Boone/Blowing Rock trip planning

[TD-3]

Hi, I’m looking for some updated info on the Boone/Blowing Rock area for a trip this weekend, driving from Raleigh in an S75D. I’m trying to estimate how much range I have to play with for the 3 days I’m there and whether I need to plan on finding a L2 charger.

Here are my basic assumptions (attempting to be conservative): 50 miles up and back from Hickory should leave me 130 miles of range + 30 miles/day charging overnight on 110 (~90 miles) = 220 miles of range to work with. Assuming 75 miles/day of driving leaves me -5 miles short, so it’s gonna be tight...Hence my request for assistance!

General mountains driving questions:

How much range should I expect to lose heading up the mountain from Hickory? It’s ~50 miles from the Hickory supercharger to our rental house.

How is the return trip going back down the mountain in terms of range? I read an old thread where someone said he didn’t lose any range all the way back to Lenior due to regen. Accurate assumption?

Forecast is 20 degrees overnight. Usually I would assume gaining 3-4 miles per hour plugged in on 110, but does that decrease due to the temperature?

I’m planning on doing a decent amount of driving around (at least 75 miles/day/3 days). For example, I want to do some hiking in Linville Gorge which is 25 miles one way. With the up and down elevation, should I assume neutral effect on range or should I expect to lose more than rated?

Charging options:

It looks like the best options for L2 (not including hotels) are:

Canyons (Blowing Rock)
Makoto’s (Boone)
ASU (Boone)
New River P&L (Boone)

Any current intel on these locations? Others to consider? I’m staying closer to Blowing Rock so I’d hate to drive to Boone and get ICE’d or have to wait for a spot to charge if needed!

Thank you so much in advance! Fingers crossed I won’t need a rental car!

 

[ewoodrick]

The charging isn't going to decrease with temperature, but your effective range definitely will. Look to be at about 30% summer range. And remember that doing 75 on the Interstate won't help.
Up and down the mountain doesn't hurt much. But going up does.
Looks like a number of L2 chargers at Blowing Rock and Boone.

Use plughare.com to see the L2 chargers

and abetterroutplanner.com to see what a route looks like.

 

[CravingMender9]

My 14 S85 makes the drive daily from Charlotte to Lenoir / Blowing Rock without needing any additional daily charging. While I can't talk about charging options in Boone for an extended trip, I can try and answer some questions. If you have the Chademo adapter, you can use the fast charger in Lenoir (Blue Ridge Energy) just off hwy 321. Regen definitely helps, but not as much to get more charge than what you started with. E.g. The return on this stretch gives me about 4-6% increase in charge through regen, while uphill it uses about 7-8%. Also in winter, heater will use a lot of battery. So be mindful using it. I know there's a lot of dual opinion on Range mode, but I ask my wife to keep it on if she is uncertain. Home Charging speed shouldn't be affected by cold. But be careful if there's ice (the natural kind lol). Try not to get your car covered in ice.
Also, it probably is obvious when in the mountains-do not speed. It helps greatly with range. Also, a few places with hidden cops at hwy 321 haha. Have fun at the trip. The whole area is just beautiful! Enjoy it

 

[muleferg]

4 charging station in wilkesboro. charge point. free. 3 good food. the owners of Dooley's. Mother ordered a 3. son ordered an s.
Check plug share

 

[muleferg]

There is a 1772 in Blowing Rock at the American Legion Parking Deck also.

 

[CravingMender9]

FYI, Blue Ridge Parkway closed at multiple areas due to the cold storm and ice. Heads up. Drive safe @anyone driving there.

 

[TD-3]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips! I used EV Trip Planner to map most of my expected route (including day trips) and it looks like my original assumptions were close to accurate. Essentially, with regen, the up and down averages out, as some of you said.

So there’s pretty much no way I can get by without charging at a L2 at some point. I’d have to take my chances that I find one available. Can anyone comment on traffic at the L2 chargers mentioned here?

If I were by myself I’d go for it, but at this point I’m leaning towards just renting a car. That’s a first for me in three years of driving a Tesla, but I can’t plan our short trip around L2 charging, hoping I get a spot or waiting for one.

 

[TD-3]

There is a 1772 in Blowing Rock at the American Legion Parking Deck also.

Thanks for the new info. I checked Plug Share before my original post and it doesn’t show up there.

 

[muleferg]

Check again.

 

[TD-3]

Check again.

View attachment 477609

Strange, that location doesn’t show up for me in Plug Share even with no filters on...

 

[ChrisC]

Check your "networks" filter -- maybe you have Chargepoint turned off.

 

[TD-3]

Check your "networks" filter -- maybe you have Chargepoint turned off.

All filters are off, app updated and I still can’t see this location on the map, although I can find it if I search for it directly. Regardless, glad to know it’s there.

 

[TD-3]

Post-trip update:
Although I ended up renting a car, I kept a close eye on miles driven, potential charging time, and available L2 chargers.

Bottom line is I believe I could have made the trip in my S75D (even with no L2 charging) and will definitely try it next time. I only averaged 50 miles per day instead of my estimated 75, and I could have charged a few more hours per day than anticipated on 110.

One important update to the list of L2 chargers in this thread is that the L2 chargers at Ridgeline (formerly Canyons) in Blowing Rock are no longer working.

 

[TD-3]

The defunct chargers at Ridgeline....Too bad the new owners are not keeping these operational. It would be really nice to charge there (not to mention the excellent view)....

 

[ChrisC]

Please add that photo and status info to the listing in Plugshare! Direct link to that listing: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You

 

[tagleader]

We did this trip last month with our SR+ Model 3 - Raleigh area to Boone. We charged to full at the Greensboro Supercharger on the way up. We stayed near the ASU chargers but attended a wedding up a mountain and needed to drive up and down 3 times in the cold weather, so it took quite a bit of mileage off our battery each time.. We charged 3 times at L2 chargers for about 3 hrs each to cover our local driving and to make sure we could get back to Greensboro.

Friday night we charged at the New River Power and Light office (near the Boone 'mall') and walked a 1/2 mile to dinner. Sat afternoon and Sunday morning we charged at ASU 'Legends' parking lot. There were 4 chargers, 6 parking spaces. Only 2 chargers were working there and many spaces were ICE'd, so we were fortunate to get charged there. It was a cold 1/2 mile walk to/from the hotel each time. This worked out fine for us, since we weren't in a hurry to leave, but not really convenient. There were supposedly 2 L2's at the Blowing Rock outlet shopping center, but we didn't end up going that way. Many of the 'destination chargers' were 110V and you needed to be staying or eating at the place of business. The other L2 chargers were there, but you needed to be able to walk a bit and leave it there for a few hours.

So Boone is EV friendly, but without a Supercharger not as convenient a trip as all the other road trips we have done.