(majestic music) (birds chirping) - Hi, I'm Sophie.

I drove an electric car from Los Angeles to Boston and back on a coast to coast roundtrip journey across the USA.

I set out to answer two questions.

Can it be done and can it be fun?

What I found was so much more.

(upbeat rock music) It's "Sophie's Great American Electric Road Trip."

(upbeat music) The team is here, it's happening.

- Getting started, getting started.

- [Sophie] Let's go, let's go.

- Hey!

- Hi!

(Sophie laughing) - Hello, hi, here we go again.

Here we go again.

(grunting) Hello.

(Sophie grunting) (camera person laughing) - I can't, though, 'cause you're gonna care.

(everyone chuckling) (Sophie sighing) You're here, you made it.

- [Megan] We're here.

- Let's make a show.

- Yeah.

- Perfect.

My name is Sophie, Sophie Shrand.

Sophia Tyler Shrand.

I've been an actor since I was a kid.

Then I became a scientist, and then fell in love with education and improv comedy.

And after doing all of these things for many years, I combined them all on screen to bring science and curiosity to the world, hosting on TV and performing live and even creating my own shows, like science comedy series, "Science with Sophie."

I am embarking on my biggest adventure yet.

I am going to take an electric car from LA to Boston and back, and document the entire thing.

The main goal is to get from LA to New York and Boston and back.

The time constraints: New York City Climate Week is the end of September.

The earliest we can leave LA is September 7th.

Now, we can work backwards or forwards, I guess, (laughs) to figure out how many hours we need to do each day, where can we stop, and then can we stop based on where the chargers are?

What is an electric car?

What makes an electric car different from a gas car is the way it's powered.

Instead of a gas car's internal combustion engine, which burns gasoline as fuel, an electric vehicle or EV uses an electric motor directly powered by a battery, a big battery.

An EV battery contains as much energy as 75,000 AA batteries.

The energy stored in the battery allows the motor to run for a certain range.

The more energy in the battery, the longer the range, the farther the car can go on one charge.

The rechargeable battery and electric motor make an EV a quieter, smoother and cleaner ride than a gas car can be.

Sounds great for a long trip, right?

So what's the catch?

Is it possible to do a fully cross-country round trip in an EV right now with the current charging infrastructure?

I think it's a big question mark, so I'm asking, can it be done and can it be fun for a reason.

From LA to Denver, we're talking about that first stretch, right, so I'll put a pin in Denver.

(Sophie grunting) Every time I put a pin in, I'm gonna make a sound, also.

I think that's required.

- Yes.

- Okay.

Let's break this down.

Our plan is ambitious.

We are driving across America twice, making a ton of stops to talk to cool people doing cool science-related stuff all over the country.

Our current route has us spending 49 days in the car and driving over 7,000 miles.

(Sophie whimpering) We'll hit 25 states.

What a nice sign.

Traverse terrain changes.

- It's a 12,000-foot elevation change.

- Weather weather changes.

It's raining and the festival's flooded.

And sample some of this nation's most unique landscapes from national parks.

There are 2,000 or so arches here in wherever we are.

Arches National Park.

(laughs) To city streets.

Welcome to New York.

And that's just what we've got planned.

We really have no idea what to expect.

We've never done this before, can you tell?

- So our first stop is Lake Mead and we'll be camping there, and go all the way up to Bryce Canyon.

Our trip the next day from Bryce Canyon to Moab will kind of go through some terrain changes.

Oh, Hot Sulfur Springs.

- I wanna smell like a big, boiled egg.

Please.

- And there's some science there.

(Sophie laughing) And then Selena to St.

Louis, Columbus, and then we have two days to get to New York.

- Then we get to go home to Boston.

Boston area.

Brendan gets mad when I say I'm from Boston, because I grew up slightly outside of Boston.

- Yeah, she's not from there.

I am Brendan J. Mulhern, an executive producer of "Science with Sophie."

Also, proud husband of Sophie Shrand.

I've been involved with this since the day Sophie told me she wanted to make this show back when we were first dating, and the honeymoon was filming season one in our Chicago apartment.

So I've been involved from day one, just doing anything that I can to help out.

- "Science with Sophie" is a scripted show.

Like, we have sketches and we have, you know, I'm sort of a character in that, and that's me, but this is going to be so different, because, like, we truly don't know what's gonna happen.

So one of the things that might happen on this journey is you watch me break down into the raw version of myself.

- [Brendan] Caffeinate, hydrate, caffeinate, hydrate.

- We are on a really tight budget, so that means we can't have, like, a follow vehicle and a crew with us the whole time the way a bigger documentary could have.

So for a lot of it, it's going to be me and Brendan on the road by ourselves.

