Can a Model 3 D make it from Cupertino to Truckee without stopping?

[tpoltron]

Hi There,

We finally picked up a Model 3 D LR today to go with our S 85 (wow that we’ve been driving for 5 years now that I think about it).

We drive between Cupertino and Truckee a lot and lately have been frustrated by waiting at the Rocklin and Roseville superchargers.

Does anyone have experience getting a Model 3 D to Truckee from Cupertino? Would it make it at 70mph in clear, mild conditions?

In your experience what’s the trip best planning tool for the Model 3?

Thanks in advance.

 

[acoste]

Here are the range curves attached for an RWD Model 3. This is on a flat road, no wind and 75F.

Keep in mind, that cold weather, traffic jam in cold, wind and elevation change will shorten the range.

 

[Dave EV]

A Better Route Planner says you might squeeze in with 5% with perfect weather conditions, starting at 100% charge, driving no more than 10% above speed limit and max speed of 70 mph with Model 3 AWD.

Stopping anywhere along the way for 10 minutes should give you a good buffer, but if weather conditions are poor, you may need more. I'd look at 10 minutes at any Supercharger along the way starting with Concord.

It looks like you need at least 50% SOC to make it from Sacramento to Truckee, so if you get to Sacramento and find that you have less than 60%, you probably want to stop off there to top off. Or if Sacramento doesn't usually have lines, make Sacramento your stop and just charge to 70% to give yourself a good buffer.

 

[SageBrush]

elevation change will shorten the range.

About a mile net climb so in SI, m*g*h = 1900*9.8*1700 joules = ~ 9 kWh

If you start with 75 kWh
Use 10 kWh for the climb
And figure the remaining 60 kWh (with a bit of spare left-over) at 4 miles a kWh,
You can travel 240 miles on a pleasant day with little head-wind.

Or just use the in-car predictor. It is very good

 

[David_Cary]

A 5 year model S owner I would think could figure it out a lot better than a new Model 3 owner.
Aeros or not? And if not - wheel size and tire type?
Do you draft? Tire pressures?

When you are trying to push it, I generally spend a portion of the trip drafting at 65 mph (assuming baseline of 70) . Not close drafting of course but enough to give you a benefit. So for a 200 mile trip, draft at 65 mph for 65 miles. Gives you about 13 miles more - takes 5 extra minutes. You get about 10% for speed and 10% for drafting.

I found a nice chart that has your 85 at 236 at 70 mph (when new) and the 3 with aeros at 299. Slow down to 65 and you get 325 (right about 10%). Can you really go 70 mph on that route the whole way?
On the downhill run, it would seem to be easy (and doable in your 85)

Tesla Model S/X/3 range at 55/60/65/70/75/80 mph

 

[SactoEVer]

I've made that trip from Sacramento in good weather .. going up the hill it uses nearly 2x mileage. I wouldn't chance it from Cupertino, especially in cold weather. Rather than go to Rocklin, try the other Sacramento charger off 80 at Truxel Road. I've only been there 3 times, but it hasn't been full. Close-by -- a few lunch spots, BevMo, BestBuy

Sacramento, CA Supercharger | Tesla

 

[ℬête Noire]

Or just use the in-car predictor. It is very good

This. And it's fairly aggressive about trying to skip charging stops, and will give you good feedback about needing to slow down.

P.S. All the websites out there, including Tesla's, are negative ninnies.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Hi There,

We finally picked up a Model 3 D LR today to go with our S 85 (wow that we’ve been driving for 5 years now that I think about it).

We drive between Cupertino and Truckee a lot and lately have been frustrated by waiting at the Rocklin and Roseville superchargers.

Does anyone have experience getting a Model 3 D to Truckee from Cupertino? Would it make it at 70mph in clear, mild conditions?

In your experience what’s the trip best planning tool for the Model 3?

Thanks in advance.

So Google says 226mi if you go via I80. With the D, and the elevation change, that'll be tight. Do you have 19" wheels? That'd make it a lot tighter, you'd definitely have to take it easy at 65mph or below. I don't know what the options are for Destination charging along the way, as a little lunch and L2 bump would make it a lot easier.

