How do I plan a long journey in an electric car?

Planning a long journey in an EV is different from petrol — but it's not difficult once you know the process. Here's how to do it stress-free.

The Basic Principle

Old way (petrol): Drive until nearly empty, find any petrol station, fill up in 5 minutes.

EV way: Plan charging stops in advance, charge while you take a break, arrive with enough buffer.

Key mindset shift: You're not "stopping to charge" — you're "charging while you stop."

Step 1: Know Your Car's Real Range

Forget the Official Figure

What Manufacturers Claim	What You'll Get
WLTP range	70–85% in real-world driving
300-mile WLTP	210–255 miles realistic

Motorway Reality

Motorway driving at 70mph uses significantly more energy than mixed driving:

Speed	Range Impact
60mph	~90% of rated range
70mph	~80% of rated range
80mph	~65–70% of rated range

Example: A 280-mile WLTP car might show 200–220 miles of realistic motorway range.

Weather Factors

Condition	Impact
Cold (0–5°C)	-15 to -25%
Hot with AC	-5 to -10%
Rain	-5% (wipers, lights, demisters)
Strong headwind	-5 to -10%

Winter trip: Assume 60–70% of WLTP range.

Step 2: Use a Route Planner

Recommended Apps

App	Best For	Cost
A Better Route Planner (ABRP)	Detailed planning, accurate	Free / Premium £4/month
Zapmap	UK charger info, reliability ratings	Free
Car's built-in nav	Convenience, battery pre-conditioning	Free
Google Maps	Shows chargers, less EV-specific	Free

A Better Route Planner (ABRP)

The gold standard for EV route planning.

What it does:

Enter your car model (knows exact consumption)

Set start and end points

Shows optimal charging stops

Estimates arrival charge, charging time, total time

Key settings:

Set "Arrival SoC" to 10–20% (don't cut it too fine)

Set your real-world driving speed

Include weather conditions for accuracy

How to Use ABRP

1Select your car — important for accuracy

2Enter route — start and destination

3Check suggestions — it shows charging stops

4Adjust if needed — add/remove stops based on preferences

5Save or share — export to your car's nav

Your Car's Built-In Nav

Advantages:

Automatically pre-conditions battery for charging

Knows your exact current charge

Updates in real-time

Disadvantages:

May suggest suboptimal chargers

Less flexibility in planning

Can't plan in advance from home

Best approach: Plan with ABRP, then set destination in car nav for battery pre-conditioning.

Step 3: Choose Your Charging Stops

Charger Types on Motorways

Type	Speed	Time for 100 miles	Typical Location
50kW	Moderate	45–60 mins	Services, some retail parks
100–150kW	Fast	25–35 mins	Most motorway services
250–350kW	Ultra-fast	15–20 mins	Newer installations

Your car's limit matters: A car that maxes at 100kW won't benefit from a 350kW charger.

Major UK Networks at Motorway Services

Network	Speed	Reliability	Payment
Tesla Supercharger	250kW	Excellent	App
Gridserve	350kW	Very good	Contactless/App
Ionity	350kW	Good	App (expensive ad-hoc)
BP Pulse	150kW	Improving	App/Contactless
InstaVolt	125kW	Good	Contactless

Tips for Choosing Stops

Do:

Choose stops with multiple chargers (backup if one's in use)

Pick locations with amenities (toilets, food, shelter)

Check Zapmap for recent reliability ratings

Have a backup stop in mind

Don't:

Plan to arrive at a charger with <10% battery

Rely on a single charger with no alternatives

Assume every charger will be working

Step 4: The Charging Strategy

The 20–80% Sweet Spot

Charging is fastest between 20% and 80%:

Charge Level	Typical Charging Speed
10–20%	Ramping up
20–60%	Maximum speed
60–80%	Starting to slow
80–100%	Much slower

Implication: Multiple shorter stops (20% to 80%) are faster than one long stop (10% to 100%).

Example Journey: London to Edinburgh (400 miles)

Car: 280-mile WLTP range, 150kW max charge

Option A: One long stop

Drive to 15%, charge to 95%

Charging time: ~70 minutes

Total stops: 1

Option B: Two shorter stops

Stop 1: Charge from 25% to 70% (~20 mins)

Stop 2: Charge from 20% to 65% (~20 mins)

Total charging time: ~40 minutes

Total stops: 2

Option B is faster overall — even with two stops.

