Planning a road trip with your EV over the holidays? Here are some tips

If you own an electric vehicle (EV), commuting within your city is something you probably have figured out how to tackle. Most big cities have plenty of EV charging stations so you won't quite be stranded. 

However, if you are planning to take your car out of town for a road trip that would need some planning in advance. Given that fuel prices rise every other day, the EV is probably your "most affordable" option for a road trip. 

EV charging infrastructure is still being developed in the country, thus, once you leave your city, finding a charging station is not going to be easy. So how do you start the process?

Also Read: EV battery explosion leaves 1 dead, 3 injured in Andhra Pradesh

First, know your battery range

It is VERY important to know the range of your car, and this can be found in the owner's manual and/or on the manufacturer's website. This will tell you how far your EV can go on a single charge. With this information, you can figure out how many stops you will have to make while in transit so that you are not stranded in the middle of nowhere. 

Second, Google Map it

Once you know the range of your car, you need to pull up Google Maps. You can also use Apple Maps, but in our experience in India, Google Maps does a better job and has more information. 

On Google Maps you need to put in your current location and your destination and map it. This will tell you how long the whole drive is going to take. For example, we mapped our way to Dehradun from Delhi. The map said it would take us 4 hours and 49 minutes (if we left at 1:43 am). 

Once you hit 'Navigate', pull up the navigation bar and you will get options like - 'Add a report', 'Share trip progress', 'Search along route', etc. 

Also Read: India to get world's longest electric vehicle highway by end of 2022

Third, search along the route

Normally, you would have searched for fuel pumps, restaurants, washrooms, etc., on the way. You still need to search for restaurants and washrooms, but instead of "petrol pumps near me" or "petrol pumps", type in "EV charging stations near me" or "EV charging stations". 

When we searched for the EV charging stations between Delhi and Dehradun, the map showed us a bunch of charging stations in Delhi but as you scroll through the route, you'd see that there are no charging stations after a point. And none on the way either, till you get to Dehradun. 

Of course, this will differ from route to route. But in most cases, you will not get too many charging options once you exit a big city. This is what you need to keep in mind and plan your drive accordingly. 

If you cannot find a charging station/point on the way, you might have to stop at a restaurant or a hotel where you can charge your EV. 

The charging time is what you need to factor into your overall travel time and it might also mean that you do an overnight stop somewhere on the route. 

You can call up hotels in advance to confirm if they have electricity and the required voltage sockets to charge your EV. 

Of course, this takes you back to the information we asked you to look up first - the range of your car. 

Additional tip: Search for EV charging stations near food stops so you can optimise your time. You can also call up restaurants in advance. 

Fourth, buy an earthing kit

Most restaurants and hotels where you might have to charge your EV might not have proper earthing. To avoid damage to your EV, you need an earthing kit that will protect your vehicle from electricity spikes. 

As you set out, keep a tab on the indicator that tells you how many kilometres are left before the battery runs out. Tune your driving pattern accordingly. 

If you accelerate hard, your battery will drain faster; a steady pace will give you better range. 

Uphill will drain more battery and you will need to make more stops on the way. 

Keep these factors in mind. Finally, make a list of workshops on the way 

Google Maps will help you here. This is not just for charging, but also for any repairs you might need. 

Happy driving!