As you read this, I will be returning from a road trip to Montana. It’s not the first long road trip I’ve taken, nor is it the longest, but it will be a long journey by car, going to enjoy an American National Park.
Development of technology has been good for road trips. Cars are more efficient than they have ever been, so there are fewer gas stops and fewer emissions out of the tailpipe – great, if you’re going to a park named after a glacier and don’t particularly want the glacier to melt. It’s easier to see where you’re going too, essential when you’re in an unfamiliar city.
I wonder if the road trip will survive, however, when we reject the internal combustion engine and leap into the world of electricity.
Electric cars are more viable than they have ever been, and as battery technology improves they’re going to get even better. You can now buy models with the same range as a traditional gas-powered vehicle, they’re quiet, they’re comfortable, they’re powerful and they can carry most of your things. If you have a large bank account you can get a big electric SUV to carry lots of children and things from place to place.
But even the best electric cars need to be charged, and right now even the fastest charging takes about a half an hour. That doesn’t compare to the few minutes it takes to refill a gas tank, and that’s what is putting the road trip at risk. The need to stop for a long time is going to be an issue when you’ve got a day of driving ahead of you.
It could also be an opportunity. People will still want to visit national parks, for example, and they’re not generally the most convenient places to reach, given that great natural beauty often places you off the beaten track. The small towns on the way will have the chance to accommodate the electric road trippers by giving them something to do while their car is plugged in. A half hour when you can have a good meal, take the kids around to a nice park or some other fun activity, and do some shopping in some small, locally-owned businesses is going to be great for a little town. A gas stop is much shorter, an electric charge is going to give them a much more eager audience.
And maybe all of this speculation will wind up being rendered redundant by improving charging technology. In theory, we could get to the point where filling your car with electricity is the same as filling it with gasoline, and if that’s the case the good old fashioned road trip will not be at risk at all. If anything, it’ll be better, easier, cheaper and cleaner. That will be good news for everyone, especially me, since I love a good road trip.
