Discover what its like to drive an electric vehicle on a long road trip
Ever wondered what it’s like to take an electric vehicle on a long road trip? One of our team members at Smart decided to put their BYD Atto 3 to the test on a scenic round trip journey from Sydney to Merimbula. This was all done during the busy Christmas holidays, taking off from Sydney on Boxing Day.
The journey was a mix of scenic drives, charging station discoveries, and the joys of exploring a beautiful seaside town, all while navigating the growing EV infrastructure in Australia.
Here’s what they learned about charging and planning a long EV road trip – all in their own words!
Before hitting the road, a little planning goes a long way, especially for an EV trip. The distance from Sydney to Merimbula is roughly 470km, or 6 hours driving time, which is beyond the single-charge range of most EVs, including the BYD Atto 3. That means you’ll need a couple of charging stops along the way.
We had two route options:
Using apps like Plugshare, Chargefox and even Google Maps, we mapped out our charging stops in advance. We also factored in charging time to coincide with meals and breaks. With a 3-year-old in tow, there’s always a need for lots of breaks on long trips anyway. Planning ahead meant we could relax and enjoy the trip without worrying about range anxiety.
We started the trip with 96% charge (originally 100%, but we cooled the car with the air conditioning before departure. Totally worth it on a hot Boxing Day!).
Our first stop was the Chargefox station at Goulburn South, located near the KFC. With two plugs available, we arrived with 33% charge remaining and found one BYD Dolphin already charging at 90%. After a quick 30-minute charge, we boosted our battery to 77% while grabbing some food and taking a bathroom break.
The station was busy, with another BYD Atto 3 waiting for a spot. Unfortunately, a Polestar was plugged in but not charging due to an internet connection issue. (Pro tip: Always have a backup charging method like an RFID card.)
We had left Sydney in the early evening after a full day of Christmas festivities, so planned to stay overnight in Canberra. We arrived at our Canberra hotel with 52% charge remaining. While the hotel information mentioned a charger being available in the car park, it wasn’t in an obvious spot and we were too tired to look for it that evening.
The next morning, we moved the car to the Evie chargers conveniently located outside the hotel. With four plugs offering 50kW charging, we used our RFID card to charge from 52% to 99% in 45 minutes.
Charging slows significantly after 80%, but this gave us time to finish getting ready in our room. The Evie app allowed us to monitor the charging progress remotely, and the total cost was $20.41.
Leaving Canberra, we had a 3-hour drive ahead to our final stop in Merimbula. The drive is relatively remote, with just a few towns along the way.
Stop 1: Cooma - Our first stop on the way to Merimbula was Cooma, where we arrived with 69% charge. We charged at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre using the NRMA fast charger. In just 21 minutes, we boosted the battery to 95% for $11.
This stop was a highlight of the trip with a café, clean restrooms, and an informative exhibit about the Snowy Hydro project. The charging station also featured two ultra-rapid chargers, although we stuck with the fast charger.
Stop 2: Bega - We reached Bega with 69% charge and checked out the NRMA fast chargers located in a back-of-town car park. Unfortunately, this stop was less than ideal. The car park felt a bit isolated, and the chargers wouldn’t accept payment despite multiple attempts with different cards. After a few frustrating minutes, we decided to skip charging and continue to our final destination, given it was just 30 minutes away.
Final Stop: Merimbula - We arrived in Merimbula with 57% charge, ready to enjoy our holiday and recharge ourselves after the drive.
Merimbula was the perfect place to spend a week with our 3-year-old over the holiday break.
And charging our car? No issues at all! Our hotel allowed us to use the granny charger that comes with the car, plugging it into a standard power outlet under the carport. While there were some faster Type 2 chargers available in town, we didn’t need them. The granny charger was sufficient for our needs, even with some local driving, including a two-hour round trip to the charming village of Tilba Tilba.
This setup worked perfectly, proving that even in smaller towns, EV travel can be convenient with a bit of planning.
We left Merimbula with a full 100% charge and arrived in Cooma with 58% charge and 279km of range left. We again used the NRMA Chargefox ultra-rapid charger at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre.
One plug was free on arrival, and we achieved charging speeds of up to 87kW. After a quick visit to the toilets and a look around the hydro centre, we stopped charging at 85% (350km range) after just 18 minutes. The cost was $13.83.
Our next stop was The Mint in Canberra, where we charged at the rapid chargers in the car park. This was a fantastic stop, with plenty of charging spots available and the opportunity to tour The Mint itself. We arrived with 52% charge and when we got back to our car about 45 minutes later, it was fully charged.
We had planned to make one stop on the Hume Highway on the way home from Canberra. However, our daughter blessed us with a car nap and we took the opportunity to keep driving. We estimated that we would make it home with enough charge to spare, and we were right. We arrived home with just over 10% charge left. We popped the car straight on the granny charger, unpacked our bags and rested at home after our long drive!
Has our Smart employee inspired to take a long road trip in an EV yourself? Here are some of our top tips for a smooth journey.
This road trip from Sydney to Merimbula and back in a BYD Atto 3 was a fantastic adventure, showcasing the growing accessibility of EV travel in Australia. From scenic stops to reliable charging infrastructure, the journey proved that long-distance EV travel is not only possible but enjoyable.
Whether you’re a seasoned EV driver or considering your first electric road trip, the key is preparation, patience, and a sense of adventure.
This is general information only. Before entering into any salary packaging or novated leasing arrangement, you should consider your objectives, financial situation and needs, and obtain appropriate legal, tax, financial, or other professional advice based upon your own particular circumstances. This information is current as at February 2026.
