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There’s something beautifully American about loading up the family hauler and pointing it toward the horizon with nothing but a full tank and a vague sense of direction. The great American road trip has always been about freedom, spontaneity, and the confidence that gas stations would appear when needed. Electric vehicles have complicated this equation, turning every long-distance journey into a chess match against charging infrastructure and range anxiety.
But sometimes, just sometimes, the electric highway delivers an experience that reminds you why we fell in love with road trips in the first place. And occasionally, it teaches you that the Germans might understand American charging needs better than the Americans do.
Brittany Sumrall’s recent 1,400-mile odyssey in her Kia EV9 GT-Line from Savannah to Memphis and back reads like a field manual for the modern electric road warrior. Her Facebook post captures both the promise and the practical realities of long-distance electric travel:
“690-mile Road Trip x2!! (1400 miles total) We encountered 2 other Kia EV9 GT lines that were the same color but had different drivers! I love our community and that everyone is so nice!
The route followed made the most of avoiding charging deserts.(Pooler, GA, Macon, GA, Calhoun, GA, Manchester, TN, Jackson, TN) Savannah, GA> Memphis, TN and reverse.Mostly EA, 1 Chargepoint, and 1 Mercedes at Buccees in Calhoun, GA. That Mercedes charger was pretty impressive. Overall, issue-free and averaged about 2.6 kWh per mi.
Learnings:
1) If possible, avoid charging in major cities and charge just outside or after them… we were stuck in Atlanta for probably an hour longer than needed bc of all of the charging stations we went to were full for a while…. There were a couple of cars behind us waiting as well… that was lame.
2) Mercedes-Benz Chargers are super easy to use and fast. I’ve added them to my preferred network of stations in my Chargeaway app.
3) When using a route planning app (I use Chargeway), it is probably a good general route, BUT it doesn’t prioritize the highest Kw stations. It prioritizes the most efficient route. Which means i it may recommend a 150 charging station or lower when a 350 may be half a block past that station.
4) The relaxation package is worth it in my personal passenger experience! This car drives like a couch and is a totally different and less stressful experience with the smooth ride, drive assistance, and comfy headrest. The naps are peaceful.”
What strikes you immediately about Sumrall’s experience is the complete absence of range anxiety, panic, or charging infrastructure complaints. This wasn’t a white-knuckle survival story about barely making it to the next electron dispenser. It was a successful family road trip that happened to be powered by batteries instead of gasoline. The fact that she encountered two other identical EV9s along the way suggests that Kia’s electric SUV has reached the kind of market penetration where spotting one on the highway isn’t cause for celebration anymore. It’s just another family heading somewhere with their stuff, which is exactly what the electric vehicle revolution was supposed to deliver.
The Kia EV9’s Relaxation Package
- The EV9’s relaxation package and quiet electric propulsion create a uniquely comfortable long-distance travel experience that transforms charging stops into rest opportunities.
- EV9 owners develop instant bonds with other drivers of the same vehicle, sharing knowledge and celebrating encounters during long-distance travel.
- Real-world efficiency of 2.6 kWh per mile during mixed highway and city driving demonstrates the EV9’s capability for practical long-distance travel.
- Successful EV road trippers learn to work with current charging infrastructure limitations while discovering unexpected advantages like premium charging experiences at select locations.
The route planning that Sumrall describes reveals the chess-match nature of electric vehicle travel. Her strategic avoidance of “charging deserts” and careful selection of stops in Pooler, Macon, Calhoun, Manchester, and Jackson shows the kind of advance planning that gas car drivers never had to consider. But here’s the thing: it worked. She completed 1,400 miles without drama, averaged a respectable 2.6 kWh per mile, and discovered some interesting truths about charging infrastructure along the way. The experience mirrors what other EV9 owners have found on similar journeys, as one driver discovered that taking a Kia EV9 900 miles from Ohio to Alabama revealed which charging networks truly understand customer needs and which ones are still figuring it out.
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The Atlanta charging situation that Sumrall encountered illustrates one of the fundamental challenges facing electric vehicle adoption. Major cities, which should theoretically have the best charging infrastructure, often become bottlenecks where demand exceeds supply. Her hour-long delay searching for available chargers in Atlanta, with other EVs queuing behind her, paints a picture of an infrastructure network that’s still catching up to demand. This isn’t a failure of electric vehicles; it’s a failure of planning and investment in the places where people actually need to charge. The irony is that avoiding major cities for charging often leads to better experiences at smaller, less congested stations.
But here’s where Sumrall’s story gets interesting: her discovery of Mercedes-Benz charging stations. Her observation that the Mercedes charger at Buc-ee’s in Calhoun was “pretty impressive” and “super easy to use and fast” reveals something important about the charging landscape. While everyone focuses on Tesla’s Supercharger network and Electrify America’s rapid expansion, Mercedes has quietly been building charging infrastructure that prioritizes user experience over market share.
