Your Guide To Long-Distance EV Publicity Drives

You might think that electric vehicles aren't naturally suited to driving long distances just yet, but that hasn't stopped plenty of people giving it a go anyway.

Here then is AllCarsElectric.com's guide to the world of long-distance EV publicity stunts, arranged conveniently by distance, shortest to longest. We'll keep this article updated when new teams attempt new distance challenges...

Australian road trip in a Tesla Roadster (313 miles)

Prior to the JEVC's decimation of the EV distance record, Simon Hackett and Emilis Prelgauskas managed 313 miles from a standard Tesla Roadster at the Global Green Car Challenge in October 2009. 313 miles is still an EV production record, since the Japanese crew's car was an EV conversion. The Roadster's EPA is rated at 240 miles on a charge, but the record shows what can be possible with empty roads and a feather-light right foot.

Japan Electric Vehicle Club (623 miles)

Most of us would be happy with getting 357 miles from an EV. That's a good hundred more than the EPA rating for a Tesla roadster and more even than the 2011 Chevrolet Volt gets with the help of a range-extending gasoline engine. For the JEVC though, 357 miles was just a test run. Back in May, the team managed a staggering 623 miles from their home-converted Daihatsu Mira, and the team thinks they can do even more...

1972 Beetle with 21st century power crosses Canada (4,000 miles)

Classic cars can make for great EV conversions as they're so lightweight and simple to work on, and Volkswagen Beetles are very popular conversions. The UBC Electric Car Club from Vancouver are taking their Bug 4,000 miles across Canada over winding mountain passes and on deserted highways. The car has a range of 185 miles at 60mph and 340 miles at 30mph, with a top speed of 85mph. You can follow their team blog here.

28 days to cross Canada in an i-MiEV (4,000 miles approx)

The car may be newer but with a range of only 100 miles at best, Mitsubishi will have a harder time on their Canadian road trip than the students in their e-Beetle. The stops to charge will give them a chance to show the car off to journalists and enthusiasts along the way though. They set off from Cape Spear in St John's, Newfoundland on August 17th and expect to arrive in Vancouver on September 16th. You can follow their progress on the Clean Across Canada website.

Driving the Pan-American highway in an electric supercar (16,000 miles)

If you were driving from Alaska to South America, you might want some creature comforts. Air conditioning? Comfy seats? Err... A windscreen and a roof? Racing Green Endurance from the UK have seen fit not to bring any of the above, instead choosing a Le Mans Prototype-style Radical. The car is fitted with EV running gear and has a 300 mile range. Over 16,000 miles in a car more basic than a Lotus Elise. Mad? The Brits prefer the word "adventurous"...

The Zero Race - around the world in 80 days (18,600 miles)

Jules Verne got there first but the Zero Race is the first attempt to circumnavigate the globe in EVs, and using renewable electricity at that. The five competing teams started from Geneva in mid August and are expected to do up to 186 miles per day at an average of 50 miles per hour. Each team generates renewable electricity in their own country to equal the amount they use en route.

The TAG Heuer Tesla: "Odyssey of Pioneers" (25,000 miles)

Perhaps a little more glamorous than Project EViE or the Zero Race but the mission is the same - drive around the world. The Tesla is a good choice for a road trip given the potential for more than 200 miles from a charge. The journey began back in March and they drove through Russia in May. They've driven over 33,000km (20,500 miles), and the Odyssey ends in New York on September 2nd. You can follow their progress on the website.

Project EViE - 70 countries, six continents (66,000 miles)

According to the team's website, project EViE is about busting the range anxiety factor that is currently one of the biggest hurdles to mainstream EV adoption. No better way to silence the doubters than proving that EVs can be confidently used on the mother of all road trips, a global circumnavigation. Along the way they'll face varied terrain that will push their car to it's limits. You can read an interview with the project director here.