Road-trip checklist: car maintenance, apps and EV range tips

Whether you’re heading out to visit family or touring America’s great attractions, drivers should plan for traffic, bad weather and car trouble and take steps to maximize comfort and minimize hiccups. Prepare the car with emergency essentials including water, a phone charger and power bank, a flashlight, extra blankets and coats, a first aid kit, an ice scraper and snow brush, a small shovel and a reflective emergency triangle; pet food was also specifically mentioned for travelers with animals.

Replace juddering wiper blades and consider a portable air pump to guard against sudden flats and underinflated spare tires. Check tire tread and pressure: use a gauge or the quarter test — if the entire top of Washington’s head is visible, the tire needs replacing — and inflate to the pressure listed on the vehicle’s door jamb when the tire is cold rather than to the maximum printed on the tire wall.

Key Topics

Tech, Electric Vehicles, Plugshare, Chargepoint, Tesla, Google Maps