Is a Cape Breton Road Trip Possible in an Electric Vehicle?

Are you planning a Cape Breton road trip in an electric vehicle but worried about the current state of EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island? Look no further!

As someone who recently embarked on a memorable journey covering the island and the stunning Cabot Trail in the fall, I understand the concerns and challenges of navigating this scenic route in an electric vehicle.

Join me as I share my first-hand experience exploring Cape Breton Island in my Tesla Model Y. From the breathtaking vistas along the Cabot Trail to the hidden gems nestled within the island’s picturesque landscapes, I’ll take you on a virtual tour of the must-see attractions and exciting activities, many of which you can experience while your car is charging.

From discussing available charging stations to highlighting how to navigate the limited Tesla Superchargers in Nova Scotia, I’ll provide valuable information to ease any apprehensions about undertaking this adventure in an electric vehicle.

A Word of Caution

When I was planning my cross-country EV road trip, I noticed a trend with the comments and posts in the various EV forms online when it came to a Cape Breton road trip. Essentially, Cape Breton is beautiful but a nightmare to tackle in an EV.

Common threads of charging horror stories and suggestions to skip it altogether left me thinking a Cape Breton road trip isn’t advisable in an EV. That said, I’m certainly not one to shy away from a challenge. As such, I set out to prove that a Cape Breton road trip is, with a little planning, very doable in an EV.

EV Charging Stations on Cape Breton Island

Checking PlugShare, I was surprised to find that there is excellent level-two charging coverage. From the experiences shared by other EV owners, I thought EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island would be few and far between. Not so.

That said, where things get interesting is the lack of fast EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island.

L3 and Tesla Superchargers in Nova Scotia

Tesla Superchargers in Nova Scotia are sparse. As of posting this Cape Breton road trip plan, there are only two locations in the whole province.

Before Cape Breton Island, the last Tesla Supercharger in Nova Scotia is ~230 KM away in Enfield. The last fast charging option (CCS) is in Monestery, ~25 KM from the island.

This means getting to Cape Breton Island is a little challenging but certainly doable with the right adapters. Once on the island, there are more than enough L2 charging options to keep you going.

Cape Breton Road Trip Charging Plan

With a better understanding of the EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island, I set out on my road trip. Here is a breakdown of my charging stops and recommendations on what to see and do along the way.

Leg #1 – Halifax to Sydney

My Cape Breton road trip started from Halifax. I would have stayed at The Westin Halifax Hotel as it has free EV charging, but it was booked for my dates. I ended up at a Hampton Inn in Dartmouth, which was fantastic. Although they did not have EV chargers, I asked the front desk if I could plug into an exterior 15-amp plug. This got me to 80% before my departure day.

I didn’t have to stop at the Enfield Supercharger but opted to since it is one of the most eastern ones in Canada, and the last one would see for 3,000+ KM.

From there, I headed north to Monestery, hitting the last fast EV charging station before Cape Breton Island. This charger was next to a Robins Donuts, which I became a fan of on my trip, so I grabbed a coffee before continuing over the Canso Causeway (the deepest causeway in the world) and onto Cape Breton Island.

Now, despite being familiar with driving off the beaten path, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a touch nervous. As such, I over-planned with additional charging stops along the way. 

My first stop on Cape Breton was the fantastic Big Spruce Brewery. I went there a few years ago and loved it. Now, coincidentally, it has a free L2 EV charger.

After enjoying a flight on their beautiful patio (I recommend their Pale Ale and Pilsner), I continued on to Baddeck. There is a CCS charger there (one of only three fast EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island); however, there are free L2 chargers at the Alexander Grahm Bell Museum.

The museum is fascinating. I definitely recommend spending an hour or so there. It covers Bell’s love of the area, his telecommunication inventions, and the historic flight of the Silver Dart, the first flight in Canada and the first under the British Empire, which took off from the frozen shores of Badeck on the 23rd of February 1909.

After touring the museum, I left my car charging and walked to Baddeck Lobster Supper for a feast. Another recommended stop on the island.

I was going to bike to the restaurant but had an issue with my chain. This was good since I got more of a charge than planned. I say that because when I arrived at one of the only L3 EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island (North Sydney), it was in use.

I was detouring my Cape Breton Road Trip through Newfoundland and wanted as much charge as possible to hit the road on the other side of the ferry. Thankfully, the charger freed up with enough time for me to get to 80%, which was perfect. 

Interestingly, a Tesla pulled up next to me with New York plates, and the driver asked where to get a CCS adapter. She had been traveling only using L2 chargers, which was surprising and unrealistic. It pays to plan, after all. 

