Road Trippin

We drove 2800.4 miles, using 976.8 kWh at an average of 349 Wh/mi over six days.
In my previous vehicle this would have meant about $622 in gasoline.  We paid about 41 dollars for electricity during our trip.  All of the superchargers were free.  One of the RV parks charged us $7.50 and the other $10.  One public charger charged us $18.50 and one charged us $5.  The rest were free. If we were paying for all of the electricity ourselves, at an average rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour we would have paid $97.68.  Two of the public chargers we used acquired all of their electricity from sustainable sources, such as solar or wind energy.  Soon all of the superchargers will be solar powered.

We went through nine different states, temperatures varied 77 degrees and elevation went from 2000 to 13,000 feet.

We only got in one argument.

I've eluded to this before, but I have to say this trip completely renewed my interest in and love for road trips.  We live in a friggin' gorgeous country and what better way to see it than on the ground in an emission free vehicle.  I loved traveling through all the small towns and even ghost towns at times.  Stopping every 2-4 hours to charge meant we became more intimately familiar with our surroundings then we would normally.

In the past few years, particularly with the price of gasoline, my road trips turned into hard-charging, marathon trips driving the furthest distance in the least amount of time possible in order to arrive at my destination.  Because you are required to stop, even if it's just a brief supercharge stop, the whole attitude of the trip changes.  You take in your surroundings and get to taste the culture of the places you are driving through.

Beyond all of the environmental and psychologic benefits, I have to say, I think traveling this way is healthier.  Usually on road trips I end up eating fast food, feeling claustrophobic, cramped and antsy, sleeping poorly and arriving dehydrated, bloated and exhausted at my final destination.  Stopping every few hours meant I could drink as much water as I wanted without being annoyed by having to stop and use the restroom and "waste time".  Charging for an hour meant we could sit down for a normal meal, stretch our legs and walk around.  And switching drivers with a break every few hours meant we were more alert and well-rested for each leg of our drive.

As my husband said this morning, "I kind of want to turn around and drive back... just a little bit".