Sumrall was so impressed that she added Mercedes stations to her preferred network in the Chargeway app, which is the kind of brand loyalty that money can’t buy. The German approach to charging infrastructure reflects their automotive philosophy: engineer it properly the first time, make it work reliably, and don’t compromise on quality. As Mercedes continues expanding their network, they’re proving that luxury charging experiences can differentiate charging networks just as effectively as luxury features differentiate vehicles.
The route planning app insights that Sumrall shares highlight a persistent problem in electric vehicle travel: the difference between efficient routing and optimal charging. Her observation that Chargeway prioritizes the most efficient route rather than the highest-power charging stations reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of electric vehicle needs. When you’re planning a long trip, sometimes it’s worth driving an extra half-block to access a 350kW charger instead of settling for a 150kW station. The time saved during charging more than compensates for the slight detour, but current routing algorithms don’t always recognize this trade-off. It’s the kind of real-world wisdom that comes from actually driving electric vehicles long distances rather than just programming theoretical optimization algorithms.
Garry McCausland’s comment about using both Chargeway and PlugShare apps reveals the multi-app strategy that experienced electric vehicle road trippers develop. No single app provides perfect information, so savvy drivers cross-reference multiple sources to find the best available options. His mention of having “the same model and color” as Sumrall’s EV9 demonstrates the kind of community connection that electric vehicle ownership creates. There’s an instant bond between drivers of the same electric vehicle, partly because the ownership experience is still novel enough to create shared understanding, and partly because everyone’s still figuring out the best practices together. Todd George’s enthusiasm about Chargeway usage shows how the electric vehicle community celebrates tools that make the experience better for everyone.
The “relaxation package” that Sumrall praises reveals something important about the Kia EV9’s positioning as a family road trip vehicle. Her description of the car driving “like a couch” with a “smooth ride, drive assistance, and comfy headrest” that enables “peaceful naps” captures the fundamental advantage that electric vehicles offer for long-distance travel. Without engine noise, vibration, or the constant gear changes of traditional powertrains, electric vehicles create a uniquely serene travel environment. The fact that passengers can actually sleep comfortably during charging stops transforms what could be an inconvenience into a genuine rest opportunity. This isn’t just about the EV9’s specific features; it’s about how electric propulsion changes the entire road trip experience from an endurance test into something approaching luxury travel. The experience aligns with what other long-distance EV travelers have discovered, as one driver found that delivering a Kia EV9 2,500 miles from Oregon to Alaska through Canada proved the vehicle’s capability for extreme long-distance travel, even in challenging conditions.
Sumrall’s successful 1,400-mile journey represents more than just one family’s vacation; it’s evidence that electric vehicle road trips have moved from experimental adventures to practical reality. Her matter-of-fact documentation of charging stops, efficiency numbers, and infrastructure observations reads like the kind of trip report that gas car drivers have been writing for decades. The electric vehicle revolution hasn’t eliminated the challenges of long-distance travel; it’s just changed them. Instead of worrying about gas prices and fuel economy, electric vehicle drivers plan around charging speeds and network reliability. Instead of random gas station stops, they discover places like Buc-ee’s with Mercedes charging stations that exceed their expectations. The infrastructure continues improving as more manufacturers recognize the importance of charging experience, with companies like Mercedes building luxury charging networks that rival Tesla’s Supercharger network in both capability and user experience.
How To Plan Roadtrips With Electric Vehicles
- Successful electric vehicle road trips require advance planning to avoid charging deserts and optimize for high-power charging stations rather than just the shortest distance.
- Major cities often have the most congested charging infrastructure, making suburban and rural charging stops more reliable for long-distance travel.
- Mercedes-Benz charging stations are earning recognition for superior user experience, reliability, and charging speeds that rival established networks.
- Experienced EV road trippers use multiple charging apps simultaneously to cross-reference availability, pricing, and station conditions for optimal trip planning.
The broader implications of Sumrall’s experience extend beyond individual satisfaction to demonstrate the maturation of electric vehicle technology for American road trip culture. Her successful navigation of 1,400 miles through the Southeast, complete with family comfort and minimal drama, shows that electric vehicles have reached the point where they can fulfill the traditional American promise of automotive freedom. The fact that she’s already planning future trips and sharing knowledge with the community suggests that this wasn’t a one-time experiment but the beginning of a new relationship with long-distance travel. As charging infrastructure continues expanding and improving, experiences like Sumrall’s will become increasingly common, transforming electric vehicle ownership from a lifestyle choice requiring compromise into a superior alternative that offers both environmental benefits and enhanced travel experiences.
Have you discovered any charging networks that exceeded your expectations during long-distance EV travel? What strategies have you developed for optimizing charging stops during family road trips?Let us know in the comments below.
Image Sources: Kia Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
