The Best California Summer Road Trip Starts With an EV Subscription

Summer is officially here, and folks are planning their travel for sunny getaways. In California, you can update the classic coastal road trip by driving an electric vehicle (EV) along the shoreline. As you take in the gorgeous vistas, you can also slash your emissions and join California’s nation-leading EV movement. 

But you don’t have to buy or lease an EV to start traveling with fewer emissions this summer. Car subscription services offer the option to try out an EV without committing for the long term, as you would with a traditional purchase or lease. Tesla subscriptions in particular are gaining popularity, offering a low-barrier way to get behind the wheel of America’s most popular EV. 

As the state with the most EVs, California offers drivers sweeping access to public chargers, making it the perfect place to embark on a road trip in a Tesla and stay powered up along the way. With a subscription, you’ll get access to an EV without the burden of long-term debt or a years-long commitment. 

Become a Part of California’s Nation-Leading EV Adoption

California often leads the nation with forward-thinking policies. It was the first state to make a commitment to banning the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, a goal it plans to achieve by 2035. 

Beyond policy-level commitment to cleaner transportation practices, California’s citizens are acutely aware of climate change. Facing daily reminders of global warming, and claiming the highest nationwide gas price at $6.43 per gallon, it’s easy to see why many Californians have made the shift to EVs in recent years. Indeed, EVs are an increasingly attractive option, and already more than 1 million electric cars have been sold in California alone.

In 2021, Californians purchased more than 250,000 EVs, leading the charge in adoption by a landslide, with more total EV sales than the next 10 states combined. While the EV share of total U.S. car sales hovered around 4% in 2021, California’s rose to 12.4%, more than three times the national average. 

Californians can take pride in leading our nation toward cleaner mobility practices, and the state serves as a model for working toward wider adoption. In fact, structural support for these cars is standard statewide, making the choice to opt for an EV more of a no-brainer in the Golden State. 

 Charge Up While You’re On the Go

A key benefit of driving an EV in an early adopting state is the widespread availability of public charging stations. From mountains to beaches, California offers a cornucopia of travel destinations by car, with on-the-go EV charging options to boot. Driving an EV along the state’s iconic Highway 1 will let you take in the seaside while minimizing emissions. Plus, the state route is dotted with Superchargers and Destination Chargers to power you through your trip. 

 Folks considering an EV summer road trip should know that Tesla is the best-selling EV automaker in the U.S., as well as in California, resulting in widespread Tesla charging options for the brand’s growing number of drivers. California offers 679 Tesla Destination Chargers and 284 Tesla Superchargers, the most of any state. These Supercharger stations are noteworthy because they can fully charge your Tesla in as little time as 15 minutes. Their speed makes them a great midday pit stop on a California road trip. 

Destination Chargers work a bit more slowly. But many are located at hotels, so they can fold into your road trip naturally, allowing you to charge up while you stay overnight in a fun waterfront town such as Malibu, Santa Barbara, Cayucos, Pebble Beach, Monterey, Half Moon Bay, Bodega Bay (wine country, anyone?), Mendocino, and Fort Bragg. More drawn to lush greenery? Napa has a Supercharger downtown, so you can stop there before heading inland for a day of vineyard adventures.

Tesla’s map allows you to search by charger type and lists host sites, including inns, bed-and-breakfasts, and resorts. With over 60 oceanfront Destination Charging locations, the California coastline will keep you juiced up and moving on to your next fun stop. Even the San Francisco Zoo has a Destination Charging station! 

Whether you’re driving over the Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur or through the giant “Tour Thru Tree” near the Redwood National and State Parks, you’ll feel good about the choice you’re making. And an EV subscription offers the unique opportunity to try out one of these cars just for the summer. 

Get In on the Summer Fun With the Flexibility of an EV Subscription

EVs are desirable for their lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower “fueling” costs, but sticker shock still discourages some drivers. Subscriptions are lowering the cost of getting behind the wheel of an EV, increasing accessibility, and accelerating EV adoption.  

For example, Autonomy is a California-based EV subscription service offering members access to Tesla Model 3s and Ys, with customizable payment options. Autonomy is a great way to try a Tesla for the summer, as you can terminate your subscription after just three months with no hidden fees, or keep paying month to month and drive it as long as you’d like. The subscription process is digital, and you can get started in just 10 minutes.

Offering savings upfront and down the line, an Autonomy Tesla subscription lets you participate in the future of transportation without going into long-term debt or signing on to a years-long commitment. Autonomy’s Teslas offer drivers upwards of 270 miles of range on a full charge, and given California’s prominent charging infrastructure, an EV road trip along the coast is well within reach. An Autonomy subscription lets you circumvent Tesla’s typical waitlist, getting you on the road in an EV sooner.