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First "Real" Road trip in Tesla

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Just completed our first real road trip in my MS90d. We had down a shorter trip that required one stop round trip but this was the first with multiple stops.

Trip was from Elkridge, MD to Isle of Palms SC. Total miles was 1600 at and avg 345kw. This includes daily driving while in the area. In and out of Charleston and Mt pleasant almost daily.

I have to say the Auto-pilot was awesome I would estimate 1500 of the 1600 miles were on Auto-pilot. Even on the 20mph 2 lane roads on and off the Island. Both the trip down and what turned into a 12 hour drive home, I wasn't exhausted when arriving. I drove both all the way down and back, normally my wife and I would split it, with the auto-pilot I never found the need. Only one Auto-pilot mishap, it tried to V off in wrong direction but this was really due to me more not paying attention that a split was coming up so had to jerk it back into the correct lane, scared everyone in the car, but really wasn't that big of a deal. No other cars around.

Left with 100% charge and stop at the following chargers on the way down.

1 Chester Va - 8 chargers in a Wawa parking lot. Convenient for bathroom grabbing a drink or sandwich.
2. Rocky Mount NC - In parking lot of a double tree hotel and Texas Steakhouse with out back across the street. Used bathrooms in hotel No where to grab quick drink or snack.
3. Fayetteville NC. - 16 Stalls in a Doubletree parking lot all the way in back. Cracker barrel directly across street from charger. Port of potti I am guessing put out by hotel, since long walk around to front of hotel
4. We spent the night at Hilton hotel in Florence SCthat night which had a J1772 charger so had 100% charge when we left in the morning. There is a a 18 stall charger in the mall parking lot that we used on way back.
5. Santee SC 6 chargers. We didn't need to stop here but figured we would check it out and use a restroom. This is in a clarks Inn parking lot but a couple fast food chains across the street.

We stayed at Wild dunes that had a Destination and a J1772 charger. ICE's and used by other tesla's and EV's during the day but at night pretty much had it to myself and I could get 80% just like at home for daily driving. This was helpful as do to the cold weather we went into Charleston and Mt Pleasant daily.

On the way back we hit
1. Florence
2. Fayetteveille
3. Rocky mount
4. Glenn Allen about 24 chargers, although I think they are still installing the 2nd set. Located in large shopping area with multiple options. We had planned and made this a long stop so we could make it home without another stop.

Trip back was much longer at charger stops due to the cold weather on the east coast. The first leg from Isle of palms to Florence was eye opening to how much the cold affects the range. We left in the low teens in the dark and arrived at the first charger at 15%(vs 36% nav and better route planner predicted) that was the lowest of the entire trip. Most of this was above 450kw I used a 20% cushion on the way down since it was our first trip. After the sun came up and the temps warmed things went smooth. Arrived around 15% at most chargers, as I changed the cushion one I was more comfortable.

ABetterrouteplanner was great, I found the "details" overlay really helpful in keeping and eye on what was planned vs what was actual. I could adjust slightly if I thought things were getting a little tight. I found if I planned a little conservative I could adjust on the fly and skip a charger or drive a little faster, turn the heat up etc. I used Waze for navigation between way points, but planned the stops in Abetterrouteplanner.

Overall very happy with the road trip in the Tesla I am glad I went with the 90 over the 75 as I think that may have made the trip just to long for the family. Did find about 50% of the time had to move at least once to get a charge above 100w, but on way back just used the same chargers without a problem.
 
Great write up. I love road trip stories. Small world. Lived in Myrtle Beach a while back. Now in Texas. We just finished up a 3900 mile road trip to Rhode Island, Ohio and back down. Welcome to view the vlogs at darmiejr 1 through 5. Our kW average was 328 which is interesting since we were mainly in very cold weather and even going through the pocono mountains.
 
Great write-up.

Did you use the in-car Tesla nav and arrival charge estimates it gives? If so, was it close?

I mainly relied on abetterrouteplanner for the charging stops. I felt this gave better real time data.

My process was this.

1. Prior to trip on my laptop plan out on abetterrouteplanner.
2. Prior to trip open up saved plan on car browser.
3. Plug first stop into in car Nav
4. Plug first stop into Waze.

In car Nav assumes a 10% or so cushion it seems when arriving at a stop and also uses your most recent consumption to plan at beginning. I wanted some more cushion since it was first road trip. I did plug in in the route to the nav to see differences and in car nav seem to favor longer stops.

I real liked the details overlay on abetterrouteplanner as it gave real time consumption and speed relative to planned. Would also give you option to real plan if you were ahead or behind.

Hope that helps
 
Great write up. I love road trip stories. Small world. Lived in Myrtle Beach a while back. Now in Texas. We just finished up a 3900 mile road trip to Rhode Island, Ohio and back down. Welcome to view the vlogs at darmiejr 1 through 5. Our kW average was 328 which is interesting since we were mainly in very cold weather and even going through the pocono mountains.

Thanks I will check it out. I average just under on way down. What brought it up was very cold weather and short trips the last few days there, and then the first 2 hours in the cold and dark. I didn't find when the sun came up consumption improved.