Be honest: is SCing on a long trip annoying?

[jvonbokel]

Everybody's opinion is going to vary (as you can see from reading through this thread), but what I'll say is that I fully expected Supercharging to be annoying, and I've found it to be not only not annoying, but actually preferable. Not only has the charging time been less than I expected, but I've I learned how to even further minimize time spent charging* over the course of dozens of road trips, but I've also noticed that I'm able to drive the same number of miles with less fatigue than before.

*Largely by charging more often but for shorter periods. The charge rate is faster at low SoC, so I'd rather charge from 10mi to 120mi twice than from 10mi to 230mi once.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

No.

...
Wait, you require us to be HONEST? Well, in that case...

No.

 

[Joules Verne]

My wife and I went on our first long range trip to Portland Maine and back. 130 miles each way.

We could have made it round trip without a charge, but wanted to play it safe, so we stopped at the supercharger in seabrook on the way up. I knew in advance the supercharger location resided in a Walmart parking lot (amongst other stores) so we planned in a shopping stop. My wife was very happy to make the stop, and work in some shopping.

I called it the Tesla lifestyle... A more relaxed pace.

So, with one trip under our belt... No, not annoying.
Pleasent actually.

 

[TexasEV]

What's annoying was having to go to the gas station every week. Supercharging on a long trip (usually while having a meal) is relaxing.

 

[bxr140]

people who tend to drive long distances and find super charging to be an annoyance should not be buying a tesla.

No. This is so far off the mark that it's mind boggling.

Someone can find supercharging annoying and still find road tripping in a tesla vastly superior to road tripping in an ICE. In fact, most people (if this thread is any indication) find that to be the case.

 

[Mark Z]

I do enjoy the flexibility of using an ICE vehicle on some road trips. However, when there's enough time and the route is a Supercharger highway, then road trips with the Tesla can be extremely enjoyable.

I may gain some weight from pigging out at the better restaurants, but what a way to travel. I never stopped at Harris Ranch for decades with the gas hogs. What a treat to be forced to stop and experience fine cuisine on Interstate 5 while charging up.

As long as Tesla Motors installs Superchargers at fine establishments, the BEV road trips will continue to be a luxurious way to rest, relax and be well fed.

 

[jerry33]

people who tend to drive long distances and find super charging to be an annoyance should not be buying a tesla.
SpC usage is akin to going to a gas station. Tesla EVs have shorter ranges than most ICE vehicles, so on long trips the SpC stops will add time and sometimes miles to their long distance trips. this is no secret and is part of the deal of driving a tesla.
if someone thinks that making SpC stops to be an annoyance it is the wrong tool for the job they want their vehicles to do and they need to find a better tool.

It can add miles which will add time (although it gets better each year), but it takes me the same time to drive well known trip (DFW to NE) in an 85S as it does in an ICE car.

 

[jvonbokel]

It can add miles which will add time (although it gets better each year), but it takes me the same time to drive well known trip (DFW to NE) in an 85S as it does in an ICE car.

I'm having a hard time deciphering what "NE" is in this context... Nebraska? New England?

 

[ThosEM]

I think the OP asks a reasonable question, when one is trying to shoehorn a long trip into a short weekend. It takes some accommodation to learn not to charge more than necessary instead of just filling up. And some of us had gotten adept at making long trips without stopping much, in our young and foolish days. I personally drove my family from Alabama to Maine every summer for years, which took 22-24 hours if done straight through with two drivers to switch hit. Doing that sort of thing in an electric car would be even more painful owing to the added hours of charging.

More than once we flew and rented a car, which is the reasonable way to travel 1200 miles. Not sure I'd try it with an EV...

 

[Lex]

What's annoying was having to go to the gas station every week. Supercharging on a long trip (usually while having a meal) is relaxing.

Ohh ya, I was just thinking today how much I'm so already used to the magic in my Model S, and there you go reminding me of something I so totally don't miss...

The ancent Humans called it the pumping of the volatile solvents ceremony. For some, it was weekly, others just couldn't get enough and returned, avoiding the absorbent sand piles, and trying to decide whether the "mildly" carcinogenic smell of the gasoline was intensely amazing, or, frankly, reeking of rotten garbage.

So if we add up the 3-5 minutes to pump, transact, etc...
Let's say for me it was about 90 fill ups a year, and 5 minutes a stop =

450 minutes per year, 7.5 hours of totally wasted time, at the worst possible time, eg. late for work/appt. or "just want to go home" time.

And here I was going to return to this thread to say "damn, I really never thought about husband/wife, kids, pet(s) it might suck !" but now I see that you get to be with your loved ones at the Superchargers, vs. the bitter alone time at the pumps.

(well, loved ones you wish to be with on your vacation that is

 

[kort677]

More than once we flew and rented a car, which is the reasonable way to travel 1200 miles. Not sure I'd try it with an EV...

what is reasonable for you may not be what is reasonable for someone else. SMH

 

[CliffG]

Agreed. For a solo-traveller, who has a flood of emails every day, doing them at each stop means that the time is "saved" when arriving at the destination.

I haven't got my mind around swapping "never having to stop for Gas" with "sometimes having to stop for SC", but if every SC stop is taken up with having a Pee, getting coffee - and then, when more time needed, doing emails - fuelling will become zero downtime.

But I'm not speaking from experience ... yet ...

I am, and it seems to me there's a general pattern (okay, of the posts here) that people who already own and drive a Tesla don't mind SC stops and appreciate (most of) them in one way or another. I get the gut sense that those posting here with the opinion that SC stops are either a waste or a pain or whatever don't have a Tesla and haven't used them yet (or may have some other axe to grind - I dunno). It'd be interesting to see how those opinions change (or don't) after a few trips though I doubt anyone'll remember to check back. One WAG I've had is that a greater percentage of this next cohort of Tesla owners (M3, et al.) will have a harder time shaking the old habits.

