Driving through California has been immortalised in movies and song. But the next time you find yourself in the Golden State, try revamping its classic road trips by renting an electric vehicle.
With more charging stations than anywhere else in the US, California is an ideal place to take an EV for a spin.
From sun-drenched beaches to enthralling cities to expansive deserts to towering mountains, the vastness of California ensures an adventure around every corner.
Charging stations are plentiful in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and other metropolitan areas, as well as most well-travelled motorway corridors.
Still, to avoid range anxiety — the fear that a vehicle will not have enough electricity to complete its mission — it is crucial to plan ahead.
Fortunately, mapping out trips is easier than ever, with many EVs featuring dashboard and smartphone applications that suggest driving routes and timely pit stops.
Most modern EVs can travel between 160 and 560 kilometres on a single charge, although weather, driving speeds, traffic, and the number of passengers and amount of cargo on board play a factor.
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A Tesla Supercharger station in Santa Monica. Bloomberg -
Teslas are by far the most popular EV in California. Photo: Troy Hooper -
Volta is a California-based EV charging station. Photo: Troy Hooper -
Charging stations are a common sight at supermarkets and malls in California. Photo: Troy Hooper -
The Ford Mach E has emerged as a popular rival to Teslas. Photo: Troy Hooper -
The EV charging infrastructure is rapidly expanding. Photo: Troy Hooper -
Soon, EV charging stations will be almost as common as palm trees in some parts of California. Photo: Troy Hooper -
Charging stations are plentiful in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and other metropolitan areas. Photo: Troy Hooper -
New Tesla cars sit in a car park at the Tesla factory in Fremont. Getty / AFP -
Tesla's new electric lorry is unveiled during a presentation in Hawthorne on November 16. Reuters -
The Tesla Cybertruck in Moss Landing. Bloomberg
Tesla has the state’s largest network and its onboard display provides charging suggestions in real time, complete with estimates on how long to stay and how many plugs are available.
Some Tesla stations offer adaptors for motorists driving other car brands to use, but non-Tesla EV drivers can always rely on offerings from Blink, Chargepoint, Electrify America and EVGo.
Because powering an EV requires considerably more time than filling up a petrol tank, charging docks are often next to coffee shops, restaurants, grocery shops, landmarks and hotels.
For vehicles without onboard navigation systems, apps such as PlugShare, Chargeway and A Better Routeplanner offer real-time data and crowdsourced reviews for available charging networks.
One of the most EV-friendly cities in the US, Los Angeles is a logical starting point for your electric journey. But before wheeling out of Tinseltown, be sure to explore the area’s many sights.
Catch a symphony at the Hollywood Bowl, walk the canals of Venice, find a pickup volleyball game in Santa Monica, or explore endless entertainment options at Universal Studios.
When you are ready to escape LA, here are four favourite road trips to consider this summer:
Get your social media pics on Route 66
A drive along Route 66 is the quintessential California road trip. Paved nearly a century ago, the famous motorway once stretched from Santa Monica to Chicago.
One of the first transcontinental motorways, it provided passage to a better life for families fleeing the Dust Bowl.
Due to poor maintenance and neglect, Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985 to make way for Interstate 40 and a more modern motorway system. But sections of Route 66 still exist.
The historic route ended at what is now the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic boulevards in Santa Monica. This will be the beginning of your trip down memory lane.
From the junction, hop on Interstate 10 and head to San Bernardino to visit the unofficial McDonald’s Museum.
The independently owned and operated museum pays tribute to the original restaurant of fast-food giant McDonald’s, which began as a barbecue restaurant off of Route 66 in 1940.
The museum features more than 80 years of artefacts that detail the fascinating story of McDonald’s evolution.
From the original McDonald’s, check out other landmarks that once served Route 66 travellers, like the Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino.
The kitschy motel was built in 1949 and features 19 refurbished cone-shaped wigwams made of concrete, wood and stucco.
A few kilometres west lies Bono’s Giant Orange, a defunct stand that once sold all-you-can-drink orange juice for 10 cents.
Continue on to the Mojave Desert where National Old Trails Road used to double as Route 66.
There are dozens of EV charging stations in the town of Mojave, which serves as a portal to Death Valley, an inhospitable below-sea-level basin that is the hottest place on Earth in the summer.
An expansive national park with more than one million hectares of wilderness, Death Valley is also where filmmaker George Lucas shot several scenes for his Star Wars movies.
From Mojave, take a detour to Palm Springs or Joshua Tree National Park on the way back to LA.
A playground for Hollywood’s elite since the 1930s, Palm Springs is known for its superb golf courses, chic hotels, natural spas, swimming pools, and sunny weather.
Hiking trails in nearby Joshua Tree weave through thousands of picturesque yuccas and rock outcroppings.
A sojourn in Southern California
From Los Angeles, pack your sandals and swimsuit for the drive south to San Diego.
Known as “America’s Finest City", San Diego is home to dozens of distinctive neighbourhoods worthy of exploration. You could easily spend a week in San Diego without running out of activities and landmarks to visit.
Watch waves lap the shores of La Jolla Cove or the kaleidoscope of colours that spread across the skies above Sunset Cliffs at the day’s end.
