All aboard! Can we talk about this? I took a wicked road trip up to Collingwood in a fully electric car and DIDN’T lose my mind! Let’s talk about it!

There are a few thoughts I have when anyone throws keys to a fully EV vehicle my way, maybe you can relate if you’re thinking about making the switch

Immediately what is the range
Am I going to regret this
and I think this one is particular to me because I’m a test driver — When can I give it back, LOL

HEAR ME OUT…

I need an EV that can have enough juice to get me to and from work (I drive a DISTANCE) everyday, without me having to scour the streets for my next hit of electricity. I’m talking at LEAST 400kms+! Don’t talk to me if your EV falls below that threshold — in the words of my mama, ME CYANN MANAGE (translation: I cannot manage). A vehicle that fits that criteria covers concern 1 & 2, and the solution that would cover all 3 concerns — having a charging station installed at my home. This is something I don’t have because I’m still rocking with the majority of you with an internal combustion engine but I’m REALLY looking into it because there are so many perks that come with having one attached to your house! We’ll save that chat for another day.

I was asked by Hyundai Canada to take the brand new Hyundai IONIQ 6 for a ride, but not just any ride… a trip from Toronto to Markdale to Collingwood and back.

CAR DETAILS

MSRP: $63,999

Trim: Full EV, AWD with Ultimate Package

Range: 435 km

The trip to Collingwood didn’t come without a touch of hesitation, but with hesitation comes preparation (at least for me) and we had a PLAN! I recommend these things before going on your first EV road trip: that included:

An itinerary for the activities you’re going to get up to
When planning an EV road trip, you want to have an outline of what you’re doing! It sounds simple but this is critical in making sure you make the most of your time and your RANGE! You can plot where everything is and do them in the most efficient order (this helps not use unnecessary battery life)
Download charging station apps! FLO and ChargePoint are the main stations in Canada right now, download these and input your payment information before you leave so you don’t have to worry about it when it’s time to plug in. FLO is my favorite right now… it’s very user friendly and it’s easy to track how far along your vehicle is in it’s charging journey!
Download apps that help you find charging stations! My favorite app right now, PlugShare! Type in the area that you want to see and it shows you what chargers are available, you can click one and it gives you service numbers, pricing, and you’ll find reviews from other EV drivers with their experience using the charger! Helpful in knowing if its up and running or not!

The distance was great but we made it happen!

DAY 1

My girlfriend and I hopped into the sedan with our two carry-on sized suitcases which fit MORE than well in the trunk and started on our journey up to Markdale, Ontario! Functionality and aesthetic are clearly at the forefront of the design when it comes to the IONIQ 6, so the drive was beyond easy, comfortable and smooth. Our first stop…. an Alpaca Farm called Kickin’ Back Alpaca!!! Have you ever been!? Some people ADORE animals, my girlfriend is the ‘some people' — see below

and then there’s me…

I respect them. I think they’re so cool, so interesting, I admire them but I’m gon’ leave them where they at…. until I see them interact with other people THENNNNN I’ll rub them down and give them a lil hug! I know some of you understand EXACTLY what I’m saying. These alpaca’s were SO sweet, adorable, fluffy, soft and the owners of the ranch shared so much information on the sweet animals we are now besties with! We got a tour of the facility, met and loved on the therapy Alpaca and moved on to our next stop! A musical sunset cruise!

Time to head out of Markdale and make our way 50 KM to Collingwood! When we got there, the car was sitting at 49% charged. For me, my spidey senses start tingling at 50% and the anxiety starts to hit at anywhere between 45%-30% charged. Thankfully, I used my trusty PlugShare app to find a FLO fast charge about a 5 minute walk from where we had to board the boat!

The Collingwood Charters Sunset Cruise was a BLAST! We had to board at 7pm, it left the dock at about 7:30pm and we had 3 hours on gorgeous Georgian Bay filled with live music, a cozy atmosphere, dancing, snacks and drinks! Everything you could possibly need right there on the boat, with an amazing view of the sunset, of course! Check out the quick snippet of our time!

P.S. What you don’t see: me stressing because by the time the boat left the dock and 7:30pm, the car was charged over 80%.

Why was I stressed, might you ask?

