With a little planning, a little EV knowledge, and a little patience, traveling long distances in your EV car or truck can be a fun and rewarding experience. With more people switching to EV cars, more charging stations are popping up around the country. In fact, the number of publicly available charging stations in the U.S. has doubled since 2019, and that rapid expansion is expected to continue as more EVs hit the road.

The first step in planning your EV road trip is to understand your range capabilities. Every vehicle model is different. Most can travel more than 200 miles on a single charge, but with technology advances occurring daily, many vehicles can go more than 300 miles without recharging – like the Mercedes EQS Sedan, which has an ETA-estimated electric range of 350 miles.

Calculating the cost of charging can be tricky due to the multiple types of chargers, charging networks and the cost of electricity varying from state to state. In general, it will cost between $10 and $30 to charge your EV while on the road, depending on what level of charger you are using. Some cars, like the Volkswagen ID.4, offer three years of unlimited 30-minute charging sessions at Electrify America DC Fast Chargers across the country. In fact, several models feature free charging options.

Charging an electric vehicle on a road trip is quite simple. Before hitting the road, map out how often you will need to stop (depending on the car’s range) and find your charging stops. Many hotels offer free charging stations for overnight guests.

Always pack your L1 charging cable just in case. Every EV comes with a free L1 charging cable included. It’s universally compatible and plugs into any standard grounded 120-V outlet. Don’t assume you won’t need it; bring it along for the ride. This charging cable might come in handy for when you can’t charge your vehicle at an on-site or commercial charging station. While the charging time may not be as quick as commercial charging-stations, your L1 charger can always help you out in a pinch.

Another thing to keep in mind is most EVs will charge much more quickly from zero to 80% than from 81% to 100%. Charging to 80% can save you time while you’re planning your road trip.

The Alternative Fuels Data Center shows electric vehicle charging stations throughout the United States and Canada. Another valuable resource is PlugShare, the world’s largest EV driver community. Drivers contribute to station reviews and photos to help the EV community make the most informed charging decisions possible. There is also an app called EV Navigation which is a turn-by-turn navigation and route planner system created for electric car users all around the world.

Some of the EV travel apps are built into electric vehicles while others are apps you can easily use on a laptop or smartphone. These apps help you plan routes, locate the stations, offer pricing information, and even tell you if there’s a wait to plug in.