How to Charge Smart on Your Next Big Road Trip, From Driveway to Campsite

As more and more road trippers embrace Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles or Battery Electric Vehicles like the All-New, All-Electric 2026 Jeep_® Recon, the best practices for smart charging and maintaining your momentum will soon become as tried-and-true as the advice your parents gave you about filling up at the pump. So to give electric SUV explorers a head start, we’ve put together a handy list of smart charging tips to keep drivers heading steadily to their next big camping trip.

Here are 10 things you should know before heading out on the road and plugging in.

Just like you don’t want to get on the highway and discover you’re running on fumes, so too should you not hit the road and find out your battery’s on its last legs. Before you head out on your next electric vehicle road trip, research your charging speed and set charging schedule reminders to start charging your battery so that you have enough time for it to reach 80% (the preferable amount of charge for battery optimization—keep reading, we’ll get there). It might also be worth checking to see whether or not your vehicle has a regenerative braking system, which uses the stopping power of your brakes to help charge your battery.

For an electric SUV like the Jeep_® Recon, the charging times are 52 hours to recharge from 5-80% with a 120-volt Level 1 charging cable, 6.8 hours to recharge from 5-80% with a 240-volt Level 2 home charging station and 28 minutes to recharge the battery from 5-80% at a Level 3 DC Fast Charging station.

Depending on what comes standard on your electric vehicle, a Level 1 cable is always a must. It comes with most electric SUVs, it plugs into a standard wall outlet and it usually takes the better part of a day to give your vehicle’s battery a decent charge—but if you find yourself without an available charging station, that Level 1 cable and the outlet on the exterior of a diner could be the difference between a good drive and a bad one. Your best bet is definitely a Dual Level Combination Cord like the one that comes standard with the All-New, All-Electric 2026 Jeep® Recon, because it offers both Level 1 and Level 2 charging capabilities.

Not every rule for gas vehicles should be abandoned. Sure, an all-electric vehicle like the Jeep_® Recon offers incredible range efficiency and near-zero emissions—but at the end of the day, the weight of your cargo and the speed at which you’re driving still affect your range and battery life. Not only that, but systems within the vehicle like climate control and device charging can also drain your battery. No, plugging in your iPhone^® won’t leave you stranded—but it’s good to keep these classic rules in mind as you pack and take on the road.

As electric vehicles become more commonplace, so too will localized chargers and charger etiquette. If your road trip involves stops at a hotel or established campsite, call them ahead of time and see if they have a charging station, or an available outlet where you can plug in your vehicle overnight. Worst-case scenario, your hotel doesn’t have a charging option, and you can look up a nearby charger using your phone.

When you’re planning a road trip, it’s easy to focus on how much time you’ll be in your vehicle—not how many miles the route actually is. But when you’re measuring all-electric driving range, it’s all about miles. Do a little research beforehand and make sure you know how much of your road trip your BEV can undertake before charging again.

The novelty and excitement of a battery electric vehicle’s all-electric driving range might cause some road trip captains to want to go all the way without stops (looking at you, dads). But bathroom breaks and diner duck-ins are a vital part of the road trip experience. 40 minutes getting ice cream will give your passengers some time to stretch their legs and the pilot a moment to research where the next place to plug in might be along the route, which offers solid peace of mind (see options below). Remember, electric vehicles aren’t the only things that need to recharge.

If you’re behind the wheel of the Jeep_® Recon, you have the confidence of knowing you’re in a Trail Rated^® vehicle built to weather the off-road. But not all BEVs are as well-equipped, and difficult driving conditions, like everything else, can drain your battery. Make sure you do some research in advance if you’re heading off the beaten path, so you’re not stuck hoping the next pit stop has a charging station.

There’s no shame in admitting that BEV technology is new for the majority of drivers. And because of that, there’s no shame in asking for advice or charging tips for these novel vehicles (or reading this article, for example). It’s better to be informed and keep your road trip well-charged than not speak up and find yourself desperately searching for the nearest charging station. It’s not nearly as bad as asking for directions, we promise.