How do you plan your charging stops?

[Sunvalleylaw]

Both Google maps, and Apple Maps allow you to look in plan trips using charging stations.
I recommend that you embrace ABRP, either on a website yourself from a computer, or the app.
It is a wonderful tool that can deal with so many variables, and, if you use the paid version, it will adjust your route in real time using real time weather.
Another great feature is, if you are paying for it, it will show you what the status and current load on the supercharger stations.

Adjusting route in real time using current weather is huge. Will adopt it as best practice for sure. Now, I just need to find the phone holder I want. I don't want it way up high in my line of vision as most I have seen so far are. Will get the car and use it, and get there with that sort of accessories. I am hoping to go with the less is more route to some extent in that, other than complete floor coverings and cargo area protection, and a couple storage organizers.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Good recommendations in this thread. Here are a few bits of emergency planning advice.

1) Install an app to find destination chargers in areas without supercharging locations.

Essential apps every EV owner should know about:
(1) PlugShare (USA, other countries may have different apps that would be better)
(2) ABetterRoutePlanner (OK, I have a Kona, so more important). It is extremely helpful. It allows you to set way points and guide points to adjust things. I've used it multiple times. Conservative for my Kona, but as I understand it, accurate for Teslas.

 

[Nosken]

Adjusting route in real time using current weather is huge. Will adopt it as best practice for sure. Now, I just need to find the phone holder I want. I don't want it way up high in my line of vision as most I have seen so far are. Will get the car and use it, and get there with that sort of accessories. I am hoping to go with the less is more route to some extent in that, other than complete floor coverings and cargo area protection, and a couple storage organizers.

Here is a good holder if you have a mag safe phone. Works on the new Model S, 3 and Y
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JV6W1TC

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Adjusting route in real time using current weather is huge. Will adopt it as best practice for sure. Now, I just need to find the phone holder I want. I don't want it way up high in my line of vision as most I have seen so far are. Will get the car and use it, and get there with that sort of accessories. I am hoping to go with the less is more route to some extent in that, other than complete floor coverings and cargo area protection, and a couple storage organizers.

I'd note that for non-Tesla owners, ABRP Premium has AntroidAuto (and presumably CarPlay) support. PlugShare has Android Auto support but haven't tried it for a while so I don't know how good it is.

 

[Sunvalleylaw]

Essential apps every EV owner should know about:
(1) PlugShare (USA, other countries may have different apps that would be better)
(2) ABetterRoutePlanner (OK, I have a Kona, so more important). It is extremely helpful. It allows you to set way points and guide points to adjust things. I've used it multiple times. Conservative for my Kona, but as I understand it, accurate for Teslas.

I have two Konas. One mountain, one gravel. But they use human pedal power.

 

[SteelClouds]

Does apple maps let you enter your vehicle and compute charging stop options automatically in a Tesla?

Because if not, that's why it's not mentioned.

Not exactly.. I did a bake off with Tesla Nav, Apple maps and ABRP when the entire freeway to Phoenix was shutdown and everyone had to get off. I was on my way to Tucson. All three ( two phones and the car nav) would have gotten me there. But, on.y Tesla looked the real time traffic and routed me around everyone else and kept my schedule arrival time within 10 mins before we found the freeway closure. Both ABRP and Apple maps routed me around along with everybody else on the same roads so their routes were gridlocked.

Now, tesla did take me through some sketchy areas on tribal land so you decide what is more important to you. The roads were 1.5 lanes, no services and very few beat up buildings for about 15 miles.

 

[KenC]

Adjusting route in real time using current weather is huge. Will adopt it as best practice for sure. Now, I just need to find the phone holder I want. I don't want it way up high in my line of vision as most I have seen so far are. Will get the car and use it, and get there with that sort of accessories. I am hoping to go with the less is more route to some extent in that, other than complete floor coverings and cargo area protection, and a couple storage organizers.

I'm an Apple Maps user, but I use ABRP for trip planning, and like Noskens, the onboard nav for intermediate stops at superchargers. It's nice to have that big screen showing my immediate next steps. And, I have ABRP running in my iPhone to let me know how I'm doing relative to the overall plan.

The advantage for ABRP is it's pulling all the api data from the car, and all the geographic info, interior temp, exterior temp, elevation, etc. If you actually sign up for Premium, you get wind data. I went to Colorado and back, 4400 miles, and the wind data could make a 15% SOC difference. With ABRP, the estimates were spot-on; with the on-board nav estimates, I wouldn't have made it, seeing as my target end SOC was 15%.

