Day 4

Arctic Road Rally drivers began their southbound journey on day four of the five-day electric vehicle demonstration, retracing the 272-mile journey from Kuparuk to Coldfoot. 

Muskox, caribou, and other wildlife dotted the landscape. When vehicles stopped to recharge at a temporary charging station placed at Alyeska Pipeline Pump Station 4, passing truckers paused to look at the vehicles and ask questions about EV technology, and drivers refueled with hot chocolate and camp coffee, surrounded by sweeping views of tundra and the abutting mountain peaks. 

After four days on the road, drivers had gained valuable insights into their vehicles’ performance across all types of terrain — sticky stretches of mud, flat pavement, rough gravel roads, and steep slopes. The biggest challenge? Limited temporary charging infrastructure along the way. With additional charging stations and increased amperage, remote routes like the Dalton Highway become accessible to more vehicles, more drivers, and more transportation innovation for the benefit of all.

Photos by Kirsten Swann / Launch Alaska.