Road tripping in NSW in an EV (Now You Can)
Ever thought about road tripping in NSW in an EV? A few years ago, a long-haul road trip in an EV was almost unthinkable. Short battery ranges, limited charging options, and even fewer car models available to keep the family cosy and entertained between stops. Now, the game has changed. There is a flood of EVs available in NSW, more than ever before. Coupled with investment in charging infrastructure and longer battery ranges, road-tripping NSW in an EV is not only viable, but an unbeatable holiday choice. Here’s how to make the most of your NSW road trip in your EV.
Road trip ready EVs
The best EVs for road-tripping need two things at minimum: a long driving range and creature comforts. The BYD Atto 3 is an SUV that boasts all the safety features you would expect in a modern car, priced modestly at $48,011 for the base model. It also has a range of up to 420km in the extended range edition. The MG ZS EV also features slick styling and an extended range of 505km; the popular and luxe Hyundai Ioniq 5 can cruise along for 507km before stopping for juice and has one of the biggest and comfiest interiors in the EV class. If you are looking for extreme long-range power as well as high performance and all the bells and whistles you (and the kids) could desire, the Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric posts a whopper 645km of range, which could last you a couple of day trips around NSW without thinking about stopping at a charging station. Other top picks are the Kia EV9 (512km), MG G4 (530km), and Kia EV6 (528km.)
Looking at NSW – where do you want to go?
All of this depends on what you and your family want. Which would you like to learn more about: Australia’s frontier past or its native culture sites? The coast or the middle of nowhere? You could try all the great food and drink that NSW and the states nearby have to offer. Natural beauty is also everywhere – it just depends how far and how rugged you want to go. Whether you’re interested in nature sights or something else, you can plan road trips that fit your needs. It can also depend on your budget and whether your EV can haul a caravan around; as there’s no shortage of caravan parks around (just make sure they’re powered!)
Planning your destinations and charging stops
Assuming you already own or have access to an EV, you already know what your maximum range is. Allowing for variance (±10%), you need to plan your charging stops around your proposed destinations. Are you fancying a snow trip somewhere up the Snowy Mountains? Maybe a laid-back beach cruise around the Central Coast or Byron Bay? Experiencing the pasture life of New England? Or just seeing the sights and delights of Sydney, Wollongong, and Newcastle?
Urban and suburban areas will have more charging stations, with regional NSW having fewer by comparison. Ideally, you would want to time charging stops between destinations, stopping to see an attraction or overnight to rest so you aren’t just spending time waiting for your car to charge up. You can use the NSW government electric vehicle map to help plan your trip accordingly.
Two words: be prepared
A road trip away from home could mean going it alone if things go wrong. You should prepare your car for the conditions you’re likely to face. That means putting on snow chains or tyres if you’re pumping through Perisher, for example. You should also buy or build a basic first aid kit with gauze, painkillers, antiseptics, and plasters, just in case. Always keep your mobile phone charged up and share the driving and/or make use of rest stops if you’re driving solo. Though it may seem obvious, review your comprehensive car insurance premium to see if you can call upon roadside assistance or emergency accommodation if you can’t make it to the next charging stop. Also, remember to check in with friends and family and provide them with a rough idea of your itinerary.
With all this in mind, you can take a memorable and safe road trip around NSW – perhaps for a fraction of what it would cost with a petrol or diesel car!
Summary
A lot has changed since the introduction of electric vehicles. Back when they first came out to Australia, they were not great with long distances and there were really not many charging stations around. Charging times used to also be a lot longer than they used to be. Sometimes you would drive for four or five hours, only to find that you then need to charge for a few hours before you could continue on your journey. It wasn’t as if there were EV chargers at restaurants and bakeries along the way either. Now there are electric trucks being used for interstate transport and it is becoming quite common that you will see several EV’s in the country on day trips. As technology improves I am sure the trend will continue and more people will take on the cheaper option of using an EV without a fuel bill along the way!
