Planning EV Charging Routes for Road Trips

Why Route Planning Matters

Unlike gas vehicles that can refuel almost anywhere, EVs require advance planning for long trips. Proper route planning ensures:

No range anxiety - you know where to charge
Efficient travel - minimize charging time
Backup options - alternatives if stations are full/broken
Cost control - find best pricing along your route

With good planning, EV road trips are just as easy as gas vehicles - and often cheaper!

Quick Start: 5-Step Route Planning

1. Know your EV's real-world range

Not EPA rating - real highway range at 70 MPH
Typically 70-80% of EPA range

2. Find charging stations along route

Use SpotCharge to search your destination
Filter for DC Fast charging
Check connector compatibility

3. Plan stops every 100-150 miles

Charge to 80% (not 100%)
20-30 minute stops

4. Identify backup stations

2nd option near each planned stop
In case primary is full or broken

5. Save your route

Add stations to Favorites
Download offline maps
Share with travel companions

Step 1: Know Your EV's Range

Real-World Range vs. EPA Rating

EPA ratings are optimistic. Real highway range (70-75 MPH) is typically lower.

Example (2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range):

EPA rating: 312 miles
Real highway range: 240-260 miles (77-83% of EPA)
Plan for: 240 miles between charges (conservative)

Factors that reduce range:

Highway speeds (65+ MPH)
Cold weather (10-30% reduction)
Hot weather with AC (5-15% reduction)
Headwinds
Hilly terrain
Roof cargo (bikes, boxes)

Buffer rule: Plan for 70% of EPA range in winter, 80% in summer.

Calculate Your Usable Range

Formula: Usable range = (EPA range × 0.75) × 0.80

Why 0.80? Don't charge to 100% or drive to 0%. Use the 20-80% range for fastest charging.

Example:

EPA range: 300 miles
Highway adjustment: 300 × 0.75 = 225 miles
20-80% buffer: 225 × 0.60 = 135 miles
Plan stops every: 120 miles (with safety margin)

Step 2: Find Charging Stations

Using SpotCharge to Plan

Step-by-step:

1. Search your destination:

Go to /locations
Enter your destination city/area
See all stations along your route

2. Apply filters:

Connector type: Select your EV's DC fast connector (CCS, CHAdeMO, or Tesla)
Charging speed: Select "DC Fast" only
Network: (Optional) Filter by preferred network

3. Identify clusters:

Look for areas with multiple DC fast chargers
These become your charging stops

4. Check station details:

Number of stalls (4+ is ideal)
Power output (100+ kW preferred)
Hours of operation (24/7 best for road trips)
Recent reviews (reliability)

5. Save to Favorites:

Click heart icon on each station
Build your charging route list

Ideal Station Spacing

Every 100-150 miles:

Allows charging from 20-30% to 80%
Keeps you in the "fast charging" range
Provides buffer for detours

Don't space stations more than:

150 miles in summer (good conditions)
120 miles in winter (reduced range)
100 miles in mountains or extreme weather

Step 3: Plan Your Charging Stops

The 80% Rule for Road Trips

Why stop at 80%?

Charging slows dramatically after 80%
80-100% takes as long as 20-80%
You'll spend less total time charging

Example (Electrify America 350 kW charger):

10-80% (70% added): 28 minutes
80-100% (20% added): 25 minutes
Total: 53 minutes to 100%

Better strategy:

Charge to 80% (28 min)
Drive 120 miles
Charge to 80% again (28 min)
Total travel: Faster + more flexible

Optimal Charging Strategy

Arrive at charger: 10-20% battery Charge to: 80% battery Time at charger: 20-35 minutes (depending on charger speed and EV) Distance to next charger: 100-140 miles

This keeps you in the "fast charging sweet spot" where charging is quickest.

Choosing Charging Locations

Best charging stop locations:

✓ Highway rest areas

Convenient restroom access
Food options
Safe, well-lit

✓ Shopping centers

Walk around while charging
Grab snacks or coffee
Restrooms available

✓ Grocery stores

Restock supplies
Quick meal
Productive use of charging time

✓ Hotels/restaurants

Meal stop + charge
Overlap with breaks you'd take anyway

Avoid:

Sketchy areas at night
Isolated locations
Stations with only 1-2 stalls (higher risk of all occupied)

Step 4: Build in Redundancy

Always Have a Backup Plan

For each charging stop, identify:

Primary station: Your planned stop
Backup station: Alternative within 10-20 miles
Emergency option: Any charger within range if both fail

Why you need backups:

Stations may be fully occupied
Equipment can be broken
Unexpected detours
Slower-than-expected charging

Using SpotCharge for Backups

While planning:

Find your primary station
Search nearby area (10-20 mile radius)
Save 2nd and 3rd options to Favorites
Note distance between options

On the road: If primary station is full/broken, you have alternatives already researched and saved.

