Canada is a big country. Like, really big. We have over 1 million kilometres of public roads in Canada (1,042,718 km to be exact). So, it’s understandable that when EV drivers were asked what their biggest pre-purchase concerns were, “Not Enough Range” ranked the highest with 67% of EV drivers rating the concern as “serious” or “moderately” serious. Interestingly, that percentage drops substantially – to only 30% of EV drivers – once they purchased their EV and had hands-on experience.

How can you alleviate “range anxiety” when driving an EV? We’ve compiled a few tips to help ease that anxiety and enjoy taking your EV on a road trip.

Know Your Vehicle

Depending on the make and model of your EV, including both battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), it will have a manufacturer rated range – telling you how far the manufacturer expects it to go on a single charge. BC Hydro has an infographic that includes both the battery and fuel range (in the case of PHEVs) of all the EV models available in BC. And in their recent “EV Road Trip Report”, they illustrate what that looks like on a map.

Plan Your Route

There are a lot of great apps that let you find the closest EV charger, including PlugShare and ChargeHub – apps that show not only the location of chargers, but also the cost of charging, capability of charging speed, current availability of the charger and reviews or notes from fellow EV drivers. And, of course, there is our own Petro-Canada EV App that shows the locations of Canada’s Electric Highway™. We’ve created a cross-Canada network of EV fast charge stations, with a charger located every 250 km or less from Halifax, NS to Victoria, BC along the Trans-Canada Highway.

If you want to get a broader look at the available public chargers in Canada, National Resources Canada maintains an Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Stations Locator. Electric Mobility Canada, a national membership-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of e-mobility, maintains a list of EV charging apps and maps.

Weather and Temperature Affect Your Range

Depending upon the season, different factors can affect your EV’s range.

In warmer months, park in the shade if possible. Doing what you can to keep your car cool even before you get on the road is a good thing. And go easy on the AC. Running the AC drains your battery, so try not to run it on Full Arctic Blast and use it only when you need it.

And in cooler months, blasting your heater and running your seat warmers can drain your battery. So maybe slip on a pair of long johns under your jeans when out and about.

Small Changes Make a Big Difference

There are some small but important changes to your regular driving habits that you can make that will extend the range of your battery. If you’ve been driving your combustion engine car in a fuel-efficient manner, you’ll likely recognize a number of these tips:

• Lighten up your cargo. Carrying a bunch of extra stuff in your EV can drain the battery faster.
• Drive at a consistent speed. Driving at high speeds with lots of acceleration and deceleration can really drain your battery. Try to keep your speed consistent.
• Speaking of deceleration, take advantage of regenerative braking. Regenerative braking captures energy that is lost during braking and then uses that power to help recharge the battery. Most EV models let you manage regenerative braking on your dashboard screen.

For more tips for alleviating range anxiety when taking your EV on a road trip, check out this interview with Petro-Canada guest, Marianne Kunic, who drove her Kia Soul from Sechelt, BC to St. Stephen, NB.

What do you think? Are you ready to take your EV on a road trip? Let us know in the comments if we’ve helped alleviate your range anxiety!

In September this year, Electric Autonomy Canada, an independent news platform that reports on electric vehicles (EVs) and the future of transportation, hosted a webinar series called "Alternative Fuels: The promise, the potential and putting it into practice".

Sponsored by Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, this three-part series brought together panels of experts in the energy field to talk about:

• what kinds of alternative fuels are being developed in Canada, both for the everyday consumer as well as the trucking industry;
• the infrastructure challenges of transitioning to alternative fuels; and
• how Canada can get, and stay, competitive in the alternative fuels space.

The panel for the first webinar topic, "On the road, rails and in the sky with alternative fuels", included Dave Fath, General Manager, Petro-Canada Brand Marketing, Suncor. Dave shared his thoughts on which alternative fuels could prove most useful in industry and trucking in the next few years:

"For heavy industrial use, and for heavy transport specifically, I think there's a great potential for hydrogen-treated renewable diesel, it's a product that has a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional diesel and it performs just like regular diesel. It's not yet widely available to consumers but we are starting to see it enter markets in Canada. We've recently launched it in British Columbia (Petro-Canada EcoDiesel^TM available to commercial customers) and over the next five years, I think it's fair to expect that HRD products will become more widely available across the country."

Consumer adoption of alternative fuels was a hot topic in the third webinar, "Looking into the future – where do we go from here?" and panelist Shannon Wing, Senior Director – Petro-Canada Strategy & Development, Suncor, had this to say about the energy industry’s role in educating customers about the benefits of alternative fuels:

"A lot of customers are gaining knowledge in this sector about alternative fuels but there's a lot of skepticism around some of the results. So, I think we really have a role to play in sharing real world case studies and information and experiences. As organizations that previously considered themselves competitors, we're going to have to band together on this transition and share that information more readily than we may have in the past, to have those customers really believe that the transition [to alternative fuels] can work."

