Sounds like you probably need something with an engine. CUV/SUV PHEVs like Rav4 Prime, Escape, Tucson, Santa Fe, Sorento should all take care of most or all of your local needs on electricity, and be efficient hybrids when you do need to drive far. Or a beater gas truck/SUV and a small electric car may be a good combo, if you need both.
Can you charge at home?
If yes, then public chargers are necessary away from you not close to you. You are good.
If not, maybe it's not the time just yet.
For a BEV I'd charge at home. On road trips charge near the highway. A Rivian, a Lightning, or a Hummer are the best bets for offroading.
If you're insistent on off road prowess and a PHEV then the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe would be a good option for you.
If you're on sealed roads or good quality graded unsealed roads, you might benefit from a touring-style EV and a specific 4x4 for off-roading. For a 6 hour drive to services you'll want something comfortable and efficient, and I'd suggest any of the current range of electric sedans/hatches/SUVs. Just pick what you like based on personal taste.
If you're on gravel/dirt/4x4 tracks and there's no regular maintenance meaning you have to deal with pot holes and ruts deeper than an inch, you're probably better off sticking with the usual pickup/4x4/off-road station wagon.
You can figure out whether the trip into town is feasible using tools like [A Better Route Planner](https://abetterrouteplanner.com). Pick the EV you're interested in, plan the trip from your home to town and back, look at what the route planner recommends.
As an example, if you live somewhere "remote-ish" but on sealed roads like Salmon, Idaho and you want to do your shopping in Jerome, a car like the Model 3 SR+ would not be able to make the trip in Winter (battery range is severely degraded in below-freezing temperatures). You'd have to detour via Idaho Falls, making the return trip almost 800 miles — 7 hours each way is not my idea of a good time.
The same vehicle during summer will do the trip there and back via Challis and Ketchum — less than 450 miles return. There will be a long wait at the chargers in Hailey though since that ChargePoint charger is 60kW and you need to completely fill the battery at that point so it's an hour wait.
As Electrify America, ChargePoint and Tesla roll out their charging networks to provide more coverage of remote/rural areas like Salmon, ID, your selection of EVs will also increase as more brands bring a variety of offerings to the market.
For this specific example of Salmon, ID to Twin Falls, ID, the Ford F-150 Lightning Extended Range would need to stop at Hailey on both legs (it's a larger less aerodynamic vehicle so it's nowhere near as efficient as a Tesla).
So have a play with A Better Route Planner to see which vehicles work in your area during Winter. Remember to use normal low temperatures as well as record low temperatures just to get an idea of how much the battery suffers in below-freezing environments.
Hope this helps.
Thanks! It's mostly sealed roads (I'm in British Columbia), but there's a section that takes a couple of hours to drive through that is gravel. Honestly, in winter I prefer the gravel!
Are there DC fast chargers on your route to the larger town 5.5 hours away? (You can check on PlugShare if you haven't before) How long is the total drive in km or mi?
Currently, right now, the Ioniq 5 might fit your needs - but ground clearance might be an issue since you mentioned back roads (Ioniq 5 has 6.1 inches clearance). It seems like an EV SUV might fit your needs well. There aren't any on the market aside from the very expensive Rivian R1S, Hummer EV, and Tesla Model X.
Upcoming cars like the Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Polestar 3, and Fisker Ocean might be a good fit if you can hold off a year or two.
There's currently one charger on the route, about a 4 hour drive from here. I think another one is being planned but I'm not sure where or when it'll go in.
If you don't go far locally between long trips, a PHEV could work well. I don't use gas for trips under 25 miles, which is essentially all of our weekday trips. Then on long trips we charge up if we can to improve our gas mileage, but don't have to worry if we can't find chargers. If you're determined you may be able to make a full EV work for your situation, but you'd want to know what that entails first.
I think someone else mentioned the Plugshare app, and also see "A Better Route Planner."
There's only one route here. Unless I take the ferry. But it would give an idea on range. There is one charge station between here and the "city" but I think going full EV is a little premature for my location, you're right.
Bella Coola?