 

[CliffG]

The issue isn't that an EV has to stop and charge. We humans need stops and food and use the restroom and need a break. The annoying part is that at this point in time the Supercharging network pretty much dictates the route and the stops and the minimum duration at each stop.

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, right there.

On the other hand, this doesn't include the sense of relief and happiness when one (or more) opens up right smack on the route you want to take. That's happened twice for us (two different routes/trips: Salisbury, MD and Harrisburg, PA).

 

[jerry33]

I'm having a hard time deciphering what "NE" is in this context... Nebraska? New England?

That would be Nebraska (closer to DFW than New England

 

[Lyon]

I prefer to think about this in terms of time spent refueling over all. I used to fill up about once a week when I drove an ICE (I'm sure others have different experiences, I only offer this as my own). Given that I liked to go to the place with the cheapest gas as often as I could, refilling was often a 30 minute addition to my day. I estimate that I would spend about 25 hours per year getting gasoline. Given that I plug my car in when I get home in the evening and unplug when I leave for work and the whole process takes about as long as it does to put my coffee in the cupholder, my daily charging needs don't have any impact on my schedule. So as long as I don't add a total of 25 hours to my long distance road trips to Supercharge, I'm still coming out ahead overall.

Final analysis: driving my Model S is FAR more convenient than driving an ICE when I look at it from a wholistic standpoint. Yes, long trips take a little longer but those trips are the exception to my life and not the rule. If you're trying to figure out which makes more sense, should you value the rare long distance trip, or the common every day commute? The reality is that most folks don't consider going to the gas station on a regular basis as an inconvenience because it's an irritation to which they've become accustomed. Once you've not done it for a few years it seems like a real pain in the ass.

 

[bxr140]

I get the gut sense that those posting here with the opinion that SC stops are either a waste or a pain or whatever don't have a Tesla and haven't used them yet (or may have some other axe to grind - I dunno).

Its possible, but I don't think that's the case. It may even lean toward the opposite.

There's no question supercharging is new and fun when you first get your Tesla. Someone who only occasionally drives long distances likely won't find supercharging too inconvenient/annoying/whatever because that new/fun doesn't really wear off. New owners also likely to be a little less honest how they really feel about their ~$100k purchase (to themselves and/or to the new-to-them Tesla community), especially when it comes to negative impressions.

On the flip side, those who do a lot of supercharger trips are probably more likely to get a little tired of constantly having to work around the car's schedule since its more old hat. They're also more likely to be honest about what its like to stop at the same old supercharger trip after trip or how inconvenient it is to spend a few more (or many more) hours on the road than an ICE.

What people here need to realize is that kind honesty isn't grinding an axe. Its not slighting Tesla or their technology. Its not a warning to steer clear of ownership. Its just an honest assessment that may not align with someone else's perspective. I've charged at Harris Ranch at least 20 times...so far...in 2016. If I never had to charge there again I'd be a happy camper...but that aspect of Tesla ownership wont dissuade me from trying to convince anyone that will listen to buy a Tesla.

 

[CliffG]

Its possible, but I don't think that's the case. It may even lean toward the opposite.

What people here need to realize is that kind honesty isn't grinding an axe. Its not slighting Tesla or their technology. Its not a warning to steer clear of ownership. Its just an honest assessment that may not align with someone else's perspective. I've charged at Harris Ranch at least 20 times...so far...in 2016. If I never had to charge there again I'd be a happy camper...but that aspect of Tesla ownership wont dissuade me from trying to convince anyone that will listen to buy a Tesla.

Understood.

 

[David99]

What people here need to realize is that kind honesty isn't grinding an axe. Its not slighting Tesla or their technology. Its not a warning to steer clear of ownership. Its just an honest assessment that may not align with someone else's perspective. I've charged at Harris Ranch at least 20 times...so far...in 2016. If I never had to charge there again I'd be a happy camper...but that aspect of Tesla ownership wont dissuade me from trying to convince anyone that will listen to buy a Tesla.

That's exactly the point. I noticed a hostility against any criticism regarding the Model S or X in Tesla online communities. People take it personal. The general public that has no clue about EVs won't shy away if they hear a little bit of criticism. EVs have a lot of advantages but some disadvantages over ICE cars. It's silly trying to deny them. People can deal with honest opinions. I think being honest and not trying to portrait the EV as the perfect and better solution in every way makes us less believable.

Long trips are simply less convenient than in an ICE car. I just did another 4400 miles road trip. I'd prefer to plan, routes and legs and stops the way I like them rather than having the car mostly dictate them. But even if someone would have given me an ICE car for the trip and payed for the gas I would still prefer driving my Tesla. But that's my personal preference.

 

[jerry33]

On the flip side, those who do a lot of supercharger trips are probably more likely to get a little tired of constantly having to work around the car's schedule since its more old hat. They're also more likely to be honest about what its like to stop at the same old supercharger trip after trip or how inconvenient it is to spend a few more (or many more) hours on the road than an ICE.

Let's just agree to disagree. I've had mine for over three years and 70+K miles about half of which are long distance trips. Superchargers are no less convenient than stopping in an ICE for a pit stop every couple of hours. Actually, forcing you to stop is probably one of its best safety features, as you are supposed to do that anyway but many don't.

 

[bob_p]

Since receiving our Model S in early 2013, we've spent less time "fueling" the car than an ICE.

Even though it takes a little longer for long road trips, we skip the frequent stops at gas stations - which can take 10 to 15 minutes sometimes, waiting to get a pump.

And since we may take a long road trip only a few times a year - most of the time, recharging at home saves us more time than having to visit gas stations...