Providing energy alternatives is a key element in helping Petro-Canada customers move toward a lower-carbon future. Visit https://electricautonomy.ca/alternative-fuels-canada-2022/ to check out these three webinars and learn more about the future of alternative fuels in Canada.

What questions do you have about alternative fuels? Let us know in the comments and we might feature your question in a future post.

I’m a big fan of online reviews, especially when I’m shopping for a new piece of technology. For everything from my oscillating fan to my cookware to my TV, I’ve researched and combed my way through a myriad of posts on various sites. Folks who leave reviews are often quite specific and generous with their information, which I appreciate very much.

But, sometimes, you just need to talk it out with someone who’s been through the research and purchasing process before – especially when it’s a purchase that’s as central to your life as a vehicle. And if you’re considering switching from a gas-powered vehicle to an electric one, it’s even more helpful to talk to someone who’s done it.

Recently I spoke with Paul Raszewski and David Bennett. Paul is a realtor and the co-founder of TEVA – the Toronto Electric Vehicle Association, an organization dedicated to electric transportation advocacy, education and adoption. David is a Suncor employee in Fort McMurray and an EV enthusiast. I asked them both about their history with EVs, surprises along the way and advice for folks considering the switch.

PT: Tell me a bit about your history with EVs.

Paul: I’m passionate about new technologies and was curious about electric cars – this was back in 2011. You had the choice of 3 options in Canada then: the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. I chose the i-MiEV because it was the cheapest at the time. Since then, we’ve had 6 different EVs; there are currently 3 in the family. We’ve had pure electric models, plug in hybrid models and hybrids with range extenders. When I first got the i-MiEV, I would only drive it around town, not take it on long trips. But the technology has come really far! My current car, the Audi e-tron can go over 400KM on a charge.

David: We were on a family vacation and my son said he wanted to go for a ride in a Tesla. Side note – you can’t do a same-day test drive in a Tesla; you have to book a co-pilot. But we got the co-pilot booked and finally did the drive. Driving it really threw off my preconceptions about EVs. There’s so much technology on board. And the acceleration is serious! When you hit the accelerator, it’s like you’re already there. After we took the test drive, we were hooked. We got a Tesla in 2018 and I’ve been using it as my daily driver for 3 ½ years. We also have a gas-powered vehicle, but we mainly use the Tesla.

PT: Anything that surprised you? Either when purchasing the vehicle or the day-to-day driving?

Paul: I’ve been surprised by the lack of knowledge with dealers who are selling EVs. Back when I first bought one, you certainly had to do your own homework. These days, it’s a little better, but still not perfect. For example, sales folks often aren’t aware of how to find a charging station. They will say to just use the car’s GPS. But apps are much better – not only showing you where chargers are located, but how to pay for them. This is one of the reasons we created TEVA – to help educate dealers and drivers about all things EV.

David: A couple of things. First, the process for buying the Tesla. I used to work at a major car dealership and there was a clearly defined process for purchasing a car. With the Tesla it was much different. I just went online, chose my options and clicked “buy”. After the bank called to confirm financing, they delivered the Tesla to our door in Fort Mac. It was pretty cool; the “frunk” (that’s what they call the front trunk) had balloons, short bread cookies and a personal note from Elon Musk.

The other thing that surprised me was how I changed my overall driving and travel style. I don’t do any more passing on the highway – just set my cruise and drive at a constant speed. It’s much more relaxed. Same with travel style. There’s more planning for longer trips, making sure I know where the charging stations are. And when we travel as a family, it’s a very different feeling. When we stop to charge, we get out and locate new spots in the town where we’re charging. We go for lunch together and walk around. It takes longer, but it’s more fun.

PT: Have you tried Petro-Canada’s fast chargers? Any comments?

Paul: Yes, I use them quite extensively, both in Toronto as well as on a road trip cross-country. I also use the Petro-Canada EV App. On the road trip, some of the chargers were broken, so it would be good to remind station owners to report when their charger is offline or unavailable. But when we were able to use them, we did get a 150kW charge. Reporting a problem with a charger is also fairly complicated. Something that the Electrify App has is a one button “Report a Problem” feature. Would like to see this added to the PC app.

David: Actually, not yet. These days we’re not travelling as much so our home charger has been enough – the closest PC fast charger is down in Calgary, 8 hours away! We’re looking forward to driving out to Halifax – the PC network will make that possible. I would really like to see more fast chargers from Fort Mac to Edmonton. There’s only the one slow charger in Athabasca. Would be great to be able to take the electric highway to the oil sands. Put more chargers up here. The Tesla Owners Club of Alberta holds large rallies wherever there are chargers; it would be great to see 100 owners driving up Highway 63 to Fort Mac, coming north for picture opportunities!

PT: Finally, any tips for drivers who are considering making the switch to an EV?

