⚡Cross-Country in an EV🚗

   We're over 4500 miles into our adventure and if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to drive cross-country in an electric vehicle, let me tell you—it’s a mix of smooth sailing, unexpected challenges, and a whole new way of experiencing America’s roads.

The Benefits

1. A Ride That Doesn’t Wear You Down
After thousands of miles in the driver’s seat, the smooth, quiet ride of my Tesla really does make a difference. I’d finish an six-hour stretch less drained than I would have been in a gas car. Add in autopilot on the highway, and it felt like I had a co-pilot handling the monotony while I just kept an eye on the road (but don't worry, I wasn't sleeping😏)

2. Charging Becomes a Natural Rhythm
From Ohio truck stops to cozy Maine rest areas, the Tesla Supercharger network was my lifeline. At first, the idea of stopping every few hours to plug in felt restrictive. But soon, I got into a rhythm: drive → charge → coffee/snack/stretch → repeat. By the time the car was ready, so was I. Honestly, I think I arrived at each destination less stiff and less stressed because of those built-in breaks.

3. The Cost Savings Add Up
Driving from Michigan to Maine and back would have been a small fortune in gas. With the Tesla, charging costs were consistently lower—sometimes shockingly so. A $15 full charge covering several hours of driving made me feel like I was getting away with something. To date (Aug 2025), in approximately the 4,500 miles we've driven, i have spent around $1,067 for charging at Tesla Superchargers. This approximately an $1100 savings compared to a gas vehicle of the same size (according to the Tesla app).

4. Seeing America Differently
Road tripping in an EV makes you more intentional. You don’t just pull off at the next random gas station—you head toward specific towns, rest areas, or shopping centers with Superchargers. That meant I found myself wandering little plazas in Tennessee or grabbing a lobster roll near a Maine charger I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. It felt less like “filling up and going” and more like pausing and actually being where I was.

4. Only Leaving "footprints"
Zero carbon emissions in thousands of miles on the road - enough said. This was my entire goal when I purchased the Tesla, and continued to be as we considered this roundtrip's logistics. 

The Challenges

1. Planning Is Non-Negotiable
In a gas car, spontaneity is easy—you can detour down a side road knowing there will be a gas station somewhere. In a Tesla, you’re always thinking a few steps ahead. Heading from Michigan to Colorado, I had to carefully map charging stops across the wide-open stretches of Kansas and eastern Colorado. There’s a large mental load that comes with always asking: “Do I have enough range?” You also have to consider the weight of the car, similar to a gas car, because it affects your range. On our very first day of the trip back in May, my car's calculation of the range was about 10 miles off because it hadn't yet recalculated with the weight of all of our belongings in the back. As a result I discovered my car has a bit of juice left once it hits 0%, so I made it to the charger...but barely. The rest of our trip we planned stops so I had a good 15%-20% buffer in case the calculation was off again.

2. Rural Gaps
The farther you get from the interstates, the trickier it gets. While Tennessee and Ohio were pretty well-covered, there were moments in Maine and again in Colorado where Superchargers thinned out. I got used to watching my range like a hawk in those areas.

3. Weather and Terrain Are Real Factors
Cold mornings in Michigan and Maine shaved miles off my battery, and a climb into the Rockies definitely tests the limits. A gas car doesn’t make you think about altitude, but in an EV, every steep incline is a math problem between you and the next charger.

4. Time, Sweet Time
The number one thing people ask me: “Doesn’t it take forever to stop and charge?” Yes and no. Charging breaks do stretch out the total drive time, especially on a multi-thousand-mile trip. What would have been 15 hours to Denver in a gas car turned into closer to 17–18. Not the end of the world, but if you’re racing a deadline, it can feel like forever.

Final Reflections

    After zig-zagging across so many states, I’ve realized driving an EV isn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B—it’s about reframing how you travel. It forces you to slow down, build in rest, and embrace a different kind of road trip. Sure, there were moments of range anxiety in the middle of nowhere, and I missed the freedom of pulling into any random gas station. But there were also moments where I sat outside a charger in Tennessee with sweet tea in hand, or watched the sun set over a Colorado Supercharger lot, and thought: this is part of the journey, not a delay.

    Would I trade my Tesla for a gas car for another cross-country loop? Honestly, no. The benefits—the comfort, the cost savings, the environmental impact—outweigh the headaches. Driving cross-country in an EV isn’t always the fastest way, but it might just be the most memorable.