Plenty of posts on that topic already but I'll bite. . .

I first plan the trip so I know where the possible charging locations are. Plugshare or A Better Route Planner are the tools I use.

For overall travel time in an EV it is usually better to ride the low end of the battery. That is because can be faster to charge from 10% to 80% than from 80% to 100%. Seasoned EV road travelers seem to be comfortable running down to almost 0%. I am not that comfortable so I aim for 20% which gives me reserve to either drive faster or, more likely, be able to come up with a "plan B" if something goes wrong.

On the road, even if ABRP or other tools say I only need, say 60%, to get to my next charging stop I will charge to 80%. The reason is that I am already at a charger and the extra amount doesn't take but a few minutes in an Ioniq 5 and that gives me reserve and maybe allows me to skip a planned charging stop.

While actually on the road the biggest thing is that speed kills range. You don't notice it as much in a gas or diesel car because they are so inefficient around town in stop and go traffic that they will almost certainly get better mileage on the highway regardless of speed. But physics is physics and the amount of power needed to overcome wind resistance goes up as the cube of the speed. Driving 80 MPH will need 86% more power than driving 65 MPH. That will kill your range and may well require you to stop to charge more often which could negate any time savings you might have thought you got by driving fast.

And a 10 MPH headwind affects you the same as driving 10 MPH faster. Not much you can do about that other than have some reserve battery (one reason why I aim for arriving at a charging stop with 15% to 20% instead of 5% or lower).

I don't like going under the speed limit, so I just know that in the California desert at 70 MPH I will be using more power than on the urban/suburban 65 MPH freeways. And when I get into Arizona with 75 MPG limits or Utah with 80 MPH limits I know I will need more frequent charging stops. If things look tight then slow down. You will go a lot, lot further at 50 MPH than at 80 MPH. If you slow down too much with respect to other traffic consider using your hazard lights. It has never come to that for me, even in the desert southwest chargers have been close enough together that I could maintain the speed limit even with head winds.

Climbing mountains also eats up power. Fortunately in an EV with regeneration you get a lot of that back on the downhill. Overall, I get about the same mi/kWh when going over a mountain as if it were flat or rolling terrain. But you should have enough charge to get over the high point so a leg with elevation gain might require a bit more in your battery when you start.

It is advantageous to plan your charging stops to coincide with when you need a rest break or meal. That makes the charging time basically free with respect to overall trip time. And if you can arrange your overnight stops to be at locations you can Level 2 charge to 100% while you sleep your first leg in the morning can be quite a bit longer.

 

Just wanted to share a quick story of Speed vs. Range. On my last trip to the airport (200 m. RT) in a i6 SE AWD (ECO mode - no I-Pedal) I was having electrical problems at home so couldn't use my home charger to top off (and was too lazy to go back to an EA DCFC to top off to 90% - big mistake). Drove 80 mph to the airport and didn't notice that (probably a headwind) that car had used 42% to the airport (it was usually around 35% previously). When I got back from the trip I finally noticed that I only had 38% remaining and wasn't going to make it back without getting closer to 0% than I was comfortable with and no fast chargers showing up (airport is on South end of airport so went through the middle of Las Vegas on I-15 to get to home) near an off ramp. So, decided to reduce my speed rather than getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere (after the north end of Vegas to my home there is nothing but interstate and dust (except for a few Diesel Truck stops (none with a DCFC - of course). As it turns out I got halfway home going 60 mph before the predicted destination charge moved about 0% and eventually made it home with 10%. So, I only used 28% getting home at 60 mph and used 42% getting there at 80 mph. So, there's your somewhat (extreme) example of the differences speed makes on EVs.

 

Good info, Fan of EV...I think you covered it pretty well...the aero effects cannot be overstated, and 6's look like that for a reason.
A couple effective things worth adding to the list:
1) You can extend your range by minimizing your use of climate controls, and you can even get an idea of how much (remember, it's called the guess-o-meter) without even driving. Just observe the displayed range estimate changing as you turn climate on and off.
2) Always make sure your tires are properly inflated at max pressure, as described in your door jamb sticker, but especially for long, high-speed trips, to improve both energy economy and safety.

 

Thanks

 

I know it is not relevant to your question, but you did not mention it.

So, my suggestion to a smooth trip experience is do the scary thing now: go to the nearest DC fast charge station and go through the steps of plugin, charging and disconnecting. Play around, get comfortable with the steps and most importantly make sure that payments and/or charge cards are all working. It is something that you don't want to find out while on a long trip.

PS: don't worry about your range. It is not important, if your charging goes as planned.

 

Welcome Gordon. Re: the road trip ... GO GET 'EM! 😁 Range anxiety is pretty irrational these days given the great range our EVs have and the abundance of charging stations in most of the country. (There are still some charging deserts but they are improving, too.)

