With the growing cost of living, people are increasingly thinking of creative ways to save on bills and get out to enjoy cheaper holidays this winter. Amid the harsh financial climate, what better or more economical way to get a change of scenery than on an EV road trip? In this article, we look at ten essential items you should take on your winter road trip. Of course, there are dozens of items outside of this list you should take on a road trip – clothing, hygiene, entertainment, health and safety– but in this list, you’ll find things you may not have thought of.
Table of Contents
A Road Trip? In Winter? In An EV??
We know what you’re thinking: don’t EVs lose power at a quicker rate during Winter? Much like your smartphone, EVs lose power faster in colder climates, meaning you may need to charge your car more frequently if you plan on hitting the open road this winter. However, that shouldn’t deter you; you may just need to plan your charging regime a little more than you would on a Summer road trip. There are still dozens of reasons you should go electric for your road trip and do it in the crisp, frosty climate.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the essentials to bring with you on your EV road trip.
EV Blanket
Suppose you have to do a car-based sleepover one night or wait for a lengthy spell as your car charges; the EV blanket will keep you cosy in the interim. EV electric blankets plug straight into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle, and then the warmth can begin.
Data-Enabled Smart Device
It’s hard to imagine that anybody survives in modern society without a smartphone. Still, if you are one of these rare creatures that have veered away from the smartphone life, you may want to consider bringing some other kind of data-enabled smart device on your EV road trip. We recommend this because there is no easier way to locate public chargers where you can top up your EV’s battery than via a charging app.
Downloading an app like Bonnet will mean you have all the local public chargers laid out on a map so you can find the nearest one to you. Having all the local chargers from a specific EV charging company at your fingertips will prove especially important in the cold weather, given what we discussed earlier about the battery potentially draining faster.
Smartphone Holder
If your smart device is your phone, it is definitely worth investing in a smartphone holder that sticks to the windscreen so that you can keep your eyes fixed on the road at all times.
Ice Scraper
If you’re going road-tripping during the colder months, it would be remiss to leave behind an ice scraper for those frostier mornings. Don’t let ice on your windscreen delay you from getting on with your journey.
De-Icer
In the same vein as the above item, setting off will take much longer if you don’t have some de-icer to spritz over your icy windscreen.
A Car Boot Organiser
In any season, a road trip requires bringing a myriad of belongings. This only intensifies during the colder months, when you’ll likely need to take more. A car boot organiser is a useful way to store all of your belongings in the boot. The different sections can be used to divide up your things so it doesn’t seem like such a mess at the back of your vehicle.
Travel Mug
What would a Winter road trip be without a travel mug to contain your steamy tea or coffee? And besides the obvious allure of drinking a hot drink as you cruise, drinking caffeinated drinks also keep you safe, reducing your likelihood of a collision while driving a long distance. So, ensure you have a handy travel mug with a secure lid to pop into a drinks holder during lengthy journeys.
Extension Cord
Something you may not have thought to bring with you on a winter road trip is an extension cord in case your charging cord can’t reach the outlet. If you find yourself unable to park close to the outlet, an extension cord will prove vital. Make sure it’s winter-proof so that you are safe to plug it in in adverse conditions.
Adaptor
EVs have different plug heads. Specifically, there are four types, two for AC (type 1 and 2) and two for DC (CHAdeMo and CCS). Try bringing along a converter so that you are always prepared to convert whichever type of charger you have to whichever one you need.
Posture Corrector
It’s no secret: driving for long periods can do a number on your posture and trigger back pain. To make matters worse, the cold weather can also cause an achy back because it can tighten the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the spine.
Cold weather paired with poor posture while driving can strain your spine and pull on the sensitive nerve roots exiting the spine, making for an unpleasant winter road trip. The way to conquer this? A posture corrector that sits in the driver’s seat or on your back, keeping you rod-straight while you cruise through the crisp winter scenery.
Bottom Line
We hope you feel ready to face your EV winter road trip with everything you could possibly need. If you are getting out on the roads this winter, drive safe!
