The Great American Road Trip Test: Can You Drive an EV Cross-Country in 2025?

YOUSSEF MOSSTAKIM
The Great American Road Trip Test: Can You Drive an EV Cross-Country in 2025?
The Great American Road Trip Test: Can You Drive an EV Cross-Country in 2025?

The Great American Road Trip Test: Can You Drive an EV Cross-Country in 2025?

The Great American Road Trip is a cultural touchstone—a journey of open roads, iconic landscapes, and ultimate freedom. But can this classic adventure be undertaken in the electric age? For years, the promise of the electric vehicle (EV) has been shadowed by a persistent fear: range anxiety. The worry of being stranded with a dead battery miles from the nearest charger has been the single biggest barrier for many prospective US buyers. But now, in 2025, with billions invested in charging infrastructure, we set out to answer the big question: Is the network finally ready? Can you actually drive an EV cross-country without it becoming a nightmare?

The State of the Network: NACS vs. CCS

The US charging landscape in 2025 is a story of a unifying standard. For years, the market was split between Tesla's proprietary connector and the CCS (Combined Charging System) standard used by most other automakers. However, in a stunning industry shift, nearly every major automaker, including Ford, GM, and Rivian, has adopted Tesla's plug, now rebranded as the North American Charging Standard (NACS). This has been a game-changer. New non-Tesla EVs are now shipping with NACS ports, and adapters are widely available for older CCS cars, granting them access to Tesla's vast and highly reliable Supercharger network.

While third-party networks like Electrify America and EVgo continue to build out their CCS stations, the reliability of the Tesla network remains the gold standard. A successful cross-country trip in 2025 is largely dependent on having access to this unified NACS network.

The Real-World Test: The Highs and Lows of the Open Road

Planning an EV road trip is a different mindset. It's a journey of "hops" rather than long, uninterrupted drives. Using apps like A Better Routeplanner (ABRP), you map a route not between cities, but between fast-charging stations. The experience reveals several key realities:

  • The Highway Corridors are Excellent: Major interstate highways like I-80 or I-40 are now very well-served with DC fast chargers. Driving between major metropolitan areas is largely a stress-free experience, with charging stops every 100-150 miles that often align perfectly with a 20-30 minute break for lunch or a coffee.
  • The Rural Problem Persists: The moment you venture off the main interstate, the picture changes. Rural America remains a challenge. Chargers are few and far between, and they are often slower Level 2 chargers that can take hours, not minutes, to add significant range. Exploring national parks or remote scenic byways requires meticulous planning and a degree of adventurous spirit.
  • Charger Reliability is a Coin Flip: While the Tesla Supercharger network boasts impressive uptime, the same cannot always be said for third-party networks. Arriving at a charging station only to find that half the chargers are out of order is still a frustratingly common experience for non-Tesla drivers, even with NACS adapters.

The Cost Factor: Is It Cheaper Than Gas?

Yes, but with caveats. On average, charging an EV is still significantly cheaper than filling up a gasoline car for the same distance. However, the cost of DC fast charging varies wildly by network, location, and even time of day. Expect to pay anywhere from $0.30 to $0.70 per kilowatt-hour. A typical 250-mile "fill-up" might cost between $15 and $30, which is a considerable saving compared to gasoline. The real savings, however, come from slower Level 2 charging at hotels overnight, which is often free or very cheap.

The Verdict: An Adventure, Not an Ordeal

So, can you drive an EV cross-country in 2025? The answer is a resounding **yes**, but with a new set of rules. The days of crippling range anxiety are largely over for travel along major highways, thanks to the unified NACS standard and the density of fast chargers.

However, the experience is not yet identical to a gas-powered journey. It requires more planning, a bit more patience, and a willingness to adapt your schedule around 30-minute charging stops. For those who embrace this new rhythm of travel, the EV road trip is no longer a pioneering struggle but a quiet, smooth, and cost-effective new way to explore the country. The freedom of the open road is officially electric.