- Megan, what's our budget for that?

- Oh, um- - Megan, what's our budget?

- $10?

- 10?

(Sophie laughing) - Yeah.

- Okay.

- Our budget is 10?

- All of these initial spots will be RV campgrounds so we can at least, when we're, like, in the mountains and in and out of the parks, we can at least have that as, like, a backup plan.

- Great, okay.

- Awesome.

- What else are you worried about?

- Um... (chuckles) - So I'm worried that it can't be done.

I think it can, I think it can.

(chuckles) And there it is, nothing to worry about.

Everything seems perfectly fine and set.

You've been on these trips.

You've done cross-country road trips before.

Have you done them in an electric car?

- I have not.

It's hard enough in a regular car.

I am definitely excited for you.

- [Sophie] Jing is an engineer and she's an expert in renewable energy tech, and that is a good friend for me to have right now.

- Every year that passes, the infrastructure gets better, so it'll be interesting to see what you find as you're going through the country.

There's definitely a lot of discussions in the EV circles around, like, whose responsibility is it to make sure a charging station is actually working?

- Yeah.

(chuckles) We're gonna go through Kansas, for example.

Any recommendations for Kansas?

- No, it's... (laughs) I'm sorry.

(Sophie laughing) I got nothing there.

- Sorry, Kansas, we're gonna learn a lot about Kansas.

- There's ups and downs, nothing's ever perfect.

A lot of what people are concerned about aren't necessarily facts, right?

So what is fact, what is fiction, what is politicized?

So it will definitely be interesting to follow all of these different conversations that come up.

- I'm hopeful that we can meet people who are working in their communities to create change that's really necessary, and makes it feel like, you know, we're all in this together and there are solutions happening.

Can I call you at any time, all the time when we're on the road?

- Yeah, you have me on speed dial.

I'm here for you.

(laughs) - Thank you.

(laughs) - Even if it's just, like, "I know you can't fix this, (map thudding) but..." (both laughing) - And as you're saying that, the map just fell, 'cause there's another metaphor.

We're gonna need help.

That's what this means.

Thank goodness we have people to help us go the right way.

It's gonna be an adventure, and as we always say.

There's gotta be some - There's gotta be some science there.

- Science here.

Ooh, we almost got it.

(laughs) So in the show, I say, "There's gotta be some science here," 'cause it's where we are.

Wherever we are is here, and there's gotta be some science here.

- Is there no science there?

- There is, but we're not there, we're here.

- But we're trying to get there.

- Yeah, so there will be science there.

- There will be science there.

- That's true, yeah.

- So, okay.

- There will.

- There will be some science there.

- And there's gotta be some science here.

Yeah, we're on the same page.

- Yeah, mm-hmm, yep.

- That's good.

- We're on opposite sides of the same page.

- Right.

- But you need both sides.

- Yep.

- For it to be a page.

- Otherwise, it would be a sheet.

(screen beeping) - There's got to be some science here.

- Got to be some science here.

(upbeat music) - We're gonna find it.

(spoon clinking) - Okay, so we're testing out some instant coffee for the trip.

Sophie suspects she might've made it a bit too strong.

We also might be being drawn into the void.

Hard to say.

- Hi.

- Hi, Sophie.

This is so exciting.

(Sophie squealing softly) (palms clapping) Today's the day.

- I know, it's hard to believe it's really happening.

It's been months of planning, and I'm like, how do we still have so much stuff out and about?

(Carol laughing) Like, uh-oh.

- Decisions, decisions.

- Yeah, you helped us a lot with this kitchen setup.

This was incredible.

I was sort of at the point where I was like, "It's not gonna fit in the bin," and then she did magic and made it fit in the bin.

- Almost 50 years of experience of organizing.

(Carol laughing) - Okay, yeah.

So you are truly the expert in this.

- [Carol] My first camping trip was at 15.

- [Sophie] Ooh, ugh.

- That I personally organized.

- Today is the day we head out.

I really hope it goes well.

(exhales sharply) I think it will and I hope we make it.

We'll make it.

I am taking a moment to feel the energy of starting this, so, let's hit the road.

(upbeat music) The moment has come, the moment is here.

It's happening.

Now, I'm excited to get on the road.

- Well, we did not get a full charge last night.

The one place near us that has a good bank of chargers is the only place in about a 5, 10-mile radius of our town, and the line was seven cars deep waiting to get to a charger.

- So yeah, we're at about 50%, that's fine.

We'll just have to charge sooner than I thought, but I think with just one, we'll be able to get there and hopefully we won't be too behind schedule.

- We just had to adjust.

