Behind the wheel: Amelia and partner/passenger Jack  

Through my role at SG Fleet, I've had the chance to test drive many EVs. However, this was my first time spiriting one away for the weekend. Never one to do things by halves, I decided to tackle a 10-hour round trip from North Melbourne to Nyah in the Murray River region for a family wedding.

Once I had the keys in my hand, my excitement turned to nervousness about being responsible for charging for the first time. As I took off, any nerves faded into the background. It was immediately clear how smooth the drive was – silent and powerful. This was even more noticeable on the country roads, making us realise we'd been used to riding the bumps. Perhaps in the past my backseat passengers had been telling the truth when they said they'd been flung around! I found it one of the easiest large SUVs to maneuver, and navigating the features was a breeze. As a car that's been awarded World Electric Vehicle and World Car of the Year, there are a great many of them – more on those soon. 

Approaching halfway and our first charging stop in Bendigo with 42% battery remaining, all sorts of doubts were running through my mind. Have I chosen the right fast charging station? Will it be working? (The app says it is.) Will the app work? Will I get enough charge to make it to my destination? Will the charging cap open? (Do I remember where the button is to open it?) Will the plug fit? 

In the end, it was very straightforward. I pulled into the Evie parking space at Bendigo Target, plugged the charger in, and pressed 'Start' on the Evie app. It gave me all the info I needed: how fast it was charging, how many kW until full, and the remaining time. So, we locked up, went for a walk in the sun, and picked up some dinner to eat in the park. When we returned an hour later, we were fully charged and ready for the home stretch. On our usual trips we stop in Bendigo for a half hour break, so this didn't add on much extra time. 

Arriving at our family's home in Nyah around 9pm, we had 43% charge. It seemed like the ideal scenario for trickle-charging (i.e. charging from a standard power point) to pick up some power overnight, slow and steady. Unfortunately, the powers that be didn't seem to agree and we encountered an Error 7 fault code. After a long drive and with darkness descending, we resolved to try again in the morning – at which point I was 25 hours away from a full battery. Swapping to a different power point still gave us the dreaded E7, so it was time for some Googling. It turned out to be an overcurrent warning – by default, the EV9 was a little too powerful for the wiring at our beautiful old mud brick homestead. A simple change of the car's settings to reduce the amps from 100% to 90% and we were away. As I still had around 180km range left from yesterday, after topping up with another 20km it was time to get on with the day.

Regenerative braking
This takes a bit of getting used to if you’ve never used it before, but now that I’ve driven the EV9, I prefer it. Regenerative braking works by decelerating and charging the battery when you lift your foot off the accelerator. With the EV9, you can choose the level of regenerative braking using the paddle switch, from 0-3. Additionally, the auto function adjusts to traffic flow, making it easier for beginners.

Cabin comforts
From the immersive large screen displays and elegant interior design to headrest comfort and seat coolers/warmers, EV9 constantly surprised me with fun, thoughtful touches. Unlike other cars I've driven, the key widgets and controls are at your fingertips, not buried deep in menus. I also appreciated eliminating annoying cords thanks to Bluetooth Apple CarPlay and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

Interior space
It’s a big car with plenty of space, including an extra bag holder compartment in the middle console, a large boot, and a frunk. You can pop up the back seats to make it a 7-seater with a click of a button.

High Beam Assist
Not having to manually flick the high beams on and off was so helpful when driving long stretches of country roads after sunset.

Lane assistance
Lane Keeping Assist with Lane Following Assist, cruise control and Highway Driving Assist help keep you centred in your lane at your desired speed. If someone pulls in front, the car will pull back and match the speed, ensuring a safe distance. Coupled with Lane Change Assist, there was little I had to think about or do. While you should always be in control and alert for safety reasons, these features make driving easy. It takes a minute to trust the process, but it’s impressive.

Another benefit of the EV9 is Vehicle-to-Load (or V2L). With V2L, your EV acts as a power point for devices. While I didn't use it on this trip, the ability to power your laptop, kettle, air fryer or fridge is ideal for more remote camping trips. So, why not make the most of a trip to the Mallee Region. Here are some of our top picks.

Mount Macedon
Just a short detour off the Calder Freeway about an hour out of Melbourne, stop in at the charming forested slopes of Mount Macedon. There’s 30km of connecting trails to enjoy a bush walk or a picnic and immerse yourself in the native wildlife. The region is also renowned for its wineries and is becoming a destination for gin distilling. 

Bridgewater Bakehouse
This thriving bakery in the small town of Bridgewater on Loddon offers some of the best pastries and tasty treats going around. With as many as 10 different pies, including vegetarian options, there’s certain to be something to satisfy every palate.

Lake Tyrrell
Thousands of visitors have flocked to the small township of Sea Lake (population 619) in the last decade since photos of the majestic night sky reflecting off Victoria's largest salt lake went viral on social media. Covering more than 200 square kilometres, there is evidence of local Indigenous occupation stretching back 45,000 years. Visit around sunrise or sunset for the most epic viewing; there are also local tour operators if you fancy a guided visit.

Swan Hill
The mighty Murray River is the lifeblood of many rural communities dotted along the NSW and Victoria border, as well as South Australia. At Swan Hill, known as the heart of the Murray due to its location roughly halfway along the river, you can step back in time at the Pioneer Settlement and cruise along the river in a paddlesteamer.

Silo Art Trail
On the way to Sea Lake, why not make a quick detour to check out the incredible art project that continues to expand across the state. The Silo Art Trail has become a feature of a drive through Victoria’s northwest where you can cruise from town to town to discover the work of renowned street artists from across the globe who've transformed wheat silos into giant murals. Find a full list of locations here.