How complicated is it to get from Stockholm to North Cape and back with an electric car? Equipped with a Volkswagen ID4 and the roof tent Åreskutan from Taktältarna, adventurer and skier Ebba Forsgren set out on the 3500 km long journey in a project she named "Range Anxiety".
The charging infrastructure in Sweden is constantly improving but it can still be a challenge to travel around with an electric car. Ebba Forsgren imagined how along the way they might have to make emergency stops and knock on someone's door to ask for some power.
But the range anxiety – which was strong before she set off – did not occur during the actual trip.
– I thought it would be much more troublesome but it went surprisingly well, says Ebba Forsgren.
25-year-old Ebba Forsgren is from Åre and practically raised on a mountain top. With a great interest in adventure and outdoor life in all its forms, she has also developed a strong interest in environmental and sustainability issues.
Something that made her want to try making a really long trip with an electric car and find out how it works.
Planning before the trip is important
One reason the trip went so smoothly was certainly that Ebba had planned a lot before the trip. Because that is something that really makes it easier when you are going on a long trip with an electric car. Ebba used the ChargeFinder app to find charging opportunities along the way.
– I checked the charging stations along the way and had a rough plan for where we would stop and charge on the way.
At the same time, it is not possible to plan exactly. How much the electric car consumes depends on many different factors such as driving style, how fast you drive, and how warm it is.
However, Ebba Forsgren did not experience that the roof tent significantly affected the electric car's range. The roof tent was picked up and dropped off in Åre so she drove both with and without it.
• How do you think the combination of electric car and roof tent worked?
– It has really been a perfect combo! The roof tent gave us the opportunity to stop anywhere when we got tired and needed to sleep. You just take a little detour and see where you end up, we managed to find cozy places every time, says Ebba Forsgren.
The roof tent made the trip easier and freer
Vacationing with an electric car and roof tent is also kinder both to the wallet and the environment than staying at hotels along the way. In addition, the view from the roof tent beats most hotel rooms.
• Do you have any tips for people who want to make the trip to North Cape with a roof tent?
Yes! Stop and experience the surroundings you pass on the way up. What happens to me when I drive an electric car is that I become calm, you can't rush and you need to drive carefully. I think you should take advantage of that; make the journey the goal and take it easy.
If I had more time, I would definitely go into the mountains inland – hike in Sarek and surf on the coast. Then I would absolutely drive back down along the coast in Norway and stop at Tromsø and Lofoten.
The Range Anxiety project is a mission that Ebba did for Vattenfall. All photos are taken by photographer Emmett Sparling.
