How to plan a long EV road trip

Driving long distances with an EV in 2026 is easier than ever. The charging network in Norway is well developed, cars charge faster, and the tools for planning your trip have improved. But a bit of planning ahead of time can save you stress and unnecessary time. Here's a step-by-step guide to planning the perfect long-distance drive with an EV.

Step 1: Know your car's actual range

The WLTP range stated by the manufacturer is a starting point, but rarely what you achieve in practice. Actual range is affected by:

• Speed: Range drops significantly above 100 km/h. At 120 km/h you can lose 20-30 percent compared to 90 km/h.
• Temperature: Winter driving reduces range by 20-40 percent.
• Terrain: Norwegian mountain passes require extra energy.
• Load: A full car with a roof box increases consumption.

For a typical EV with a 75 kWh battery and a consumption of 18 kWh/100 km, you get a practical range of around 400 km under good conditions. On the motorway at 110 km/h, this can drop to 300-350 km.

Step 2: Plan charging stops with good margin

The main rule is simple: don't run the battery empty. Aim to arrive at the charging station with 10-20 percent remaining battery capacity.

Why 10-20 percent?

• Safety: You have a buffer if something unexpected happens — a detour, traffic jam, or miscalculation.
• Battery charging curve: Most EVs charge fastest between 10 and 80 percent. Below 10 percent, charging speed can actually decrease again.
• Stress reduction: Nobody likes driving with range anxiety.

Step 3: Charge to 80 percent — the fast zone

An EV's charging curve is not linear. The first 80 percent charges much faster than the last 20 percent. Going from 80 to 100 percent can take as long as going from 10 to 80 percent.

For long-distance driving, this means it's almost always faster to charge more often to 80 percent than to charge less often to 100 percent. The optimal strategy for time savings:

1. Arrive at the charging station with 10-15 percent.
2. Charge to 80 percent.
3. Drive on to the next stop.

With a modern fast charger and an EV with good charging capacity, this typically takes 20-30 minutes — just right for a coffee and a stretch.

Step 4: Use a route planner

Planning charging stops manually works, but there are better tools. A good route planner takes into account the car's range, charging curve, and placement of charging stations to find the fastest route.

Plan a trip with charging stops→ — ladr.no's trip planner helps you find optimal charging stops along your route.

Other popular tools in 2026:

• A Better Routeplanner (ABRP): Advanced route planner with many settings.
• The car's built-in navigation: Most modern EVs have integrated charge planning that also pre-conditions the battery.
• Google Maps: Now shows charging stations and estimated charging time for many car models.

Step 5: Check availability and have a plan B

Even though the charging network in Norway is good in 2026, stations can sometimes be busy or out of service. Especially during holiday periods, popular charging stations can have queues.

Find the nearest charging station→ — check real-time availability for charging stations along your route.

Tips for avoiding charging queues

• Avoid the rush: Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon are the busiest times.
• Choose stations with many charging points: Larger stations are less likely to have all chargers occupied.
• Have an alternative charging station in mind: Always check where the next option is.
• Skip the most popular stops: Sometimes it's faster to take a small detour to a less busy station.

Step 6: Calculate total travel time

One of the most common mistakes is underestimating total travel time. Charging stops add time, and it's better to plan realistically than to get frustrated along the way.

For a typical long drive in Norway in 2026:

Step 7: Prepare the car

Before a long trip, there are some things you should do:

• Update the car's software: New updates can improve charging and range.
• Check tyre pressure: Correct tyre pressure gives lower consumption.
• Start with a full battery: For long-distance driving, it's fine to charge to 100 percent at home the night before.
• Check that charging cards and apps are ready: Make sure you have access to the charging operators you need. Check that cards work and apps are updated.

Compare charging subscriptions→ — find the best subscription for your charging needs, especially if you drive long distances often.

Packing list for an EV road trip

• Charging cable (Type 2) for destination charging
• Charging cards or apps for relevant operators
• Extension cord (for emergency charging from a regular outlet)
• Power bank for phone (navigation drains battery)
• Warm clothes (in case you have to wait for charging in the cold)

Frequently asked questions