Pairing our insider access to high end EVs with our on-the-ground knowledge of the best routes and charging-friendly hotels, these are some of the luxe electric journeys we are dreaming up right now:

1. Drive a Rivian R1S from LA to the Santa Ynez Valley

Known for its impressive range, off-road capability, and sleek aesthetics, the Rivian R1S is the definition of cool. Take this innovative EV on the road with an expedition along Southern California’s coastal stretch of Pacific Coast Highway. From your starting point in Los Angeles, soak in the sunny city with private surf lessons, a cruise along Mulholland highway, and an evening viewing the starry night sky through powerful telescopes at Griffith Observatory with an astronomer. 

Turning north, your route up PCH meanders shoulder-to-shoulder with the Pacific Ocean until you reach the whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs of Santa Barbara. A private, sunset sail is on order, before you turn your Rivian to the Santa Ynez mountains inland from the coastal city on your way to Mattei’s Tavern. This luxury base in one of our favorite underrated areas of California was a stagecoach stop in the 1880’s and a sneaky speakeasy during the Prohibition era. It’s the perfect place from which to enjoy the blossoming fine dining scene in the area (check out the newly Michelin-starred Bells restaurant), go wine-tasting, and ride horseback through the mountains and valleys of Santa Ynez. Plus, the hotel has an onsite charger with adaptors that will suit any EV.

More Journey Inspiration: Couples California: Refined Luxury Road Trip

2. Discover Upstate New York and the Berkshires in a Porsche Taycan

In the pure luxury of a Porsche Taycan, explore the bucolic backroads of Upstate New York and the Berkshires. This region of the country has long been known as a retreat for both artists and New York City’s well-to-do city set. From your starting point in Boston, make your way into the Massachusetts Berkshires, a rapidly flourishing haven for the arts in New England. As the home of MASS MOCA art museum, the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the summer, endless art galleries, and various renowned dance and music festivals, you’ll never lack for cultural events to attend no matter what time of year you visit. With All Roads North, you can be sure of insider’s access and front row seats to all the action.

Storm King Art Center

Your stay at Troutbeck is the epitome of the area’s long-standing reputation as a place of art and nature, as several of America’s most iconic writers and poets stayed at and were inspired by this very property. Think: Ernest Hemingway, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. The beautiful 250-acre estate is outfitted with a wood-paneled library (complete with crackling fire to read by), three trout pools for fly-fishing and surrounded by 5,000 acres of accessible wilderness. And of course, two Tesla chargers with universal converters available at the front desk. Further afield, explore New York’s Hudson Valley and Catskills Mountains for a treasure trove of farm to table fare (like Blue Hill at Stone Barns) and more acclaimed art institutions (like Storm King Art Center).  

More Journey Inspiration: New York to Montreal: Where Past Meets Present

3. Explore the California desert in a GMC Hummer EV 

What better electric vehicle to take into the California desert than GMC’s rugged Hummer EV? 

Joshua Tree National Park, although just a short drive outside of Palm Springs, transports you to an alternate universe of characterful yucca trees and piles of lumpy boulders. You’ll get a closer look at the unique rock formations with an afternoon of rock climbing with an expert climber and Wilderness First Responder. Check in to The Rowan and enjoy the hotel’s iconic rooftop pool with a cold drink in hand– quintessential Palm Springs. Electric vehicle charging stations are available for guests who valet with the hotel, so your Hummer can recharge at the same time you do. 

Rowan Hotel Rooftop

Further south, you’ll pass through Temecula, a new wine hotspot and the perfect stop for lunch. San Diego is a city known for its beautiful, sandy beaches and laid-back lifestyle, and we’ll be sure that you enjoy both with a s’mores bonfire and movie screening on the beach. 

More Journey Inspiration: A Guide to Mid-Century Modern Design in Palm Springs

4. Taste the best of wine country in a Mercedes Benz EQS

Mercedes Benz’s EQS, its flagship electric sedan, is decked out with the brand’s usual lavish luxury– perfect for a sophisticated journey through wine country in Northern California. Starting in the renowned Napa and Sonoma Valley, you’ll zip along the backroads with a private guide and 3rd generation wine country insider, who will introduce you to select, limited production operations and boutique wineries typically closed to the public. You’ll meet the winemakers, taste their vintages and share a private lunch amidst the vines. End the day enjoying a Michelin-starred tasting experience at the French Laundry or SingleThread Farm.

