Driving up to Big Bear or any mountain...additional energy required to gain elevation
- Thread starter MikeR55
- Start date
Extra energy required is about 1.6 kwh/1000 ft climb or about 6-8 miles. Add that to the distance.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
I had to read that again to follow:
You are saying 6 - 8 EPA rated miles per 1000 feet climb.
Yeah, that sounds ballpark
Don't forget as you gain altitude it will get colder and battery efficiency will suffer. The mountain climbing and the cold really saps the mileage. Last of all speed, if it is a close call keep it below 60 mph.
I second a couple of the previous posts. Living in WA we often drive into the mountains. To be conservative, figure on about 8 rated miles (on your battery meter) per 1000 feet climb. But coming back down, you get at least 75% of that back, so the actual loss on a round trip is not that significant.
Having said that, I always recommend that folks spend the extra $10K and get the LR (with or without the AWD). That extra battery capacity adds greatly to the versatility of the car. If you go with the SR you will always run into situations where you wish you had bought an LR - and you can't really upgrade after the fact. And don't forget that in winter you can count on only about 60% of your rated mileage (60% of 310 for the LR AWD), and you never really want to drive it down to 0, so that 310 miles drops down to well under 200 in winter conditions.,
Having said that, I always recommend that folks spend the extra $10K and get the LR (with or without the AWD). That extra battery capacity adds greatly to the versatility of the car. If you go with the SR you will always run into situations where you wish you had bought an LR - and you can't really upgrade after the fact. And don't forget that in winter you can count on only about 60% of your rated mileage (60% of 310 for the LR AWD), and you never really want to drive it down to 0, so that 310 miles drops down to well under 200 in winter conditions.,
get the AWD .. from a few weeks of ownership there is alot about battery use that i did not know ..
1 - you often dont charge to 100% -- usually you charge to 90% ..
2 - you often dont go to 0% -- i would feel uncomfortable driving below 10%.
depending on weather, you use up some energy on things like heating the car, traffic etc.. if you're driving up to big bear in the winter you'll want to heat the cabin and the seats. -- in seattle, thats about 33% draw on the battery.
so in winter effective range of my AWD LR is 170miles
in summer i expect it to be closer to 250 miles.
.. we just confirmed this when my wife drove to Blaine from Seattle (winter) and spent close to 50% of battery to make a 100 mile drive.
1 - you often dont charge to 100% -- usually you charge to 90% ..
2 - you often dont go to 0% -- i would feel uncomfortable driving below 10%.
depending on weather, you use up some energy on things like heating the car, traffic etc.. if you're driving up to big bear in the winter you'll want to heat the cabin and the seats. -- in seattle, thats about 33% draw on the battery.
so in winter effective range of my AWD LR is 170miles
in summer i expect it to be closer to 250 miles.
.. we just confirmed this when my wife drove to Blaine from Seattle (winter) and spent close to 50% of battery to make a 100 mile drive.
ambudriver03
Member
I'm actually looking forward to such a trip. I have a truck and on the way up I averaged about 13 mpg, and on the way home better than 24, (I have a duramax diesel and can use engine/turbo braking to manage downhill speed.)
I'm going to try to make the LA to Big Bear run through the usual way (through Hwy 38 across Onyx summit), pull into my usual breakfast spot and turn around and head back... I'll probably dry run it when weather conditions are unlikely to cause power outages or road closures.
I'm going to try to make the LA to Big Bear run through the usual way (through Hwy 38 across Onyx summit), pull into my usual breakfast spot and turn around and head back... I'll probably dry run it when weather conditions are unlikely to cause power outages or road closures.
ive made the trip coming from upland. i can make it there and back with 25% of battery left. i noticed it takes about 2.5 miles for every mile driven when going up the mountain. coming down the hill you will gain about 7% of battery or about 15 miles. i made this drive in the summer so it was warm out and i drive slow and safe. hope this helps!
ambudriver03
Member
Which route did you take?
Running springs (330 to 18)
Lucerne (18 from the desert)
Mentone/oynx summit (38)
(the extra creative route is to Arrowhead via 138 from the Cajon pass, or 18 from waterman)
Lucerne (18 from the desert)
Mentone/oynx summit (38)
(the extra creative route is to Arrowhead via 138 from the Cajon pass, or 18 from waterman)
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I've done it through both the 18 at waterman and the 330. One time the 330 was closed so had to take the 18. Both routes are similar I believe but think the 330 is the best route. Plus there is a super charger in Fontana that you can quickly charge for a short amount of time if you are worried about it.
ambudriver03
Member
I guess I'd disagree about 330 being the best route though...
Too much traffic... Roadway full of buses and Honda civics with bald tires, constant rock dangers.
A guy in an BMW m3 with traction cables blew by me shortly after the chain checkpoint on 330.
Half hour later I found a piece of his traction cable with one of my tires.
There was no safe place to swap into the spare. With all the snow and ice on the ground, and we were in an area with no cell reception and since it was the rear tire I kept the truck in 4 HI, and crawled along on the flat tire for about 9 or 10 miles until I came up to that one country store.
When we got there we were able to have a tow truck come and swap me into my full-size spare.
(I only had a bottle jack and in a silverado 4x4 the bottle jack is incredibly dangerous and unstable...)
The way I know the road debris belonged to the BMW driver?
About 5 miles up we encountered a bit of traffic. Saw the M3 smashed up and being loaded onto a flatbed. Chains somewhat attached to what was left of his tires and rims...
Karma is a bitch.
iamnid
Member
Yeah, I moved to SoCal from Canada many years ago and, the first time I went up Big Bear, I could not believe they were requiring chains on plowed roads. Absolutely ridiculous, unnecessary, and will destroy the roadway. I understand having a checkpoint and making sure people HAVE chains, but to force people to put them on when the roadway is only wet with water (not ice), is absurd. Fortunately, they were only requiring people to put them on 2wd vehicles that time and I was in a 4wd -- but I still had to show them that I had chains -- had to drive down to San Bernardino and buy them at pep boys just to get past the checkpoint. At no point on that trip did I ever encounter snow on the roadway -- I've never used the chains.
I'm not surprised the cables came of that guy's BMW and caused your flat. They aren't designed to be used on cleared asphalt.
I'm not surprised the cables came of that guy's BMW and caused your flat. They aren't designed to be used on cleared asphalt.
ambudriver03
Member
Yeah. Well there was snow and ice on the roadway for a lot of the roadway, but I'm going to say him going 70 or 80 with traction cables on on ice probably is what put him into the wall.
As someone who has many cabins in Big Bear and deals with renters who do not bring chains, I am imploring everybody chains are absolutely needed going up to Big Bear in the mountains in the winter. I have had many people who get stuck in the middle of the roads, even in Big Bear not just even going up to Big Bear. Can't get out of our neighborhoods, because they don't have chains You don't have chains, you cannot get around Big Bear. And you are causing issues for everybody else.
Obviously don't put them on if there's no ice, but if the cops tell you to put them on, trust me there's a reason. Thanksgiving we got four feet of snow and I had so many people stuck that refused to leave, because they did not bring any chains with them. And my answer to that was too bad you have to get out the next renters coming in.
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