How slow would I have to drive...

[dgpcolorado]

... That adapter is $450 for the S/X. The Tesla store does not mention the 3. So I don't know if that adapter will work, or if they have one for the 3.

Last I read here the Chademo adapter didn't work with the 3. Might change but don't count on it until you try it. Chademo adapters are pretty easy to borrow or rent.

I routinely do 13 to 15 hours driving alone (I'm in the middle 60s, so fairly old). However, that is with lots of Supercharging stops, which gives me a chance to stretch and walk around and visit a restroom. One thing I will mention is that driving a Tesla is so much fun that long road trips are less onerous than they were in an ICE car. I listen to audio books to make the hours melt away.

 

[JonathanD]

Not to get off topic but for eating up road hours, try the Phil Hendrie show on Tune-In. Once you understand what he's doing it's pretty darn funny.

 

[nvx1977]

Best thing to do is to tail (safely) a semi trailer truck. they are all over the place. Stay behind it and draft. Assuming about 5 car lengths, you'll get around 25% efficiency gain. Find a slower truck and it's way more (less drag and closer safe distance).

 

[daniel]

Yes, a ChaDemo adapter is needed for the Castlegar DCFC

I used Google Maps.
Look at the screenshot for the route used. Here is the map link. They mention 6h 50" without traffic.
Since you wisely take a few breaks during the drive anyway, I don't think using the EV will add much if any time at all to the trip since the route via the Supercharger appears to allow faster average driving speeds than via Castlegar and I think you skip a ferry crossing.

Personally, I try to avoid sitting in a car for much over 4 hours in a day so I would find a nice place to spend the night and charge and then get a nice early start in the AM.

There are an abundance of Tesla Destination chargers in the area, particularly along the Kelowna route.

View attachment 285767

Okay, I see the discrepancy. First of all, the 6h 50m without traffic is a meaningless number. Your map is 7:20 with traffic, and there's always traffic. Next, I'm actually a half an hour east of your starting point. Thus 7:50 with traffic. Now add half an hour for the supercharger and a couple of 15-minute bathroom breaks and we're at about 9 hours.

Coming home, I start out from Burton, BC, half an hour south of Nakusp, and from Nakusp, with the supercharger stop and a couple of rest stops, it becomes a ten-hour trip, compared to 6 in the Prius via Castlegar.

Still, I've got 4 months to think about it, and I might decide to do it just for the change of pace and to not burn gasoline. Anybody reading this in the Spokane area who would like a free ride to Revelstoke in early July in return for conversation and company should PM me.

Yeah, maybe 9 hours would be acceptable in order to not burn gasoline. ...

 

[Need]

Best thing to do is to tail (safely) a semi trailer truck. they are all over the place. Stay behind it and draft. Assuming about 5 car lengths, you'll get around 25% efficiency gain. Find a slower truck and it's way more (less drag and closer safe distance).

That's what I said earlier! But actually the correct term is draught I think. I always thought it was draft too until someone corrected me on this forum. I remember reading some car magazine broke the distance record on a hybrid by kind of cheating... driving very close behind a big SUV the entire way years ago.

 

[nvx1977]

That's what I said earlier! But actually the correct term is draught I think. I always thought it was draft too until someone corrected me on this forum. I remember reading some car magazine broke the distance record on a hybrid by kind of cheating... driving very close behind a big SUV the entire way years ago.

apologies; i didn't read thru the thread when I posted.

draught is the British spelling. In 'murican English, it's draft.

 

[bpjod]

One option, as previously mentioned, would be to add 50 more minutes to your drive and go through Kelowna and use the SuperCharger there. However, the drive along the Arrow Lakes is so much more enjoyable. You seem to be concerned about the length of the drive, however if there's no real reason to rush I suggest you slow down and enjoy the trip more. Rossland, Trail, Castlegar and Nakusp all offer good L2 charging options. Pick one and charge there for a couple hours and enjoy a nice meal and a stroll around town. That will give you about 60 more miles of range. You'll be fresher for the break. There's also the break while waiting for and while on the Galena Bay ferry. Furthermore, if you get AP for your Model 3 you'll find the drive to be a lot less fatiguing than what you're used to in your Prius. You'll spend no more time behind the wheel, but you'll be less tired because of the more relaxing drive and the longer break, and you'll still arrive in one day's drive. Also, you seem unsure whether or not there's a SuperCharger in Revelstoke - well there is one so no worries about charging up for the drive home.

 

[daniel]

Yes, I've seen the chargers in Revelstoke. They are in the parking lot of the hotel next door to the one I usually stay at. I just wasn't sure if they were superchargers or destination chargers, but in Revi it doesn't matter because I'd be spending the night there so I'd have a full charge either way.

