EV road trips: What you need to know before you go

Sally Scott Sally Scott
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We take a deep dive into the world of electric vehicles for those ready to make the switch and embark on a great Aussie EV road trip.

More and more Australians are making conscious, sustainable, ethical and responsible travel choices. Travellers are concerned about choosing eco-certified accommodations, tours and destinations and even carbon offsets for flights, but what about your hire car?

The simplest way to cut emissions is to make the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) for your next road trip. EVs are the future of motoring and rental car companies are starting to embrace the change to eco-friendly and sustainable driving.

We took a test drive to discover what’s involved in hiring an EV to answer all your questions. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.

Hiring an EV

Sixt electric vehicle by the beach
SIXT has the largest fleet of electric vehicles in Australia.

If you’ve searched for the best car rental deals online recently, you may have noticed a new player entering the market offering a range of EVs. Owned by NRMA, SIXT launched here in 2021 with the largest fleet of electric vehicles in Australia. According to Matt Beattie, managing director of SIXT Australia the company has plans to convert half of its 16,000 nationwide rental fleet to electric in the coming years to help deliver on the nation’s net zero emissions target.

Europcar also has a growing number of EVs, and at this stage the most popular location to hire an EV is from major capital city airports, but that is likely to change as car rental companies continue to expand their EV fleets.

Pro tip: If you usually fly business class or book luxury or boutique hotels, consider matching your holiday experience by upgrading your rental to a prestige or premium vehicle for your next road trip journey. We took the new BMW iX3 from SIXT for a spin on a mini road trip from Sydney to the Blue Mountains and it was a dream to drive!

The cost of hiring an EV

electric vehicle
Renting an EV can offer cost savings on fuel. (Image: Getty Images/Aliaksandr Litviniuk)

It’s easy to make a sustainable switch to an electric vehicle with the cost of renting an EV only around $10 more per day than an equivalent petrol vehicle, the benefit is that you save on the cost of fuel and can recharge for free at several EV charging stations. The other bonus is EVs don’t need to be recharged before returning, saving time and money. It takes the stress out of finding a petrol station before returning a hire car or paying a premium if you return it half empty.

SIXT customers are provided with a Chargefox token for use across the Chargefox network during their hire period and customers driving in NSW can also benefit from the NRMA charging network, which is currently free. Tesla chargers are free to use for customers who have hired a Tesla vehicle.

Pro tip: Hire car prices usually rise as you get closer to your travel dates, so it’s recommended to book a hire car in advance to secure the best prices. If you’re a member of one of the nation’s auto clubs such as NRMA, you’ll also receive a 20 per cent discount with SIXT.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Planning your EV road trip

electric vehicle on the road
There are websites and apps available to help you plan the best route for your EV road trip. (Image: Getty Images/ClaraNila)

There is a range of websites and apps available to plan your EV road trip including the free PlugShare app, which provides comprehensive coverage of charging stations across Australia. You can enter your trip destination and set the make/model to locate the most suitable charging points for your vehicle along the way. PlugShare also has review capabilities with user-generated content including uploading images of charging stations to help plan your journey.

Depending on how far you’re travelling, you may only need to charge at the end of the day, much like plugging in your phone at night. On average, new vehicles have a range capacity of approximately 480 kilometres, and more expensive vehicles go further, therefore “range anxiety" should not be a problem for the average road trip along popular routes. Range anxiety refers to a driver’s concern they won’t have enough charge to get to the next charging station. With more quality batteries and increased range, this is becoming less of a concern.

Pro tip: Range anxiety is real the first time you hire an EV, but use this guide and choose accommodation with an EV charging station, that way there is no dwell time on your journey. Our BMW iX3 had around 350 kilometres of charge when we left Sydney Airport, so there was no need to stop on our road trip to the Blue Mountains.

Where to charge an EV

electric vehicle
The network of EV charging stations is rapidly expanding. (Image: Jesse Donoghoe/Unsplash)

We are here to myth bust that there aren’t enough charging stations across the country for an EV road trip. A quick search of the PlugShare app confirms there is plenty of charging stations in key locations across Australia and Governments have started to recognise the growing need to provide funding for chargers in regional locations to ensure drivers can confidently travel long distances in Australia.

The NSW Government intends to have ultra-fast chargers installed at five-kilometre intervals along major roads in Sydney and 100-kilometre intervals along major NSW highways in the near future. Likewise, the Queensland Government funded the installation of fast EV chargers between Coolangatta and Cairns and between Brisbane and Toowoomba to create an Electric Super Highway.

How to charge an EV

electric vehicle
Charging an EV is fuss-free. (Image: Paola Giannoni)

It couldn’t be simpler to charge an EV. Everything you need to charge your EV rental is included such as cables to charge domestically or by the roadside.

Pro Tip: When we hired the BMW iX3 from SIXT the friendly team member provided a full tutorial before leaving the branch, it was like a concierge service. Charging cables were located in the boot and it was a simple task to plug in.

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How long does it take to charge an EV?

electric car charging
Charging an electric car is similar to charging a mobile phone. (Image: Getty Images/chameleonseye)

The time it takes to charge an EV depends on the type of car and charger used. A DC fast charge station is the fastest charging option ranging from 25-350kw with the ability to add a 150-kilometre range per hour at the lower end and a full charge at the highest charging speeds in 15 minutes. Compared with AC fast charging (7-22kw) which typically adds 40 kilometres to 100 kilometres of range per hour. Plugging into a regular power point or AC slow charging (1.4-2.4kw) provides about a 10-20-kilometre range added per hour plugged in, which is why it is usually only done overnight to recharge the vehicle by 100-300 kilometres.

Pro tip: Depending on how far you’re driving, you might not even need to charge every day. If your chosen hotel doesn’t yet have an EV charging station, you can just plug it into a standard power socket using the charging equipment provided with your hire vehicle.

How much does it cost to charge an EV?

electric vehicle
Cut emissions in your next road trip by driving an EV. (Image: Getty Images/Joe Morris)

Use the PlugShare app to identify the best free options for your journey and vehicle type. Check the PlugShare app for any other network options compatible with your hire car vehicle type and costs may vary for example Kyah Hotel Blackheath has just installed an EVBox providing four fast charging stations at around 33.5 cents per KW. Check with your rental car company, as some may reimburse you for any charging costs incurred.

Pro tip: We charged for free everywhere during our road trip and had no trouble identifying where and how to charge, making a significant saving compared to having to refuel a standard petrol hire car. We were offered free charging via the Chargefox and NRMA charging stations with SIXT.

Now you’ve mastered EVs and overcome range anxiety, check out some of Australia’s most popular road trips.

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Sally Scott
Sally Scott is a seasoned travel writer based on Bundjalung County (Northern Rivers) who knows a thing or two about luxe holidays. Whether it's road tripping regional Australia or jetting off on an overseas sojourn, Sally seeks out unique experiences to find the most fabulous places to eat, sip and stay to share with readers.
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The perfect mid-week reset an hour from Melbourne

    Kellie Floyd Kellie Floyd
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    Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

    Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

    walking trails in the Yarra Valley
    You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

    A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

    holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy
    Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

    a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy
    A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

    I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

    Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

    Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

    Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate
    Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

    As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate, I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

    oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate
    Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

    On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

    I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

    kangaroos in Yarra Valley
    Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

    the Yarra Valley vineyards
    Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

    Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

    COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

    It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

    A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

    legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway
    The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

    The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

    I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

    The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

    After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

    Playing there

    the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley
    Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art. Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

    Eating and drinking there

    Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

    seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station
    The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)