[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-planning-long-electric-car-road-trips\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-planning-long-electric-car-road-trips\/","headline":"5 Tips For Planning Long Electric Car Road Trips","name":"5 Tips For Planning Long Electric Car Road Trips","description":"If our selected MVA winner did it, so can you! Although doing a roadtrip in an electric car will save you plenty of money when it comes to fuel, you may find that the limited range and long charging times become a bit of an obstacle. You see, when hopping in an electric vehicle to do a long road trip an extra degree of planning is needed to ensure that you\u2019re not left stranded on the side of a motorway. […]","datePublished":"2019-12-16","dateModified":"2023-07-04","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/5-Tips-For-Planning-Long-Electric-Car-Road-Trips-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/5-Tips-For-Planning-Long-Electric-Car-Road-Trips-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-planning-long-electric-car-road-trips\/","about":["BLOG","Cars","ELECTRIC CARS","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":1036,"keywords":["Are we there yet mum?","Motor Vision Awards","Motor-Vision Awards 2018"],"articleBody":"If our selected MVA winner did it, so can you! Although doing a roadtrip in an electric car will save you plenty of money when it comes to fuel, you may find that the limited range and long charging times become a bit of an obstacle. You see, when hopping in an electric vehicle to do a long road trip an extra degree of planning is needed to ensure that you\u2019re not left stranded on the side of a motorway. Yes, this takes some extra effort but it\u2019s certainly not as much of a hardship as some say it is!Our very own Motor-Vision Awards 2018 winner,Lucy Rigley, has been on a huge 1,100-mile long road trip in a BMW i3s so ifanyone knows what it takes to plan a successful trip in an electric car, it\u2019sher! If a family of four can travel all around England and Wales in an i3s thathas a limited range of just 120 miles without any hiccups, you can do it too. Remember, if you have an interesting motoring vision or idea, you could be our next winner of our annual Motor-Vision Awards! Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date.Don\u2019t rely on the range to be 100% accurateJust like in petrol and diesel cars, theestimated range on electric cars is not exactly 100% accurate. However, inelectric cars you have to take more factors into account than you would do witha combustion car. Firstly, electric cars excel in urbanenvironments and struggle more with motorway driving. This is because prettymuch all electric cars are equipped with a regenerative braking system whichallows the car to regain some electrical charge, so when constantly speeding upand slowing down, as you would when driving around town, the car is able tomake the most use of this regenerative braking system and replenish the highestamount of energy. On the other hand, when driving on a motorwayat a constant speed with minimal use of the brakes, the battery is beingdrained constantly without any kind of relief. This will reduce your rangesignificantly, so keep an eye on it! Lastly, the quoted range that comes from themanufacturer is often a little inflated. The BMW i3s that Lucy and her familytravelled in is quoted to have 160 miles of range which is actually 40 milesmore than the real-life range of around 120 miles. The worst offenders for thisare usually Teslas, with the base Model 3 having a claimed range of 254 milesbut real life tests only show around 196 miles. Use Zap MapZap Map is an online map, which is alsoavailable as an app, that tells you where all the charging points are for yourEV. You can sort by charger type, speed, which network it\u2019s a part of andwhether it\u2019s free or not. If you find yourself in a tight spot, you can evensearch for the nearest charging points to you at that time.Within the app, there\u2019s a \u2018route planner\u2019 function which does exactly what it says on the tin. Using your expected range and your destination,  Zap Map can help you figure out the best way to go about your journey without having to worry about running out of charge. Have a backup planWhilst road tripping for her \u2018Are We ThereYet, Mum?\u2019 project where she toured England and Wales, visiting keyenvironment-themed locations such as The Eden Project and Kew Gardens, Lucyplanned her stops and her route tactically.She made sure that along the route they took,there were several charging points rather than just relying on one. This isbecause unfortunately, the reality is that not all charging points will befunctioning. It\u2019s quite common for chargers to be out of order due to malfunctions and maintenance, so it\u2019s absolutely paramount that you have a plan B. The last thing you want to be doing is rolling into a charging station with your EV on its last legs only to find that your lifeline isn\u2019t currently in service. You may have to pack light as boot space is usually limited Due to the nature of electric vehicles,interior space is often more limited. Although one may think that because theydon\u2019t need engines, there would actually be more room, it\u2019s actually often theopposite. Due to the large batteries that lie underneaththe car, space inside is reduced slightly. This can be seen not only in toboot, but in the rear seats as well. As found in the i3s, many EVs feature aflush boot that lacks the recess found in the boots of most petrol and dieselcars. When going on a trip with a family, this reduced storage capacity can becomea bit troublesome. MVA 2018 winner, Lucy, said: \u201cIt\u2019s fine for grocery shopping but not for a family holiday. We had bags and bags piled up, more next to and under the kids\u2019 feet and some in the front passenger seat. And I wouldn\u2019t say we packed a lot either \u2013 we washed clothes part way round…it meant, at times, that the rear view for the driver wasn\u2019t as good as it should be.\u201dMake sure your hotels have charging points A simple tip that often gets forgotten. Whenbooking a hotel, you may be too busy making sure it has wifi and breakfast isincluded that you forget to find out if there\u2019s charging stations for your car.Overnight charges are essential to any trip as they\u2019ll set you up with a fresh,full battery ready for the next day. Furthermore, they may be free to use for hotelguests so not only will they be very convenient, but also a good opportunity tosave a few quid!Let us know if we missed any in the comments!If you want to find out more about Lucy\u2019s idea and why she was named as one of the winners of our 2018 Motor-Vision Awards, read all about her \u2018Are We There Yet, Mum?\u2019 project here and follow her page on Facebook."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"5 Tips For Planning Long Electric Car Road Trips","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-planning-long-electric-car-road-trips\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]