MASSIVE 4,600 MILE VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 ROAD TRIP! EPISODE 1

EV Channels Review

This episode chronicles the initial leg of a 4,600-mile road trip in a Volkswagen ID.4, from Chicagoland to Rocky Mountain National Park. The primary focus is the vehicle's navigation system, which the hosts find largely inadequate for long-distance EV travel, necessitating the use of a third-party app, 'A Better Route Planner' (ABRP). The video highlights the challenges of EV road tripping, including charging issues (Electrify America reliability, slow chargers), extreme weather (hail, sleet, thunderstorms), and the strategy of 'charger hopping' to optimize charging times. While the ID.4's range and charging speeds are generally adequate on flat terrain, the hosts express concern about its performance in mountainous regions and the accuracy of navigation systems in such conditions. The episode concludes at the Alpine Meadows Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park, with the hosts anticipating even greater challenges in the subsequent episodes.