On the EV road again

Posted 9 July, 2024 Dan Hockin

After five years of driving EVs, it wasn’t my Hyundai Kona’s first rodeo. Having taken the Adelaide-to-Melbourne trip many times, I wondered how the EV would perform off the main drag, somewhere a little more remote.

Seeing the RAA Charge network rollout, I wanted to test the network and see how it could open up camping, hiking and bird-watching opportunities in SA.

With the weather on my side, I planned a road trip to Warren Gorge for some hiking, with a stop at Red Banks Conservation Park (near Burra) on the way.

Swag, fridge, firewood and water packed, I set off with the Kona charged up via the home charger at 8c/kWh – that’s about $1 per 100km of motoring.

Checking ABRP (A Better Route Planner) and Plugshare Apps, it was great to see a huge growth in charging opportunities and locations since my last trip to this remote destination.

ABRP lets you choose your EV, input its battery health, and select what SOC (state of charge) you want to arrive at your destination with. It also considers elevation changes, car efficiency and weather data.

Adelaide Hills to Burra

Arriving in Burra for lunch, I could see a new RAA charger in the middle of town, with disability and trailer access and Acknowledgement of Country for the traditional owners on the land where the charger was built. I also noted the security camera and light, which I felt provided user safety. The only thing missing was a cover to protect users from the weather.

When it came to charging, it wasn’t so much that I needed to stop to charge the car. I wanted to stop to refuel my body, take a walk, and use the amenities. But it just makes sense to have the car plugged in doing its thing while I was doing mine.

I always welcome a chat with inquisitive locals on their walk: “How much does it cost to fill up mate?” or “So – how long does it take to charge?” being the most common questions.

Questions are generally framed around driving a car with an internal combustion (ICE) engine. As an EV driver, I don’t wait until empty and then spend time filling the tank, instead, I top up when the opportunity presents itself.

This means the cost varies and is based on the amount of energy I’m putting in and the price of the charger. The price to charge can vary from $5 for 500km at home, to $10 for 120km on the Rapid charger at Burra. Either way, it’s cheaper than petrol, especially when you consider more than 95 per cent of charging is usually done at home or work.

After recharging, I drove down a long dirt road to a campsite. I was grateful to arrive in silence, not disturbing the fauna. I made camp for the night after a 6km walk around Red Banks Conservation Park. The walk was well worth it, and it was a welcome surprise to see water in the creek after such a dry autumn.

Quorn, Jamestown and Warren Gorge

I left Burra bright and early after pre-warming the car’s cabin. The heated seat and steering wheel were a toasty treat – it was three degrees outside after all.

I was keen to get to Warren Gorge, taking in Jamestown and its huge battery and wind farm along the way.

I was keen to grab a coffee, so plugged in just over the road from the hardware store and café, taking the opportunity to stop and support local business.

From Jamestown I headed north, passing through Wilmington before paying park entry fees ($5 for day entry and $15 a day for camping) at the well-kept information centre in Quorn. The attendant at the information centre had a wealth of knowledge about the park and mentioned Quorn locals were keen to get an EV charger of their own to help bring in more visitors.

Arriving at Warren Gorge, I found a great site, set up camp and made a fire. I was planning a big hike the next day, so settled in for a relaxing night in the swag, sleeping under the ghosts of dead gum trees and a billion stars. I woke up to the songs from birds like red capped robins, yellow thornbills, grey butcher birds and Fairy wrens.

All the while, the fridge hummed along in the car, feeding off the 64kWh battery. I was grateful for not having to rely on a small 12-volt camping battery, or worse, running a noisy generator.

Warren Gorge to Clare

After a few days reconnecting with nature, it was time to head home. I chose to take an alternative route through Clare where RAA had recently installed a new 200kW Ultra-rapid charger on Gleeson Street. My vehicle had eight per cent battery and less than 25km ‘in the tank’ when I arrived. 

I realised after plugging in and sampling the treats at the local coffee shop that I was no longer worried about range or charger anxiety. I’ve come to trust my car and its range calculations (along with the route planner) and maybe more importantly, trust the infrastructure to be working, fast and available.

The final leg of the trip was uneventful, and I arrived back with 20 per cent SOC, a few more miles on the odometer, and recharged for the week ahead.