In Alaska, a Tesla camping trip to Denali and Seward cost $190, despite no chargers past Anchorage

An electric camping trip through Alaska sounds like the kind of drive that would expose every weakness in public EV charging infrastructure. 

But one traveler said a late-August loop from Anchorage to Denali to Seward and back still worked in their 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range.

Here's what to know

In a post on Reddit's r/ElectricVehicles subreddit, the original poster said the total charging cost for the trip was about $190. Along the way, the Model Y averaged about 3.5 miles per kilowatt-hour, and camp mode used 10% to 15% of the battery overnight.

The OP said the Anchorage-to-Denali leg had especially "well placed new superchargers" that created "zero range anxiety." 

The traveler said Seward's ChargePoint fast charger was no longer operational, making an intermediate stop crucial. In that gap between Anchorage and Seward, Recharge Alaska had four 50-kilowatt dispensers, and as OP noted, "That saved our skin."

Unfortunately, OP added that Anchorage had only one Supercharger location and said, "someone had cut the cables of half of the dispensers."

Commenters treated OP's story as less of a one-off and instead part of a larger trend. One user said they had been "noticing a lot more Teslas [in Alaska] now since gas prices have stayed unconscionable," while another said Ioniq 5s had gone from rare to "almost daily" sightings. A separate commenter said they saw "at least 15" Nissan Leafs in the main town area. 

Other users added that EV camping has other benefits. One explained that the "best part of EV camping is using a portable induction burner powered off the battery instead of carrying fuel canisters."

Looking back, the OP did warn that they "should have researched instead of assuming Seward should have at least 1" Supercharger. Without the Recharge Alaska stop between Anchorage and Seward, that oversight could have turned into a major problem.

Where can I learn more?

For a closer look at the kinds of charging issues that can make or break an EV road trip, these stories cover public charging, rural build-outs, highway expansion, and why access often matters more than rated range.

• General Motors says rural America is getting a TON of EV charging for road-trippers.

• Texas plans to add more than 50 new charging stations along major highways.

• Many EV shoppers are learning that charging where you park matters more than range.

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