- [Sophie] Day one, we are going to Lake Mead, and we're gonna be at the campsite overnight, so we're gonna test out the car for a sleeping situation.

- I'm so proud of Soph, and I'm so proud of our whole team for putting this together.

And as much as we've been working on this for months, this is just the beginning.

(Sophie grunting) (traffic whooshing) Wow.

(Sophie chuckling) - [Sophie] Let's hit the road.

- You wanna drive?

- I guess I'm driving, right?

Yeah, I'm driving.

(car whooshing) Oh, God.

This is scary, forget it.

(door thudding) (Sophie exhaling sharply) (dashboard beeping) - All right.

- Seatbelts on for safety.

(traffic whooshing) (bright music) Let's go, whoo!

It's happening.

All right, we are on day one of the trip.

We are on our way to Lake Mead.

- First stop on this journey.

♪ Get on your feet ♪ ♪ There's sights to see ♪ ♪ Rolling hills or city streets ♪ ♪ Ocean to ocean ♪ ♪ And all in between ♪ ♪ It's out there just waiting on you and me ♪ ♪ Take it in ♪ ♪ We got no plans ♪ ♪ Good things come to those who can ♪ ♪ Live moment to moment ♪ ♪ And all in between ♪ ♪ It's out there just waiting on you and me ♪ - All right, first charger coming up.

- So we're coming up on Barstow, California.

- Barstow, California.

- Where... - Where all the bars are stowed.

(tongue clicking) Eyes on the road, folks.

- Right here.

- Oh, here they are.

- There it is.

- [Sophie] Hey.

(gasps) - Wow.

- Ooh, cool.

- Oh my God, there's like, they're there.

Look at this.

- Oh my gosh.

(Sophie gasping) Yes!

All right, says it's available.

Open it up.

(plug clicking) Okay.

(display clicking) Clickety-clackety.

And it's at 17% and it looks like it's going pretty quickly, so I think we have just enough time to get milkshakes.

There are vegan milkshakes, I found them.

Do I get a banana milkshake or do I get chocolate?

Or strawberry or vanilla?

(happy percussive music) We're trying a banana milkshake.

It's thick.

Actually, it's really good.

Hey, it's really good.

First charge is a success.

We're almost at 100%?

- Yeah.

- We're at 92 and I'm fine with that, because we're gonna get there with about probably 80 miles left and then we're going to charge overnight.

- Right.

- So I'd say this was a really great first round.

- This was so smooth, so easy.

(chuckles) May it continue.

- Hit the road?

- Hit the road.

You gonna unplug it?

- (laughs) Oh yeah.

All right.

(Brendan laughing) Here's the real question.

Can I just unplug this car with a one hand holding a milkshake?

Yes, I can.

Was it a little harder than I thought?

Yes, it was, but I did it.

Let's go.

I was gonna cheers you.

- I was... (Sophie laughing) - I was gonna cheers.

- She was like, "Here, take this."

(Sophie laughing) - No, I was gonna cheers.

- "Take this, husband, I must..." (Sophie chuckling) - Here, you wanna switch?

- Yeah, here we go.

- All right.

- Cheers.

- Cheers.

♪ Hey!

♪ (Sophie laughing) - That's what we want, that's what we hoped for as far as charging infrastructure goes, is that you just, like a gas station, pull up, charger available, plug in.

The smooth transaction, basically, is a game changer as far as, like, concerns for what the charging experience is like.

- That's all we ask is that you do what you say you're gonna do.

Is that so much?

(upbeat music) Peggy Sue's '50s Diner.

- Calico Ghost Town, next exit.

- Is that a gigantic ice cream shake?

That was a boat.

(both slurping) (upbeat music continues) Is this gonna be the whole trip?

It's just passing by things that we don't have time to stop at?

I never wanna say never, you know?

- I know and I love that about you.

We're a little bit behind on schedule, as always.

Wait- - Oh, is that the ghost town?

- It's a ghost town.

- Peggy Sue's Diner is the next exit, we found it!

We don't have time to stop.

"Your ad here," Should we put an ad here?

Here's a question, "Waiting for Godot," who's the protagonist?

Sometimes I do take off my glasses, because it helps me to not see it clearly.

Hold on, let me rephrase.

- No.

- Hold on, wait.

Having fuzzy vision helps me focus on other things.

- And then when you put your glasses on, it's just- - Chaos again, immediately.

- What do you have on now?

- Contacts.

- What do those do?

- Controlled chaos.

- To thine own self be true.

- Yeah.

(upbeat music continues) Boulder Campground, Lake Mead RV Village.

This is us.

(gasps) We're gonna be part of a village.

(Brendan chuckling softly) Because we are a little later than expected, we can't really see Lake Mead, (Brendan chuckling) but I can tell that it's very big.

