[darcyAnd]

This is my first trip in an EV. I found, to no one's surprise, that travelling in an EV causes you to stop a lot more. Sometimes there's great scenery and good coffee, other times it's a ubiquitous big box store parking lot.

The 1500 mile/2500 km trip was spread over three days. Due to the lack of charging stations in Wyoming and most of Montana, I took an indirect route thru SLC, adding about 300 miles to my usual route thru CO/WY/MT/AB.

My first day, Friday 2 Apr, took me from Denver to Salt Lake City with charging stops in Gymsum, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, CO; Green River and Price, UT.

Day 2 took me from SLC to Great Falls, MT. I charged in Pocatello and Idaho Fall, ID; and a very long charge in Butte, MT to get all the way to Great Falls without having to detour to Helena for a Level 2 top up.

My final day, Sunday 4 Apr, took me from Great Falls, into Canada at Coutts, AB. A few kilometres up the road, I charged in Milk River. I also stopped in Lethbridge, Aldersyde and Calgary before pulling into my quarantine location near Red Deer.

As I mentioned, EV road tripping was completely new to me. I learned a few things along the way:

• don't try to make good time. Enjoy the stops and make the most of it. Use the time to go for a walk, grab a coffee or lunch, do some work or nap!
• charge enough to get to the next station with a comfortable buffer.
• expect people to approach you with questions about the EV. The most common was "how long does it take you to charge that thing?".
• find hotels with chargers where you can charge for free overnight. I found that the AC Hotel by Marriott Salt Lake City Downtown and Best Western Plus Riverfront Hotel And Suites (Great Falls) hotels were perfect for that. Also, there are no Fast Chargers in Great Falls so this trip would have been next to impossible without this hotel.
• Hope for more chargers along the highways.

On my return to Denver, I plan on stopping in Waterton National Park (Alberta) and the neighboring Glacier NP (MT), plus stops in Whitefish, MT; Idaho Falls, ID and Vernal, UT. From Vernal, I'll go thru Dinosaur, CO and Steamboat Springs before dropping into Denver. Has anyone advice for me on these stops and routes?


Comments? Let me know if you'd like to see more of the pictures? Also, you can check me out on Instagram @darcyanderso

 

[XJ12]

EV road tripping was completely new to me

Welcome to the forum. What a great way to indoctrinate yourself to traveling in an EV. Thanks for sharing.

 

[electrons]

Awesome trip! Pictures yes please.
Long regens down those I-70 slopes. The most enjoyable is the amazing Glenwood Canyon I-70 Final Link .

Do u have one of the "90% range recalled" 2019s? For a trip, I'd prefer a 100% capable one of course.
Also, did you get a Amazon.com: Lectron - Tesla to J1772 Adapter, Max 40A & 250V - Compatible with Tesla High Powered Connector, Destination Charger, and Mobile Connector (White): Automotive
to use Tesla chargers when necessary? Seem that might help sometimes.

Cool story. Denver people have been taking long trips in EVs for over a hundred years. Fritchle Electric Car Finally Parks at History Colorado

Amazing: Local guy bets he can get 72+ mile range in his EV - My Nissan Leaf Forum

www.mynissanleaf.com

I'm a Denver area EV-er & am trying to build up patience and courage to take a cross country trip.
AAA does have an EV charger rescue truck.
Do you have AAA? It could come in handy, depending on where they have their special rescue charge trucks.

 

[darcyAnd]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the great feedback. Here are a few pics including a few charging pics.

 

[darcyAnd]

Awesome trip! Pictures yes please.
Long regens down those I-70 slopes. The most enjoyable is the amazing Glenwood Canyon I-70 Final Link .

Do u have one of the "90% range recalled" 2019s? For a trip, I'd prefer a 100% capable one of course.
Also, did you get a Amazon.com: Lectron - Tesla to J1772 Adapter, Max 40A & 250V - Compatible with Tesla High Powered Connector, Destination Charger, and Mobile Connector (White): Automotive
to use Tesla chargers when necessary? Seem that might help sometimes.

Cool story. Denver people have been taking long trips in EVs for over a hundred years. Fritchle Electric Car Finally Parks at History Colorado

Amazing: Local guy bets he can get 72+ mile range in his EV - My Nissan Leaf Forum

www.mynissanleaf.com

I'm a Denver area EV-er & am trying to build up patience and courage to take a cross country trip.
AAA does have an EV charger rescue truck.
Do you have AAA? It could come in handy, depending on where they have their special rescue charge trucks.

