Nicole and Richard Ivity spent 18 months criss-crossing Canada to try out EV charging and appear at EV awareness events. They mostly slept in their truck-bed tent, keeping warm on the coldest days by plugging an electric blanket into their Rivian R1T.
Tips and observations from a B.C. couple who racked up 80,000 km in a Rivian electric truck
If you think 18 months on the road sleeping primarily in the truck bed tent of a Rivian R1T electric truck is anything but fun, think again.
"This was definitely Richard's idea from the beginning," explains Nicole Ivity, half of the wife-husband team that criss-crossed Canada on what turned out to be an 80,000 km road trip through all 10 provinces and the Yukon. "But I love traveling too, and we've been pretty well attached at the hip since we met. There's definitely a lot of learning on a trip like that as a couple, but we're generally unified in our vision, especially after all the experiences we've had."
This was a road trip like no other, an EV enthusiasts' fever dream come true. And thanks to Nicole and Richard, we now know a whole lot more about EV road tripping in Canada, what to expect, and just how much easier it's getting.
"As an early adopter and a first mover in an industry, you get to be the one that screws up and learns all the stuff," says Richard, who used the trip primarily as an EV awareness campaign. "That was kind of what our mandate was, to share our experiences in the EV charging world so that other jurisdictions and districts didn't have to learn from the ground up."
First, a little background. Richard and Nicole are co-owners of Exigent Endeavours, a green energy consulting firm that assists organizations and strata councils with EV charging projects. They helped deliver one of the continent's first fully electrified parking garages, at White Rock's Altus condo development, where each of the 126 units has a Level 2 EV charger in the parking area.
The duo embarked on the cross-Canada road trip in large part to see if EV road tripping in Canada could be as viable as it is in this province, where BC Hydro's rapidly expanding network of fast charging stations helps make B.C. (along with Quebec) a North American leader in EV charging infrastructure. Along the way, they relied heavily on fast chargers and supplemented them by plugging into Level 2 chargers, overnight trickle chargers at campsites and homes, and the occasional plug into block heater outlets in places like Alberta, where EV charging was less available.
During their trip, they stopped in to host or attend 60 EV awareness events across the country, and finished with a deep dive overview of their trip on YouTube courtesy of the EV Society.
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If you have more questions about EV charging, visit our team at the Vancouver International Auto Show on March 19-23.
Here are a few things Richard and Nicole learned on what they called the Great Canadian EV Road Trip.
1. Over time, you're going to save a lot on fuel costs
The CAA's car costs calculator gives, as a ballpark estimate, fuel savings of about $2,200 per year for driving a Rivian R1T rather than a gas-powered Ford pickup over a distance of between 15,000 and 20,000 km per year. Richard and Nicole painstakingly logged all their charging on a spreadsheet to supercharge that comparison over their far-from-typical trip.
"Not even considering general maintenance of the engine, oil changes, all that – just the cost of fuel – we calculated that we saved at least $10,000 in fuel costs on the trip," says Richard.
Over an extended coast-to-coast and north-to-south-and-back trip across the country (2023 and 2024) for about 80,000 combined kilometres, the Rivian was charged 610 times for a total cost of $5,317, including a number of free Level 2 and trickle charge sessions. Nearly 60% of their charging was done at Level 3 fast charging stations, where charging is priced higher than at home or at a Level 2 station.
"With Level 3 charging you pay for speed and convenience, which is perfectly fine," says Nicole. "There are still a few Level 3s in Canada that are free, but we fully believe you should be paying for power, as it costs a lot to produce it and we want to support this industry."
Did you know? With a charging cost of just under 35 cents per kWh, fast chargers in our own network are among the most affordable in Canada, in some cases half the rate charged by other networks. There's also no premium for using the fastest chargers (180 to 200 kW) on our network – the cost is still by the kilowatt-hour.
2. Always be charging
"Richard likes to say ABC: Always Be Charging," says Nicole. ‘We found that the most effective way to do a trip like this is to make shorter stops more frequently. That way, if a charger is down [not working], you're prepared and not forced to sit and wait."
In most cases on their trip, the Ivitys would drive two to three hours before stopping for a bathroom break, to stretch their legs, and/or for a bite while they topped up the Rivian.
Our accelerated rollout of fast chargers and Level 2 chargers has created an Electric Highway in B.C., with stations no further than 150 km apart along all major highways and roadways in B.C. Most fast chargers recently added – in places including Masset on Haida Gwai, and Liard Hot Springs just south of the Yukon – now offer charging of between 100 and 200 kW. The network's first 350 kW charger, capable of adding 100 km of range in about five minutes, is now available in the Okanagan's Lake Country.
The Ivitys’ Rivian plugged into one of our off-the-grid EV charging station at Liard Hot Springs Lodge, which is 1,000 km (or a 12-hour drive) north of Prince George.
3. Rely on PlugShare, not your EV, to find reliable charging
As with most EVs, charging stations pop up on the Rivian's on-board navigation and app. The crowd-sourced and updated information on PlugShare gives you the assurance that upcoming charging stations are operating, reliable and available.
"One of the mistakes we made early on was not checking PlugShare before going to a station, relying instead on the software in the truck to direct us to a charging station," says Richard. "The Rivian kept pointing us to Petrocan stations, which during our trip, were not usually reliable. Petrocan and their installers are working diligently to fix those stations, but PlugShare has the most up-to-date information on all stations."
