The weather is warming and long summer road trips are on the menu for many of us. With many of these longer trips taking us interstate, over hundreds of kilometres, however, it begs the question - in 2022, is it possible to make these multiple day Aussie summer pilgrimages with an electric car or EV (electric vehicle)?
‘Range anxiety’ refers to a feeling that previously plagued future and current EV owners when they dared to consider driving longer distances, but the good news is that the EV charging network is growing and able to support just about any journey. With plenty of new models on the horizon for 2023, range anxiety is soon to be but a distant memory for EV owners and adopters.
Before setting off on a roadtrip in your EV, however, we have a few handy tips to keep you charged for the journey ahead;
- Always have a plan B in case your plan A charging station isn’t available;
- Try to target EV-friendly accommodation so you can charge overnight;
- Factor your charging time into your journey, allowing extra time;
- Download your charging station operator apps before you set off (the Chargefox, Evie, PlugShare and Tesla apps are a good start); and
- Take your own adapters to avoid any issues on the road.
There are also handy tools that can help with EV trip planning, such as this web app called A Better Route Planner.
If you follow these tips, there’s plenty of reasons to get into an EV this summer and head out on a road trip. To prove it to you, we’ve done a roundup of some journeys in NSW, Victoria and Queensland that can be done on the juice of a lithium ion battery alone.
1. The Great Ocean Road (Victoria)
Not only one of the best road trips in Australia, the Great Ocean Road is one of the most EV-friendly routes around. If you’re coming from Melbourne, the fast charging station at the RACV Torquay resort makes for a great first charging stop. As you head towards Apollo Bay, there’s a few places you’ll want to stop - Erskine Falls near Lorne, Anglesea’s golf course and its golf course, as well as the beautiful redwood forest at Apollo Bay.
Apollo Bay offers a charging stop for Tesla drivers, or BYO lead and use the Type 2 charger at the Lorne Visitor Centre.
2. Brisbane to Cairns (Queensland)
The highway from Brisbane to Cairns has been aptly dubbed the ‘Queensland Electric Highway’, with dozens of fast-chargers along its 1695 kilometres.
Easily one of Australia’s best and easiest EV road trips, its chargers have been installed in spots that make sense for a stop including shops, cafés and accommodation facilities - meaning that rest stop time can double as a refuel while you stretch your legs.
Recommended stops include historic Childers for a lunchtime stroll, Mackay lagoon for a quick swim to cool off, and the Big Mango at Bowen is ideal for a big bowl of mangoes and ice cream as you charge ahead to the tropical paradise of Cairns.
3. Sydney to Jervis Bay (NSW)
There are now dozens of fast chargers along the Hume, Great Western, Mitchell, Newell, Sturt, and Oxley Highways, installed by NRMA and Transport NSW, as well as dozens more through Chargefox.
The possibilities are endless for trips in NSW, but the thing we love about the Sydney to Jervis Bay trip is that a Tesla 3 is likely to go the distance - and complete the trip on a single charge.
There is a high-speed charging station at Shell Cove, however, which is at roughly the halfway point. A five-minute stop will top you up enough to ease any range anxiety you may have, or stop for lunch and continue on full charge - it’s totally up to you.
When you arrive in Jervis Bay, there are plenty of accommodation options that offer EV charging facilities - or you can politely ask to charge from the mains.
Huskisson, in the heart of the bay, is perfect for diving, snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, and fishing - and it’s our top pick.
If you’ve been considering making the switch to an EV and are ready to dip your toes in, we suggest you consider the convenience and flexibility of a carbar EV subscription. The best part is there’s no need to save or commit long-term - you can subscribe now and buy it later.