I looked at Tesla's trip planner and it agrees with Google Maps (it might actually be using Google Maps). From my home to Revi direct is 7 hours. From my home to Revi by way of the Kelowna supercharger is 8 hours, including a 25-minute charge. I can handle 8 hours. If I took the direct route and stopped at the L2 chargers I'd need two hours of charging, for a 9-hour trip time, and that's a bit much. Plus, I feel less certain of getting an open charger. I'd need to find out how many slots there are and how busy they're likely to be at that time of year (a very popular time of year for travel). If I'm depending on an L2 charger and someone else is using it, it could add an additional hour to my trip. And if there's a line, then I'm really SOL.

The return trip is worse because my last hiking lodge is at Burton, BC, and the most direct route home requires backtracking to Nakusp. My last charge would have been in Revelstoke and I'd need another charge. I'll also be starting out later in the day after hiking out of the lodge. With the Prius I'd still get home before dark. And I'd need a 3-hour charge at L2. But I could stay the night in Kelowna and use the supercharger. Revi to Burton to Kelowna is doable on one charge.

The Prius would be easier. The Model 3 would be electric, and a little more comfortable. I have not yet made up my mind about AP. I've tried it out once so far. The very slight left-right-left-right as it tries to stay centered in the lane makes me a bit queasy. I get motion-sick easily. And the need to keep my eye on the road and surrounding cars and my hands on the wheel actually felt more tiring than driving myself. And it's very disconcerting to have the car suddenly brake for a car in an adjacent lane because on curves it cannot tell that the car is not in my lane. And sometimes it drives closer to the adjacent lane than I'm comfortable with. But I'm going to try it out some more and see if I get used to it.

As of this writing, with four months to change my mind, I'm leaning toward taking the Model 3 via Kelowna and the supercharger.

 

[intjester]

xkcd: Is It Worth the Time?

 

[daniel]

xkcd: Is It Worth the Time?

Okay. I tried to figure that out and gave up. I think it fails to consider the possibility that planning a once-a-year task can itself be recreational. Or there may be something you really want to do (making a trip on electric instead of on gas) and it's worth a considerable amount of time to figure out if it's possible.

If I attempted this trip without adequate planning and got stuck part-way and could not get there, I would be deprived of the absolute highlight of my year (the hiking trip). Hiking in Canada is my favorite thing in the entire world, in an otherwise lonely and boring* life, and the hiking season is short. I'd rather sell the Model 3 for one dollar than miss my six weeks of summer hiking. I missed my hiking in 2016 because of my broken arm, and I have gladly paid $60,000 to be able to go back and undo the accident and not miss my hiking.

So, any amount of planning is worth it to minimize the chances of making the wrong choice.

Well, boring when I'm at home. I have fun when I travel to other places as well, but none is as wonderful as hiking in British Columbia.

 

[mongo]

Okay. I tried to figure that out and gave up. I think it fails to consider the possibility that planning a once-a-year task can itself be recreational. Or there may be something you really want to do (making a trip on electric instead of on gas) and it's worth a considerable amount of time to figure out if it's possible.

If I attempted this trip without adequate planning and got stuck part-way and could not get there, I would be deprived of the absolute highlight of my year (the hiking trip). Hiking in Canada is my favorite thing in the entire world, in an otherwise lonely and boring* life, and the hiking season is short. I'd rather sell the Model 3 for one dollar than miss my six weeks of summer hiking. I missed my hiking in 2016 because of my broken arm, and I have gladly paid $60,000 to be able to go back and undo the accident and not miss my hiking.

So, any amount of planning is worth it to minimize the chances of making the wrong choice.

Well, boring when I'm at home. I have fun when I travel to other places as well, but none is as wonderful as hiking in British Columbia.

I spent much time formulating our trip to see Falcon Heavy launch. Ended up renting an ICE for the trip time and ability to replace it it broke down (our cars are 14+ years old). Was well worth rental and fuel (for our case).


Now for something completely different (TIL):

draught is the British spelling. In 'murican English, it's draft.

True, draught is Britsh version of draft, (or vice verse) but (technically) the British word doesn't mean cars following each other (per the first 4 dictionaries I consulted it refers to a room breeze, beer on tap, a single drink/ inhalation, pulling farm equipment, and boat depth). Guessing the split occured based on what usages were created after draft branched off as its own word.

 

[SageBrush]

From my home to Revi direct is 7 hours.

Does this include waiting for and taking the ferry ?

 

[nvx1977]

True, draught is Britsh version of draft, (or vice verse) but (technically) the British word doesn't mean cars following each other (per the first 4 dictionaries I consulted it refers to a room breeze, beer on tap, a single drink/ inhalation, pulling farm equipment, and boat depth). Guessing the split occured based on what usages were created after draft branched off as its own word.

Drafting, as it refers to cars, bike pelotons, swimming, birds, etc all have to do with ideal placement of yourself in the laminar air flow of the object in front to minimize drag. Because of that, the term drafting is derived from the air current definition of the word. You are taking advantage of the draft created by the object in front.

 

[mongo]

Drafting, as it refers to cars, bike pelotons, swimming, birds, etc all have to do with ideal placement of yourself in the laminar air flow of the object in front to minimize drag. Because of that, the term drafting is derived from the air current definition of the word. You are taking advantage of the draft created by the object in front.