Paul: First, don’t be scared off by the cost. Even though the up-front cost is more expensive, the long-term cost is much better. Gasoline vs. electricity – you’ll save. No oil change, not as frequent brake service – the long term servicing costs are better. And second, look for an EV community who can give you support – they’re out there.

David: Unless you’ve got your financing in order and are ready to buy, don’t test drive! It’s such a great experience; you won’t be able to get it out of your head. And it will ruin you for other vehicles. When I went back to my gas-powered car after the test drive, it felt so simplistic, like going back 20 years. It really hooks you.

~|~

Paul and David – thank you so much for taking the time to share your EV experiences with our readers! And I’ve passed along your comments about the Petro-Canada fast charge network and app to the EV team. Readers, are any of you thinking of making a switch to an EV in the near future? Let us know about your process and questions in the comments!

~ Kate T.

I love a good road trip. I’ve done a few memorable ones so far in my life, including a Waterloo, ON to North Battleford, SK trip that taught me the absolute truth of the lyrics in Wendell Ferguson’s song “Rocks and Trees” about the landscape of Northern Ontario:

Rocks & trees, trees & rocks
Reams and reams of endless trees and tons of rocks
The whole north is just proliferous
With metamorphic and coniferous
Rocks & trees, trees & rocks

The most exciting vehicle I drove in one of my road trip excursions was a 1976 Dodge Dart sedan. It was the mid-1990s at the time – as you might imagine, there were several stops for repairs along the way.

Ever since Petro-Canada completed their EV fast charge network along the TransCanada, I’ve been thinking I’d like to try another big trip – but this time in an EV. While I still haven’t been able to get out, I recently spoke to someone who had. Earlier this year, Marianne Kunic, with her brother, Agan, and her dog, Gigi, in tow - drove from Sechelt, BC to St. Stephen, NB in her Kia Soul EV, affectionately named “Cricket” because of its bright green colour.

PumpTalk: Thanks for chatting about your recent cross-country trip with me! How did it go?

Marianne: We had a great time. It was lovely getting to spend quality one-on-one time with my brother, Agan. Plus he helped me manage any anxiety I had about the trip, such as planning a good route or finding a charger.

PT: Is Cricket your first EV?

Marianne: It’s my second. I’ve owned an EV for seven years now – both of them have been Kia Souls. Travelling in an EV really sparked a lot of good conversations. Everywhere we stopped, people were interested in electric vehicles – wanting to know more about them. Even in places where they don’t have a lot of charging stations, people were curious. There is definitely some anxiety about getting an EV – specifically about running out of charge. But the cars are so smart – they warn you ahead of time. It was like being an ambassador for EVs.

PT: How was your experience at Petro-Canada’s EV fast chargers?

Marianne: We really like the Petro-Canada machines. They are well-lit, state of the art, easy to use. We used a lot of different chargers on the trip; we charged the battery two or three times a day, depending on the distance we travelled. The Petro-Canada ones were definitely our favourite, but there were some kinks that still need to be worked out.

We ran into some Wi-Fi problems at one station in Saskatchewan. The Wi-Fi by the charger was quite poor. So I was in the restaurant, talking to customer support and would then have to relay those instructions out the door to my brother who was at the charger – it made it a bit difficult.

And there was another location where the charger was out of service and the site staff was unable to fix it. So we ended up using an external outlet at a local motel. Took us three hours just to get enough of a charge to limp to the next fast charger.

Editor’s note: we thank Marianne for sharing this information with us! We’ve gotten in touch with the locations she mentioned and are working on solving these issues.

PT: A lot of people, like myself, are considering going cross-country in an EV. What tips or advice can you share?

Marianne: Having an app that helps you locate the chargers is essential. We used the Petro-Canada EV app as well as ChargeHub and FLO (mainly in NB).

Make sure you update your car’s GPS maps before you leave. If you’re in an area without a connection, you’ll still want to have the latest maps.

Plot your route ahead of time and make sure you factor in enough time for charging. In general, charging time took longer than we anticipated. Build in an hour for each time you need to charge.

Drive at or below the speed limit. You use more charge if you go above the speed limit. Staying under made us a bit slower, but it stretched out the distance we were able to go. Using cruise control really helped with this.

PT: Would you do it again?

Marianne: Yes, in a heartbeat!

~|~

Marianne, thank you so much for sharing your experience driving across Canada in an EV with us! It always helps to hear from trailblazers and get the best tips and advice. What do you think, readers? Are you ready to drive across Canada in an EV?

~Kate T.

Spring is in the air and many of us are experiencing the travel itch. Staying local and exploring what your own province has to offer is still the best plan. We were delighted to see Andrea, aka @Mommy Gearest, and her family tooling around in a Prius and stopping off at one of our EV Fast Charge stations.

Check out her post and her story on Instagram where she talks about charging an EV in colder temperatures and shows off our EV app. Thanks, Andrea!