We took the Great American Road Trip—in electric cars

A cross-country journey in electric cars reveals how alternative energy sources could help power us into a sustainable future.

Tail fins point into the rain at the Cadillac Ranch RV Park in Amarillo, Texas. For a century the automobile has been an American totem. But with well over a billion vehicles worldwide now fueling climate change, the internal combustion engine faces a reckoning.

Photograph by David Guttenfelder

Published March 25, 2020

30 min read

This story is part of the optimistic argument for the future of the planet in our special issue on Earth Day. Read the pessimistic argument and the rest of our stories here.

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We took the Great American Road Trip—in electric cars

More from this issue

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Go Further

Animals

Environment

History & Culture

Science

Travel

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

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