 

[Vines]

I'd have to say this is very very close in a D, and especially if you got the 19" option. If you have the 18" aeros its more likely, but still marginal. I'd say you can make it at 65 in the dry if you are very careful and use some hypermiling strategies, but wet and cold you'd better stop and charge or risk running out of electrons on the climb.
Drafting, keeping the windows up and climate control off will all help, as would tire pressures around 42-45psi.

 

[Randy Spencer]

How is it that this thread exists when this

Bay Area to Tahoe without stopping in a 3?

thread exists?

Sure, it's a further run, but the advice is the same.

 

[Vines]

Folks decided to be helpful, despite the obvious lack of searching by the OP.

 

[ecarfan]

The OP started this thread in the Model 3 forum. I requested it be moved to the California forum. It’s the OP’s specific trip, and if he wants his own thread there are no rules against that.

How is it that this thread exists when this

Bay Area to Tahoe without stopping in a 3?

thread exists?

Sure, it's a further run, but the advice is the same.

 

[gavine]

Here are the range curves attached for an RWD Model 3. This is on a flat road, no wind and 75F.

Keep in mind, that cold weather, traffic jam in cold, wind and elevation change will shorten the range.

Looks like rated range is at 60MPH. I always thought it was at 65MPH. Good to know.

 

[MP3Mike]

Looks like rated range is at 60MPH. I always thought it was at 65MPH. Good to know.

Rated range is based on the EPA test cycle, not a constant speed. (And I think the EPA test cycle doesn't spend much time above 55 MPH.)

 

[tpoltron]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Yes as an experienced MS owner I can/will figure it out (I got it to Yellowstone in 2014 no problem when only half the Superchargers were in place) but was just checking to see if anyone had the real world experience with the same vehicle and route. If a few had come back saying 'no problem at 70' or some such then I would have just set off that way. Instead since it looks marginal I'll set off as fast as I dare and plan on hitting the Sacramento/Roseville/Rocklin superchargers as available. Later with more data (and dryer weather - yay!) I may try the non-stop run - it'll likely help that we have the aero wheels.

Sorry I didn't find the Tahoe thread in CA section, I only looked in the M3 forum for Truckee.

 

[Zorg]

Met a M3P owner at the Truckee supercharger in September. He drove straight from SF and arrived with 15 miles of range. Not sure how fast he drove. Cupertino Truckee non stop in winter is not realistic IMHO .

 

[tpoltron]

Ok to answer my own question. I drove Cupertino to Truckee today without charging and arrived with 21 miles to spare (at Donner Summit, 25 by the time I got down to Truckee). I set AP at 70, have aero wheels with tire pressure at 44, and the car’s initial reserve estimate was only 12 miles higher when I started. I’m not sure though how dependable this is as even though I left at 1pm I spent 1.5 hours in start-n-stop traffic in San Francisco, Richmond, Fairfield and Davis and so only managed 44mph on average, I had a modest tailwind and the roads were dry and the temps moderate in the 50s.

I continue to be impressed by the latest AP and the Model 3 though (I like it better than our S85) but my wife prefers the S (though she didn’t spend last Sunday dissambling a door just to replaced a woefully underspecced wire that causes the door handles to fai)l.

 

[Randy Spencer]

Perhaps the real question is how many miles do you need to show in reserve when you pass Rocklin. As long as it is STILL showing X amount of reserve you will make it just fine. Otherwise, stop and charge during those winter months. Interesting that there seem to be no plans for a Supercharger past Rocklin, yet they show plans for a third Supercharger at Truckee on their site. Gee, didn't know I could bookmark a specific charger like that, cool.

-Randy

 

[tpoltron]

Absolutely. Unfortunately I forgot to look as I drove by Rocklin as it was the first time I was on on AP on an open road. I know it was showing 15% trip end reserve and I ended up at 6%.

A charger at Colfax makes a lot of sense to me. 1/3 the way up the hill and good services.