RivianTrackr: "Stop Buying EVs for the Trip You Take Twice a Year"

[Dennisis]

If you want to make a roadtrip work with an EV you can, barring edge cases. I’ve made many. If you feel you need an ICE too, thats you for whatever reason. No one is forcing you to make your choices, nor are they forcing EVs on you. Until the technology moves the needle this is where we are and that’s OK. It’s a process and some prefer to make the move earlier, others wait. It’s nothing personal, just people offering advice and thoughts to consider.

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[RoadtripEV]

It's crazy to me how traveling in EV's on a roadtrip is still something to argue about.

I've done about 250k miles in EV's since 2018 and most of it was on roadtrips to every state in the lower 48 (I did 20k miles in 3 months back in 2021). Back in the early days when superchargers were few and far between and still had absolutely no issues. Remote areas of Montana, Texas, etc in a early Model 3 (Performance!) that struggled to meet its stated range. Sure, back then there were some close calls, but not as many as you would think. And a quick pit stop at a KOA or other campground filled the gap.

I used to be someone that would stop at a gas station for 5 minutes or less and be on my way. I could drive for 3+ hours straight with no issue. Never had to use a restroom. Traveling in EVs changed how I approached travel. I don't need to rush. Often the car is done charging before I'm done relaxing, buying snacks, using the restroom or walking my dog.

There are still the occasional edge cases (cold and really remote areas) that you should plan for, beyond that, there is no anxiety. It just works. I can pull over and use camp mode to take a nap. I can have it take the reigns for light auto steer on long highway stretches. It all just works.

I'm going on another 3-4k mile roadtrip next month. With all the new charging infrastructure, its going to be simple. I might actually miss the days of occasionally breaking a sweat.

If you have the mentality of not wanting to ever stop and saving every second of time to get to your destination, then sure there may be some drawbacks but most of the complaints are overblown.

Would I still like larger batteries and more range? Absolutely. But it is not a necessity. If you want to find excuses, you can always find them, I'll be out there driving in the mean time.

 

[graytag]

Wow. My wife rolls her eyes when I discuss talk on "the forums." These things get emotional. The BMW X5 forum is.....entertaining- my engine is superior... There is a lot of really strong opinion on here and, because they're opinions, they're all correct for the individual. So, I'll throw mine in- I have an EV and an ICE. I take the ICE on roadtrips because I am "That Guy." I hate working my way through a logjam of 18 wheelers and left lane turtles only to hear "I have to go to the bathroom" from the backseat. I'm a "you have until I fill this tank to pee, get food, drinks, whatever" guy. All to say, be honest with yourself as to whether the roadtrip juice will be worth the squeeze.

 

[rvnxyz001]

Wow. My wife rolls her eyes when I discuss talk on "the forums." These things get emotional. The BMW X5 forum is.....entertaining- my engine is superior... There is a lot of really strong opinion on here and, because they're opinions, they're all correct for the individual. So, I'll throw mine in- I have an EV and an ICE. I take the ICE on roadtrips because I am "That Guy." I hate working my way through a logjam of 18 wheelers and left lane turtles only to hear "I have to go to the bathroom" from the backseat. I'm a "you have until I fill this tank to pee, get food, drinks, whatever" guy. All to say, be honest with yourself as to whether the roadtrip juice will be worth the squeeze.

Charging is part of the EV road trip experience. The trip planner proudly tells you where to stop, and most importantly, you get to GRAB A SNACK, because apparently no EV charging stop is complete without mentioning the snack. Then you stare at the charging curve like it's live sports, celebrate every extra kilowatt, calculate how much you "saved" on gas, and get back on the road already excited for the next snack... I mean, charging stop

 

[windshieldfarmer]

It's crazy to me how traveling in EV's on a roadtrip is still something to argue about.

I've done about 250k miles in EV's since 2018 and most of it was on roadtrips to every state in the lower 48 (I did 20k miles in 3 months back in 2021). Back in the early days when superchargers were few and far between and still had absolutely no issues. Remote areas of Montana, Texas, etc in a early Model 3 (Performance!) that struggled to meet its stated range. Sure, back then there were some close calls, but not as many as you would think. And a quick pit stop at a KOA or other campground filled the gap.

