This city-to-coastal drive from Sydney to Palm Beach ends with a stay at one of Australia’s most unique accommodations.

It’s been more than 14 years since Australians were first able to purchase an electric vehicle, and while our road-trip-loving nation has been slow to embrace them, with concerns over charge distance and available charging stations both hindering uptake, the tide has slowly turned in their favour. July marks the third consecutive month that electric vehicles have accounted for one in every five new car sales; that’s 21.7 per cent of all new vehicle sales, according to new data from the Chamber of Automotive Industries; no doubt a reaction in part to the current global fuel crisis.

While I don’t own an electric vehicle, I have been curious about making the switch for some time now, which is why an invitation to test out the new Macan GTS, Porsche’s electric mid-size SUV, was the perfect excuse for a road trip.

Driving from Sydney to Palm Beach

As a travel writer and editor, I have been fortunate enough to stay at some pretty incredible places, but there is one experience that has been on my wishlist for a while, and it’s undoubtedly one of Australia’s most unique stays. Lilypad Palm Beach is a floating luxury villa permanently moored in Pittwater, under an hour from where I live in Sydney. It’s a short drive, but it gives me the chance to see how the car handles as I swap city traffic for the winding coastal roads of the Northern Beaches.

It’s been a wet and windy week in Sydney, so it’s encouraging to see the sun emerging from behind the clouds as my husband and I set out for Palm Beach. We stop for coffee at Story, our local cafe in Lane Cove, before hitting the road. We’ve had the car for over a day, and we’ve been told it delivers an impressive 700 kilometres of range; given that Palm Beach is under 40 kilometres away, we have more than enough charge to do a round trip without worrying about losing power.

The drive is smooth, the handling incredible, but it’s the power that really surprises me. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometres in 3.8 seconds. Not that I hit that speed, but picking up speed is effortless. I feel the stress of the week melt away as the scenery turns green, winding our way through Wakehurst Parkway to Barrenjoey Road, where the ocean comes into view. There’s a noticeable mood shift when you hit Palm Beach. It’s only a 50-minute drive away yet it exudes that unmistakable coastal holiday energy.

Arriving at Lilypad Palm Beach

Katie, the Lilypad Concierge, greets us at the check-in point beside Pittwater. We park next to the sand to unload and follow her to the tender. The five-minute boat ride only adds to the sense of arrival. Lilypad, the only floating house in a sea of moored boats, is easy to spot. After a short tour, we’re left to enjoy the villa on our own.

The loft-style villa sleeps two in a king-size bed. There’s a bathroom with a rain shower, a living area with a fireplace – I find the television cleverly disguised as a painting just above it. Lilypad features the kitchen of my dreams with an arched pink-tiled feature above the stove and an oversized window that perfectly frames a boat bobbing on the water nearby. The fully functioning kitchen has a coffee pod machine, microwave, wine fridge, oven and stovetop. The fridge is stocked with lunch, dinner and breakfast supplies as well as beverages. A bottle of champagne or wine is included in the stay as well as whisky, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. I spot fresh fruit and sourdough on the countertop, Loco Love Chocolate on the coffee table and nuts and chips for snacking on the shelf. We’re definitely not going hungry. And while indoor dining space is sparse, there’s a high table built into the wall under a window that lifts open to invite the outdoors in.

A seafood feast for lunch

We uncork a bottle of Morillon Blanc Jeff Carrel chardonnay to enjoy on the deck in the sun with the seafood platter from the fridge – it’s overflowing with oysters, prawns and sashimi. And sit like that for the next hour. Sipping, eating and resting.

The outdoor sauna calls to us as the wind starts to pick up and the sun inches closer to the horizon. We spend a good 30 minutes inside defrosting before braving the outside shower. I quickly retreat inside for a hot shower and settle on the lounge with my book in front of the fire as dusk settles in.

A barbecue dinner under the stars

I unwrap the meat platter and two salads – one Greek and one creamy potato – prepped in the fridge while my husband starts barbecuing the two beef fillets, lamb and chicken skewers on the outdoor Weber. I look up to see the sky is full of stars, a sight I rarely see in the city. We rug up and decide to enjoy dinner under its light before retreating to the loft bedroom for an early night. The gentle rocking stops as the wind dies down and I sleep soundly.

Sunrise and eggs sunny side up

One of the features I love most about Lilypad is the windows. They come in all shapes and sizes, but no matter the size, they keep you constantly connected to the water. I wake to see the sun is starting to rise and grab my camera to capture it. I’m thankful for the supplied Cultiver bathrobe and ugg boots I packed as the morning air is crisp. But seeing the sun break over the treeline and bathe Pittwater in its golden light is worth it. Inside, I make us coffee and pop on the Lilypad playlist that was playing from the speakers when we first arrived. Crying Shame by the Teskey Brothers starts playing as I cook up the eggs and bacon on the stove. There’s fresh orange juice, yogurt, granola and a fruit salad to be consumed too. We take our feast outside to eat just as locals start to stir on the boats near us and a man kayaking passes by. We still have a couple of hours to enjoy being on the water before Katie arrives with our tender back to land.

The drive home

We take our time driving home. Stopping in Avalon for coffee and a muffin at The Sneaky Grind, poking around the stores and picking up another bottle of the delicious chardonnay from Winona Wine we enjoyed at lunch the day before. Not ready to head home just yet, we make a detour to Church Point for lunch at Pasadena. Then take Pittwater Road back to Barrenjoey and follow the Wakehurst Parkway back home.

Travel details

Where can you charge EVs in Palm Beach?

While we didn’t need to recharge the Macan, there is a public electric vehicle charging station located opposite the ferry wharf in the Barrenjoey House car park. There is a range of websites and apps available to plan your EV road trip. The free PlugShare app provides comprehensive coverage of charging stations across Australia.

How long does the Macan GTS take to recharge?

The Macan GTS has two rear side charging points, one an AC/DC port and the other an AC-only port. The DC fast charging option connects to high-power public stations and can take the battery from 10 per cent to 80 per cent charge in about 21 minutes.

Staying at Lilypad Palm Beach

All-inclusive overnight stays at Lilypad Palm Beach start at $1990 per night (pending day and season) and include chef-prepared meals, beverages and premium snacks, and return transfers.