charging stations.
One key tip for those taking their electric vehicle on a road trip includes checking tire pressure shown on the Tire and Loading Information label as well as inspecting tires for bulges, foreign objects or cuts. Drivers can also self-schedule service appointments using the mobile app.
Chargers
Finding functioning, uncrowded highway chargers is one of the main challenges for non-Tesla drivers planning an electric road trip in their EV. A recent J.D. Power survey found that drivers other than Tesla often leave charging stations empty because they were full, broken or otherwise inoperable – this may change with time as Ford, Chevy, GM Rivian and Nissan all use plugs compatible with Tesla cars meaning compatibility issues will eventually no longer exist.
Before this occurs, however, non-Tesla owners looking to take advantage of an increasing network of highway chargers must plan ahead and be creative when taking long journeys in their EV. One EV owner who regularly makes long distance journeys avoids routes through remote areas where superchargers may be scarce and hard to access.
She used an EV app to plan her route and ensure she has enough range, before charging in nearby towns while eating or shopping. Additionally, she takes breaks every 150 miles to charge up for 30 minutes while checking tire pressure.
Before embarking on any road trip in his Kia Sorento PHEV, another EV driver checked tires for bulges, foreign objects or cuts, then fluid levels. Additionally, he learned to slow down and keep his eyes focused on driving rather than staring down at its 15-inch touchscreen dashboard which displays charts, arrows, circles, lines and numbers.
Others who own electric vehicles (EVs) say they had to change their driving habits, but believe the tradeoff is worth it for a stress-free and environmentally-friendly ride. Eight Tesla veterans and one first-time EV renter shared their top tips for taking cross-country road trips in an EV, from avoiding certain routes to planning ahead and being creative on the journey – check out what they had to say here.
Road Trips
Many non-Tesla drivers remain skeptical that an EV is capable of handling road trips, with concerns such as not being able to plug their car in before taking a journey a major factor in why sales remain stagnant; according to the recent CR American Experiences Survey, 54 percent of those not onboard with EVs cite charging logistics as holding them back from purchasing one.
Tesla has established Supercharger stations along popular routes to demonstrate just how far an electric vehicle (EV) can travel on road trips, charging up to 200 miles in 15 minutes with each charge session. Unfortunately, these charging stations do not exist everywhere and may become congested during times when many people need quick charges quickly.
Thus, some Tesla owners suggest taking care in planning your route and staying creative on the road using features like Camp Mode; this feature allows your Tesla to cool its cabin while showing a video of a crackling fire in its footwells to help drivers relax during long trips. Camp Mode is just one of many special features provided to its drivers by Tesla.
Non-Tesla drivers might consider investing in an EV with larger batteries or extended range capabilities. A dual-standard charging adapter could make their vehicle suitable for use at both Supercharger stations and stations with different connectors – Ford is even adding Tesla-style plugs as standard features on its future models, with plans to offer them on existing vehicles as an upgrade option.
As more electric vehicles enter the market, their charging infrastructure must expand accordingly. This is particularly crucial in rural areas where most American roads run. Therefore, many Americans will need to adjust to a new way of taking road trips; with proper planning and creativity however, even long journeys in an EV can become enjoyable experiences.
Range
One of the primary hurdles to electric-car adoption is range anxiety; fear that one may run out of charge before reaching one’s destination. Tesla offers a range-optimization feature to address this concern by helping drivers plan trips using an app which displays how far their battery charge will take them, and provides recommendations of nearby charging stations that can be accessed using their navigation system in their vehicle.
Some drivers find the feature helpful in relieving range anxiety; others still find the feature confusing or inaccurate. Estimating how far a Tesla can travel depends on various factors, including whether Autosteer is engaged and acceleration and deceleration rates of driver. For the best results, driving should occur on flat terrain without steep hills.
Environmental Protection Agency regulations mandate EV manufacturers to publish an estimate of how far each car can travel on one charge using a standard formula, but many do not live up to this promise. Recurrent found that six of their top models fell short by an average of 26% during highway driving compared with their estimated range estimates.
That may have been true with the electric vehicle Sullivan drove from Mountain Pass to San Francisco, a stretch with steep hills and hot weather that may have sapped its batteries a bit faster. Yet Sullivan doesn’t believe that should stop owners from buying an EV.
Instead, he suggests drivers become familiar with their vehicle and utilize all available tools to increase range and reduce energy consumption. This includes taking advantage of built-in navigation features or apps like Google Maps to plan routes with minimal energy use; and taking advantage of regenerative braking – using energy from brakes to recharge their battery back up again – for best results.
Some EV drivers find comfort knowing they can turn to roadside assistance services for help when their battery dies, offering free towing within certain distances – potentially saving the expense of expensive service charges or replacement batteries.
