Our tips on planning a long journey with an EV

With public charging points now more common than petrol pumps in the UK, road trips in your EV are becoming easier than ever. Now that most EVs have an average range of an EV is 237 miles, and you’ll often be stopping along the way anyway (whether that be for a quick toilet break or a snack and a coffee), charging just becomes a part of the journey. If you’re looking for some top tips on planning a road trip in your EV, we’ve got you covered.

If you have a home charger, charge at home overnight before your trip - you’ll maximise your savings and minimise the need for stopping on your way. 

Plugging in at home, overnight, is the cheapest and most convenient way to charge your EV – especially if you use a specialist tariff with deals on off-peak energy, like Intelligent Octopus Go or EV Saver (exclusive to Octopus EV drivers).

Make sure your EV is road-trip ready by checking the condition of your tyres, your tyre pressure, and your screen wash levels. Maintaining the right tyre pressure can help your EV be more efficient, and help you get the most out of your range.

And checking the condition of them can ensure you’re less likely to come across any tyre-related surprises. If you’re driving abroad, check your tyre tread is right for the country you’re driving in.

Though there are plenty of charging stations at Motorway service stations, if you plan beforehand, you can often find some hidden gems when charging. Whether that be a nice restaurant, a coffee roasting factory in an industrial park (yes, this is real, we’ve been there), or a really nice lakeside park.

You can use apps like Electroverse to plan your route around your charging needs, get live pricing, and availability too. All you do is pop your starting charge, your preferred end charge, and your destination - it’ll map out where you’re going, and some recommended charging points. 

Bonus: you can also use Electroverse for one-tap public charging either with the card or App, to make your charging experience even smoother. 

When planning your charging, look for those hidden gems. Sometimes, you can find places you’d never usually explore. There might be somewhere you want to stop on the way to visit that could have a charger. Charging can open you up to a whole new world. Don’t feel like you have to plug in at a motorway services, grab a coffee and sit in your car. A lot of chargers will have supermarkets, shopping centres, parks, and restaurants all around. Time your lunch break with your charging stop, and you could have your lunch, let the kids run around, or go for a much needed walk, all whilst your car is charging. 

Travelling with kids? If so, you’ll know that long distance driving can sometimes be a little trickier, but can be made a lot easier with entertainment, snacks (though, we’d definitely recommend investing in a car bin for the snacks on longer journeys), and some fun EV facts. Kids love to learn - giving them information on things like wind turbines (you’re sure to spot a few on your drives), EVs, renewable energy, and more can keep them occupied for longer than you realise. Though, be sure to do your homework, we’ve all been stuck there when they’ve asked a question you’d never have thought of - cue “why is the sky blue?”.

Hopefully, this can give you a few extra minutes of distraction from the inevitable question "Are we there yet?". 

Long trips in an EV can be smooth, fun, and ultimately a lovely drive - especially with all the new tech (thank you, cruise control). They’re cheaper to run, greener, and a comfortable way to reach your destination. And ultimately, planning an EV road trip isn’t much different from any petrol or diesel trip - just with the added bonus of maybe finding somewhere new to explore along the way.