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Leg #2 – Sydney to Ingonish

After a fantastic 10-day trip covering every corner of Newfoundland (including a side trip to Saint Pierre, France!), I picked up my Cape Breton Road Trip where I had left off. I was really excited to tackle the Cabot Trail in an EV, mainly because the scenic ocean-hugging roads just looked fun to drive, but also to see what the EV charging stations in Cape Breton are like.

I arrived from North Sydney and again topped up at the lone L3 charger there before continuing onto the Cabot Trail, where I was treated to a beautiful sunset drive.

I stayed at the Skyline Cabins on my first night on the Cabot Trail, as they are a nine-minute walk (or two-minute bike ride) to the free Parks Canada Chargers at the Highlands Park Discovery Center.

Leg #3 – Ingonish to Cheticamp

I left my car charging overnight, which was more than enough to tour the island. Still, I wanted to check out the other charging options in the area, so I went to Ingonish Beach, which has four J-1772 and 12 Tesla chargers! This is a great spot to hike, swim, or bike while the car chargers. My Cape Breton road trip was grey and raining, so I continued up the coast. 

Not much farther is Black Brook, which has a lovely beach and waterfall. It also has another four Tesla and four J-1772 chargers.

I continued up to Dingwall, where a section of road hugs some very high cliffs, before waiting out a downpour at the Cabot Trail Food Market. This was a great stop as they have a small selection of great baked goods. I highly recommend the mini pizza buns.

I then stopped at Macintosh Falls and braved the rain for a wet hike while the car topped up at the free chargers. As you can see, there is no shortage of L2 EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island.

The sky briefly cleared up for my hike on the Skyline Trail, which was fantastic. The coast views and the road that hugs it are something else. It’s a Cape Breton favorite and a personal highlight for me.

From there, I drove the coastline to Cheticamp, where I stayed at Laurie’s Inn because it has a free charger for guest use. That said, the hotel was pretty mediocre. If the weather were better, I probably would have opted to camp in my Tesla in Cheticamp Park and charge overnight using a 30-amp site. There are also free L2 chargers in that campground as well.

To warm up from the soggy day, I had dinner at the L’abri Café. This is a popular spot and has an excellent seafood chowder. I capped that off with a Cabot Trail (on the Cabot Trail), which is a delicious maple liquor.

Leg #4 – Cheticamp to Monastery

If you visit the Cabot Trail in the fall, I recommend buffering in time for the weather. Conditions improved the next morning, so I drove the scenic stretch of the trail north of Cheticamp once again before turning around and heading south.

There is an L2 charger in Inverness, however, I found an unlisted one at the Cape Breton Highland Links golf course and charged there while playing a round at Cabot Cliffs, one of Canada’s top-ranked courses. Hole 16 was mind-blowing as the green jets on a cliff. 

To celebrate the amazing round, I stopped at Route 19 Brewing for a beer and chowder, then continued on. I took a quick bike ride on the expansive trail system in the region before continuing on to the Glenora Inn & Distillery. This beautiful property offers distillery tours and has a great pub to enjoy afterward. There’s also free EV charging for those that spend the night.

My last stop on the island was at the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre. There is an L2 charger there, so I added a few percentage points while learning about the island’s fascinating musical history.

With that, I had enough to make it off Cape Breton Island and back to the L3 charger at Monastery, where I only had to stop for 10 minutes. This got me all the way to Pictou, my stop for the night.

Total Distance: 390 km

Estimated Charging Cost & Time

So, what did this Cape Breton road trip cost me to charge, and how long did it take?

Thanks to the excellent (and free) charging infrastructure locations around Cape Breton, I spent a grand total of just $8.62 to cover 774 km!

Now, there are a few caveats* with this.

First, I don’t count costs when charging is included with accommodations or activities. On this Cape Breton trip, that meant my hotel in Cheticamp and charge while golfing.

For charging time, I only captured the L3 charging. The many free L2 charges along the way ranged from minutes to a few hours while hiking. I also charged for roughly five hours while golfing.

So, is a Cape Breton Road Trip Possible in an EV?

As you can see, I had no issues navigating Cape Breton Island in an EV. There are more than enough L2 chargers to get around worry-free. With Parks Canada‘s impressive infrastructure, you can enjoy the best of the Cabot Trail while your car charges for free. And if you have the right charging adapters, you can take advantage of the limited fast EV charging stations on Cape Breton Island.

Hopefully, this recap unlocks this amazing part of Canada for those EV owners questioning if a road trip is possible around Cape Breton. It is a beautiful part of the country and incredibly fun to drive!

READ MORE: Northern New England EV Road Trip Report