Sales of electric vehicles reached an all-time high earlier this year. But while EVs are great for reducing your carbon footprint, they can be tricky when it comes to road trips.
Having gas stations on every corner makes road trips in regular vehicles pretty simple to plan. In fact, nowadays, most of us don’t even think about mapping out gas stops during a road trip, something that was necessary a few decades ago. But planning a road trip with an electric vehicle takes a bit more work. However, with some smart planning, your EV can be the perfect road trip vehicle.
What better place to take your eco-friendly vehicle than to an outdoor lover’s paradise? Keep reading to learn a few tips for taking your electric vehicle on a Southern Utah adventure.
Know Your Vehicle
If you’ve owned your electric car for a while, you know that while the battery might be advertised as allowing you to drive a certain number of miles on a full charge, this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Instead, a variety of factors will affect your mileage, including environmental factors like heat and elevation climbed.
Charging your vehicle in cold weather, such as overnight in the fall or winter in Southern Utah, can also affect your charging capability. While you might charge your EV for the same amount of time that you usually do, in colder temperatures, it may not be enough to get a full charge.
Knowing your vehicle will help you get to your destination during a road trip. If the forecast calls for colder temperatures, plan extra time for your vehicle to charge each time. And don’t trust the manufacturer’s predictions for how far you can get on a charge; test your vehicle ahead of your trip so that you can plan your travel legs and charge stops accordingly.
Make Sure You Have Access to Chargers at Your Hotel or Vacation Rental
When you’re planning to do some road tripping to different destinations in a single day, you’ll likely need to plan stops to charge while you eat or do some hiking. However, the best time to charge is when you and your family are “charging” your own batteries — i.e. when you’re sleeping.
Rather than spending more of your valuable vacation time waiting for your batteries to fill, do your research ahead of your trip, and choose a hotel or vacation rental with electric vehicle chargers.
The Dwellings features both EV and Tesla chargers on-site. While your family sleeps or even just takes an afternoon break in your tiny home vacation rental, you can recharge your vehicle so that you’re ready for more exploring!
Don’t Forget to Ask About the Type of Chargers Available
When you’re mapping out charging stations to stop at during your Southern Utah adventure, don’t forget to double-check what type of chargers they are.
Those new to driving electric vehicles or who rent EVs for a vacation often don’t realize that not all charging stations are created equal. For instance, other brands of electric vehicles cannot charge on Tesla chargers, unless you have an adapter. Many Tesla chargers do have these adapters available on-site, but you’ll still want to check ahead to ensure you don’t arrive at a charging station with a low battery and find that you can’t charge there.
Plan Your Meals Accordingly
Charging your EV overnight at your tiny home vacation rental will likely give you enough charge to explore many of the national and state parks in Southern Utah. But if you’re planning to do a lot of driving, you might find that you need to recharge.
Rather than sitting around waiting for your car to charge, plan these recharge sessions around meals. Stopping for lunch or dinner at a restaurant that has a charging station available is a great way to cross two things off your to-do list at once, and maximize your time for exploring.
Explore Locally
Staying in the middle of the action is a great way to cut down on the number of charges you need to worry about during your trip. Staying in La Verkin will not only put you close to Zion National Park but several state parks as well. You can easily fill a week’s vacation with hiking, off-roading, and more, all within a single charge of The Dwellings.
Don’t Push Your Charge
Sticking around the La Verkin, St. George, and Springdale area will ensure that you’re close to a charging station when your batteries run low. But if you’re planning to road trip somewhere further away, be careful not to push your charge.
Nothing ruins a day of fun faster than finding yourself stranded in the desert with a dead battery. Always check your distances before heading out on a road trip, and make sure to give yourself plenty of time to arrive at each charger you’ve planned along your route.
Planning a Southern Utah Adventure with Your Electric Vehicle
With a little planning, it’s easy to take your own EV or a rental on a Southern Utah adventure. Ready to embark on your own eco-friendly road trip? Book your stay at The Dwellings today to guarantee you have the perfect spot to charge your vehicle each night of your trip!