AP Photo/Moti Milrod
DCL
Whenever anyone starts talking about the downsides of driving an electric car, one thing inevitably comes up: limited range. Some EVs get as little mileage per charge as 25 miles?which makes it hard to rely upon the car for anything other than corner store visits and uber brief joyrides.
And even though the newest generation of electric cars get closer to 300 miles per charge, it's still a deterrent for longer trips, and it cuts into a driver's sense of security. But there is a workaround—it's not the most convenient solution. But it beats both paying at the pump and leaving your vehicle at home. And it's simple. Carry an extension cord.
Allow me to explain. The predicament detailed above has forced some EV drivers to get resourceful—which means bringing an extension cord and being perpetually armed with good manners. Just about anywhere you stop on the road, there's a spare outlet to be found. It just means sweet talking the owners of the establishment a bit (as I recommended biofuel car drivers do to snag some used cooking oil for fuel and a willingness to whip out a 50 ft cord at a moment's notice. Take it from Steve Bernheim, whose audacity was detailed in Mother Earth News:
That was the case for Steve Bernheim, who routinely carries a 50-foot extension cord and is always prepared to sweet-talk an amenable business owner into helping him charge his electric vehicle . . . The premise of EVs is that their owners would use them for relatively short commutes to work or the grocery store and then plug them in at the end of the day at home for a full night?s charging. But no driver wants a tether that tight, and with EV charging stations few and far between . . . he's found himself calling ahead to restaurants on longer-haul drives to request outlet access in exchange for his business; and he once coaxed a fruit-stand owner to let him charge his EV and showed his gratitude by buying $50 of fruit. Friendly one-off charging stations help Berheim take his car beyond the 25 miles per charge he usually gets.
So there you have it—if you're willing to map out your route ahead of time and make a few phone calls, you can stretch your EV's range with relative ease. It's really actually kind of funny how discouraged people seem by the fact that you have to plug in a car—for many models, any old outlet will do, and besides the minor inconvenience, there's nothing stopping you from driving your electric car across the country. Just always offer to pay for your charge (ten bucks should be more than enough; it's mostly just a way of saying thanks since the electricity you use actually costs a couple dozen cents at most) and try to call ahead.
And take your EV anywhere you want, by charging it guerilla style.