Practical Stop Timing

Rule of thumb:

Stop every 150–200 miles

Charge for 15–30 minutes

Coincide with natural breaks (coffee, toilet, stretch)

Most people need breaks anyway. The EV just means you're productive during them.

Step 5: Day of Travel

Before You Leave

1Charge to 100% — this is when you want full range

2Check charger status — Zapmap shows real-time availability

3Pre-condition if cold — warms battery for efficiency

4Load route in car — for battery pre-conditioning en route

On the Road

Monitor your consumption:

Most EVs show estimated range based on current driving

Watch for discrepancies from plan

Adjust speed if running lower than expected

At charging stops:

Plug in, set up payment

Go get coffee/use facilities

Return when charged to target level

Some apps notify you when charging complete

Pro tip: Don't wait for a full charge. If you have enough to reach the next stop comfortably, move on.

What If Things Go Wrong?

Charger not working:

Try another charger at the same location

Check app for real-time status

Move to backup location

Call network support (numbers on charger)

Lower range than expected:

Reduce speed (even 5mph helps)

Reduce heating/AC

Stop earlier at a closer charger

Don't panic — EVs give plenty of warning

Running lower than comfortable:

Most EVs have a "reserve" beyond 0%

Sat nav will find nearest charger

Worst case: breakdown cover will charge or recover you

Real-World Journey Example

London to Manchester (200 miles)

Car: VW ID.4 (310-mile WLTP range)

Summer conditions:

Full charge: realistic 250 miles

Arrive with 50+ miles buffer

No charging stop needed

Winter conditions:

Full charge: realistic 200 miles

Arrive with minimal buffer

Option A: One quick stop (15 mins at Watford Gap)

Option B: Drive steadily at 65mph, arrive with small buffer

London to Edinburgh (400 miles)

Car: Hyundai Ioniq 5 (298-mile WLTP range)

Typical plan:

Start: 100% (realistic 230 miles)

Stop 1: Wetherby services (215 miles) — charge 20→65% (20 mins)

Stop 2: Gretna Green (340 miles) — charge 25→60% (15 mins)

Arrive: Edinburgh (400 miles) with ~30% remaining

Total charging time: ~35–40 minutes

Total journey time: ~7 hours (vs. 6.5 hours non-stop in theory)

Reality: You'd probably stop for breaks anyway. The EV just means you're charging while you eat/rest.

Tips for Stress-Free Long Journeys

Planning Stage

Check the route 24 hours ahead

Identify at least 2 charging options per planned stop

Download offline maps in case of poor signal

Know your car's real-world range (test it locally first)

On the Day

Start with 100% charge

Leave early to avoid charger queues

Bring a charging cable (some chargers are untethered)

Have snacks/entertainment for charging stops

General Tips

Tip	Why
Drive at 65–70mph	Significant range benefit vs 80mph
Use Eco mode	Optimises efficiency
Pre-condition the cabin	While plugged in at home
Don't stress about 100% at stops	60–80% is usually enough

Apps to Have Installed

App	Purpose
A Better Route Planner	Route planning
Zapmap	Charger locations and status
Your car's app	Remote monitoring
Charging network apps	BP Pulse, Ionity, etc. for payment
Google Maps	Backup navigation

The Honest Summary

Is Long-Distance EV Travel Harder?

Yes, slightly:

Requires planning (10–15 mins at home)

Charging stops take longer than petrol

Need to be aware of battery level

But:

It becomes routine after a few trips

Charging infrastructure is now comprehensive

You're resting while "fuelling"

Often not much slower end-to-end

Journey Time Reality

Journey	Petrol (Theory)	Petrol (Reality)	EV
200 miles	3h	3h 20m (one break)	3h 20m (no charge)
400 miles	6h	7h (two breaks)	7h 15m (two charges)
600 miles	9h	10h (three breaks)	10h 30m (three charges)

The gap is smaller than you'd think — especially when you factor in realistic breaks.

After Your First Trip

Most EV owners report that long-journey anxiety disappears after the first successful trip. You learn:

Your car's real range

How charging stops work

That it's not actually stressful

By your third or fourth long trip, it's routine.