Yah, I know what drafting means.
In regards to the etymology of draught (when is it a homophone vs synonym) :
1. The air current meaning appears to be only used in relation to a closed space/ room.
2. The definition related to a horse that pulls farm equipment might be a better base case to expand from. draught | Definition of draught in English by Oxford Dictionaries
3. The use in the current context makes it a verb, instead of a noun.
4. I'm happy to defer to any dictionary that has this usage for draught.

 

[animorph]

Plug the trip into the Model 3's nav and see what it says. You should get way more than 1 real mile per rated mile at 40 MPH steady driving in summer conditions. #1 it will estimate the charge remaining at the destination. #2 it will direct you to Kelowna SC if necessary. It can be bad about leaving you at a destination without much charge, but Revelstone has an Supercharger so you're safe there.

 

[daniel]

Does this include waiting for and taking the ferry ?

Yes. This is the time it typically takes me to make the trip. Plus or minus half an hour or so depending on how I catch the ferry. One time I was traveling on a big holiday weekend and I had to wait a couple of hours, but since then I've avoided that weekend.

So the Kelowna route is actually between half an hour and an hour and a half longer than the direct route.

Plug the trip into the Model 3's nav and see what it says. You should get way more than 1 real mile per rated mile at 40 MPH steady driving in summer conditions. #1 it will estimate the charge remaining at the destination. #2 it will direct you to Kelowna SC if necessary. It can be bad about leaving you at a destination without much charge, but Revelstone has an Supercharger so you're safe there.

If I drove that trip at 40 mph I would be the most hated person in Canada. Much of that trip is on winding two-lane roads where passing lanes are few and far between.

 

[JonathanD]

So the Kelowna route is actually between half an hour and an hour and a half longer than the direct route.

But does that take into account you'd be able to drive faster knowing you had a supercharger on the route?

 

[SageBrush]

Daniel,

I have to say, for someone who HATES using ICE cars you are agonizing a lot over what might be an hour more to your travel each way using your Tesla. For that matter, since you have lots of free time and more than enough money to not let those cloud your choices, why aren't you enjoying your time in BC a little more by breaking up your traveling with some lodging ?

 

[daniel]

But does that take into account you'd be able to drive faster knowing you had a supercharger on the route?

My time on the direct route is driving the Prius. I generally drive 3 to 5 mph faster than the speed limit. I would not drive any faster than that.

Daniel,

I have to say, for someone who HATES using ICE cars you are agonizing a lot over what might be an hour more to your travel each way using your Tesla. For that matter, since you have lots of free time and more than enough money to not let those cloud your choices, why aren't you enjoying your time in BC a little more by breaking up your traveling with some lodging ?

I was agonizing at the start of this thread. I'm pretty much settled now. As for breaking up the travel time, we're talking about a drive that takes 7 to 8 hours. Breaking that in half means only driving 3 1/2 to 4 hours on each of two days, and staying in a motel in some small town half-way there with basically nothing to do. (I don't hike alone. I just don't.) I did break up the drive when I went to Jasper. But Revelstoke just isn't far enough away.

For all my hatred of gasoline, I was not willing to turn a 7-hour trip into a 10-hour trip (charging the Roadster at an L2 charger) or spend most of a day at a motel in some boring place half-way there. The Model 3 and the Kelowna supercharger will enable me to make the trip in 8 or 8 1/2 hours (was not thinking of rest stops when I calculated 8 hours; vs. the direct route in the Prius where I typically stop 2 or 3 times).

There's also the uncertainty factor: An L2 charger might or might not be available, it might be in use; a motel that says I can charge might have a desk clerk who doesn't know the promise was made. With the supercharger at Kelowna I'll feel much more confident of getting a charge.

On the trip back I'll probably have to spend the night at Kelowna. So I'll be compromising there, because with the Prius I could take the shorter route and make it home before dark. But with the 3, again, the short route would leave me at the mercy of L2 chargers AND I would not get home until after dark.

I've never make a road trip on electric before. Kelowna seems a much safer bet. Until now I could not have made this trip on electric in under ten hours, which I was not willing to do. And the Roadster would not make it even to Kelowna! The Model 3 and the Kelowna supercharger have changed the whole game. I'm frankly surprised that it's there since Kelowna is not on a major highway. Now if they'd only put a supercharger in Castlegar (rather than just the 2-pump CHAdeMO) then this trip would be a piece of cake. This whole thing might not even matter in a year or two. The Model 3 could drive all the way around Maui twice and still have 70 miles in reserve. The Roadster could drive all the way around Maui once with about 100 miles in reserve. My dilemma on Maui will be whether to use a kayak or an OC-1 outrigger canoe on my morning paddle. (The OC-1 is much more efficient; the kayak is much more stable. I'll probably need one of each.)

 

[gregincal]

For me I wouldn't do the Model 3. As much as I like driving it, I like to have comfortable range and backup options. Once I'm worried about whether or not I'll make it, then it's no longer fun driving the Tesla. Other people enjoy the challenge, but not me.