Our EV saved us money over Easter. But it required a stressful trade-off

April 12, 2026 — 5:01am

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Over the Easter long weekend, my partner and I had the opportunity to borrow an electric vehicle (EV) for a camping trip in south-west Victoria. With unleaded petrol prices still hovering around $2.30 a litre, we jumped at the opportunity, knowing it would save us a few hundred dollars for the 4.5-hour each-way trip, alongside what would be plenty of driving to the beach and into the nearest town, Portland, for supplies.

What we didn’t account for was the added time and stress a fully electric car would place on what was supposed to be a relaxing getaway with friends.

Setting off from Melbourne at around 9.30am, in Camperdown, two hours west, we first ran into an issue that would define the weekend. With only one of the two fast-charging ports compatible with the 2021 Hyundai Kona we were driving, there was an initial wait as it was occupied on arrival.

We quickly learnt there was a crucial trade-off. Do you play music through the car’s bluetooth speaker system and use the heating system (which drains the battery), or drive for longer without stopping for a recharge?

After our first stop and wait took far longer than anticipated, we chose distance.

Another........

© The Sydney Morning Herald