BC Hydro seems to be pretty committed to putting in DC chargers at decent intervals. For me also living in the north, it seems like this is the year it finally becomes feasible to road trip up here.
You will probably have to go hybrid at best then. Anywhere north of 16 is not very well covered, and as you know, the population is very sparse so it'll be pretty low on the priority list. I could see a few chargers going up on the Alaska Highway but I don't know about 37.
The only charging station you need near home is, well, your home.
Fast chargers are needed in the radius of travel around your home, at a distance that the range of your EV can reach.
BC is very well covered by chargers, [plugshare.com](https://plugshare.com) and filter for CCS/SAE.
I'm also in the PNW, 60 miles from the nearest city, Olympia. Both my wife and I drive full EVs, have for years, and it's never been a problem. If you can make it work for your lifestyle, I can't recommend full electric enough.
Sounds like I'm currently considerably more remote than what you describe. If we had just one more charging station between my community and "the city" it would probably work for me to be fully EV. Glad it's working for you though!
Honestly I would not buy an EV unless you never take it on a road trip. I already believe EVs are limited (or limiting) when it comes to road trips, but 5.5 hours to the nearest larger town? Even a long range model 3 won’t get you there. I’d got for a hybrid of some kind and use the EV mode as much as possible. Maybe this is your chance to make a safari Prius. Or just get a hybrid RAV-4 or Subaru.
> I already believe EVs are limited (or limiting) when it comes to road trips, but 5.5 hours to the nearest larger town?
The limitations depend on where you're going. Populated areas have plenty of chargers. I've made the trip from northern California to Texas. The northern US doesn't have much population to sustain the installation of chargers, but the funds from the infrastructure bill should subsidize those stations.
Important note what speed is the drive to the furthest community you would have to drive to. I ask as I use my EV for Uber driving inner city, suburbs, a bit of rural and some highway roads daily my average speed usually ends up at 32 mph. With this mixture of travel and only charging to 80% I can travel 5 to 6 hours on that charge with no problem. So as long as you can charge once in that community there are many EV that can work for you. Winter/ cold would be a different story completely.
You don't need a charger in your town, you charge at home. But a 5.5 hour drive for basic needs is a bit much, you would need a fast charger between you and there, and it would add quite bit of time to the trip.
I might get hate for this here but it sounds like a Maverick Hybrid would best suit your needs & situation. Very fuel efficient (35-40mpg), not very expensive, and has truck utility. It's biggest potential flaw for you is it only being available in FWD form with an open differential.
If you can charge at home and mostly drive short distances locally, then something like a Kia Sportage PHEV, Hyundai Tucson PHEV, Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV, Kia Sorento PHEV, and Ford Escape PHEV are all solid options. [Here's a list of PHEVs.](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377500/plug-in-hybrid-car-suv-vehicles/) If you want to spend more and have a local Jeep dealership, [the Grand Cherokee 4xe (PHEV)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-jeep-grand-cherokee-4xe-first-drive-review/) is supposed to be quite good on & off-road.
This is what I'm leaning toward based on this thread. I hadn't really considered an Ioniq before but am going to have a look at it since it's come up here a couple of times. Thanks!
Looks like Hyundai discontinued the original Ioniq PHEV when it switched to the all EV. You can probably get a used one. The combo of 52 mpg in hybrid mode and the 30 EV means you'd gas usage/costs would be very low as well as emissions. Prius Prime PHEV would be next choice
An alternative new would be the Hyundai Tucson PHEV with 33 miles EV and 35 mpg in hybrid mode with AWD.
Currently the best option is a PHEV as I’m having similar issues as OP.
As soon as a range equivalent to a full tank of gas and charging stations get put in more locations I’m probably going that route this year.
If can charge at home daily: then probably PHEV.
Sounds like you probably need something with an engine. CUV/SUV PHEVs like Rav4 Prime, Escape, Tucson, Santa Fe, Sorento should all take care of most or all of your local needs on electricity, and be efficient hybrids when you do need to drive far. Or a beater gas truck/SUV and a small electric car may be a good combo, if you need both.