Next, strike north, weaving along the rocky, mist-laden coast and through towering redwood forests until you reach your homebase at The Inn at Newport Ranch. The intimate 15-room lodge is located on a sprawling 2,000 acres, which spreads from the main lodge’s setting perched on a coastal cliff to inland redwood forests. Guests gather in front of a crackling fire for happy hour drinks, followed by an indulgent dinner of locally-sourced and daily foraged ingredients. The Inn at Newport Ranch has three universal electric chargers onsite, so you can wander all the Mendocino coast has to offer, from tranquil paddle out amongst wildlife in a handmade outrigger canoe or boutique shopping in the picturesque town of Mendocino.

More Journey Inspiration: Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm to Table Road Trip

5. Cruise PCH from San Francisco to Big Sur in a Tesla Model X Plaid

Big Sur’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway is renowned as one of the most spectacular roadways in the United States– a perfect match for a road trip in Tesla’s ultra-high-performance Model X Plaid. Start with the urban diversions of San Francisco before setting south down the California coast. Mavericks Beach in Half Moon Bay is renowned for its colossal waves, which can reach heights of up to 60 feet during the winter season. It’s the ideal spot to witness experienced surfers gracefully mastering these enormous swells. A lineup of charming towns await you further down the coast. Go whale watching with a marine biologist in Monterey and golfing at the matchless Pebble Beach Golf Links in Carmel-by-the-Sea. 

Post Ranch Inn

Set on the stunning cliffs of Big Sur, Post Ranch Inn was built to blend into the surrounding environment. Each of the 39 suites and private cottages are unique, some offering Pacific Ocean views and others are tucked away in groves of coastal redwoods, Monterey pines and live oaks. There are Tesla chargers onsite for your Model X while you enjoy the relaxation– the spa is renowned for their holistic treatments and some rooms even have their own outdoor soaking tubs.

More Journey Inspiration: Classic West Coast Road Trip

The post Custom Journeys in High Performance EV’s appeared first on All Roads North.

Where are we in the EV conversion?

Rolls Royce’s first all-electric vehicle, Spectre. Set to arrive in 2024.

In August of 2023, the electric vehicle revolution in the United States received another significant boost with a massive $12 billion in loans and grants from the US Department of Energy. Their goal is to assist U.S. carmakers and suppliers in transitioning to electric vehicles, aligning with President Joe Biden’s vision of electric cars constituting two-thirds of new vehicle sales by 2032. An additional $3.5 billion investment was also dedicated to accelerating battery production. California has stated that all new car sales must be zero-emissions by 2035. Policies like these really make it seem that an electrically focused future of driving is on the horizon– it’s a matter of when, not if.

The new models to look out for:

Lucid Gravity, set to deliver in 2024

Between the established auto giants and the up-and-coming, futuristic EV companies, there are a lot of cutting edge cars on the horizon to look forward to. Whether you’re a fervent car enthusiast or an environmentally-conscious driver, the imminent wave of EVs offers something for everyone to eagerly anticipate.

In the emerging market of young EV companies, Lucid Motors first came onto the scene in 2007, initially focusing on creating electric car batteries and powertrains for other industry players. Later in 2021, they made a triumphant debut with their inaugural model, the Lucid Air. Now, their forward march continues with the imminent arrival of the Lucid Gravity in 2024, a spectacular SUV designed to comfortably accommodate up to seven discerning passengers. But Lucid isn’t the only rising star on this electric stage; enter Canoo, a relative newcomer to the EV landscape, making its entrance in 2021. 

Canoo Pickup Truck

Canoo’s distinctive, bold approach to design is captivating the imagination of the automotive world, with creations like the avant-garde Lifestyle Vehicle van and (succinctly-named) Pickup Truck. In addition to the well-known competitors in the EV industry, such as Tesla and Rivian, these emerging companies also face competition from established auto giants, like Ford and Jeep.

