Thinking about driving to Walt Disney World, but you drive an electric vehicle (EV)? Most people are used to starting off with a full tank of gas and trusting they’ll find a gas station almost anywhere. For those with an EV, though, the charging grid isn’t as developed. If you want to tackle the 2078 km down the I-95 by EV, what would that look like? Let’s compare driving from Toronto to Walt Disney World in Florida on gasoline vs. electricity.
Driving on Gas
As of right now, driving to Disney World on gas is definitely more convenient. North American infrastructure heavily favours internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which makes finding gas stations much easier than charging stations. Gas can be very expensive, however, especially when prices surge.
Since you can quickly refill a gas tank, you could drive the roughly 20 hours from Toronto to Walt Disney World in one go if multiple drivers take shifts at the wheel. You’ll save on travel time and hotel costs. You should only do this, however, if all drivers can remain fully alert during their shift.
But what about the cost of fuel? Assuming $1.50/L of gas, and a combined city/highway fuel efficiency of 9 L/100 km, the 2078 km from Toronto to Walt Disney World will set you back about $280. This doesn’t take into consideration regional gas fluctuations or American pricing, which is usually lower.
Driving on Electricity
Because of the greater variance in EV batteries, we’ll use a 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV as our illustration.
The major difference between driving an EV vs. ICE vehicle to Disney World is that the cost of electricity is significantly cheaper than gas.
Our example vehicle is a small station wagon. Here’s what you need to know before we can calculate an estimate:
- Its battery holds 66 kW of power.
- Averaged over street and highway use, the Chevrolet Bolt EV uses 17.8 kW per hour per 100 km. This is its kWh/100 km rating assigned by Natural Resources Canada.
- The Government of Canada uses $0.15/kWh of electricity for its fuel cost estimates.
At those rates, it costs $2.67 to drive this EV for 100 km and $55.48 for 2078 km.
Obviously, a few caveats:
- Charging at a public charging station may cost more (some are free), but it’s still cheaper than gas.
- These are Canadian prices.
- Fully charging the battery on this EV at Level 2 takes 10 hours, but at Level 3, about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- The Chevrolet Bolt EV battery lasts just over 400 km, so you’ll have to fully recharge the battery about six times.
Because there are many more gas pumps than charging stations, you’ll have to do some additional planning to make sure you hit enough charging stations along your way. However, checking a dedicated EV website can make that planning almost as easy as finding the right hotel. Your EV may also come with its own app. Also ensure you stop at a charging station anytime you stop, whether to eat, shop, or go to the washroom.
Although driving a fully electric vehicle to Disney World is definitely possible, better public infrastructure would make these kinds of journeys much easier.
When planning your vacation, consider the whole context of your situation to decide what makes the most sense. Some factors to consider include what time of year you’re travelling, how much luggage you’re bringing, and how much vacation time you have. Sometimes, flying is actually cheaper than driving.
Road Trip Tips
If you decide to go on a road trip to Walt Disney World, plan ahead to make the journey as enjoyable as possible. With an EV, this means mapping your stops and packing plenty of snacks and entertainment for your passengers. Happy travels!