4. Consider buying charging adaptors
With charging options few and far between around Watson Lake in the Yukon, Richard and Nicole bought a dual-port plug adapter from a local man, a retired submarine engineer. It allowed them to get a faster charge while plugging in at a campground, and it proved to be an indispensable option at several stops on their trip.
"Over the course of our journey we've added a few adapters so that we can plug into RV parks," says Richard. "We have a single 30-amp plug, and if a neighbouring tent site's plug is available, we have a dual port 30 amp plug so we can use two ports at one time. That roughly translates to 35 km of range into our truck per hour. The number of times we've plugged in and left the campsite with a full charge because of this gadget has been worth its weight in gold."
Richard recommends getting a quality Level 2 extension cord if you plan to plug in while camping.
5. Use multiple charging networks
Again, PlugShare will help you find reliable charging stations on a road trip. And be ready to use apps – make the BC Hydro EV app your go-to in this province – for several different charging networks.
"We use whatever we can access – it's more about what's available and working on your route," says Richard. "We have 21 different charging apps on our phone. BC Hydro has done an incredible job of putting in chargers that are on almost every route in B.C. and are accessible, which is amazing. But depending on where we are, we'll use anything."
Did you know? Our EV app can also be used for several other key networks through roaming partnerships. So far, the app provides you access to FLO Network chargers along with chargers under the ChargeHub partnership (Shell Recharge, Electric Circuit, Hypercharge, SWTCH)
Learn about our EV charging network and to register an account and get set up on our EV app.
6. Know your 'guessometer'
Sticking to the 80-20 rule (top-up when you're down to 20% and rarely charge beyond 80%) is the smart tactic to maintaining battery health and avoiding range anxiety. But there are times when the car's range will be tested. Richard says it's important to know your car's "guess-o-meter" – your car’s estimate of how many kilometres you have left on your battery – and how speed, weather, temperature, and hills can affect those estimates.
Nicole and Richard said they were only concerned about their Rivian running out of battery a couple of times on their 80,000 km trip . One was on a run between Whitehorse and Prince George, where they needed to slow down and use "hypermiling" tactics to get to an EV event in the B.C. city.
They drove slowly and sometimes drafted behind a larger vehicle – making sure to stay a safe distance back – to help extend the range. The cruise control software on the Rivian allowed them to set the safe following distance.
7. Don't forget to use your brakes
One of the joys of an EV is using regenerative braking to help juice up the battery and add range. But if you seldom if ever use the friction brakes – especially if you're driving regularly on gravel roads, ice and snow – you can have issues.
"Don't forget to use your brakes," says Richard.
Brake components corrode slowly, but using the brakes wears the corrosion off the surface and removes trapped water. In general, EV owners report that their friction brakes last far longer than in gas-powered vehicles, and some owners have reported going over 150,000 km before new pads are needed.
8. Know the pros and cons of a Rivian
The Ivitys' Rivian R1T has the mid-range battery pack of 135 kW. Driving at speeds not in excess of 10% over the speed limit, the Rivian's range proved to be between 480 to 500 km in summer and dipped down to around 400 km in temperatures below freezing. It's a pricey vehicle that's loaded with tech and is incredibly fast (0 to 100 in three seconds).
"It has insane horsepower and acceleration, which to be honest, is way more than anyone needs but is really fun," says Nicole. "It can handle any terrain and has different modes for a number of surfaces. Some options we haven't even touched yet, like ‘rally' and ‘drift'."
She added that the Rivian is "designed for adventure". While camping in a tent on a platform mounted above the truck's box, the couple sometimes used the EV's "camp mode" that employs sensors and air-suspension to make the truck level for camping. They also loved being able to plug an electric blanket into the vehicle to stay comfy on the coldest nights.
Cons? The car's price tag and shorter 54-inch box (extended to 6.9 feet with the tailgate down) may not work for everyone. The Rivian is also a little light on outlets with only four 120-Volt plugs compared to the Ford Lightning, which comes with 11 outlets (including several at the tailgate) and an optional 240V outlet.
Manufacturers are offering more battery capacity and range in new models while also increasing the availability of lower-priced model options. Use Go Electric BC's updated models list to find a vehicle that's right for you.
More than 1,400 km north of Vancouver, the Rivian was plugged into EV Connect Canada’s 200 kW fast charger at Meziadin Junction near Alaska.
9. Charging availability varies in Canada, but B.C. sets a high bar
"B.C. is head and shoulders above most provinces, especially since so many BC Hydro chargers have gone in over the past year," says Richard. "Quebec has charging everywhere, too, including side-of-road chargers that are like a parking meter and very convenient. The stretch between Winnipeg and Sudbury is very sparse, so you tend to rely on Level 2 charging or overnight charging in a campground."
Charging networks in the Maritimes can be spotty but are getting better, and Newfoundland has relied on ChargePoint to provide good options. Alberta options lag behind those in B.C., but in a pinch, there's an abundance of public block heater outlets.
"We're both born-and-raised Edmontonians, and everybody says Alberta isn't set up for car charging," says Richard, with a laugh. "But every parking lot in Alberta has block heaters, which will give you four kilometres of range an hour when you really need it. That translates to 100 km in a full day of charging. Not bad for the same plug that charges your laptop."
EV charging in northern B.C. used to be sparse, but that's no longer the case. Our stations now allow convenient EV travel to the Yukon on both the Stewart-Cassiar (Highway 37) and Alaska (Highway 97) routes. There are also stations from Bella Coola to the interior on Highway 20, and to places off main routes including Wells, Tumbler Ridge, Mackenzie and Laxgalts'ap (Gingolx).