(soft guitar music) Cool.

All right, let's see if we wake up with a full charge in the morning.

Even with climate control on, it's gonna be interesting.

We got a lot going on in this car.

(soft guitar music continues) Okay, now, all we gotta do is make a bed.

- Easy-peasy.

(fingers snapping) (chimes ringing) (Sophie chuckling) (mischievous music) - [Sophie] How do we sleep in here?

- That's slippery.

- No shoes on the bed.

Ugh, there's so many bugs.

Day one done.

- Day one.

- (chuckles) We did it.

- Can day one be done?

Yes.

(Sophie gasping) - Day one, can it be done?

Yes.

Can it be fun?

Yes.

Confessional part two.

The moment Brendan turned off the camera, ripped a giant fart in this tiny sleeping space for two people.

(Brendan protesting faintly) My confessional.

- No, thanks- - My confessional.

What a great first day.

All things considered, that went really well.

- Yeah.

- Charging was easy.

The setup was not so bad and the bed is comfy.

We saw a coyote a minute ago.

- [Brendan] Just hanging out.

- Outside.

- Because we're in its neighborhood.

♪ Saw a coyote ♪ ♪ And I didn't care ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm really sleepy ♪ ♪ And so it can stay there.

♪ Goodnight.

(Sophie chuckling) Not a bad way to wake up.

(soft guitar music) Not a bad view.

- I'd never experienced 95 degrees with the sun down.

- I'm not booting properly.

(Brendan chuckling) It's too hot.

(soft guitar music continues) (upbeat rock music) It's not a lake and it's not mead.

Welcome to Lake Mead, the country's largest reservoir made by humans as a result of the Hoover Dam, which was built in the 1930s to create hydroelectric power.

Huge water source that looks like a gigantic lake in the middle of a desert.

In the middle of a canyon in the middle of a desert.

25 million people rely on Lake Mead as a fresh water source, so if that water goes away, we're in big, big trouble.

Not only is it used for drinking water for a lot of people, but it is also used for agriculture, so a lot of farming depends on this water source.

That's actually part of why it's going down, because we've had an increased demand for all of this water and a drought that's been going on for decades.

If we were standing here in 1983, we would be underwater.

That's the last time that this was at capacity.

If you look over here at the bathtub rings, you can see how far it's come down and that's scary.

So this is a really interesting time to be here, because it's beautiful.

It's also used for recreation.

As you can see, there are boats, people swim in it.

That's actually been part of the story recently, because as people are boating and swimming, people have been finding things that are submerged and didn't see the light of day until more recently as the water levels have dropped.

Everything from boats to human remains and an entire town to when they built the lake and they flooded and submerged an entire town that had been built in the 1800s.

And now, that town has reemerged.

So what else is in this lake?

There's a ton of mystery around Lake Mead, and of course, it's a huge commentary on the climate crisis, because those 25 million people are still here and our population is continuing to grow.

I just moved to California, and so now, I rely on Lake Mead.

(Sophie whimpering) (upbeat music continues) 25 million and one.

It has to be a combination of solutions and adaptations, because this isn't really a future problem, this is a now problem.

People are experiencing the impacts of this lower water now, so human adaptation is a pretty big part of this story.

We have continued to adapt.

We adapted when we got here.

That's how the Hoover Dam was built.

The question is, as humans innovate, we continue to build things that make our lives easier.

Is it just easier for us?

Is it just better for us?

or is it really healthy for the entire ecosystem?

We are one part of this ecosystem, so it's a complicated question.

Yeah.

(upbeat music softens) Oh, we got waves.

Wow.

(waves lapping softly) Just a day at the shore.

(soft music) (Sophie sniffing) Smells like a lake.

I wish I had some pH strips to test the pH, that'd be cool.

I gotta get some.

That is, like, the second time this week I've wanted pH strips to test something.

I think I'm sitting on a very spiky bush.

(both chuckling) Ah, leisure.

We were just headed back to the car and we noticed all these shells here.

It's an example of how far the water level has dropped.

There are a ton here and it's clearly very, very dry.

That was fascinating.

We are on a tight timeline to get to our next spot, hopefully before sundown, so let's hit the road again.

Watch out for those ants.

Everything so far has been going really, really, really well, and I think as a producer, that's the only thing that you can ask for.

I hope this is just a nice picture of what's to come, but we'll see, anything could happen.

(upbeat music) - Ooh, I'm actually a little bit scared.

- One of the fastest vehicles in the world.

- Punch it!

- They have the power.

- [Sophie] Are we charging?

What does it say?

- [Brendan] 230 hours.

- Right, I might change the plan drastically.