The Best Family Road-tripping EVs of 2024
One of the most exciting aspects of the current wave of EV growth happening here in the US are the new vehicles that have hit the market that make EV family road-trips possible.
Here are some of my faves that you can test-drive or rent now for your next family trip!
2024 Kia EV9
Released this year meant to match the Telluride’s people and cargo capacity, but pack a cooler electric punch, this 3-row SUV gets between 230 and 304 miles of range (depending on configuration and trim) while carrying up to 7 passengers plus 20 cubic feet of cargo. According to their website they start at $54,900, but on a quick internet search it looks like most of the currently available inventory are spec’d at around $75k.
Based on some quick guesstimate math, it seems that cost per mile should be around $0.148/mi (assuming $0.40/kWh DCFC price) whereas a comparable large ICE SUV would be around $0.143/mi (assuming 24 MPG and $3.45/gal cost of gas)
Overall, a great option for families looking to explore the road in a quieter and smoother EV!
2024 Gen 1 Rivian R1S
One of the first 3-row EVs that was designed to appeal to the mass American market, the Rivian R1S still remains one of the best options for larger families with a lot of luggage looking to tour around the US this summer. With seating for 7 and capacity for 12 cubic feet of cargo, it’s got plenty of space for people, kids, and furry friends. Thanks to the huge battery options available, this car has a max range between 260 and 400 miles depending on the configuration and driving mode. It’s definitely on the pricier side starting at $76k, but there are some pretty attractive deals on their lease right now with an advertised $639/month after putting $8,534 down.
The efficiency of this car is a bit lower than the specs on the Kia and so I would guesstimate costs at around $0.17/mi, which is an affordable premium for all of the other great benefits this car has to offer during an EV adventure.
2024 Tesla Model Y
Thanks to the plethora of well-placed Superchargers across the US, Tesla drivers can confidently and comfortably travel pretty much anywhere in the lower 48 of the US without too much worry on finding an available fast charging station. The 3-row version can fit 5 adults and 2 small children with additional space for about another 13 cubic feet of cargo thanks to the sub-trunk. The max range varies from 260 to 310 miles depending on the spec, but again with Superchargers located just off of most highways, you’ll actually have a hard time getting stranded in most places as long as you plan ahead.
It’s also one of the more affordable options on this list thanks to some aggressive price cuts and incentives Tesla has been offering. Starting at $45k (before government incentives), family road-trippers also benefit from better prices at Superchargers (I’ve recently seen around $0.35/kWh compared to $0.40-$0.50/kWh at other stations which would put the guesstimated per mile cost at around $0.10/mi) making it one of the most affordable travel options on my list.
2024 Mustang Mach-E
Another great smaller and more affordable option compared to the EV9 and the R1S. It’s a similar size and price to the Tesla Model Y with the benefit of some Supercharger access with the right adapter, but doesn’t come with the baggage of association with Elon Musk when you drive it around.
It doesn’t have a 3-row option and so you’ll be stuck with only carrying around 5 passengers, but can utilize a full 36.5 cubic feet of trunk space behind the second row. It also has a configurations with a very comparable range to the Model Y with max ranges between 250 and 310 miles.
Overall, it’s extremely comparable to the Model Y, starting at $42k and only a bit less efficient with a guesstimated per mileage cost of $0.13/kWh.
Soon To Be Released 2025 VW ID.Buzz
I’ve been super excited for this vehicle since it was announced to be going to production from concept back in 2019. In general, I’m not the biggest fan of mini-vans, but with the potential to reconfigure this for awesome camping adventures, I’m pretty stoked to see these on US roads in the near future.
There’s also a slew of pretty standout color schemes and although official ranges have yet to be announced (rumored to be around 300 miles). Pricing is also TBD, but you can put your name on a reservation list now and should hope to hear something soon given the last announcements indicated a mid-2024 (summer) release.