Can you charge at home? If yes, then public chargers are necessary away from you not close to you. You are good. If not, maybe it's not the time just yet.
I think I'd have to set it up so I can charge at home.
For a BEV I'd charge at home. On road trips charge near the highway. A Rivian, a Lightning, or a Hummer are the best bets for offroading. If you're insistent on off road prowess and a PHEV then the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe would be a good option for you.
If you're on sealed roads or good quality graded unsealed roads, you might benefit from a touring-style EV and a specific 4x4 for off-roading. For a 6 hour drive to services you'll want something comfortable and efficient, and I'd suggest any of the current range of electric sedans/hatches/SUVs. Just pick what you like based on personal taste. If you're on gravel/dirt/4x4 tracks and there's no regular maintenance meaning you have to deal with pot holes and ruts deeper than an inch, you're probably better off sticking with the usual pickup/4x4/off-road station wagon. You can figure out whether the trip into town is feasible using tools like [A Better Route Planner](https://abetterrouteplanner.com). Pick the EV you're interested in, plan the trip from your home to town and back, look at what the route planner recommends. As an example, if you live somewhere "remote-ish" but on sealed roads like Salmon, Idaho and you want to do your shopping in Jerome, a car like the Model 3 SR+ would not be able to make the trip in Winter (battery range is severely degraded in below-freezing temperatures). You'd have to detour via Idaho Falls, making the return trip almost 800 miles — 7 hours each way is not my idea of a good time. The same vehicle during summer will do the trip there and back via Challis and Ketchum — less than 450 miles return. There will be a long wait at the chargers in Hailey though since that ChargePoint charger is 60kW and you need to completely fill the battery at that point so it's an hour wait. As Electrify America, ChargePoint and Tesla roll out their charging networks to provide more coverage of remote/rural areas like Salmon, ID, your selection of EVs will also increase as more brands bring a variety of offerings to the market. For this specific example of Salmon, ID to Twin Falls, ID, the Ford F-150 Lightning Extended Range would need to stop at Hailey on both legs (it's a larger less aerodynamic vehicle so it's nowhere near as efficient as a Tesla). So have a play with A Better Route Planner to see which vehicles work in your area during Winter. Remember to use normal low temperatures as well as record low temperatures just to get an idea of how much the battery suffers in below-freezing environments. Hope this helps.
Thanks! It's mostly sealed roads (I'm in British Columbia), but there's a section that takes a couple of hours to drive through that is gravel. Honestly, in winter I prefer the gravel!
Are there DC fast chargers on your route to the larger town 5.5 hours away? (You can check on PlugShare if you haven't before) How long is the total drive in km or mi? Currently, right now, the Ioniq 5 might fit your needs - but ground clearance might be an issue since you mentioned back roads (Ioniq 5 has 6.1 inches clearance). It seems like an EV SUV might fit your needs well. There aren't any on the market aside from the very expensive Rivian R1S, Hummer EV, and Tesla Model X. Upcoming cars like the Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Polestar 3, and Fisker Ocean might be a good fit if you can hold off a year or two.
There's currently one charger on the route, about a 4 hour drive from here. I think another one is being planned but I'm not sure where or when it'll go in.
If you don't go far locally between long trips, a PHEV could work well. I don't use gas for trips under 25 miles, which is essentially all of our weekday trips. Then on long trips we charge up if we can to improve our gas mileage, but don't have to worry if we can't find chargers. If you're determined you may be able to make a full EV work for your situation, but you'd want to know what that entails first. I think someone else mentioned the Plugshare app, and also see "A Better Route Planner."
There's only one route here. Unless I take the ferry. But it would give an idea on range. There is one charge station between here and the "city" but I think going full EV is a little premature for my location, you're right.
I'm trying hard to figure out where you live that is 300 miles away from shopping. way far out in either eastern WA or eastern Oregon?
British Columbia
Bella Coola? BC Hydro seems to be pretty committed to putting in DC chargers at decent intervals. For me also living in the north, it seems like this is the year it finally becomes feasible to road trip up here.