I used to be someone that would stop at a gas station for 5 minutes or less and be on my way. I could drive for 3+ hours straight with no issue. Never had to use a restroom. Traveling in EVs changed how I approached travel. I don't need to rush. Often the car is done charging before I'm done relaxing, buying snacks, using the restroom or walking my dog.

There are still the occasional edge cases (cold and really remote areas) that you should plan for, beyond that, there is no anxiety. It just works. I can pull over and use camp mode to take a nap. I can have it take the reigns for light auto steer on long highway stretches. It all just works.

I'm going on another 3-4k mile roadtrip next month. With all the new charging infrastructure, its going to be simple. I might actually miss the days of occasionally breaking a sweat.

If you have the mentality of not wanting to ever stop and saving every second of time to get to your destination, then sure there may be some drawbacks but most of the complaints are overblown.

Would I still like larger batteries and more range? Absolutely. But it is not a necessity. If you want to find excuses, you can always find them, I'll be out there driving in the mean time.

I’ll be a contrarian. For people like me who are retired and have a fairly open schedule, a relaxing drive with added charging stops can work…though I consider it an inconvenience. For those with kids and busy schedules, adding a few hours to an already long drive is often a deal breaker. Many don’t have the luxury of traveling by interstate to their destinations and often charger stops are out of the way….adding even more inconvenience. I had this exact experience in Sioux Falls, SD last month when my planned destination charger would not work and I had to drive 25 minutes (round trip) out of my way to find a DC charger…and then wait in a Ford dealer parking lot for my charge to complete. I’m all for EVs….and enjoy the way they drive, but distance travel is way less convenient and flexible compared to an ICE vehicle….based on my experience having driven EVs for six years. Sometimes I think we kid ourselves into believing the inconvenience is somehow better….

 

[rvnxyz001]

I’ll be a contrarian. For people like me who are retired and have a fairly open schedule, a relaxing drive with added charging stops can work…though I consider it an inconvenience. For those with kids and busy schedules, adding a few hours to an already long drive is often a deal breaker. Many don’t have the luxury of traveling by interstate to their destinations and often charger stops are out of the way….adding even more inconvenience. I had this exact experience in Sioux Falls, SD last month when my planned destination charger would not work and I had to drive 25 minutes (round trip) out of my way to find a DC charger…and then wait in a Ford dealer parking lot for my charge to complete. I’m all for EVs….and enjoy the way they drive, but distance travel is way less convenient and flexible compared to an ICE vehicle….based on my experience having driven EVs for six years. Sometimes I think we kid ourselves into believing the inconvenience is somehow better….

EVs can be inconvenient for very long trips, but ICE cars are inconvenient if you mostly drive locally, simply because you have to make a special trip to a gas station, even if it’s a short one. Super annoying, and they’re all disgusting in my area. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen a clean gas station anywhere in the U.S. so far.

 

[RoadtripEV]

I’ll be a contrarian. For people like me who are retired and have a fairly open schedule, a relaxing drive with added charging stops can work…though I consider it an inconvenience. For those with kids and busy schedules, adding a few hours to an already long drive is often a deal breaker. Many don’t have the luxury of traveling by interstate to their destinations and often charger stops are out of the way….adding even more inconvenience. I had this exact experience in Sioux Falls, SD last month when my planned destination charger would not work and I had to drive 25 minutes (round trip) out of my way to find a DC charger…and then wait in a Ford dealer parking lot for my charge to complete. I’m all for EVs….and enjoy the way they drive, but distance travel is way less convenient and flexible compared to an ICE vehicle….based on my experience having driven EVs for six years. Sometimes I think we kid ourselves into believing the inconvenience is somehow better….

As with anything, there will alway circumstances and situations which make it less than ideal.

I don't have children so that doesn't factor into my decisions on the road. I travel either solo or with my wife and dog so those are my considerations. I am not retired, but have the flexibility to travel on roadtrips often.

Are there situations where having more range or faster charging would be helpful? Absolutely. Example, when arriving at a destination that doesn't have charging and my charge is low, it will sometimes be annoying to have to stop to charge first before arriving at the destination (especially if I'm tired). With gas vehicles, I would just wait until the morning and fill up. With EV's, it is better to charge when the battery is at an optimal temperature. Plus, the EV likely has features that my gas vehicle did not (Gear Guard) so I want to ensure there is enough power for it to function overnight.

If I'm traveling to a really remote area and want enough power to use camp mode at a destination that has limited to no charging that can be frustrating.

