Experience with Ioniq 5 Journey: Trunk space in Ioniq 5 could have been beneficial, but Ionic 6 showed remarkable resilience, particularly during off-road excursions.

In the heart of America, a 14,000-mile road trip unfolded, showcasing the potential of electric vehicles (EVs) for long-distance travel. The journey, undertaken by a Reddit user named lightofhonor in a Hyundai Ioniq 6, took them through 12 national parks, 5 theme parks, and 3 monuments, all while embracing the planning challenges and celebrating successful long-distance legs.

The trip began in July and was completed without any range-related issues, a testament to the growing capabilities of EVs. The user deviated from the original itinerary, adding Bryce Canyon and Zion to the trip, demonstrating the flexibility of EV road trips.

The Hyundai Ioniq 6, with its spacious three-row interior of about 87 cubic feet, proved to be an ideal companion for the journey. It boasted a cargo space that could accommodate the needs of a family, including travelling with children. The car's average efficiency was 3.6 miles per kilowatt-hour, providing a smooth and efficient ride.

During the trip, the user relied on a mix of charging networks to access the most convenient and widely available chargers across various regions. Electrify America and Ionity provided the fastest charging speeds, offering ultra-fast charging powered by 100 percent renewable energy. Tesla's Supercharger network, known for its unmatched reliability and strategic placement along major travel corridors, was not used during the trip.

The user initially used the car's built-in planning for the first half of the trip but manually tweaked the charging for the second half. Charge limiting was set to 90% to ensure a smooth journey and prevent any potential issues. Scenic routes were often chosen around charger locations, turning recharging stops into moments of exploration.

However, not all charging networks were without issues. The user reported that most were reliable, but a few required swapping to another charger due to older equipment. ChargePoint chargers were found to be slower and prone to issues, while the Rivian Network, although not open to non-Rivians, was also encountered with issues.

Pilot gas stations were frequently used for charging, although they were expensive. Despite the cost, they offered chargers from networks like Electrify America and EVgo, capable of achieving max speeds of 235-240 kilowatts.

The cultural shift towards EV road trips is pushing automakers to design vehicles with more range, smarter trip-planning tools, and cargo space for adventures. Chris Johnston, author of "The Arrival of The Electric Car," covers electric vehicles on Torque News. With decades of product management experience in telematics, mobile computing, and wireless communications, Johnston's insights into the EV industry are highly valued.

As the number of public EV chargers in the U.S. doubled between 2020 and 2025, going from 96,521 to 207,227, the landscape of EV road tripping is changing. With options like the Chevy Equinox EV, Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and Tesla Model Y, all with ranges exceeding 320 miles, the future of EV road trips looks promising. The growing "adventure culture" surrounding EV road trips is an exciting development, as more and more drivers embark on long-distance journeys in their electric vehicles.

Experience with Ioniq 5 Journey: Trunk space in Ioniq 5 could have been beneficial, but Ionic 6 showed remarkable resilience, particularly during off-road excursions.