Swimming, surfing, pickleball, tennis and golf are all popular pastimes in Southern California.
San Diego is home to several theme parks. Killer whales, dolphins and sea lions put on a show at SeaWorld. Toys come to life at Legoland.
Balboa Park boasts nearly 500 spectacular hectares filled with a multitude of museums, gardens and one of the world’s best-kept zoos.
EV charging stations — some of which are solar powered — are at the entrance to these theme parks.
Halfway between LA and San Diego, stop off in Dana Point for a whale-watching tour, round of golf at the Monarch Beach Resort, or stroll the boardwalk at Laguna Beach.
In July and August, Laguna Beach hosts the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters. Named one of the top art festivals in the US, Laguna Beach features the works of more than 100 local artists.
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the Pageant of the Masters is one of the world’s most unique productions with performers recreating more than 40 famous paintings and sculptures.
Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper is the traditional finale at the pageant.
Up the road in Anaheim, Disneyland is the mother of theme parks. “The Happiest Place On Earth” has six EV charging stations.
When you pull into the parking area, ask Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck, Goofy or another cast member where to find a charging dock and they will guide you there.
Power up the Pacific Coast Highway
Stretching more than 1,000km, the Pacific Coast Highway, aka Highway 1, treats motorists to some of the state’s most stunning scenery.
The ribbon of road runs north and south parallel to the Pacific. Craggy cliffs, rolling hills and sweeping views of the ocean are hallmarks of this drive.
Immediately north of Los Angeles lies Malibu, an ideal place to pull over to explore the state’s rugged coastline.
Walk along white sandy beaches while watching surfers ride waves in the distance. Listen as waterfowl hunt for insects in the wetlands and others dive for fish in the sea.
On the other side of the motorway, poppies, tickseeds and other flowers dot the hillsides. A vast array of trails wind through mountains and canyons, providing hikers with panoramic ocean views.
For the less adventurous, Malibu Village offers a mix of boutiques, high-end retail shops and art galleries. Browse for souvenirs while charging an EV in one of the area’s dozens of stations.
Further up the highway, Santa Barbara awaits. Its red-tile roofs and distinctive Spanish-Mediterranean architecture make the stylish town feel far removed from the big city.
State Street is Santa Barbara’s main thoroughfare, with a large concentration of cafes, stores and more.
The Santa Barbara Mission, built by the Chumash tribe in 1786, is perched on a hilltop in the Riviera, a posh neighbourhood that overlooks the town and the Channel Islands beyond.
For an unbeatable view of the harbour, grab lunch at Brophy Bros, a local seafood and clam restaurant that has become a rite of passage for Santa Barbara residents and visitors alike.
For a more rustic dining experience, head up Highway 154 to Cold Springs Tavern, a former stagecoach stop that was established in the 1880s in the Los Padres National Forest.
Teeming with Old West ambience, the tavern hosts an outdoor barbecue and live music on weekends.
Visit a castle, an aquarium and a former prison
Back on Highway 1, which overlaps with Highway 101 along parts of this stretch of coastline, motor north to San Simeon, home to Hearst Castle.
On a sprawling estate filled with gardens and terraces, the 165-room home of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst is one of the last vestiges of America’s Gilded Age.
The mansion is brimming with rare antiques, Renaissance-era paintings and two opulent pools that glimmer with blue and gold tiles.
Marble statues of Greek gods guard the aquatic utopia while intricate mosaics gleam overhead. EV charging stations are conveniently located across from the Hearst Castle visitor entrance.
Landslides have closed Highway 1 just north of San Simeon, complicating the scenic journey.
Until the motorway reopens, drivers must use Highway 101, head towards Monterey Bay and, from there, circle south on Highway 1 to reach the dramatic Big Sur coast.
Hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking and beachcombing are natural pastimes in this oasis. Free thinkers should make a stop at the Esalen Institute, a holistic retreat offering workshops, massages and lodging.
Further north, Monterey Bay Aquarium provides fun for families, couples and solo travellers with exhibits of sharks, turtles, jellyfish, eels and other creatures of the sea.
A three-storey kelp forest is a highlight of the experience and is among the world’s tallest aquarium exhibits.
From here, motorists can double back to LA the same way they came or, for a far quicker route, follow signs to Interstate 5 and Kettleman City, where EV charging stations operate around the clock.
The Tesla supercharging station In Kettleman City includes an on-site bistro and cafe, children’s games and a shop.
Fast-food restaurants such as In-N-Out Burger and Carl’s Jr are also within walking distance of Kettleman City’s cluster of charging stations.
Intrepid roadtrippers can proceed north to San Francisco to test their driving skills on the city’s steep, thrilling streets.
Park the EV at one of the charging stations in Fisherman’s Wharf while you sample clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls and listen to barking sea lions.
Or take a ferry to Alcatraz, to learn what life was like at the former maximum-security penitentiary.
A few blocks away from Fisherman’s Wharf, the North Beach neighbourhood is an ideal place to stretch your legs and explore its bohemian history.
Once you’re done, motor over to the San Francisco International Airport to return your EV rental and fly back home.