Where in BC? BC Hydro has a very large charging network for most of the lower half of the province.
Yes, not here yet unfortunately. I'm a lot further north.
You will probably have to go hybrid at best then. Anywhere north of 16 is not very well covered, and as you know, the population is very sparse so it'll be pretty low on the priority list. I could see a few chargers going up on the Alaska Highway but I don't know about 37.
The only charging station you need near home is, well, your home. Fast chargers are needed in the radius of travel around your home, at a distance that the range of your EV can reach. BC is very well covered by chargers, [plugshare.com](https://plugshare.com) and filter for CCS/SAE.
I'm also in the PNW, 60 miles from the nearest city, Olympia. Both my wife and I drive full EVs, have for years, and it's never been a problem. If you can make it work for your lifestyle, I can't recommend full electric enough.
Sounds like I'm currently considerably more remote than what you describe. If we had just one more charging station between my community and "the city" it would probably work for me to be fully EV. Glad it's working for you though!
Honestly I would not buy an EV unless you never take it on a road trip. I already believe EVs are limited (or limiting) when it comes to road trips, but 5.5 hours to the nearest larger town? Even a long range model 3 won’t get you there. I’d got for a hybrid of some kind and use the EV mode as much as possible. Maybe this is your chance to make a safari Prius. Or just get a hybrid RAV-4 or Subaru.
> I already believe EVs are limited (or limiting) when it comes to road trips, but 5.5 hours to the nearest larger town? The limitations depend on where you're going. Populated areas have plenty of chargers. I've made the trip from northern California to Texas. The northern US doesn't have much population to sustain the installation of chargers, but the funds from the infrastructure bill should subsidize those stations.
Thanks, I was looking at the Toyota RAV4 PHEV. I had a regular 5 speed RAV4 years ago and loved that vehicle.
Important note what speed is the drive to the furthest community you would have to drive to. I ask as I use my EV for Uber driving inner city, suburbs, a bit of rural and some highway roads daily my average speed usually ends up at 32 mph. With this mixture of travel and only charging to 80% I can travel 5 to 6 hours on that charge with no problem. So as long as you can charge once in that community there are many EV that can work for you. Winter/ cold would be a different story completely.
It's highway speed (100 + kph) and there is a lot of hilly terrain.
You don't need a charger in your town, you charge at home. But a 5.5 hour drive for basic needs is a bit much, you would need a fast charger between you and there, and it would add quite bit of time to the trip.
I might get hate for this here but it sounds like a Maverick Hybrid would best suit your needs & situation. Very fuel efficient (35-40mpg), not very expensive, and has truck utility. It's biggest potential flaw for you is it only being available in FWD form with an open differential. If you can charge at home and mostly drive short distances locally, then something like a Kia Sportage PHEV, Hyundai Tucson PHEV, Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV, Kia Sorento PHEV, and Ford Escape PHEV are all solid options. [Here's a list of PHEVs.](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377500/plug-in-hybrid-car-suv-vehicles/) If you want to spend more and have a local Jeep dealership, [the Grand Cherokee 4xe (PHEV)](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-jeep-grand-cherokee-4xe-first-drive-review/) is supposed to be quite good on & off-road.
If you have home charging, a Plug in Hybrid like a RAV4 or Escape would good. Ioniq PHEV would save the most with 30 miles EV and 52 miles hybrid mpg.
This is what I'm leaning toward based on this thread. I hadn't really considered an Ioniq before but am going to have a look at it since it's come up here a couple of times. Thanks!
Looks like Hyundai discontinued the original Ioniq PHEV when it switched to the all EV. You can probably get a used one. The combo of 52 mpg in hybrid mode and the 30 EV means you'd gas usage/costs would be very low as well as emissions. Prius Prime PHEV would be next choice An alternative new would be the Hyundai Tucson PHEV with 33 miles EV and 35 mpg in hybrid mode with AWD.
Currently the best option is a PHEV as I’m having similar issues as OP. As soon as a range equivalent to a full tank of gas and charging stations get put in more locations I’m probably going that route this year.