Taking My Ride to Miami
By Elvia Thompson, EVA Board
Recently I took my Ioniq 5 from my home in Annapolis, Maryland to Miami and saved money and wear and tear on me.
The purpose of my week-long trip was to attend the Celebration of Life of a dear friend who passed away after a long illness. This came at a bad time, as my budget for this unexpected trip was very tight. But driving electric made it possible for me to make the trip. I did some research on what it would cost to fly, drive, or do the hybrid bit by taking the AutoTrain:
Flying to Miami and Back in May - $1100:
Cost of airfare, approximately $400 each way = $800.
Rental of midsize EV in Miami for six days = $300. Note that rental car costs in Florida are much higher in the winter.
Driving from Annapolis to Miami and Back - $900:
The distance between Annapolis and Miami is approximately 1092 miles. Averaging 50 miles per hour (keeping to the speed limit and allowing for bathroom and food breaks), driving straight through would take approximately 22 hours. For me, that’s close to three days of driving each way since six hours of driving is about all I can handle in a day.
Lodging – Paying for two nights in hotels each way at an average of $150/night = $600.
Meals – Six days of meals: $50 x 6 = $300.
EV Charging – The Ioniq 5’s range is approximately 300 miles. Driving 1092 miles would therefore require charging eight times at $30 per charge = $240. Luckily, my car lease includes two years of free Level 3 DC fast charging at Electrify America stations so there would have been no charging expense.
The Hybrid: Amtrak’s AutoTrain - $1030
The AutoTrain runs between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida. Lorton is 50 miles from Annapolis. Sanford is 250 miles from Miami. The train (in both directions) leaves at 4pm and arrives at approximately 9am the next day.
AutoTrain fare for the car = $510. Fare for me in coach, that is, in a reclining chair = $80. However, on the way south I opted to rent a “roomette,” so I could sleep in a bed in a small room rather than in a coach seat. The roomette fare also included dinner and breakfast. Car and passenger fare: $790 round trip + Roomette (one way) $205 + Two meals in coach $35. Total $1030.
Note that the roomette cost is approximately $400 each way but you can bid on a room if you plan ahead. I ended up paying $205 for my roomette.
But that didn’t work on the way back north as the train was sold out. EV charging would have cost approximately $120 had I not had the Electrify America no-cost benefit. I stuck to Electrify America stations so I spent nothing on charging. The AutoTrain cost me $130 more than driving my car, but it saved wear and tear on me and gave me two additional days in Miami.
Charging in Florida
I had no problems at all charging in Florida at Electrify America stations. I never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a working station. There were a few that were out of order but it seemed that Electrify America was aware of problems and worked to fix them.
Final Words
For me, the AutoTrain is the only way to go on a road trip from the mid-Atlantic to Florida. The trip is pleasant, particularly with a Roomette or Bedroom, and you’re asleep for most of the 17-hour trip. Then when you arrive you have your own car you’re used to and you can pack it with all the clothes or gear it can carry instead of dealing with luggage issues when you fly. The Amtrak staff is attentive and they go out of their way to provide whatever you need. If traveling in coach, the food is not so great – think fast food – but you can bring your own food and drinks. Most people brought small coolers. With the Roomette or a bedroom option, the food is quite good and served on white tablecloth-covered tables in the dining car. If your party is fewer than four you’ll be seated with other passengers making for interesting conversations.
It was great to have my own car on my trip and with EV Level 2 and Level 3 charging just about everywhere in Central and South Florida, charging was a breeze.
