Range anxiety is a passing phenomenon. The more I've driven EVs, the more I've learned that it really isn't an issue in most cars. Modern EVs can drive for hours uninterrupted, and then replenish enough battery to go hundreds of miles more in the time it takes you to empty your bladder.
The exception, however, is if you go for a first-generation EV like the Chevy Bolt. With less range and glacial charging rates, Bolts are not great options for long-haul road trips.
Yet one man is taking his to the Arctic Ocean.
On an 8,000-mile journey, YouTuber "Quigs Quest" will push the limits of his 2017 Chevrolet Bolt, which came from the factory with 238 miles of EPA range. The Bolt later got an upgraded battery for free via a recall, and can get closer to 260 miles, but that's still barely enough to cross the largest charging desert between Michigan—and his destination at the Arctic Ocean.
It'll be an illustrative journey, as I find most Americans vastly overestimate how much range they need. With basic planning and patience, a road trip in a modern EV from one of the big players is more pleasant than in any gas car. In a Bolt, it's a hell of a lot slower, but it still works.
That fear people have of being truly stranded, or unable to reach a key destination, just doesn't really exist in the real world. While some rural areas are still undercovered, you can go far, far off the beaten path in an EV. I've seen them in the deepest depths of the Mojave Desert, the snowy mountains of Calgary and everywhere in between. They work, and they can get you there.
But while I'd happily do that trip in a wide variety of modern EVs, doing it in a Bolt is a recipe for patience and minimalism. Quigs seems to be building a camper setup in the back of the little Bolt, proving, too, that you don't need a big rig to car camp. But we'll have to wait until future episodes to see how well his theory holds up. I know that even a big SUV can feel quite small when you're living out of it, but also that most vehicles can sleep two people in something resembling comfort.
I'm excited to follow along, and I'm sure you will be, too. You can sign up here for more updates on his trip.
Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com.
