Route 66 Turns 100! Giant Statues & Getting Our Kicks in an EV (Route 66 Recharged Ep. 1)

There’s nothing more iconic than Route 66 and we’re celebrating its Centennial the only way we know how - behind the wheel of an EV! Join us for Day 1 of "Route 66 Recharged" as we begin our 2,400-mile expedition from Chicago to Los Angeles!

Episode 1 is all about the energy of the start, the history of the Illinois stretches, and connecting with the incredible community of EV drivers along the way. We’re stopping at local mom-and-pop shops, finding the best "get your kicks" spots, and showing you exactly what it’s like to road-trip an electric car in 2026. We’re celebrating the past while driving the future!

We visit the new start of Route 66 at Navy Pier, check out the old start, chat with an EV charging expert from Electrify America, say hi to the Gemini Giant and other Muffler Men, have a Ford EV Clubs meetup, decorate our Ford Mustang Mach-E, and see so many Route 66 sites on this first leg of the journey.

🔔 Subscribe for all 8 episodes of this epic series!

For more details about Route 66 Recharged - https://route66recharged.com/
For official Route 66 Recharged shirts - https://shop.theelectricduo.com/

Huge thanks to @electrifyamerica for powering the adventure.
Visit https://bit.ly/Charge-On and tag #ChargeOn on socials to share where your EV journeys are taking you!

If you're a Ford EV owner or enthusiast, come join us at https://fordevclubs.org/

Thanks to @evvidastore for supporting this channel and giving us sweet light-up Mach-E emblems to give away at the meetups! You can get your own here and use MachEVLog for 5% off: https://theelectricduo.com/ev-vida

Shout out to our favorite road trip snack - Yebo Biltong! Use code ELECTRICDUO for a discount! https://theelectricduo.com/yebo

Check out Wasteland Firebird's Great Route 66 Centennial Convergence!
https://www.youtube.com/@WastelandFirebird

For info on The Cheshire, visit https://theelectricduo.com/cheshire

00:00 Intro
03:10 Introducing Our 2026 Mustang Mach-E GT
05:22 Electrify America: Charging Infrastructure Update
09:42 Ford EV Clubs Meetup
12:00 Revealing Our Mach-E's Name
14:49 Day 1 Route Planning and Battery Stats
16:34 What is Route 66 Recharged?
18:53 Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket
20:31 Gemini Giant
23:00 Polka Dot Drive-In
24:30 Pontiac, Illinois
25:55 Meeting Wasteland Firebird
28:36 Bob Waldmire
33:08 Charging & Efficiency in the Wind
34:02 How to Use the Electrify America App
36:12 EV Community Chat: Real-World Charging Experiences
39:59 Lumi the Pie Lady
42:47 Paul Bunyon
45:01 Debunking EV Charging Myths
47:55 Driving on the Historic Brick Road
51:58 Final Charge
56:44 Arriving in St. Louis
58:01 Jolly old England
1:03:01 Wrap-up

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#Route66Recharged #Route66 #Route66Centennial

EV Road Trips, Mustang Mach-E Road Trips, Route 66 Recharged

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