Charging Across America: How the IRA Powered Austin Smith’s Cross Country Road Trip

Photos by Austin Smith

When POW Athlete Alliance member and pro snowboarder Austin Smith set out on a cross-country road trip in his new all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5, he was doing more than just exploring a new way of travel. He was experiencing firsthand the profound impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest climate bill in U.S. history. As the IRA marks two years of driving climate action, Austin reflects on how this historic legislation has made it easier for him to transition to clean energy at home while saving money.

The Journey to Net-Zero

Austin set out to build a net-zero home, where your annual power consumed by the house, heating, cooling, cooking, appliances, etc is generated by the solar panels on the roof, resulting in no energy bills. “There is a bit of guesswork building a net-zero house because you don’t know exactly how much energy you will use, leading to a bunch of math based off of house averages to calculate how many solar panels you will need,” Austin recalled. “After a year of living in the house I was producing twice as much energy as I was using.”

Austin initially considered becoming a fleet manager for Bird Electric Scooters and Bicycles, charging them at his own home to utilize the excess energy he was producing. When that plan didn’t materialize, he started researching what buying an electric vehicle (EV) would take. The IRA provided federal and state incentives for purchasing used EVs, which was the perfect motivation for Austin to make the purchase. These incentives amounted to $9,000 off the sale price.

“Those incentives were directly related to the IRA funding to purchase a used EV, however, there were different qualifications to have the car be eligible,” Austin explained. “For example, the car needs to be under $25,000, at least two years old, and from an authorized dealer. To find a qualifying car with these qualifications I widened my search bubble and somehow ended up in New Jersey.” 

After navigating through the IRA incentives, Austin found the perfect EV—a Hyundai Ioniq 5. Despite the car being located in New Jersey, across the country from his home in Oregon, Austin saw it as an opportunity for an adventure. He and his partner Luisa planned a road trip across the country in his new EV allowing them to experience a new way of travel while enjoying beautiful landscapes and unexpected places along the way.

The Road Trip

Austin’s trip from New Jersey to Oregon took 10 days, covering 16 states. Contrary to the concerns of friends and family about the feasibility of such a long journey in an EV, Austin was confident in the growing infrastructure of charging stations.

Modern EV chargers have come a long way, with a charge only taking 15-20 minutes. With the Hyundai Iconiq 5 having a range of about 350 miles, they only needed to stop every five hours or so, and instead of filling up the gas tank they stretched their legs to explore new places.

“Road Trip mentality can be a bit toxic, you feel like you have to keep pushing forward, eating food at gas stations and driving for 15 consecutive hours,” Austin said. “You don’t experience much and it’s hard on your body.”

To help keep them active, Luisa took up the challenge of running a mile in every state they visited during charge breaks. This approach to road-tripping contrasted sharply with the usual nonstop, fast food-fueled drives many people are accustomed to. Additionally, stopping to charge treated them with unexpected delights, discovering hidden gems around charging stations. In Little Rock, Arkansas, a charging stop led them to a charming part of town a great spot for gumbo and oysters. 

“It was this cute little part of town that we wouldn’t have discovered if it wasn’t for the charging station” Austin said. “We would have just been at a gas station, but we were taken to many new experiences via chargers.”

The total cost of charging the EV over the 4,000-mile journey was around $300. Additionally, their ability to camp in the car, thanks to its battery-powered climate control system, added another layer of convenience and cost-saving. The EV’s “camp mode” allowed them to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the night, using only 3% of the battery.

“Normally when you camp in your car you wake up to condensation in a hot, stuffy car or it’ll be freezing,” Austin explained. “EVs have efficient heat pumps that keep you comfy with fresh air all night long. It was such an added bonus of the trip.”

Overcoming Misconceptions

Throughout the trip, Austin found that many of the preconceived challenges of driving an EV were unfounded. 

“I was optimistic about the journey,” Austin said. “Everyone else I talked to was more concerned, asking ‘You’re gonna drive across the country in an electric car? Where are you going to charge? That’s going to take you months!'”

They never faced issues finding chargers, and with the help of the PlugShare app, they could easily locate available and functioning chargers across the country. This app, which provides user-generated data on charging stations, proved invaluable in planning their route and avoiding potential pitfalls. “You just need to have a bit of a plan going into it and be aware of the options within a couple hundred miles,” Austin said.

Advice for Potential EV Buyers

Austin encourages anyone considering an EV to take advantage of the current incentives and do their research. The market for used EVs is particularly favorable, with depreciation making them affordable. For Austin, the combination of federal and state incentives, plus his ability to charge the car using solar energy from his home, made the decision a no-brainer.

“There’s never been a better time to buy an EV with the incentives that are going on. For reference, this was a close-to-brand-new car. It’s a 2022 with 12,000 miles on it and after the incentives, it cost just under $16,000,” Austin explained.

Austin’s journey with his new EV is a testament to the positive impact of the IRA. It’s allowed clean energy living and the advancements in electric vehicle technology possible. His story highlights the benefits of both the IRA and EVs beyond just environmental impact—offering financial savings, healthier travel experiences, and unexpected adventures.

Author: Stacie Sullivan

Stacie always knew she wanted to pursue a career in the ski industry from a young age, having first clicked into skis at the age of 4 and writing her 8th grade career project on being a professional skier. While her dreams of becoming a professional athlete didn’t quite pan out the way she planned at […]