But those things are the exceptions. The vast majority of my time is pleasant and low stress. Everything just works. Do I sometimes have to spend an extra 30 minutes charging even on shorter trips? Yes. That is where my reframing of how I travel helps the situations. I use the time to do things to ensure I don't waste time. Maybe walk or play with my dog. Maybe read a book or read up and respond to forum posts.

At the end of the day, I love driving though so that paints my perspective a bit differently. Being out on the road is freedom for me and brings me joy so I don't find it an inconvenience and with the prevalence of charging infrastructure now compared to 6-8 years ago, I don't think it is in most situations.

 

[rvnxyz001]

But those things are the exceptions.

People may have a threshold for those exceptions. If you have one or two trips per year, it could be acceptable. But at the same time, if you have only a few opportunities to travel far, you want to squeeze every minute out of them, and charging or taking a detour to recharge is such a pain. And you may ask, what is this all for? You are most likely not saving any money on EV ownership anyway. It will all change once the range can comfortably cover most road trips in the U.S. and the infrastructure improves. Right now, it is a compromise the majority of people simply do not want to make.

 

[Dennisis]

Right now, it is a compromise the majority of people simply do not want to make

I understand what you’re saying but I don’t know that it’s true. IME most people just go by what they’ve heard and don’t have any first hand experience, just write EVs off as some”woke” BS. I’ve helped several that have made the switch and couldn’t believe how easy it was with a little experience. Most use cases are easily accommodated.

 

[Thedude]

EVs can be inconvenient for very long trips, but ICE cars are inconvenient if you mostly drive locally, simply because you have to make a special trip to a gas station, even if it’s a short one. Super annoying, and they’re all disgusting in my area. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen a clean gas station anywhere in the U.S. so far.

It’s a parking lot with pumps, no different than a parking lot with chargers. I’m not sure on the special trip concept either, gas stations are everywhere and convenient stops on nearly every drive to work, grocery store, etc.

 

[rvnxyz001]

I understand what you’re saying but I don’t know that it’s true. IME most people just go by what they’ve heard and don’t have any first hand experience, just write EVs off as some”woke” BS. I’ve helped several that have made the switch and couldn’t believe how easy it was with a little experience. Most use cases are easily accommodated.

Yeah, but a lot of people still just don’t see a reason to switch to an EV. EVs are expensive, getting cheaper but still expensive, the choices are limited, charging is kind of slow, and you need to plan around it. There has to be a strong reason to switch, not just the fun factor.

 

[Dennisis]

Yeah, but a lot of people still just don’t see a reason to switch to an EV. EVs are expensive, getting cheaper but still expensive, the choices are limited, charging is kind of slow, and you need to plan around it. There has to be a strong reason to switch, not just the fun factor.

Most find charging at home and not giving gas stations business is a big plus, cheaper or not.

 

[SuperFeisty]

It’s a parking lot with pumps, no different than a parking lot with chargers. I’m not sure on the special trip concept either, gas stations are everywhere and convenient stops on nearly every drive to work, grocery store, etc.

Have you ever sat waiting on a Saturday afternoon at Costco pumps? Watching people pull up and sit in their cars for a few minutes, then come out and realize they left their wallet in the car and then pull the pump to the wrong side. It’s at least a 15 minute delay every weekend. I’ve never experienced road trip charging but surely it can’t be worse than that.

 

[Proxy]

As usual, the very wise words of the subject line will fall on deaf ears. I know I am wasting my time posting, but I am choosing the unwise path. Windmill tilting comment:

Someone mentioned 200 mile range and 100 kW charging as being sufficient. That almost describes our longest range vehicle that we owned in 2017. We had a 76 mile range Focus EV and a 200 mile range Model X. The Focus couldn’t DCFC but the Model X would DCFC in about 30 minutes thanks to its software locked battery. We took road trips and towed my race car in the model X. In 2017 the charging network was a small fraction of what it is now. We only rented a gas car once for a long road trip.

 

[rvnxyz001]

Most find charging at home and not giving gas stations business is a big plus, cheaper or not.

All those range, efficiency, and charging speed discussions here are about long trips. Commuting and short trips are not part of the controversy or compromise and are irrelevant. If you never drive far, mostly drive locally or commute, and have a home charger, an EV is perfectly fine with the current state of the technology and infrastructure

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