Plug in and buckle up for a greener road trip! Three legendary routes to enjoy in an EV

With gas prices soaring -- and likely to get even worse in the coming months -- road trippers who had planned to get back on the highway may be put off planning their next adventure. Yet from San Francisco to Melbourne, several iconic routes are now geared up to support an all-electric road trip.
Plug in and buckle up for a greener road trip! Three legendary routes to enjoy in an EV
©Bérangère Chatelain / ETX Studio

Australia – The Great Ocean Road

With Australia’s borders now reopened, why not hit the road for a spectacular drive on the continent’s most iconic route? The 243-kilometer-long “Great Ocean Road” — which officially starts in Torquay — is perfectly feasible in an electric car. A landmark for any self-respecting surfer, the seaside resort has charging stations for drivers who have not had time to “fill up” in Melbourne. Plus, the distance of this coastal road offers drivers the possibility of not having to recharge at all. However, road trippers shouldn’t hesitate to stop off along the Kennett River to try to catch a glimpse of koalas, or to make a stop at Apollo Bay for a whale watching session. This road trip is well-equipped with charging stations. As such, there’s no reason to miss the stars of the show, the “12 apostles,” a group of 12 limestone stacks on the seashore of the Port Campbell National Park, preferably to be admired either at sunrise, or at sunset. According to the roadside assistance site RACV, which operates in Australia, the country is equipped with some 2,300 charging stations for electric vehicles, including 450 in the state of Victoria, where the “Great Ocean Road” treats drivers to its many panoramic viewpoints. There are both traditional charging stations of less than 50 kH and Tesla Superchargers.

France – Route Nationale 7

Welcome to France’s famous vacation route! At 996 kilometers long, it covers a distance that will require EV drivers to make several charging stops if they plan to cover the whole of this legendary route. But, a quick look at the stations recorded by the Chargemap community is enough to confirm that the N7 is perfectly equipped for electric vehicles. With that weight off your mind, you can take your time to enjoy lunch breaks in gastronomic restaurants like that of the Troisgros family, now located in Ouches. You’ll be able to deviate from the N7 without fearing a flat battery, since the nearby city of Roanne has plenty of charging points. Don’t miss out on shopping for nougat in Montélimar, also home to many charging stations! After a must-see stop in Avignon, taking in the city’s famous Palais des Papes, road-trippers can easily take the direction of Aix-en-Provence then Cannes, heading to the eastern part of the South of France, where the trip can end in Nice. Otherwise, drivers can head on to Monaco or climb to the heights of Menton on the Italian border.

USA – The West Coast, from San Francisco to Los Angeles

If you’ve been desperate to get back to the United States, why not take the wheel for a taste of freedom on the country’s West Coast, from multicultural San Francisco to the bustling city of Los Angeles? With its many EV charging stations, Highway One is the route for you. The trip covers about 400 miles, or 643 kilometers. It’s a good idea to download the PlugShare app to find the nearest charging stations along the way, with 140,000 stations listed by the community in the United States and Canada. After spending several days giving your calves a workout photographing the famous colorful houses — or “painted ladies” — and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, it’s time to hit the road! If you’re already in your electric car, Tesla Superchargers will be available to top up the charge. Along the way, you’ll probably make a detour to Yosemite Park, taking in the hundred-year-old sequoias that have made this natural destination famous. Just plan ahead and recharge your battery as you enter the region. For that, Tesla’s online interactive map will be a great help for finding nearby facilities! For a detour to “Death Valley,” the easiest way is to plan a stop in Las Vegas — what better excuse to extend your itinerary? Finally, you’ll have plenty of options for topping up your vehicle as soon as you get close to Los Angeles.