Why Getting From Osoyoos to Kelowna on Electricity Has Never Been Easier

A big part of building a responsible and sustainable destination includes creating a transportation network that’s suited for the next generation of tourism. 

 That’s why when my partner and I were putting together a road trip up Route 97 through Washington and onwards to Kelowna, we thought it was important to find a full or partial-electric vehicle to take with us to experience the hard work this region has been doing to make it accessible for future road trips. 

 With a 2020 Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid in tow, we crossed the border at Oroville-Osoyoos (a much easier crossing than the Peace Arch in Blaine) and were impressed with just how easy charging was at almost every turn.

Nk’Mip Cellars

 Our first day’s itinerary had us just over the border at Nk’Mip Cellars, Canada’s first indigenous winery. The Osoyoos Indian Band owns and operates the grounds, which has slowly turned into a destination itself with Spirit Ridge Resort, a nine-hole golf course and the Nk’Mip Desert & Heritage Centre on the northern side of the property. They’ve also installed two Tesla charging stations, which we were told get plenty of use in the busy season. 

 Just down the road in the city centre, we charged our Volvo overnight at the Watermark Beach Resort, which has three stations (two Tesla, one regular). We imagined that in lesser weather, the covered, indoor charging parking would be quite an asset. 

 As we began the drive north, we were surprised to see just how many wineries and tourist destinations embraced EV driving with charging stations just about everywhere we went. Signage along Route 97 indicated charging options every few miles with more sporadically spread out as the highway opens up north of Oliver. 

 We stopped for a midday tour and lunch with Ruth Hanbury, then-president of Liquidity Winery in the hills outside Okanagan Falls. As we were chatting about the new age of road tripping, she mentioned that the winery has seen an increase in EV tourists over the last year (Liquidity has actually had their charging station for a number of years as part of a larger national EV initiative.)

 Speaking of driving, the northern third of Washington State offers an easy before or after trip just across the border, especially driving electric. 

 There are currently 21 charging stations operating from Winthrop in the Cascade foothills to Davenport in the far desert. Much of the development is thanks to Plug-In North Central Washington - an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to developing EV tourism in their part of the state. A group of eight enthusiasts made up of retirees, industry advocates and general citizens have built a reliable and technical network of chargers for virtually any EV. It makes a trip starting in Seattle or Portland quite easy. They’ve literally mapped out charging stops along the way for EVs of almost any battery capacity. 

 Getting from northern Washington to Kelowna on one charge is rather simple too. There are no shortage of Teslas or other long-range EVs making the trek and as a tech industry hotbed, Kelowna is full of charging stations, especially before venturing further north. 

Tswip charging station

 Resources for EV drivers:

If you’re new to EV driving, the one thing you must do is download the Plugshare app. As the most comprehensive and continuously updated map documenting charging stations throughout Canada and the US, this is the most surefire way to ease “charging anxiety”. Much of the data is user-generated and you’ll find out which destinations have chargers, if there are any fees involved and if any are currently out of service. 

 Power Trips Okanagan has a fleet of Teslas available for rental and can arrange pickups in Kelowna or Vernon. 

About Geoff Nudelmann

Geoff Nudelman is a copywriter, journalist and brand strategist tackling the globe one soccer match at a time. He travels in search of lesser-known destinations and the stories that bring these locales to life. He currently writes for Barron's, Lonely Planet and AskMen.com. He lives in Portland, Oregon.