The EViking Heads North! An EV Road Trip Story
The EViking Heads North! An EV Road Trip Story
Posted on September 11, 2024
Thinking about going electric but worried about road tripping? Don't take it from a salesperson - take it straight from an owner! Here's what Jeff Sandve, one of our EV Experts (and new Mach-E owner), experienced on his recent road trip to the northern half of BC:
June 12th, 2024. 10 a.m. I open the door to my 2021 Mach-E, press the Start button, and settle in. The battery percentage is 100%, and the range indicated on the "Guess-O-Meter" is 360 kms. Android Auto connects, I pick a playlist, and grip the steering wheel. I am about to go on my first-ever EV road trip.
For background, I have a 2021 Mach-E Select AWD, standard range battery, which is probably the least efficient of the entire lineup. Was I worried? Not at all. In fact, I was excited. The trip I was doing, I had done dozens of times. From my home in New West, I was about to go 640 kms to my hometown of Quesnel. After that, I was heading further north to my dad's house in Vanderhoof for his retirement party. The trip was going to be 860 kms one way.
I had made that drive many times in my 2008 Jeep Wrangler, and I had it down to a science. Driving that route was like second nature to me. I knew I would have to stop in Williams Lake to refuel (and even then, I’d be running on fumes) and top up in Quesnel just to have a full tank. But this time was different. I would be running on electricity and would have to plan my charge stops.
Putting in my destination, my car told me I would have to stop in Hope for a top-up before I made it to the Red Hill Rest Stop just outside Cache Creek. I set out with a plan. Once I got on Highway 1, I activated my cruise control and let BlueCruise take over. I didn’t touch the steering wheel or either pedal until I was just outside Chilliwack. I was feeling good. I made a mental note to see how many times I would touch the brake pedal on my journey, hoping to use One Pedal Drive and adaptive cruise control the entire way. Using the adaptive cruise and speed sign recognition, the car was basically driving itself.
I arrived in Hope and checked my range. I had used a little more than 40% and still had enough to make it to my next charge point if I drove carefully. I ignored the navifation telling me to turn around and kept going. I entered the canyon, and my excitement was renewed. I was in a proper car this time, and I could enjoy the drive instead of muttering curses under my breath as my Jeep struggled to make corners or get up to speed. My Mach-E took care of everything. All I had to do was tell it where to go and steer. The cruise control worked beautifully. It sped or slowed me as needed and followed the vehicle in front of me. I didn’t even have to do anything when the convoy I was in hit some construction. The driver in front slowed to a stop, and so did I. The only thing I had to do was press a button to tell the car to start moving again.
As I neared the Red Hill Rest Stop, I checked my range again. I was actually gaining some. I laughed a bit as I realized the entire way out of the canyon was basically one long downhill stretch. The regen braking was working well and feeding me free energy. I recall driving for about 7 kms and not losing any range due to it being downhill. I checked my energy screen and saw that I was averaging 18 kWh/100 km. My car is rated for 22 kWh/100km, so I was doing well.
The Nav said I would reach the charge area in 20 kilometers, and I had 70 left. Perfect. It was closer to 20 left when I was in the canyon, so I knew I was driving smart. I saw the turnoff for the rest area (which I already knew, having stopped there a few times in the past) and pulled in. Two fast chargers were waiting for me, and no one was charging. I parked in front of one and plugged in my car. After a few seconds, I was charging at 45 kW, and it wasn’t costing me a dime.
I took a walk, stretched a bit, drank some water (stay hydrated, folks!), and started planning the next leg of my drive. I looked for chargers on my nav and saw one in 100 Mile House. I added it to the navigation route and noted the distance to it. Looking at my recharge rate, I only needed to charge for 30 minutes. As I was charging, a couple pulled up in their Hyundai Ioniq for a charge, and we started chatting. He had come from Agassiz and only used 40% of his charge. He mentioned this was his daily car, but he had a diesel truck for towing his 5th wheel. We kept chatting for a bit, and I realized I had charged for an extra 20 minutes. The extra range was nice, but I was also holding up a charge point. Luckily, no one needed it, but I had to remember my etiquette.
