- Kathleen Goforth made a 9-day trip to California’s Carrizo Plain National Monument.
- It was more than 50 miles before the Monument had an EV charging station for her Tesla model Y.
- Goforth says she trickle-charged a gas station outlet that was abandoned.
Kathleen Goforth told her she had taken her. Tesla Model YOn a nine-day road trip in a rural region, I had to be creative when it came time to charge my phone.
Goforth, an advocate for climate action, described her experience visiting the Carrizo Plain National Monument, with her husband, in A Acterra blog post, an environmental-education nonprofit.
“It is remote and almost entirely undeveloped – the perfect challenge for planning our first road trip in our new, all-electric Tesla Model Y,” Goforth wrote of the Carrizo Plain, a grassland in San Luis Obispo County, California, that is about 50 miles long and 15 miles wide. “There are no services within or anywhere near the Monument – no food, water, gas stations, and, certainly, no EV charging stations. Could we do this?”
The Tesla owner explained that she had planned her route using the Plugshare Trip Planner and a Travelocity Filter, which allowed her to locate hotels with EV charging stations.
Goforth explained that the biggest obstacle they encountered was when they reached the Carrizo Plain. There were no chargers in a radius of at least 50 miles. The couple were able to use a Level 2 charger at their first stop. However, they needed to find alternative methods of charging when they arrived at the California Valley Lodge. This motel is located just 20 miles from the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Goforth explained that the couple initially intended to charge their vehicles using an RV hookup site nearby the lodge, but were “a little nervous” as to how it would go. They were informed that the RV site was not available upon their arrival.
The owner of the lodge, however, told the couple that they could use a nearby unused gas station owned by him.
Kathleen Goforth
Goforth described the gas station as having electricity that worked, and an outlet outside. It was a 120V outlet so it was a trickle charger, not a supercharger, but was enough to replace the energy we used in our daily trips around the Monument. “I loved the poetic justice in charging our EV from a defunct gasoline station!”
According to the EV Association, a trickle charger adds just a few miles per hour to the battery’s life. A Level 2 charger, however, can charge an electric vehicle to 80% in four to ten hours. Department of TransportationGoforth explained that the couple used the old gas station for two days to fuel their car while exploring the area. They then switched to a Tesla Supercharger and a Level 2 Charger to complete their trip.
Goforth wrote in her blog that she saved $300 by traveling nearly 1,000 miles.
She wrote, “Now that our EV road trip has been a success, we look forward to more electric adventures.”
Not all EV drivers share Goforth’s optimism regarding charging their vehicles during long road trips. Many EV owners have told horror stories of trying to charge their vehicles on long road trips. Find chargers for long road trips, such as a road trip in which a Kia EV-owner had to stop and charge his vehicle. Stop 12 times to ChargeYou can also check out our other articles. Slow public chargersA Mustang Mach-E Driver who was forced to Four charging stations in one stopThe search for a working battery is frantic. Another Tesla owner reported that he had some “hiccups,” on a 6,392-mile trip, but that the company’s Autopilot driver assistance featureIt was “a lifesaver.” Insider previously reported that a Hyundai owner of the Ioniq 5-EV said Enjoyable EV road tripsIt is important to plan out your plot.
The following are some of the most effective ways to improve your own effectiveness. Tesla owners claim to have an advantageTesla’s internal system of navigation and the ultrafast superchargers help owners plan routes with multiple charging stations.
Acterra’s spokesperson stated that the organization is working to “dispel the idea that EVs may be out of reach due to cost for some, believing that EVs truly are for everyone.”
Updated August 1, 2023 This story was updated to clarify that the California Valley Lodge owned and operated the gas station at which the couple charged their Tesla. They also recommended this as a charging solution.
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