Modern, high-capacity EVs like Polestar are perfectly suitable for road trips. A stop or two along the way is all that’s required.
Modern, high-capacity EVs like Polestar are perfectly suitable for road trips. A stop or two along the way is all that’s required.
Being new to electric driving can mean being unfamiliar with the surrounding charging infrastructure. But even seasoned EV drivers make a habit of planning ahead and checking the charging options en route. An excellent tool to do so is A Better Route Planner (ABRP), available online, as a mobile app and even as an in-car app for your Polestar. It shows suitable public chargers based on make and model, includes stopovers if required and allows you to check for restaurants, restrooms and other facilities.
Once the trip is underway, Google Maps is the route planner of choice. Just enter a destination, and it will display charging points along the way, optimised for getting to your destination as fast as possible. The integrated version that comes standard with your Polestar checks the battery level and plans the route and charging stops accordingly.
Chargers on the road differ from those at the destination. En route, most charging stations offer fast DC chargers capable of charging a battery up to 80% in around half an hour. Hotels, vacation resorts, conference centers and municipalities tend to provide slower AC chargers, more suitable for a longer parking period.
Chargers on the road differ from those at the destination. En route, most charging stations offer fast DC chargers capable of charging a battery up to 80% in around half an hour. Hotels, vacation resorts, conference centers and municipalities tend to provide slower AC chargers, more suitable for a longer parking period.
As more and more people are switching to EVs, the number of charging points is growing rapidly. At present, there are over 130,000 public charging locations in North America, ranging from highway rest stops to city-owned parking spaces.
As more and more people are switching to EVs, the number of charging points is growing rapidly. At present, there are over 130,000 public charging locations in North America, ranging from highway rest stops to city-owned parking spaces.
On long trips, save time by stopping twice and charging to 80% each time, rather than stopping once and charging to full. This is because the final 20% capacity of a lithium-ion battery charges at a much slower rate.
On long trips, save time by stopping twice and charging to 80% each time, rather than stopping once and charging to full. This is because the final 20% capacity of a lithium-ion battery charges at a much slower rate.