Afraid of camping with an electric vehicle? Dont be. Going exploring and camping with an EV can be not just as good as doing it with an internal combustion engine — it can be even better.

　　Modern EVs offer features and convenience perks that let you do things that gas models couldnt even dream of. Of course, there are some things that youll need to keep in mind.

　　Weve got you covered on both sides, so lets dive into everything you need to know about camping in an EV.

　　The Things That Make Camping in an EV Better While we know there are some downsides to EV camping, well cover those in a minute. First, the positives.

　　Power When You Need It

　　(Photo/Chevrolet) The biggest plus of going camping in an electric truck or SUV is that you have a massive battery pack with you at all times. Even the best portable power stations can only hold a fraction of what an EVs large battery can.

　　The largest on our list of the best portable power stations holds an impressive 4 kWh and costs $3,000. A typical EV battery holds 100 kWh.

　　Thats enough battery to power a campsite for days or weeks, especially if you have solar backup charging. The Ford F-150 Lightning can power an entire house for up to 3 days, and that includes all of the major appliances, with 120V and 240V AC power ready to go.

　　This makes it easy to keep food and drinks cold. It also lets you add some emergency heat when things get very cold in the winter, or just gives you a little more confidence if you decide to stay an extra day.

　　What to Look For

　　V2L charging via plug-in; (photo/Kia) There are two main ways to power your campsite from your EV. The first, like Fords Pro Power Onboard, has plugs in the cabin and/or the truck bed. Ford offers up to 9.6 kW and a 240V plug as well as house-style 120V plugs. Thats enough to power serious power tools for shorter periods. Rivians R1T and R1S also offer 120V plugs, and youll find these on many EVs.

　　The other solution is a vehicle-to-load solution. An adapter plugs into the EVs charge port and gives you a 120V house-style plug. The former works on the go, the latter only when youre parked.

　　If you dont need house levels of power, you can still use the vehicles USB ports to charge phones, lanterns, and other devices. Using only USB output, a vehicles battery will last for a very long time.

　　Charge at Your Site

　　(Photo/Jeep) If youre not sure where youre going to charge on your next camping trip, you might not need to worry after all. Unlike a gas car, you dont need to find a station; just a plug. Some sites have EV-specific chargers installed, but every serviced campsite will have a way to charge your EV.

　　The basic way is through a 120V outlet using the charger that came with your vehicle. Campsites focused on RVs will probably have plugs with more juice, either 30A or 240V 50A, and both of those can charge your EV as well. Some EVs come with the right adapter, but most wont.

　　You can purchase a NEMA 14-50 adapter at most hardware stores to charge on a 50A circuit. Some EVs come with a 30A plug, which has two diagonal prongs. If yours doesnt, the one you want is a NEMA TT-30.

　　A bit of courtesy, though, is necessary at RV campsites. While they may have higher power ratings, maxing them out, especially on a busy day, can overload the sites electrical system. Most EVs let you turn down the rate of charge in the center screen. Reducing your charge rate to 50% or less will still top you up overnight and make the sites electrical system happy too.

　　Camping in an EV in Comfort

　　(Photo/Rivian) Rivians Camp Mode is the flagship of EV camping modes. It starts by balancing the rig using the air suspension. That way, if youre sleeping in a roof tent (or in the back of an R1S), youre sleeping on a level surface.

　　It also lets you keep the power on. So you can use the climate control and the radio while youre in the back. Or turn it all off to make sure you dont waste power. Tesla offers a similar Camp Mode that keeps the climate control running.

　　These modes can make a campsite experience a lot more comfortable. A fully charged battery can run the A/C for days, and the same for the heater if you have a heat pump.

　　Get Frunky!

　　Fords ice-filled frunk has the days catch; (photo/Ford) One of the best features of electric trucks and SUVs is their second trunk. The front trunk, or frunk, is a feature on many EVs. Some of them hold extra power plugs, but others are watertight with drain plugs.

　　The watertight kind can work like a giant cooler. Letting you store your cold food and drinks on ice in a place where its always easy to get to. And you dont have to lug a cooler full of ice out of the back of your ride anymore.

　　Things to Worry About (And How to Deal) Theres no way around it; if youre towing a trailer or have a rooftop tent, its going to hurt your range. The same thing happens in gas trucks and SUVs; its simple physics.

　　Reduced Range How to Spend the Time

　　(Photo/Chevrolet) In my own time towing with EVs, Ive seen 20-30% less range. That will depend on your trailer, terrain, and speed. It does mean you might have to charge once or twice more, and that means you might have to spend some time maneuvering into a station.

　　But hey, you have your camper, so you can have a nap while you charge. Or cook a meal. And you can charge at your campsite, something a gas truck cant do.

　　Get More Range From Your Trailer

　　(Photo/Lightship) There are trailering solutions that can actually boost your range, like the Lightship AE.1. It is a large trailer that collapses to cut drag and comes with its own battery and motor. The battery and motor let the trailer do some of the work, and that saves the battery in your electric tow vehicle.

　　Lightship says it can make sure your 300-mile range electric vehicle used to tow [the L1] remains a 300-mile range EV.

　　Using All of Those Features Can Drain Your Juice

　　(Photo/Tesla) Running the climate control, plugging in a fridge or cooler, watching movies, and staying up late with the lights on is great, but you need to keep an eye on energy use. An F-150 Lightning can power a house for three full days, but at the start of day three, it will only have one-third of a full charge. That might not be enough.

　　If youre off-grid camping, youll need to keep an eye on that. To make sure you have enough power left to get back to the nearest charging station. Some EVs let you set a minimum charge where theyll shut off power to make sure you can make it back.

　　Youre going to want to watch features like Teslas Sentry Mode and other tech that keeps the EV awake. Walking around your campsite can keep triggering the EVs sensors, and constantly opening and closing doors can keep the EV in a ready mode. These can suck down the juice if you arent paying attention while camping in your EV.

　　Go Camping in an EV You Might Not Want to Go Back

　　(Photo/Ford) Camping in your EV, especially in the back of your climate-controlled electric SUV, might lead to a long-term problem: You might enjoy it so much that you dont want to return from the woods and go back to work on Monday. We cant help you with that one, unfortunately.

　　But hey, most modern vehicles, especially EVs, offer internet connectivity. Use the cars hotspot or plug in your satellite internet connection, and you can work from the wilderness. Which sounds quite nice, really.

　　Tell your boss you ran out of charge. They dont need to know you meant your personal energy charge, not your cars.

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