by Jeff Muhleman
| February, 23, 2024
By Jeff Muhleman
We are 8 months into owning our first electric vehicle (EV). This was not a purchase made for commuting or around town trips. We are serious road trippers and we planned to make an EV our primary traveling car. Originally, we had decided on purchasing a hybrid but after test driving the Hyundai Ioniq 6, we decided to make the jump. Is it working out?
Our model boasted a purported 320-mile plus range. Prior to purchasing, we reviewed online maps showing how many chargers are available and where they are located, and we found that most areas are well-populated with compatible chargers; we concluded that this could work. Incidentally, the car comes with two years of free charging using the Electrify America charging stations, so we do try to use Electrify America as often as possible. The savings is incredible. We went from gassing up our Honda from $60 a week to $0!
One thing we learned the first week is that we don’t really have 320 miles of range because, to preserve the battery life, it’s recommended to keep the charge at a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 80% most of the time. So, with that in mind, the range is actually closer to 192 miles – that’s a considerable difference. Our Honda Odyssey has a 20-gallon tank and, with 25 MPG, has a 500-mile range. So, plan on stopping for fuel more often unless you’re set up with a home charger – which we currently are not.
Early on I was charging way before the fuel gauge read 20% because fueling was novel and I wanted the car to be “full”, so I was always ready for spontaneous and longer distance trips. Our model charges from 20% to 80% in 18 to 20 minutes which might seem quite long compared to filling a gas tank, but the time lag didn’t bother me. I play some music, goof around on my phone, and the time flies by. But for most people (like my wife), it might take some getting used to. Usually, the chargers are located near shops or restaurants so you can multi-task by running quick errands while you charge.
Maybe a third of the time there’s a wait for a charger and that adds another 5 to 15 minutes to fueling time. The best times to charge are weekdays in the late mornings to early afternoons. I would avoid weekends, but if you must, chargers seem to be available only very early in the morning (before 8am) or late at night. I should also note that if you want to charge to 100% it takes another 30 minutes or so because the battery heats up and the wattage drops way down from “super-charging” levels to prevent overheating.
After a couple of weeks acclimating to our new all electric vehicle, we were ready to put the car to the test. We’d made a few round trips from San Jose to Monterey, Santa Cruz, Half-Moon Bay, and San Francisco – all of which require no mid-trip charging – and it was time for a road trip. We planned a trip to Clear Lake which is an hour past Napa, way up a mountain, and pretty much out in the sticks. I carefully mapped out the locations of electric charging stations along the way. The Napa outlets had Electrify America stations, so we decided to stop there for some free fuel and get the car charged from 50% to 80% before making the rest of the trip to Clear Lake.
I did check online for chargers in all the towns near Clear Lake including other charging stations besides Electrify America. It’s possible for chargers to be busy (occupied) or not working, so it’s always good to have a Plan B. There’s definitely more planning involved driving an EV vs. a gas-powered vehicle. We made it to our hotel with no problem.
On the second day, we drove from the hotel to the small town of Kelseyville and then to Lakeport. I was getting close to a 40% charge and still had to travel all the way back to our hotel and then back to Napa the following day. The car’s navigation system pointed us to a charger in the small town of Lakeport. Luckily, the charger was located near charming restaurants and a park at the edge of Clear Lake. Perfect, right? We arrive, download the app, and plug in. The car reads: “20 hours to 80%.” What? I was so used to every charger in the Bay Area being Level 3, it just did not occur to me that older, lower voltage Level 1 chargers still existed. That charger could add only 8 miles to my battery per hour. And EVERY CHARGER in Lake County was a Level 1, and none anywhere near our hotel. There were several Level 3 Tesla chargers in a few places, but our EV is not currently compatible with Tesla chargers.
For reference, our EV on a Level 3 charger takes 18 to 25 minutes to charge from 20% to 80%. Level 2 takes 5 hours, and a Level 1 takes 10 hours plus. Level 1 is the same as using a 120 volt plug and a Level 2 is the same as using a 240-volt plug.
So, we ate lunch and added 8 miles to our car. Disappointing. The trip back to our hotel was 27 miles and the trip from there to the Napa Outlets was 57 miles the next day. Our EV showed 112 miles left which was cutting it a little close.
Also, we (my wife) wanted to stop at a vineyard on the way home. It was on the way home but, also, located uphill which made me a little nervous considering our charge level. But we did it.
All that said, we cruised into the Napa Outlet parking lot at 20%. How is that possible? Lake County is way up a mountain via a winding road. Because of the regenerative brakes and gravity, we used NO battery coming down. In fact, when going down a grade I often come out ahead!
The trip to Clear Lake might seem nerve wracking but it was an education. And it made me more confident planning for the next trip. The lack of viable chargers in the small towns of Lake County was a bit of a fluke but still not a problem. We are going to Yosemite soon and my research shows there are several Level 3 chargers within the park. I have even mapped a trip to Wyoming just for fun and found chargers all along the way. And it looks like more and more chargers are being built all over the country.
Just a few years ago all the Tesla cars stopped at Harris Ranch on Highway 5 on the way to L.A. because it was the only charging station on that long stretch of road. Now that route has five Level 3 charging stations just for Electrify America. Toyota has hinted at an EV with a 600-mile range coming in the next few years.
I love my EV and cannot imagine ever going back to a gas-fueled car. The quiet, the acceleration, one pedal E-drive (the car slows without needing to hit the brakes), and the handling make it a game changer – especially on long trips. Plus, we are contributing to a greener world although I can’t say I am suffering for it.