Driving an EV Through the Florida Keys Along Highway 1
Discussion
After some advice from the PH Hive mind.
Will be heading to the US later in the year, spending some time in Miami and then driving down to Key West for a few days. I have done the journey before so am happy with that side of it.
I have two options that I am considering for a hire car - a Mustang Convertible or a Polestar 2
I will probably end up going for the Mustang, although I have done the "driving round the US in a convertible Mustang" when we were in LA a few years ago.
Having never driven a full EV, am tempted by the idea, and would also like to see how the Polestar measures up.
Question is - how practical will it be to drive to Key West in a full EV? I am sure I am being stupid and it is all fine and there will be charging stations etc - but can anyone offer any advice? Are the charging stations PAYG, or do I need to create an account somewhere (can I do that as a non-resident?) or am I going to end up with an extension lead out of the hotel window (that's a joke, obvs).
Thanks in advance
Will be heading to the US later in the year, spending some time in Miami and then driving down to Key West for a few days. I have done the journey before so am happy with that side of it.
I have two options that I am considering for a hire car - a Mustang Convertible or a Polestar 2
I will probably end up going for the Mustang, although I have done the "driving round the US in a convertible Mustang" when we were in LA a few years ago.
Having never driven a full EV, am tempted by the idea, and would also like to see how the Polestar measures up.
Question is - how practical will it be to drive to Key West in a full EV? I am sure I am being stupid and it is all fine and there will be charging stations etc - but can anyone offer any advice? Are the charging stations PAYG, or do I need to create an account somewhere (can I do that as a non-resident?) or am I going to end up with an extension lead out of the hotel window (that's a joke, obvs).
Thanks in advance
Edited by TriumphStag3.0V8 on Tuesday 5th September 18:46
Just my 2pc…
I was offered an EV (Tesla) a couple of weeks ago as a free upgrade in Orlando. I didn’t think it would be as convenient or easy as I would have hoped and Im pretty sure was right.
Most places we go to in the Orlando area either didn’t have chargers, they were out of service or they were full. Haven’t had one installed at the house either so that would have been granny-charger territory.
Having to return the car with a minimum charge level as well really put me off.
I think the potential is there but infrastructure for non-locals is probably more challenging that it really should be.
I was offered an EV (Tesla) a couple of weeks ago as a free upgrade in Orlando. I didn’t think it would be as convenient or easy as I would have hoped and Im pretty sure was right.
Most places we go to in the Orlando area either didn’t have chargers, they were out of service or they were full. Haven’t had one installed at the house either so that would have been granny-charger territory.
Having to return the car with a minimum charge level as well really put me off.
I think the potential is there but infrastructure for non-locals is probably more challenging that it really should be.
Well ok
You can drive a Chinese EV anywhere … the experience won’t change whether you’re going to Tesco in Basingstoke or Walmart in Key West or sitting on the M1 or the interstate
However, the chance to drive a real American muscle car with probably a 5.0 V8 of burbling wonderfulness through its natural habitat ( before they ban it ) would be all the decision making id need done for me
HTH
You can drive a Chinese EV anywhere … the experience won’t change whether you’re going to Tesco in Basingstoke or Walmart in Key West or sitting on the M1 or the interstate
However, the chance to drive a real American muscle car with probably a 5.0 V8 of burbling wonderfulness through its natural habitat ( before they ban it ) would be all the decision making id need done for me
HTH
TriumphStag3.0V8 said:
how practical will it be to drive to Key West in a full EV? I am sure I am being stupid and it is all fine and there will be charging stations etc - but can anyone offer any advice?
Yes, given the choice between an ICE and an EV with zero reason to drive the EV, why would you choose the EV and have charging anxiety when America is set up with limitless petrol stations?Just get the Mustang.
Well, I do have 5.0 litres of burbling v8 convertible at home that I drive most days
And as mentioned, I have done the Mustang convertible thing along the California coastline previously.
What I didn't mention above is that this is a three stage holiday in that we will be in Miami for a few days, then hopping over to the Bahamas for a few days (45 minute flight and hotels are a similar cost so why not....) and then coming back to Miami and driving to Key West for the last part.
For the first part of the holiday around Miami & Fort Lauderdale we have booked a Challenger - I do need to scratch that particular itch.
So, having done the Mustang thing already (and having 4 v8's of my own anyway), and having been hooning around in a Challenger a few days before, I thought the full EV would be a different experience. Although that said, the Mustang plus Overseas Highway combination still has a lot going for it.
But as said above, whilst there are petrol stations everywhere, the charging network looks..... limited. Been looking at various websites and it doesn't look like public ones are very common. That's my main concern, was hoping that someone may have experience of doing it.
And as mentioned, I have done the Mustang convertible thing along the California coastline previously.
What I didn't mention above is that this is a three stage holiday in that we will be in Miami for a few days, then hopping over to the Bahamas for a few days (45 minute flight and hotels are a similar cost so why not....) and then coming back to Miami and driving to Key West for the last part.
For the first part of the holiday around Miami & Fort Lauderdale we have booked a Challenger - I do need to scratch that particular itch.
So, having done the Mustang thing already (and having 4 v8's of my own anyway), and having been hooning around in a Challenger a few days before, I thought the full EV would be a different experience. Although that said, the Mustang plus Overseas Highway combination still has a lot going for it.
But as said above, whilst there are petrol stations everywhere, the charging network looks..... limited. Been looking at various websites and it doesn't look like public ones are very common. That's my main concern, was hoping that someone may have experience of doing it.
