7 West Coast Road Trips with EVgo
Gone are the days when electric vehicles were saved for short commutes and nearby errands. With today’s EVs offering a range of 100-300+ miles and more than 350+ EVgo fast charging stations spread across California, EV drivers can confidently trek from sunny San Diego all the way to Redwood National Park.
With so many spectacular sites to see in California, we’re sharing seven of our favorite road trips to include on your adventure list this summer. But before you pack your trunk (or frunk), here are a few EVgo app tips so you can hit the road with range confidence.
Tip #1 Plan Ahead
The EVgo app is a great resource to use to map out where you will charge on your journey. It is important to look at your trip ahead of time and locate all the EVgo stations you could use to fast charge along the way. The “Find a Charger” feature on the EVgo app makes it easy to search for chargers by location, and you can filter by kW level, connector type and more. Waze, Apple Maps, and Google Maps are all integrated with the app, so once you’ve selected your charger, you will be set up with turn-by-turn directions.
Tip #2 Visualize Your Battery Range
One of the newest features of the EVgo app allows you to view your potential range and determine which EVgo stations you can reach. Simply select your vehicle model, input your vehicle’s battery range, and view the list of stations within range.
Tip #3 Confirm Charger Availability
Once you’ve selected the charging stations you want to use along your route, you can view real-time availability for each charger at every station on your list. If the connector is green, it’s open for use, if it’s red, the charger is currently in use.
Tip # 4 EVgo Reservations
You can also reserve a charging session ahead of time at some EVgo stations using EVgo Reservations™. From the EVgo app home screen, type the name of a charger within range on your route into the search bar and select your vehicle’s connector. If you see “Reserve” on the “Swipe to Start” screen, this charger is available to reserve for use within the next 20 minutes. Click “Reserve” and, for a $3 fee (Free for EVgo Plus subscribers), the charger will be held until you arrive – no waiting! See a list of reservable chargers here!
Okay, NOW it’s time to hit the road…Where will you go first this summer?
From Los Angeles To…
Santa Barbara
Stop for lunch in Santa Monica, visit the antiquities at the Getty Villa, and do some celeb spotting in Malibu, then hop on the 101 for a gorgeous oceanside drive through Oxnard, Ventura, Ojai, and Carpentaria on your way to Santa Barbara. With 11 EVgo fast charging stations en route, you can confidently make the 108 mile trip no matter your EV’s range.
Palm Springs
Sun yourself poolside, play a round of golf, shop Palm Canyon Drive, or take the aerial tram to Mt. Jacinto State Park – Palm Springs has it all! And you can make the 120 mile trip in any EV, thanks to nine EVgo fast charging stations conveniently located along the way in Ontario, San Bernardino, and Cabazon.
Ojai
Take a break from city life and get out to rural Ojai! Just a 2.5 hour drive, you can choose from more than 1,200 miles of hiking trails in Los Padres National Forest, recover with a famous Pixie orange from Friend’s Farm, grab dinner at The Farmer and the Cook, then stick around for Ojai’s legendary “pink moment” sunset that lights the surrounding Topa Mountains in an ethereal rosy glow. EVgo’s got your drive covered with eight fast charging stations along the way.
San Diego
Turn on the AC and prep your favorite playlist for the 4.5 hour drive from LA to San Diego! Whether you’re going wild at the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, paying tribute at the USS Midway Museum or Mt. Soledad National Veteran’s Memorial, or sifting the sand through your toes on Coronado Island, you can make it there and back and all around, thanks to 14 EVgo stations along the highway.
Las Vegas
Win big, see a show, and splurge on the breakfast buffet at your favorite Vegas hot spot! EVgo can get you there, with nine stations dotted throughout the 5.5 hour drive, including the famed Baker Station. Not only is Baker one of the nation’s most technologically-advanced public EV charging stations, offering a variety of fast charging speeds and energy storage systems, but it’s also located next to the World’s Tallest Thermometer – a must-see attraction you won’t want to miss.
From San Francisco:
Monterey
Leave the city behind and head to one of the most diverse marine environments around! Just a three-hour drive from San Francisco, Monterey is the perfect day trip. Hop a ship to see some whales (and dolphins and porpoises), visit the world-famous Monterey Aquarium, stroll cannery row, or enjoy all the restaurants Monterey has to offer – no matter how you spend the day, EVgo will help you get there, with four stations to choose from near the 101.
Lake Tahoe
No matter the season, Lake Tahoe is the perfect weekend getaway. You can make it there and back by fast charging at one of the 15 EVgo stations along the 5.5-hour drive. Once you’ve arrived, you can enjoy the skiing, swimming, golfing, shopping, hiking, dining, and vistas that make Tahoe’s Sierra Nevada Mountains world famous.
Wherever you wander, EVgo can help you get there! With 850+ stations nationwide and helpful features on the EVgo app at your fingertips, we’ll keep you charged up and ready to this summer. And if you’re looking for some tunes for the drive, check out our EVgo playlists on Spotify to rock your ride!
Want more road trip tips? Email us with your ideas of where to go next!