Our 1st road trip was in our Bolt EUV from Florida to Michigan and back. 2,900 miles back in late 2022. We made five road trips in the Bolt including a triangular one from FL to Arizona to Ohio and back. They add up to about 15,000 miles and we never had a problem after our first stop. On that one, Plugshare lied and both chargers were down. But we simply went on to the next one (remember Fan of EV's advice about how much to charge?) and that was the end of any anxiety.

Then we got our Ioniq 5 just over a year ago. Right away, we drove it up to OH and then over to Iowa before retuning to FL. That was about 3,400 miles. In October, we went back to Ohio. That was about 2,700 miles including quite a bit of local driving to see the leaves. Then a 4,300 mile trip to AZ this past December, some of it in sub freezing weather.

No problems.

While range anxiety is old fashioned, charger reliability anxiety is a thing. So, @Fan of EV gives great advice when suggesting the use of plugshare. Check out the user reviews for the charging station you're aiming for.

He also mention that there are lots of discussions on this topic. Check out https://www.ioniqforum.com/forums/road-trip-report-and-long-trip-discussions.566/. You'll find great advice as well as bad examples to learn from where people complain how bad EVs are simply because they didn't use a little bit of forethought in traveling with a technology they knew nothing about.

In fact, I noticed that there's a trip report over there that I haven't read yet. I'd better get to it.

PS. I just moved this to that thread since that's really where it should be.

 

Thanks to all ... quick question I understand ECO Tire pressure and speed, what about Cruise Control and iPedal?
again thanks

 

• ECO mode
• use fresh air rather than AC if it's not too hot (maybe a small gain)
• tire inflation to 38-39 psi (when cold) instead of 36
• max 5mph over the posted speed limit
• don't use headlights during the day
• some of these have greater impacts than others, but everything counts if you're trying to hypermile
• some people even turn their side mirrors in...I dunno how much that plays into it but sounds interesting
• try charging when you're in the 20% or below for quicker charging
• beyond that, just cruise and enjoy the ride

 

• some people even turn their side mirrors in...I dunno how much that plays into it but sounds interesting

That's interesting idea. Doesn't it break the law, though? I'm sure in the UK that will be a warning from the police if spotted.

 

For maximizing highway driving distance some forum members have suggested Auto 1 regen setting. For avoiding charging hassles I can suggest weekday travel; charging stations adjacent to interstates and major highways can be extremely busy on weekends.

 

There are a variety of range extending techniques but most are rarely ever need if you do the pretrip planning properly. Reducing speed has the biggest impact. I've never come close to needing to turn off heating or AC in order to make it to a charger. Still it is good to be aware of all the little things in the unlikely event they're needed.
Understanding what charging networks are available on your route, which will work with your EV and what is needed to activate them is important. You can use a credit card at some but many require the network's app.

 

Tailgate a tractor trailer. I was on a long trip I. Cool weather, heavily loaded and bike rack getting a stunning 2.5 mi/kwh doing just over 70. Right after a charge pulled in behind a semi HDA set higher than his speed and minimum distance. Folles him for 70 mi and go 3mi/kWh. Followed another doing 79 and still got 3 mi/kWh. Even if not a truck stay in behind other large vehicles and not out in the open

 

Yep. It's controversial and this is very much unofficial advice... but if you're game, coasting and sipping power at 0 regen behind a semi-trailer gives you bonkers range. You don't even need to be that close, as established years ago by Mythbusters.

We have the AWD i6 with 21" wheels and can get 335+ miles range (540km) partly by doing this, and otherwise by abiding by the pretty slow and brutally enforced Australian freeway speed limits.

 

Also, use 350kW chargers. Wheeeeee!

 

Speed kills range!
I get almost get 300 miles in the city. (2023 Ioniq 5 AWD). Usually by adjusting the regen to match driving circumstances.
On the freeway at 80-95 mph, I get around 200. That's a big drop in mileage.

Heat also kills. If you must, the seat warmer uses less energy than the fan.

For long trips, stop more often and charge up. It's ok to charge to 100% if you plan on immediate
driving. Know that at least one of the EV chargers on your trip will be unavailable or broken. For long trips, I error on the side of keeping the 'tank' filled. Dealerships may have a charger available during off-hours but don't count on it (my dealership offers a free charger but requires an employee to scan the machine).

Keep in mind the Ioniq may absorb a little less than 250 kw. So anything higher is ideal. 100kw is acceptable but takes longer to charge. I've noticed both Ultra and Hyper chargers that looked identical. The hyper (Electrify America) offers the higher voltage.

There are a million phone EV apps that can be confusing to figure out on the road. Apps may miss important details. Figure it out at home on the PC and print out the list of possible charging stations. During the trip, make corrections to your charging station list to match reality.

Consider the government Alternative Energy website: Alternative Fuels Data Center: Alternative Fueling Station Locator. Review it at home before your trip.

ABRP also worked well for us. Make a note of chargers and environment found on the trip for future trips.