Just did 2 weeks in Florida in a Tesla Model Y long range from Hertz. Absolutely no issue at all. Was cheaper to hire, cheaper to fuel, quick, efficient and a nice place to be.
Done the Camaro SS, Corvette, Mustang, Tahoe, Suburban thing and enjoyed this more….(well I did rather like the ‘vette)
Caveat: I run a Model 3 here in the UK so my outlook and appetite may be different.
Done the Camaro SS, Corvette, Mustang, Tahoe, Suburban thing and enjoyed this more….(well I did rather like the ‘vette)
Caveat: I run a Model 3 here in the UK so my outlook and appetite may be different.
I would only go for the Polestar if you have destination chargers where you are staying and can leave with a full charge every day. Outside of Tesla, the charging network in the US is heavily criticised on the EV groups I'm on so I reckon it would take away from the enjoyment of your holiday.
I would go for the Mustang and I own a Polestar...
I would go for the Mustang and I own a Polestar...
Yeah - I wasn't plumping for the Mustang because it's a mustang, just because its ICE. I've driving a rental Mustang over there and it was smooth but dull, and like said, I've also driven Route 1 and it's straight....
Just don't see the point of an EV rental - you don't get tax breaks, cheap charging at home etc etc, you just get a car that takes time to "fill up", and can't be "filled up" everywhere.
Just don't see the point of an EV rental - you don't get tax breaks, cheap charging at home etc etc, you just get a car that takes time to "fill up", and can't be "filled up" everywhere.
Earthdweller said:
Well ok
You can drive a Chinese EV anywhere … the experience won’t change whether you’re going to Tesco in Basingstoke or Walmart in Key West or sitting on the M1 or the interstate
However, the chance to drive a real American muscle car with probably a 5.0 V8 of burbling wonderfulness through its natural habitat ( before they ban it ) would be all the decision making id need done for me
HTH
Most Mustang rentals in the US will be the 4 pot ecoboost if that changes your answer at all.You can drive a Chinese EV anywhere … the experience won’t change whether you’re going to Tesco in Basingstoke or Walmart in Key West or sitting on the M1 or the interstate
However, the chance to drive a real American muscle car with probably a 5.0 V8 of burbling wonderfulness through its natural habitat ( before they ban it ) would be all the decision making id need done for me
HTH
I am hertz presidents circle...so tend to get looked after, particularly in the US, where you just pick anything you like from the ultimate choice or 5* lot, or if there isn't anything you like, the desk will usually hook you up. Unfortunately this is only at major airports, not smaller regional ones....and a couple of months ago I turned up to a smaller regional airport in FL for a confirmed booking (and I had checked in on the app, and provided flight arrival info), and they had no cars left, except for two teslas.
I only found this out when the counter agent cheerily said 'we only have two cars left, and they are both upgrades to a tesla' (it was not an upgrade - the tesla had actually been 40% cheaper and several classes below my original booking).
Fairly sure that the Karen in front of me who was kicking off about them not having the minivan she had reserved and ended up being given two cars for her larger family was given my vehicle....which wasn't what I had booked anyway.
The only non-electric vehicle they had left was a shelby mustang GT500H which they would not give me without a whopping $125/day on top of my original booking charge. So, I had little choice but to take the tesla...which was a model 3, and was only 50% charged too!
Hated it... and thats before you get into the problems with charging, which was completely impractical for the driving planned on this trip (FL into AL), Half the chargers were out of commission, they were mostly slow chargers and not super chargers, and they were often already full of charging cars.
The only saving grace with being stuck with it was that the people we were visiting had a tesla charger at their beach house and showed us how to use the thing in the first place - something that hertz didn't share any info about upfront, whether I had to sign up for something or whatever, and it was something I didn't particularly want to have to learn when picking up the thing shortly before midnight when there was a storm rolling in from the gulf.
When I returned it to the same location at the end of the trip, it had 3% charge left, and got the refuelling fee waived by a somewhat better employee.
Customer service made a decent attempt at service recovery following the rental which restored my faith somewhat, but I will never accept a tesla again.
Had another rental which I returned yesterday and it was indeed a mustang convertible... always fun.
I only found this out when the counter agent cheerily said 'we only have two cars left, and they are both upgrades to a tesla' (it was not an upgrade - the tesla had actually been 40% cheaper and several classes below my original booking).
Fairly sure that the Karen in front of me who was kicking off about them not having the minivan she had reserved and ended up being given two cars for her larger family was given my vehicle....which wasn't what I had booked anyway.
The only non-electric vehicle they had left was a shelby mustang GT500H which they would not give me without a whopping $125/day on top of my original booking charge. So, I had little choice but to take the tesla...which was a model 3, and was only 50% charged too!
Hated it... and thats before you get into the problems with charging, which was completely impractical for the driving planned on this trip (FL into AL), Half the chargers were out of commission, they were mostly slow chargers and not super chargers, and they were often already full of charging cars.
The only saving grace with being stuck with it was that the people we were visiting had a tesla charger at their beach house and showed us how to use the thing in the first place - something that hertz didn't share any info about upfront, whether I had to sign up for something or whatever, and it was something I didn't particularly want to have to learn when picking up the thing shortly before midnight when there was a storm rolling in from the gulf.
When I returned it to the same location at the end of the trip, it had 3% charge left, and got the refuelling fee waived by a somewhat better employee.
Customer service made a decent attempt at service recovery following the rental which restored my faith somewhat, but I will never accept a tesla again.
Had another rental which I returned yesterday and it was indeed a mustang convertible... always fun.
Edited by GCH on Friday 8th September 16:31
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