I said farewell and took off again. The drive to my next destination went very smoothly, no hiccups or issues. I stopped at 100 Mile House, charged for another half hour, and found a charger in a rest area close to Quesnel. I had more than enough charge to make it to where I was staying, but I wanted to be polite and not use too much of the power from my friend's house (though I doubt he minded me using about $5 worth of electricity). I stopped at Australian Rest stop for another 20 minutes, had another stretch, texted my friend that I’d be there soon, and read a chapter of my book. Once I was done, I hit the road again.
That’s when I noticed something. I had been on the road an hour and a half longer than I was used to, but I felt more awake, alert, and happier. By this time, if I was in the Jeep, I would have some back pain, my legs would hurt, and I would be a bit grumpy. Thinking about it, the lack of using the pedals, the lack of wind noise, and the smooth ride had done wonders. I was in a really good mood.
I admired the scenery as I made my way into Quesnel, shook my head a bit as I passed some gas stations, popped into the local brewery for some “thanks for hosting me” beers, and finally pulled into my friend's driveway. He greeted me with a hug, and after we chatted for a bit, I plugged my car into a 110V outlet in his breezeway for a Level 1 charge. I knew I’d be there for two days, so Level 1 charging was perfect.
I spent the night and the next day there, all while my Mach-E trickle charged. We had plans to head to Vanderhoof on Friday morning, and I needed just over 200 kms of range to make it on a single charge. I easily got that just through the Ford Mobile Power Cord I had brought with me.
Friday morning comes around, and we head out. Once again, the car basically drove itself. My friend was leading, and I just set my cruise for a bit faster than he was going and tagged along. The only thing of note during that drive was an RV. It was, naturally, going less than the speed limit. My friend made to pass it, got in front just as the passing lane ended, and I was stuck behind it. No big deal. I would pass at the next passing lane and catch up.
When that happened, I decided to put my foot into it just to feel the acceleration of the car. I was driving conservatively on the way up, but since I had a 30% buffer of range, I could be a bit more aggressive. The passing lane opened up, and I went to 50% throttle. The next thing I know, I’m well past the RV and doing 150 kph! The vehicle had accelerated so smoothly and quietly, I hadn’t even realized it. I let off the throttle and pulled in behind my friend's truck, slowing to match his speed.
We continued on our way, made a quick stop in Prince George, then took off again to Vanderhoof. I pulled up to my dad's place still with 30% charge in my battery and once again plugged into Level 1 charging. I would be there until Monday, and three days on charge would work.
Saturday comes around, and we’re getting ready for my dad's retirement party. I have a thought and explain that we can chill drinks in the frunk of my car. I place the mead we had gotten for the evening inside, pour ice in, and marvel at its handiness. People loved it! I also rolled down my windows and used my car as a speaker. It was plugged in, so no worries about the battery being drained. All in all, it was a great party piece and really turned heads!
The party goes off well, everyone has a great time, the campfire near my car made it smell great, and I finish my stay recovering and hanging out with my family.
Monday rolls around, and it’s time to head back. I’m at 100%, and I figure I can just reverse my charging stops and make it home. This works out well until I get into the Fraser Canyon again. The lower temps and more uphill driving mean I have to top up near Hope this time. No big deal. I make a detour to the Hope Slide rest area, charge for half an hour, and make it home just after midnight. That journey took me 13 hours, but I still felt more awake and cheerful than 6 hours in my Jeep.
Now, for the fun math part.
That trip in my Jeep usually costs me over $400 in fuel, and I can’t even imagine the amount of emissions I’d make. According to my trip screen, I drove a total of 30 hours and 1,775.1 kms in total with 0 tailpipe emissions...and spent literally ZERO on electricity because of the Ministry of Highway's free fast chargers!
I don't know about you, but I'd rather take my time a bit, enjoy a much more pleasant road trip, and save 90% on my fuel costs...wouldn't you?