Step 5: Before You Leave

Pre-Trip Checklist

3-7 Days Before:

[ ] Plan full route with charging stops
[ ] Save all stations (primary + backups) to Favorites
[ ] Download charging network apps you'll need
[ ] Add payment methods to all apps
[ ] Check weather forecast for your route
[ ] Read recent reviews of planned stations

Day Before:

[ ] Charge to 100% at home (for departure only)
[ ] Verify all charging apps work
[ ] Check station status in network apps
[ ] Re-check weather (adjust plans if severe)
[ ] Pack emergency supplies (see below)

Day Of:

[ ] Start with full charge
[ ] Share your route with someone
[ ] Enable location sharing (family/friends)
[ ] Have offline maps downloaded
[ ] Bring charging adapters if needed

Emergency Supplies

What to pack:

Mobile charger (Level 1/2) for emergencies
Extension cord (50 ft)
Charging adapters (if applicable)
External phone battery
Paper copy of charging route
Roadside assistance info

Nice to have:

Cooler with snacks/drinks
Entertainment (books, tablets)
Blanket (if winter)
Camping chair (for waiting)

On the Road: Execution

Arrival at Charging Station

When you arrive:

Open network app and locate charger
Choose a working stall (check screen)
Park and plug in
Start charging session in app
Set alarm for estimated completion
Use the time productively

If station is full:

Check network app for wait times
Go to backup station
Call ahead to restaurants/hotels to ask if they have chargers

While Charging

Productive 20-30 minute activities:

Meal or snack
Restroom break
Walk/stretch (long drives are tiring)
Check upcoming route
Verify next station is operational
Respond to messages
Quick shopping

Set notifications: All charging apps can alert you when:

Charging completes
Battery reaches target %
Idle fees are about to start

Monitoring Your Charge

Track your progress:

How fast is charging? (kW rate)
Estimated time to 80%
Current battery %
Cost so far

If charging is slow:

Check charger screen for power output
Cold battery? (Precondition before arriving)
Charger sharing power? (Some stations split output)
Consider moving to different stall

Departure Checklist

Before unplugging:

[ ] Charging reached target % (80%)
[ ] Unplugged safely (press button, wait for release)
[ ] Cable returned to holster neatly
[ ] Charging session ended in app
[ ] Receipt received (email)
[ ] Nothing left behind

Common Route Planning Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1: Charging to 100% at every stop

Why bad: Wastes time (slow charging 80-100%)
Fix: Charge to 80%, drive, repeat

❌ Mistake 2: Spacing stations based on EPA range

Why bad: Real range is lower, especially highway
Fix: Use 70-80% of EPA range for planning

❌ Mistake 3: No backup plan

Why bad: If station is down, you're stranded
Fix: Always have 2nd option within range

❌ Mistake 4: Ignoring weather

Why bad: Cold reduces range 20-30%
Fix: Plan closer stops in winter

❌ Mistake 5: Arriving with 5% battery

Why bad: No margin for error if station is full/broken
Fix: Arrive with 15-20% minimum

❌ Mistake 6: Relying on Level 2 for road trips

Why bad: Takes 6-10 hours to charge
Fix: Use DC fast charging only

❌ Mistake 7: Not downloading network apps ahead of time

Why bad: Setup takes 10+ minutes, may need WiFi
Fix: Install and configure all apps before trip

Advanced Tips

Preconditioning Your Battery

What it is: Warming your battery before DC fast charging for optimal speed.

How to do it:

Enter destination charger in car's navigation
Car automatically preconditions battery
Arrive with warm battery = faster charging

Benefit: Can reduce charging time by 5-10 minutes.

Time of Day Considerations

Best times to charge:

Mid-morning (9-11 AM) - stations less busy
Mid-afternoon (2-4 PM) - after lunch rush
Late evening (after 9 PM) - very few users

Avoid:

Lunch hour (11 AM-1 PM) - peak usage
Late afternoon commute (4-7 PM) - busiest
Holiday weekends - plan extra time

Seasonal Adjustments

Winter planning:

Add 20-30% more charging stops
Preheat cabin while plugged in
Precondition battery before DC fast charging
Keep battery above 20% (cold reduces power)

Summer planning:

Less range impact (5-15% with AC)
Stay hydrated during charging waits
Park in shade if possible (cabin cooling while parked uses energy)

Route Planning Tools

SpotCharge features:

Search by city/route
Filter by connector type, speed, network
Save favorites
Read reviews for reliability
See photos of station locations

Other helpful tools:

A Better Route Planner (ABRP): EV-specific route planning
PlugShare: Community-sourced charger map
Your EV's navigation: Built-in route planning
Network apps: Electrify America, EVgo, ChargePoint (real-time status)

Example Route Plan

Trip: San Francisco to Los Angeles (383 miles) Vehicle: 2023 Tesla Model 3 Long Range (EPA: 358 miles) Real highway range: 280 miles Strategy: 2 charging stops, 20-80% charging

Route:

Start: San Francisco (100% charge)

Drive 140 miles

Stop 1: Kettleman City Supercharger (arrive ~25%)

Charge to 80% (25 minutes)
Restroom, coffee, walk
Drive 120 miles

Stop 2: Santa Nella Supercharger (arrive ~30%)

Charge to 80% (22 minutes)
Quick snack, stretch
Drive 123 miles

Arrive: Los Angeles (arrive ~30%)

Charge overnight at hotel or destination

Total charging time: 47 minutes Total trip time: ~6.5 hours (including charging)

Backup stations:

Stop 1 backup: Harris Ranch (10 miles north)
Stop 2 backup: Los Banos (15 miles south)

Need Help?

Questions about planning your EV road trip?

Contact Support or check our Help Center