How To Plan a Tesla Road Trip
The days of range anxiety are a thing of the past as the North America-wide Supercharger network beckons electric car travelers to hit the road.
Tesla
With the combination of electric vehicles with longer driving ranges and an ever-expanding, fast-charging Supercharger network across North America, Tesla owners can increasingly take the kinds of adventurous, spur-of-the-moment road trips more common to gasoline-powered automobiles.
That's a big win for EV owners, but Tesla drivers still must do a bit of planning before hitting the open road for a long distance, especially in areas where a Supercharger isn't available. Here are some tips to make your next Tesla road trip preparations easier.
Plan Your Tesla Road Trip Online Before Departing
Tesla's built-in
You'll even get data on the suggested charge time at each Supercharger stop along the route to plan how much time you'll need to recharge your Tesla. In areas without Superchargers, you'll get details about the 40,000 slower-charging destination chargers you can use to recharge overnight — or during a longer stopover stretch — at hotels, shopping centers, or other businesses.
Tesla drivers can also use third-party apps. Replug, an Apple iPad-oriented Tesla route planner, indicates a Supercharger's status.
Where Can I Travel Long Distances in My Tesla?
Tesla owners can find the biggest concentration of Supercharger stations along interstate highways and in major metropolitan areas in California and along the U.S. East Coast — especially in the corridor between Washington, D.C. and Boston.
Additionally, Tesla's North American Supercharger Network now stretches north as far as Prince George, B.C., Canada — about 10 hours north of Vancouver — and as far south as Acapulco, Mexico. There are fewer Superchargers in some central and western U.S. regions such as rural Kansas, the Dakotas, northern Nevada, and much of Montana and Idaho, so you may need to factor in longer stops for full charges at slower-charging, third-party outlets.
Other Considerations When Planning a Tesla Road Trip
Weather can significantly impact range, especially freezing temperatures, which can knock down the total range of any EV by as much as 20% to 30% or more. In
In the summer, parking the car in a shaded area and turning on the air conditioning to keep the car cool during a charging session can help maximize your comfort. You can also adjust a Tesla's regenerative braking system to help create more on-the-go energy when you take your foot off the accelerator. And whether it's an EV or a gas-powered vehicle, it's always a good idea to ensure the tires are correctly inflated before a long road trip, as low tire pressures can reduce overall driving range.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Andy Stonehouse literally fell into the world of auto writing while working as a ski-town journalist, and has not looked back since. A childhood spent dealing with the eccentricities of a 1976 MG Midget has made any subsequent auto experience a more safe and reliable drive. He has been blessed with nearby mountain trails and snowy roads in Colorado to do TV-adventure-styled test drives on a weekly basis.
Related articles
View more related articles