From sedans to old pickups, almost any 4×4 vehicle will do for overlanding. You don’t have to buy a brand-new SUV, jeep, or truck just so you can travel and camp in remote places. Make use of what you have, because resourcefulness is one skill you will need in order to survive in the wild.
The idea here is to make your vehicle rugged and capable to get it ready for any adventure off-road. Modifications will include suspension systems, tires, racks, bumpers, etc.
But what if the only vehicle that you have for overlanding is a Tesla Model 3?
Can You Use an Electric Vehicle When Overlanding?
Can you use an electric vehicle when overlanding? Yes, as long as there are an appropriate number of charging stations along your chosen offroad trail or you own an electric car with the longest range.
In fact, enthusiasts say that electric vehicles, or EVs, are the future for both offroading and overlanding. The world of overlanding has already welcomed this advancement.
But do electric cars make a comfortable and convenient offroading and camping experience? Keep reading to find out more.
What Type of Overlanding Can You Do With Electric Vehicles?
You can use an electric vehicle when overlanding, but it mainly depends on the type of overland trip you plan to take.
Electric vehicles are expensive because of the massive batteries contained in their undercarriage. You don’t want to damage this very valuable possession just because you want to overland in the Mojave Desert or Death Valley.
Also, keep in mind that electric vehicles heavily rely on electricity for their operation. You don’t want to take the risk of driving in remote places where there is no charging station, because you can get stuck there when you run out of battery.
Let’s enumerate the different types of overlanding trips and determine whether you can use an electric car on each of them.
Weekend Trip
For beginners or those who are not full-time overlanders, camping in remote places is their usual kind of weekend getaway. Sometimes, living in a city that never sleeps can be suffocating, and an escape is the only thing that can save your sanity.
A weekend overland trip makes a great escape. However, overlanding is a vehicle-based adventure, and you need a capable 4WD to tackle rough terrain offroad. Can you use an electric vehicle for a weekend trip?
The answer depends on the range of your electric car. A fully charged EV can travel 80-300 miles, depending on the brand and its battery capacity. If you own an EV with a range of 144 miles, like that of a Volkswagen E–Golf, then a 2-day trip is doable. You just have to make sure that you fully charge the EV before you hit the road and that you drive near charging stations.
National and State Parks
National and state parks are friendly environments for EVs because they are mainly designed for adventure-seeking individuals. This means that they have complete facilities to make your camping trip comfortable and convenient, whether your overland vehicle runs on fuel or electricity.
These parks are equipped with several charging stations, so you can explore hidden trails as much as you like. To encourage adventurers to visit the park using EVs, because they are more environmentally friendly, the NPS offers more than 140 EV chargers nationwide.
You can easily explore national and state parks with electric vehicles.
Paved Campground
If your overland journey is a smooth ride, then there’s no doubt, you can use an electric car during your entire trip. Most EVs are hatchbacks and sedans. These car models have low ground clearance as a strategy to enhance their aerodynamics and efficiency. If your overland journey is on paved roads, then you’ll be more likely to find charging stations along the road. Just don’t go over the capacity of your EV.
Summer Trip
Summer is the best time to do overlanding. The great weather will give you more opportunities to experience adventures outdoors. Also, EVs perform optimally during warm weather. Air temperatures affect the performance of EVs. During the summer, they have a much longer range.
You can have a comfortable summer overland journey with an electric vehicle.
Winter Trip
If you use an electric car for your winter overland trip, the ride will be very challenging.
EVs have a longer range during the summer, but during the winter they experience a temporary reduction in range and a long charging time. This is because cold temperatures slow down the chemical reactions in battery cells.
Also, EVs don’t have heat-producing engines, so to warm up the car, they will require more energy from the battery. EVs suffer from a 40% reduction in range during winter.
Long Remote Trip
What if Utah is your dream and you’ve got one week to explore its beauty? Utah is known as home to many remote places and trails that are a hundred miles long. It would take you one week to explore all their hidden treasures.
Can you rely on your electric vehicle for your long-week overland trip to a remote place? Definitely not, and you don’t want to take the risk.
