A Central New Jersey Electric Auto Association Chapter Member and New Jersey high school science teacher quarantines for 12 hours with his Autopilot.

Video: Coronavirus road trip.

New Jersey high school science teacher and Central New Jersey Electric Auto Association chapter member Ben Rich knew that his March 18 road trip would be unlike any other.  A veteran of cross-country trips in his Tesla, as well as on his electric bike, he knew this particular journey would require some special handling.  It was the start of the COVID pandemic.

Armed with Clorox wipes and audio books, Rich used his autopilot to effortlessly travel north from Montclair up to Lee, Massachusetts, and east to Boston.  He then returned to New Jersey on Highway 95 through Rhode Island and Connecticut.  He was careful to use his Clorox wipes at the convenient Tesla charging stations along the way. 

“Given the circumstances, it was important for me to start at home and end at home in one day,” Rich said, explaining that the entire trip took approximately 12.5 hours total. “It was really nice to get out, especially to see the Berkshires.  It’s such a beautiful area.”

As part of the Central New Jersey Electric Auto Association chapter, Rich showcases his electric car at various New Jersey events, and believes that one of the best ways to demonstrate the practicality of his Tesla is to video and post his trips. 

“Some of the folks I’ve met at past events have had trouble imagining what driving an EV is really like,” he says. “I take them on the road with me to show them.”