Thank you! Some pics are now posted.
My Bolt hasn't had that 'fix' applied to it so I am able to get a 100% charge which I took advantage on each of the overnight charges.

I do have that adapter but haven't used it yet! I will check out that display at History Colorado whenI get back in May. I want to learn more about the Fritchle story.

I don't have AAA but have USAA; I doubt they have EV charger rescue trucks but I'll check into it. Thanks for the pointer.

I gained a lot of courage watching Plug and Play EV's Bolt Road Trip Videos on YouTube. He's taken a number of road trips through New England, Quebec and Ontario. But the trip that inspired me was a trip from Boston to Austin and back. He put on some serious miles in that video. The moderator also answers questions! I am still working on gaining more patience.

 

[Ste]

Congrats on a trip well navigated! I appreciate the shout out to the channel (thanks @wonderbolt for the heads up) here and on Twitter. I don't check back to the forums as much as I should but love seeing the photos... we kicked around in the Roaring Fork Valley for a couple of years in my pre-kiddo days, so I have fond memories of the Glenwood to Denver run. I'd also love to throw the Bolt EV around the Independence Pass route from Aspen to Denver via Leadville, but that's for another time!

The patience side is pretty important, but I find EV road trips so much more enjoyable than a bog-standard combustion journey with stops at anonymous rest areas. Granted, there are a few options that fall into the latter on our travels, but the Plugshare map is so much more interesting and diverse than hitting the gas station icon in Google Maps. On my own I can work, or the kids can stretch their legs on longer trips with the fam, and sometimes the juice is even free.

Thanks again for the report and keep the pics coming on Insta!

 

[electrons]

......and Vernal, UT. From Vernal, I'll go thru Dinosaur, CO and Steamboat Springs before dropping into Denver. Has anyone advice for me on these stops and routes?

Near Vernal, UT, and Dinosaur CO, the "Quarry Visitor Center" in 'Dinosaur National Monument' is the place to be for paleo heaven. They have the most fantastic dinosaur bone collection, most of it still in the hillside ground.

Dinosaur National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

We stayed at the Ledgestone Hotel in Vernal UT 3 years ago, a good hotel, and the only one at the time with decent prices even though the oil field workers were booking everything up and driving up prices. Their prices may have come down since. I don't know if they have a 6.6kW charger though(?). Maybe there is a charger somewhere in Vernal, and you can hit up their one lone Uber or Lyft driver to run back and forth to the hotel. Small towns tend to have 1 dude willing to shuttle folks around in the back of their chevy S-10 PU with no muffler for uber or lyft fares. Feasible.

If in Vernal, you've got to stop at the excellent "Antica Forma" for fancy pizza & dino brews.
The map shows a ChargePoint 7.2kW station next door to Antica Forma, just to the east, same side of the street. Half mile walk from the Ledgestone Hotel.

We were in Vernal 3 yrs ago to take an OARS-guided float trip down the Green River to see petroglyphs & row like our lives depended on it. Too early in the year now for the float trip adventure, it's a summer thing.
Very obscure fact about Vernal UT: James Woods is from there.

 

[boltco]

Alternatively, the round Robin drive inn in Ballard UT has some of the best homemade burgers and onion rings I’ve had anywhere. Looks to be a Clipper creek charger at a shell station a block away according to PlugShare.

 

[darcyAnd]

Alternatively, the round Robin drive inn in Ballard UT has some of the best homemade burgers and onion rings I’ve had anywhere. Looks to be a Clipper creek charger at a shell station a block away according to PlugShare.

Thank you, I marked the Round Robin Drive Inn and the charging stations on Google Maps as places to stop. Thanks again!

 

[MotorcycleIke38]

Awesome trip! Pictures yes please.
Long regens down those I-70 slopes. The most enjoyable is the amazing Glenwood Canyon I-70 Final Link .

Do u have one of the "90% range recalled" 2019s? For a trip, I'd prefer a 100% capable one of course.
Also, did you get a Amazon.com: Lectron - Tesla to J1772 Adapter, Max 40A & 250V - Compatible with Tesla High Powered Connector, Destination Charger, and Mobile Connector (White): Automotive
to use Tesla chargers when necessary? Seem that might help sometimes.