EV charging stations are still a work in progress, so finding a charging station far away from civilization is a rare event. In times of malfunctioning or problems with your EV, it is difficult to find a person to help you out because your EV is a rare overland vehicle model.
Lastly, a long-week overland trip requires lots of heavy loads that your EV might not be able to carry.
Off-Road Trip
To be able to conquer rough terrain offroad, your overland vehicle must have high ground clearance, a reliable suspension system, and tough tires. Thankfully, modern EVs now have a “very high” ground clearance mode and adjustable suspension systems that will increase the ride height with just the press of a button.
SUVs and trucks perform better offroad than hatchbacks and sedans. We now have SUV electric vehicles like the Tesla Model X. This model also has a high ground clearance of 9 inches, which is enough for offroading. Most EVs are 4WDs, so they are also easy to drive in challenging terrain.
But will the ride be safe and comfortable?
Electric vehicles can be driven offroad but only limited to specific terrains such as dirt roads and sand.
You don’t want to use an EV to crawl on a boulder or take the risk of driving through deep mud or river crossings. But don’t lose hope, because automakers are still in the process of developing EVs to make them rugged and capable of offroading. Maybe in the future.
What Is the Range of Electric Vehicles?
Electric vehicles solely rely on electricity to run. This makes them more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient. But in terms of capacity, do EVs perform better than those vehicles that run on fuel? How far can you go with a fully charged EV? Range refers to how long an EV can go with a fully charged battery, measured in miles.
Electric Vehicles have varying distance capacity ranges but in general they are somewhere between 80 and 300 miles.
You can even find an EV that has a range of over 300 miles. For example, the Mercedes EQS has a range of 485 miles. How far an electric vehicle can go will depend on its battery capacity.
Electric Vehicle Battery Capacity
Electric vehicles have one large battery that is made up of hundreds of individual cells packed into modules of pockets. This large battery is situated at the undercarriage of the EV. The batteries are lithium-ion batteries, so they have greater longevity and excellent energy retention.
They are rechargeable via charging stations for electric vehicles, or you can charge them on 120V or 240V house plugs. They take 30 minutes to 12 hours of charging time, depending on the charger.
If you use a DC fast charger, a 30-minute charging time can already give you 100 miles range. This battery is expected to last for a decade. With this kind of battery, how much range can electric vehicles give you?
The battery capacity of electric vehicles ranges from 30 kWh to 100 kWh. A 100 kWh battery can give you a range of 300 miles. The higher the kW of the battery, the higher the EV’s range.
However, there are several factors that can affect the capacity of the battery. So, do not expect that your 100 kWh can run for 300 miles when you carry a heavy load.
Fast speed, full load, and cold temperatures are just some of the factors that can easily drain your EV’s battery.
How Are Electric Engines Different From Combustion Engines?
The main difference between an EV and a traditional vehicle is the technology that powers them up. Electric vehicles have a motor that runs on electricity, while traditional vehicles have an engine that runs on combustion. The engine converts the fuel into mechanical energy, while the motor converts electricity into mechanical energy.
Internal Combustion Engines
The internal-combustion engine is a heat engine that converts the energy from the heat of burning gasoline into mechanical energy. Your traditional or typical vehicle uses an internal combustion engine. This engine converts the fuel into heat and into mechanical energy, which causes your vehicle to move. The process is a combination of fuel, the engine, and air.
Electric Motors
On the other hand, electric cars have motors that run on electricity. EVs are equipped with a large traction battery pack that is rechargeable. Electricity from this battery is used to power the motor and make the car move.
This process involves no burning of fuels, so there is no air pollution, global warming, depletion of natural resources, or noise. Because they run on electricity, they have 99% fewer components to maintain, making them more cost-effective.
Final Thoughts
So, can you go camping in an electric vehicle? Yes, but you should first know the capacity of the electric vehicle. Plan out your overland travel and know the terrain that you have to go through.
Will there be enough charging stations to keep you going? Will the terrain let your EV pass through safely? This way, you ensure your safety and the safety of your electric vehicle.
Electric vehicles are a must-try overland vehicle. Don’t you want to drive an electric vehicle to remote places and enjoy nature with an environmentally friendly vehicle?
Overlanding with an electric vehicle will definitely be an unforgettable adventure.
