A funny thing happened on the way to radio station WJFF. Bryan Kent, who was scheduled to meet up with Dick Riseling at the station to be a guest on his weekly radio show, took a wrong turn in Hankins, rendering his GPS useless. It was there he ran out of power, rendering his car useless.

For most, getting lost is no big deal - an inconvenience at best. But getting lost in the hilly terrain of Western Sullivan County, where cell service is spotty and pushing the limits of an EV, or electric vehicle, getting lost is certainly a big deal.

Kent, who was embarking on a 100-day, 26,000-mile road trip across the continental US in his all-electric Nissan Leaf, did what country folk do when they run out of gas on a back road - knocked on the nearest door and asked to use the phone.

“At first I thought ‘Oh man, this isn't a good way to start,'” explained Kent, who began planning his journey just 44 days ago. “But then I realized that it was a real learning opportunity.”

And not only for Kent, who must be conscientious about how hard he pushes the Leaf, which gets an estimated 84 miles per charge, but also for our communities, where charging stations are fairly non-existent.

Prove the viability

Which brings us to the whole point of his journey, The Negative Carbon US Road Trip. He's doing it to prove the viability of EVs, to dispel the notion that EVs are unreliable and to educate others. Along the way, he also plans on planting a tree in every state - a modern day Johnny Appleseed, if you will.

“Myths about electric cars are pervasive, and EV drivers are seen as being a bit ‘fringe,'” he explained over breakfast prepared by Riseling at Apple Pond Farm in Callicoon Center. “People think they can't go on a road trip, but that's not the case and that is one of the reasons I am doing this.”

While EVs might not be for everyone, the technology has come a long way from even just a few years ago. However, even with improved battery life that lasts for longer stretches per charge, drivers must always be conscious of many factors at once including terrain, speed, altitude and temperature.

“Some people just can't make them work, and they aren't right for everyone,” said Kent. “At 84 miles per charge, you have to be conscientious of many factors. You can't use this car like a hatchet - it's more like a scalpel - you have to pay attention to everything you're doing.”

Charging levels

Then there's the whole charging issue. There are three basic charging systems: Level 1 is equal to 110 volts - your typical wall plug - which takes 22 hours to fully charge a battery in a car like Kent's Leaf. Level 2 would give a 220-volt charge and would take about 2-3 hours. The DC fast - which is 440 volts, can fully charge a battery in about 30 minutes.

According to a map on www.evchargehub.com, in Sullivan County, there is one charging station located at the Catskill Brewery in Livingston Manor. Use of this level 2 charging station costs a nominal fee, but for EV drivers it is an invaluable stop when power is low. For communities, charging stations provide not just a valuable resource, but a destination for EV drivers to spend some time - and at level 2, it can be guaranteed that drivers will spend at least 3 hours there.

Some municipalities are taking a proactive approach and using federal and state grants to install charging stations throughout their communities. Ulster County recently installed nine stations at county facilities, causing an uproar and public tongue lashing by Ulster County Legislative Chairman John Parete. The problem? Giving power away for free to people who can afford to pay for it, such as high-end Tesla and BMW EV drivers.

“Why wouldn't a community that is trying to attract tourism give it away for free?” asks Kent. “They would have a captive audience for 3-4 hours. They would be attracting people who are not only looking for a place to go for a day or over night, but at minimum it keeps them in their community for an extended period of time to experience their restaurants, shops, golf courses, libraries… it makes perfect sense.”

Costs coming down

Another common misconception is that electric cars are unrealistic to own due to cost, a notion that Kent quickly dismisses. While the Tesla will break the bank at close to $100,000, the Nissan Leaf, purchased brand new, comes in at around $26-32,000. With many used EVs hitting the market as lease agreements expire, a used model can be purchased for $17,000 and under.

According to Green Car Reports, sales of plug-in electric cars increased by 27 percent in 2014 to about 118,500. Some of this is due to used vehicles entering the market at lower prices than hybrids or even some traditional cars. The next generation Leaf will get between 105 and 110 miles per charge, making them more attractive to drivers who experience “range anxiety” or the fear of running out of charge, as Kent did in Hankins.

While it is true that electric cars and support of them still have a long way to go before they become mainstream, it isn't unrealistic to think they won't gain a wider audience as prices drop, battery life improves and places to charge up increase.

“This isn't the car of tomorrow - it's the car of today,” says Kent. “Once people see what these cars can do and awareness grows, I think EVs are going to be a huge part of weaning us off our dependence on fossil fuels by giving us an efficient, renewable way to travel.”

Have a question about EVs for Bryan Kent? Feel free to email him at negativecarbonroadtrip@gmail.com. Follow his blog at www.evchargehub.com/blogs.html and on Facebook at “Negative Carbon U.S. Road Trip #1”