Cool story. Denver people have been taking long trips in EVs for over a hundred years. Fritchle Electric Car Finally Parks at History Colorado

Amazing: Local guy bets he can get 72+ mile range in his EV - My Nissan Leaf Forum

www.mynissanleaf.com

I'm a Denver area EV-er & am trying to build up patience and courage to take a cross country trip.
AAA does have an EV charger rescue truck.
Do you have AAA? It could come in handy, depending on where they have their special rescue charge trucks.

There are CCS chargers in Helena, Bozeman and Belgrade Montana per Google maps. I cheated, I requested "Level 3 chargering Montana". I was told level 3 has been deprecated. Still works for google tho.

 

[darcyAnd]

There are CCS chargers in Helena, Bozeman and Belgrade Montana per Google maps. I cheated, I requested "Level 3 chargering Montana". I was told level 3 has been deprecated. Still works for google tho.

Thanks for the info. My challenge was that the 600+ drive from Cheyenne to Bozeman without a Fast Charger between them. I saw a RFP for chargers along the interstate highways in Montana - I hope they get tendered and installed soon! Montana is a beautiful state. That still leaves getting across Wyoming!

 

[electrons]

A really stupid question: Is it easy to get into Canada on some kind of tourist visa (maybe without a passport, only ID)? ... or I guess I could hire a Coyote, we have those in CO u know....

 

[darcyAnd]

A really stupid question: Is it easy to get into Canada on some kind of tourist visa (maybe without a passport, only ID)? ... or I guess I could hire a Coyote, we have those in CO u know....

I've never considered using a coyote to cross the border, although I'm sure they cross the border with little heed to the laws and COVID-restrictions. Unless you're on your way to Alaska or of an exempt class, you won't be able to get across the border with a US passport until COVID is behind us.

 

[ARob]

Thanks for the info. My challenge was that the 600+ drive from Cheyenne to Bozeman without a Fast Charger between them. I saw a RFP for chargers along the interstate highways in Montana - I hope they get tendered and installed soon! Montana is a beautiful state. That still leaves getting across Wyoming!

I recall seeing something about EA including I-90 sites in their next phase. The current phase is predominantly urban, and ends towards the end of 2021. The next phase Will apparently get back to more long haul routes.But I have not seen much about Wyoming.

 

[Brad]

Thanks for the info. My challenge was that the 600+ drive from Cheyenne to Bozeman without a Fast Charger between them. I saw a RFP for chargers along the interstate highways in Montana - I hope they get tendered and installed soon! Montana is a beautiful state. That still leaves getting across Wyoming!

What is RFP? I have family in WY so I check from time to time to see if charging stations have been installed after Billings and through WY on I 90. West of Billings seems to be good. It is just on the other side of Billings.

 

[darcyAnd]

What is RFP? I have family in WY so I check from time to time to see if charging stations have been installed after Billings and through WY on I 90. West of Billings seems to be good. It is just on the other side of Billings.

RFP = Request for Proposals

One day there will be fast chargers all along I-25 and I-90 to make the drive from Denver to Billings possible.

 

[big_rider]

There are CCS chargers in Helena, Bozeman and Belgrade Montana per Google maps. I cheated, I requested "Level 3 chargering Montana". I was told level 3 has been deprecated. Still works for google tho.

I don't think there are any CCS stations in Helena. I think google must either be showing a level 2, or it is referencing the Helena Supercharger. We can dream though.

 

[sasunde]

I recall seeing something about EA including I-90 sites in their next phase. The current phase is predominantly urban, and ends towards the end of 2021. The next phase Will apparently get back to more long haul routes.But I have not seen much about Wyoming.

EA said that they weren't planning any stations in WY until 2023. They said that the VW support is running out and they will have to be profitable soon, so want to make sure there is enough traffic to justify a station.

 

[Brad]

EA said that they weren't planning any stations in WY until 2023. They said that the VW support is running out and they will have to be profitable soon, so want to make sure there is enough traffic to justify a station.

Oh no! That is a long ways off. Hopefully another company installs some stations

 

[boltco]

EA said that they weren't planning any stations in WY until 2023. They said that the VW support is running out and they will have to be profitable soon, so want to make sure there is enough traffic to justify a station.

hmm, that's a bit of a chicken/egg problem...