Among these, here are some of the models we are looking forward to. Chevrolet is bucking its petroleum-fueled tradition with an upcoming Chevrolet Corvette EV. Following the innovative C8 generation and the 2024 E-Ray hybrid model, the fully electric Corvette promises a powerful transformation. The iconic two-seat interior will likely remain, setting the stage for an electrifying race in the world of high-performance electric sports cars, with contenders like the Dodge Challenger eMuscle and a Porsche 718 vying for supremacy. Lamborghini and Rolls Royce have also announced their entrance into the luxury, EV market with the Lamborghini Lanzador set to arrive by 2028 and the Rolls Royce Spectre in 2024. Jeep has plans to remake their iconic, rugged Wrangler as an electric vehicle. Maserati, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are just a few more that have exciting all-electric models on the horizon. 

Where are the largest charging networks?

Tesla Cybertruck, set to deliver Nov. 2023

According to the Department of Energy, there was a 4.0% surge in the total count of EV charging ports in the second quarter of 2023. The Mid-Atlantic region stood out with a substantial 7.1% uptick in public charging, although California maintains its position as the leader in the nation for the number of available public EV charging ports.

Custom Journeys in High Performance EV’s

There are many electric vehicles that have long been available to include in clients’ trips across the U.S. However, we are seeing a whole new age of high performance EVs on the market. Think: zipping between Upstate New York art galleries and farm-to-table restaurants in a Porsche Taycan or feeling the breeze in your hair along Pacific Coast Highway in a Rivian R1S.

These are some of the luxe electric journeys we are dreaming up right now with the best routes and charging-friendly hotels: Custom Journeys in High Performance EVs

The post An Electric Future Awaits the Great American Road Trip, Pt 2. appeared first on All Roads North.

There are many cool, new electric vehicles (EVs) on the market from both big name car dealers and new startups. Plus, 2021’s bipartisan American infrastructure deal promises to pour government money into the installation of EV chargers across the country.

At All Roads North, we are leaning into this electric future and already have our eyes on the latest and greatest EVs for our clients’ trips. We look forward to creating more and more electric vehicle-based itineraries that lower the carbon footprint of our trips while also enhancing the overall travel experience.

And with the pipeline full of new models, there are plenty to choose from.

The Exciting Lineup of EVs on the Market

Porsche Taycan, Credit: Porsche

The Porsche Taycan models prove high performance, luxury cars look just as slick with electric engines.

Ford created an electric version of their iconic F series truck, the F-150. An all-American truck-focused brand turning electric just goes to prove how deep the electric current is running in the car industry.

Ford F-150, Credit: Ford

In addition to the existing auto giants, several new car brands completely dedicated to electric-only models were born in past years with sleek, futuristic models– like Bollinger and Rivian. From pick-up truck models to boxy SUVs reminiscent of a luxe Range Rover style, you can’t help but pick these cars out of a crowd as the face of the future.

EV Road Trip Itineraries You Can Book Now

Bollinger B1, Credit: Bollinger

Road trippers have long been skeptical about the practicality of an electric vehicle when traversing America’s more rural areas, but it’s looking like this worry will soon be one of the past as charging stations continue to proliferate across the country. In fact, there are already several routes that can easily operate with EVs. For example, All Roads North’s epic itineraries along the Pacific Coast easily operate with electric vehicles. You can cruise down Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles in a shiny Tesla rental. Or you can zip between the country’s most renowned wineries in Napa and Sonoma in a stylish Porsche Taycan. The options are many and, we suspect, soon-to-be quite limitless.

Rivian R1T Pickup, Credit: Rivian

Check out these EV-friendly road trip itineraries:

Couple’s California: A Refined Luxury Road Trip

Seattle to San Francisco: The Great Pacific Road Trip

Lowcountry Trip: Charleston, Savannah & the Golden Isles

Luxury Trip to New England

The post An Electric Future Awaits the Great American Road Trip appeared first on All Roads North.