Another long trip planning question.

[therealmrmike]

On the way home do you charge just enough to get home or do you charge up extra to have a larger buffer?

 

[kort677]

On the way home do you charge just enough to get home or do you charge up extra to have a larger buffer?

do you usually charge longer to have a larger buffer? if yes, do it, if no it really isn't necessary. there are no bonuses for arriving with more range than you needed.

 

[animorph]

I'd maintain my usual buffer, as if home was just another SC stop. Unless I knew I was going to need to do significant driving before I could charge. When traveling to my kids houses I try to arrive with something like 50% remaining. That makes 120V 12A charging overnight work at one place, and I won't have to hit the nearby Supercharger on the first day at the other place.

 

[aesculus]

If I have to charge to get home and I am at the low end of the battery (faster charging rate) I will sometimes stay another 15 or 20 minutes for the "free power", but only if it's charging fast.

 

[kort677]

If I have to charge to get home and I am at the low end of the battery (faster charging rate) I will sometimes stay another 15 or 20 minutes for the "free power", but only if it's charging fast.

if that buck or 2 that you save means so much to you, you may as well stay until you get a 100% charge

 

[TexasEV]

How much I charge on the way home depends on if I am waiting for the car or if the car is waiting for me.

 

[kort677]

How much I charge on the way home depends on if I am waiting for the car or if the car is waiting for me.

that's nice but not really relevant to what the OP asked.

 

[TexasEV]

How is it not relevant? If I'm waiting for the car I just charge to what I need to get home with my usual buffer. If the car is waiting for me it keeps on charging and I have a larger buffer.

 

[David29]

that's nice but not really relevant to what the OP asked.

I don't really agree. In a practical sense, we often are coming home at such a time that we stop for a meal while we charge for the last leg. And as often as not in my experience, that meal takes long enough that the charge we get is more than we need. It is part of our relaxed attitude -- we try not to rush through eating just to get back on the road as soon as possible, and we try not to be obsessive about charging times. I may not take long trips as long as you or some other Tesla drivers, in fact I am sure of it. Maybe if i did my attitude would be different.
The one exception i can think of was a recent trip when I misjudged how much i would need for a day trip, and needed some charge on the way home to be sure i would make it. it was late at night, and i was tired, so I tried to charge only a bit more than i thought I would need.

So i guess the real answer is that it depends on circumstances....

 

[smilepak]

On the way home do you charge just enough to get home or do you charge up extra to have a larger buffer?

It all depends on situation. On a road trip from point A to point B, I usually try to charge extra 15-20% above what the map said is enough to reach that destination.

1) The map estimation assume you will be driving at speed limit (give or take).

2) It doesn’t take head wind resistance into account

3) Just in case after reaching the destination, there is no charger in the immediate surroundings or it is unavailable and I have to find one.

4) Unaccounted situation such as traffic or road detour.