Travelling by electric car is no longer an adventure limited to short urban journeys. With increasing vehicle range, the expansion of charging networks and the support of smart apps, it’s becoming easier than ever to plan long trips with confidence and peace of mind.
Still, many drivers have questions: How many stops will be needed? How long will charging take? Where can the most reliable charge points be found?
This guide outlines the key considerations when planning an electric car trip, with a focus on practical strategies, helpful tools, and the role of route planners like miio in ensuring a smooth experience from start to finish.
1. Understanding Your Electric Car’s Real Range
The first step to planning a successful electric trip is knowing your vehicle’s real-world range. The official range provided by the manufacturer is a useful reference, but actual performance can vary significantly depending on driving conditions and the environment.
Factors that influence range include:
- Driving style: sudden acceleration and high speeds increase energy consumption.
- Route topography: uphill sections demand more power, while downhill stretches may allow for regenerative braking.
- Weight carried: more passengers or heavy luggage lead to higher consumption.
- Outside temperature: cold or very hot weather can reduce available range, especially when using heating or air conditioning.
Knowing your realistic range allows for better planning of charging stops and helps in choosing the most suitable charging stations — avoiding unnecessary detours or stressful situations.
Tip: The miio app takes your specific vehicle model into account and provides tailored estimates for energy use and range, helping you plan using real-world data.
2. Choosing the Right Route with a Dedicated Planner
When travelling in an electric car, the best route isn’t always the shortest one. Several important factors should be taken into account to ensure the journey is smooth, efficient and safe.
What to consider when planning your route:
- Your car’s real range – avoid long stretches between charging stations.
- Availability of chargers along the way – areas with limited coverage require more attention.
- Elevation and terrain – hilly routes can lead to higher energy use.
- Weather conditions – extreme heat or cold can affect battery performance.
- Comfort during stops – ideally, charging should align with mealtimes, rest breaks or other needs.
Practical example: On a journey from Lisbon to Madrid in a car with a real range of around 350 km, it’s wise to plan strategic charging stops in advance. One commonly used stop is Badajoz (about 225 km in), where several fast chargers are available, typically located at shopping centres or service areas with toilets and food options.
Depending on average consumption and charging time, a second stop might be needed — for example in Navalmoral de la Mata or Talavera de la Reina. With the help of a route planner, it’s easier to anticipate these needs and adjust the trip to the car’s capacity, ensuring a more comfortable and stress-free journey.
Benefits of using a route planner like the one in the miio app:
- Route tailored to your registered vehicle.
- Automatic suggestions for where to charge.
- Estimated total trip time, including charging stops.
- Real-time charger status with filters by plug type, power, or location.
Planning your route in this way helps avoid last-minute decisions and makes the trip more predictable — especially useful for cross-border travel, remote areas, or family journeys.
3. Planning Charging Stops in Advance
Unlike petrol or diesel vehicles, where a quick stop to refuel is usually enough, electric car journeys require more thoughtful planning of stops — not only for charging, but also to ensure comfort along the way.
Key points to consider when choosing where to stop:
- Strategic location – ideally halfway between two charging sessions, within the vehicle’s realistic range.
- Available facilities – toilets, food options, rest areas or nearby shops make the stop more worthwhile.
- Charger reliability – it’s best to avoid locations with negative reviews or a history of technical issues.
- Charger speed – faster chargers reduce waiting times.
- Opening hours – some chargers are located in gated areas or car parks with limited access during evenings or weekends.
Tip: The miio app lets users check usage history and reviews for each charging point, and even activate live status alerts — such as when a charger becomes available or when new comments are posted — helping avoid wasted detours.
Planning charging stops in advance turns what could be seen as “lost time” into a useful break — improving comfort, reducing the chance of delays, and making the entire electric driving experience more fluid.
4. Estimating Charging Time at Each Stop
Charging times can vary significantly depending on several factors, and having a realistic idea of how long each stop will take is key to good trip planning. It’s not just about knowing where to charge — it’s also about knowing how long you’ll need.
What affects charging time:
- Charger type:
- Fast chargers (CCS/CHAdeMO) can typically charge up to 80% in 20–40 minutes.
- Semi-fast or standard AC chargers may take several hours.
- Battery level when charging begins:
- Charging from 20% to 80% is usually the most efficient.
- After 80%, charging speed slows significantly.
- Vehicle charging capacity:
- Not all cars can use the maximum available power of a charger.
Estimating charging time accurately helps plan how to use that time — whether it’s for a meal, a quick coffee, or simply a break from driving. When this is anticipated properly, charging becomes a natural part of the journey, rather than a disruption.
5. Have a Plan B (and Even a Plan C)
Even with careful planning, things don’t always go as expected. A charging point might be occupied, out of order, or temporarily inaccessible. That’s why having backup options mapped along the route is essential.
Strategies for dealing with the unexpected:
- Avoid relying on a single critical charger — especially in areas with limited coverage.
- Identify nearby alternatives — secondary chargers just a few kilometres away can save long detours.
- Check charger status before arrival — real-time updates help decide whether to proceed or adjust the plan.
- Save key chargers as favourites — makes it quicker to find them again during the trip.
- Read recent reviews — other users’ feedback can highlight recurring issues or access problems.
Taking these precautions reduces stress if things don’t go to plan and gives much more flexibility throughout the journey.
6. Pre-Trip Checklist
Before setting off, it’s important to make sure everything is ready for a smooth journey. A quick check can help avoid setbacks and make the experience far more relaxed.
Checklist for electric car travel:
- Battery fully charged or with enough range to reach the first planned charging stop;
- Route planned with strategic stops and backup options identified;
- Physical charging card or eKey ready to ensure access even if the app fails;
- Apps updated and logged in to avoid authentication issues during the trip;
- Sufficient balance in your digital wallet (if applicable) to prevent session start failures;
- Compatible charging cables in the car, especially if AC charging may be needed;
- Adapters (if applicable), depending on the country or type of charge point;
- Phone fully charged and a charger in the car — essential for route tracking and session control.
Running through this checklist ensures nothing important is forgotten and helps avoid unnecessary issues. A few minutes of preparation can save hours of inconvenience later.
Conclusion
Planning an electric car trip does require a few extra steps compared to driving a petrol or diesel vehicle — but with the right tools and a bit of preparation, it can be just as simple and enjoyable.
Knowing your vehicle’s real range, choosing a smart route, selecting the right charging stops and estimating time effectively are all essential to a smooth experience. Add in a backup plan and a quick pre-departure check, and the journey becomes more predictable and far less stressful.
Electric mobility is increasingly ready for long-distance travel — and with the right planning, it’s entirely possible to hit the road with confidence, comfort, and no unpleasant surprises.
Quick Summary: Key Tips for Planning an Electric Car Trip
- Knowing your vehicle’s real-world range is essential for planning a safe and efficient route.
- Using a dedicated electric vehicle route planner helps estimate charging stops, timings and find the best charge points.
- Charging stops should be planned in advance, considering comfort, reliability and available facilities.
- Estimating how long each charging session will take avoids delays and helps make the most of each break.
- Having a Plan B (and even a Plan C) ensures flexibility if a charge point is occupied or out of service.
- A pre-trip checklist ensures everything is ready: battery, app access, balance, charging card/eKey, cables and adapters.
With the right preparation, long-distance travel by electric car becomes easy, comfortable and stress-free — supported by an ever-growing charging network.
Want to learn more about electric vehicle charging? Explore more on the miio blog.
