Road Trip Series, Part 1: Driving an EV from Melbourne to Adelaide
Welcome to Drive-Electric's road trip series. We look at the three most popular road trips in Australia and recommend the journey, the vehicles and how you should prepare for each trip. Today it's Melbourne to Adelaide, the easiest and flattest of the three, and the best route on which to get comfortable with EV road tripping. |
Melbourne to Adelaide is where we're starting this road trip series, and honestly, it's the easiest of the three routes we're covering.
The Western Highway has quietly become one of the best-charged stretches of road in the country, flat, predictable, and dotted with proper ultra-rapid chargers rather than the single-plug anxiety of a few years ago.
Here's how to actually do it, Tesla or otherwise, without spending your holiday staring at a percentage counter.
Key Facts
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A quick disclaimer before we get into it: charging networks change. Everything below reflects what's operating as of the time of publication, but always cross-check live availability in the Chargefox, Evie or Tesla app before you leave, chargers do occasionally go offline for maintenance.
The Route, Day by Day
Day One: Melbourne to Horsham (around 300km)
Leave Melbourne and head west. Your first natural stop is Ballarat, about 97km in, home to both a Tesla Supercharger and Chargefox ultra-rapid chargers.
Most drivers don't strictly need to charge this early, but it's a sensible habit-forming stop, grab a coffee, top up, and you're covered for whatever comes next.
From Ballarat, continue through Ararat and Stawell, both of which have charging options if you need them, before rolling into Horsham for the night. Horsham is a proper regional town, decent accommodation, good food, and a 350kW Chargefox ultra-rapid station that'll have you back to full well before dinner.
Day Two: Horsham to Adelaide (around 426km)
This is the longer day, but it's also the flattest and most predictable driving of the entire trip. From Horsham, head to Bordertown, just over the South Australian border, home to both a Tesla Supercharger and a Chargefox station. From there it's on to Keith and Tailem Bend, both well served, before a final stretch through Murray Bridge and into Adelaide.
Stop | Approx. Distance from Melbourne | Networks Available |
Ballarat | ~97km | Tesla Supercharger, Chargefox |
Ararat / Stawell | ~200km | Chargefox, Evie |
Horsham (overnight) | ~300km | Chargefox (350kW), Tesla Supercharger |
Bordertown | ~445km | Tesla Supercharger, Chargefox |
Keith | ~500km | Chargefox, Evie |
Tailem Bend | ~631km | Chargefox, Evie |
Murray Bridge | ~645km | Chargefox, Tesla Supercharger |
Adelaide | ~726km | Multiple |
Tesla vs Everyone Else on This Route
If you're in a Tesla, this route is close to effortless.
The Supercharger network runs almost the full length of the Western Highway, Ballarat, Ararat, Horsham, Bordertown, Keith and Murray Bridge all have a Tesla-specific station, and Tesla's own trip planner will handle the routing for you without a second thought.
If you're driving anything else, the good news is you're not really missing out anymore. Chargefox has built what it calls an EV superhighway along this exact corridor, with ultra-rapid 350kW chargers at Ballarat and Horsham specifically designed to close the gap that used to exist between regional Victoria and the South Australian border. Evie adds further coverage at Keith and Tailem Bend. The upshot: non-Tesla drivers get essentially the same corridor confidence, just through a different app.
Should You Do This Trip: The Verdict
Do this if: you want a genuinely low-stress introduction to EV road tripping, this is about as forgiving a long-distance route as exists in Australia, flat terrain, frequent charging, and a sensible overnight break.
Don't do this if: you're trying to squeeze it into a single day without an overnight stop. It's technically possible in some EVs, but breaking it over two days is safer, more relaxed, and barely adds any real time once you factor in a proper night's sleep.
EV road trip Melbourne to Adelaide: FAQs
Can you drive an EV from Melbourne to Adelaide? Yes, comfortably. The Western Highway is one of the best-charged interstate routes in Australia, with ultra-rapid chargers at Ballarat, Horsham, Bordertown and several other towns along the way.
Where's the best place to stay overnight between Melbourne and Adelaide in an EV? Horsham, roughly 300km from Melbourne, is the natural choice. It has a 350kW Chargefox ultra-rapid charger, decent accommodation, and sits at a sensible point to break the trip into two comfortable days.
Do Tesla and non-Tesla EVs have different charging options on this route? Tesla drivers have Superchargers at Ballarat, Ararat, Horsham, Bordertown and Murray Bridge. Non-Tesla drivers are covered by Chargefox and Evie ultra-rapid chargers at effectively the same towns, so the route works well regardless of what you're driving.
How many charging stops do you need between Melbourne and Adelaide? Most EVs need two to three stops, depending on your real-world range. Cars with 400km-plus of genuine range can often manage it in two stops across the two-day trip.
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