Looking beyond limitations: Electric vehicle use in New Zealand holidays

Abstract

EVs are often described as inadequate for long distance holiday trips, and yet increasing numbers of drivers are travelling on holiday in EVs. We talked to 34 New Zealand EV drivers about their experiences of taking an EV on holiday. Although participants did talk about some of the widely reported difficulties or limitations of EV travel (including range, charging, towing, and access to the backcountry), we focus here on less widely reported experiences of actual (and usually successful) holiday trips. A feeling of being adventurous or pioneering, the freedoms associated with driving an EV, and the different sensations, feelings, and driving styles involved in EV travel all feature in this engaging summary of what we found.