BECAUSE…. I was under the impression (under my own volition) that if the car was plugged in and fully charged, that I’d still be charged even after it hit 100% because it was locked to the car. Up until this point, I’d always made sure to unplug my EVs before or right when they hit 100% because I didn’t want any extra charges! Not a penny more! Well, before we even hit an hour into the boat right — the car was FULLY charged and DIDN’T charge me even though I was on a boat and it was connected for another 2 hours! Definitely poor EV charging etiquette — I’m SORRY! But I’m also not sorry because I learned something new and now I’m sharing it with you!

Once the boat cruise was complete, I was charged about $22 bucks to charge and we went on our way to the ever so lovely boutique hotel called The Dorchester Hotel. The vintage vibe is indescribable in the BEST way possible — the gold accents in the washroom, the HUGE shower and tub and the delicious baked treats we received every morning will keep me coming back to this hotel. The hospitality was top tier — when we didn’t check in (because we went straight from Alpacas to the Boat), the front desk sent an email to check in with us!

They wanted to ensure we had everything we needed to get into the hotel and our room because they lock up at a certain time of the night and people can go and come as they please with the tap of a… LINK! Not a card. A link. This is one of my favorite features of the hotel! You receive a link to your email which allows you to unlock the front and back doors of the hotel (helpful if you come after hours + an amazing safety feature) and this same link gives you the ability to unlock your room, too! Your phone is literally your key card! I’m obsessed!

Day 2

Day 1 was FILLED with adventure and new experiences which means Day 2 called for a more relaxed experience! When I think relaxation I think… SPA! We drove the car over to Scandinave Spa and this serene dream was just was the doctor ordered! The drive was smooth, scenic and comfortable. Scandinave is where relaxation, peace and serenity is encouraged. and phones and talking are at a minimal. The spa is in a beautiful location, I love the short bridge you have to walk across to get to it — I KNOW what you’re thinking, so what, it’s a bridge? For me it was about shedding off the heaviness and business of the outside world and literally stepping into peace and quiet.

This was my first time at this spa and overall, I’d give this experience a 6/10. Here’s a bit about why…

I was caught off guard by having to rent a robe — I have been to spas in the past where that was included in the daily price. The robes had no pockets, and as I mentioned you’re encouraged to keep your phone in your locker — so you have to go back and forth a lot to get your wallet/cards/phone to pay for items like food and bottled drinks. A lot of their lockers were broken/out of service. Their food situation definitely needs an overhaul — better options for vegan/vegetarians, hot & fresh food options, and outlining whats in each food item on the packaging is critical! My bestie is pescatarian and got a veggie wrap and brussel sprouts ceaser salad not seeing or noticing the bacon in the salad until AFTER the first bite… I just feel like if you have someone ordering an all veggie meal, or picking up anything with bacon — the staff should confirm you know its in there. If you’re spending the entire day here, you want to have access to good food and drink, a wellness bar or regular bar (I won’t tell) would be a good addition to this spa, too and would take this location from a 6 to at LEAST an 8/10! I will say that if you just want a spot to feel as peace and lounge — the pools, the saunas, the steam rooms are excellent!

The only other outdoor spa I have been to is Thermea in Whitby and while they had a tricky start to their opening….. barring that, their spa experience is top tier! If you want an in-depth review on THAT spa, let me know in the comments. Once we left the warm and calming embrace of the spa, we went back to the hotel to shower and get ready to explore Collingwood! We stumbled upon the cutest pizza shop and MUST VISIT called Bello Pizza OMG y’all just look y’all…

ON OUR MENU:

Mozza Sticks, lemon pepper, pecorino, spicy asiago

Frites Italiano, garlic pesto, ricotta salata, truffle aioli, fine herbs

Nines, tomato, basil, pecorino, mozzarella, fior di latte, red onion, green pepper, oyster mushrooms, pepperoni

The Bello, basil, pecorino, mozzarella, fior di latte, tomato

Our eyes were FAR BIGGER than our stomachs so we basically ate our appetizers, about 2 slices and have to pack it up, haha!! We grabbed a bottle of wine and walked back to our hotel to digest, eat a bit more of our pizzas and watched a movie!

TELL ME THIS ISN’T THE BEST KIND OF GIRLS TRIP EVER… I’LL WAIT!!!

We had an EXCELLENT trip! Take a closer look at this ride! We charged when we needed to, had so much space, the design and interior of the car was made completely with aesthetics AND functionality in mind and it really showed! It gave us comfort and luxury the throughout our Collingwood adventure and what a wonderful gift that is!

We were at about 80% for the drive home and made it back with a little over 40% charge left. Where should we go next and what are your thoughts on the car?! I want to know it ALL!