 

[SteelClouds]

Now, I just need to find the phone holder I want. I don't want it way up high in my line of vision as most I have seen so far are.

I use this.. it puts the phone up in the left corner of the dash. I use for speed read outs mostly.

https://www.amazon.com/KFZMAN-Holder-Dashboard-Degree-Adjustable/dp/B08NSX1Z89/

 

[avs007]

It is not true. It saves me one extra charging stop which would have taken at least 30 minutes.

Too many variables to compare to others really... For me, I don't charge to 100% mainly becuase I live on a hill, so having no regen going down our hill is a pain in the ass... But also, becuase while it can allow me to drive further, it doesn't really help, because if I drive further, I'll be stopping at a v2 supercharger that is further off the freeway, and has worse ameneties... If I stop at the SC I always stop at, I'll arrive with too high a state of charge.... To charge the 20% at the v3 I normally stop at, only takes 5 minutes. So for my trips, becuase of this, I never start with 100%. But like I said, everyone else's trips could be different.

 

[Flybyglass]

A better route planner gives you a nice overview. I drove coast to coast a while back. Using the onboard nav, it was very accurate if calculating arrival percentage. It would also precondition knowing the next stop was a supercharger. Additionally to limit charge time and get you on your way, it would set the charging limit to what was needed for the next leg. You can always intervene and raise the charge limit if extra needed or desired. One caveat - the charge usage is based on speed limit. If you drive over, scrolling down the nav point list will show the ending charge slowing dropping until a popup window appears that will say "Reduce speed to 'XX' to make next charging stop". Now reducing speed before the message appears to say 2 mph below speed limit will start adding remaining charge. Often, we didn't want to slow as traffic was moving and there was always a charger short of the original planned stop. Just touching on the screen would re-calculate and nav to the closer charger. Charging after 80% it starts to slow a bit, after 90 slows more. 95-100 slower yet and the last 2-3% if 100 needed is a trickle. Most stops have other services around. Leaving the car plugged in after complete for 5 minutes will incur additional charges per minute. The nav software will now indicate how many chargers at stop and how many available (if some in use) along with what level supercharger. Try finding hotels with chargers you can leave plugged in overnight (it's like free tank of gas). I would use as a minimum charge level around 9% and usually charged to required amount plus maybe 5% more to allow for variable driving. Experiment and have fun. You are driving the most advanced car in the world and it's getting better all the time.

 

[avs007]

One caveat - the charge usage is based on speed limit.

I don't think that's the case. When you did it, was your car still new? (ie, maybe it didn't have enough data to calculate more accurately)

I use mine all the time, and the arrival percentage is pretty much always spot on, and I NEVER drive the limit. I'm always consistently +10 to +15. The only time I've seen the arrival SoC be off is due to weather, especially rain and wind.

 

[cpa]

I don't think that's the case. When you did it, was your car still new? (ie, maybe it didn't have enough data to calculate more accurately)

I use mine all the time, and the arrival percentage is pretty much always spot on, and I NEVER drive the limit. I'm always consistently +10 to +15. The only time I've seen the arrival SoC be off is due to weather, especially rain and wind.

I agree with this. I will dial in the next Supercharger while I am currently charging. More often than not, the screen will say that I will arrive with (for the sake of discussion) 15%. I think this is plenty of buffer.

After I unplug and start to drive, within 30 seconds or so, the estimated arrival percentage increases by a few percent--perhaps to 18 or 19.

Obviously, I drive at a more leisurely pace.

 

[Flybyglass]

Predicting Energy Usage​

When navigating to a destination, Model 3 helps you anticipate your charging needs by calculating the amount of energy that remains when you reach your destination. The calculation is an estimate based on driving style (predicted speed, etc.) and environmental factors (elevation changes, temperature, etc.). When navigating, the map displays this calculation at the bottom of the expanded turn-by-turn direction list (see Navigating to a Destination). When the turn-by-turn direction list is compressed, touch the top of the list to expand it.
Throughout your route, Model 3 monitors energy usage and updates the calculation. A popup warning displays at the bottom of the turn-by-turn direction list in these situations:

• A yellow warning displays when you have very little energy remaining to reach your destination, requiring you to drive slowly to conserve energy. For tips on conserving energy, see Getting Maximum Range.
• A red warning displays when you must charge to reach your destination.

To determine if you have enough energy for a round trip, touch the battery icon at the bottom of the turn-by-turn direction list to display an estimated calculation of your round trip energy usage.