How to save a lot of time on long trips

[Max*]

I'm a new owner! Are you talking about the screen that shows the average energy consumption over the last 5/15/30 miles? If so, where does the color come into it?

See below + my comment.

Yes. Set a GPS trip location to drive to (home, work, wherever) and then go to the "trip" tab in that app. It has a different graph for your trip than the normal orange one that you can also see on the dash display, but that trip graph only works with a GPS destination set. The colors are on that trip display.

This.

On the trip tab, green = above X%. Yellow = X% to Y%. Red = below Y% down to 0. Black = below 0%, which means you aint making it.

In the past X = 20%, Y = 7%. But Tesla has messed with the graph. I think the red-yellow threshold has been adjusted to 10% and 15%, and might be back to 10% now.

 

[terrykiwi]

Call me crazy, but I don't see any tabs on the nav screen, except the steps of the trip. Could it be my model (MS 2015 85D)?
Here's my screen with nav in process...

 

[Max*]

Call me crazy, but I don't see any tabs on the nav screen, except the steps of the trip. Could it be my model (MS 2015 85D)?
Here's my screen with nav in process...
View attachment 270829

You have the nav full screen, it's not on the nav screen, it's on the Energy->Trip screen.

Click on the 4th icon on the top, which is Energy.

Once it's open, click on the 2nd tab, which is called trips.

You'll see a green line, ending at 35%. It'll be green, because it ends at 35%. Navigate somewhere further away, so that it goes from 35% ending SOC to 5% ending SOC. That trip line will go from green to yellow to red.

 

[Chaserr]

Now that you've got a destination set, touch the energy app button directly under the Tesla T at the top middle of your screen. That opens the energy app, in that you'll see a tab for the trip.

 

[kavyboy]

The tabs in the latest UI don't really look like tabs or anything that you can interact with. It just looks like a label. It appears when you have the NAV set to go to a destination. Look at this.

 

[terrykiwi]

Got it! Thank you all.

 

[MidnightSilver]

I did a long drive from SF to LA over New Year's weekend and had a disappointing experience at the new Kettleman City supercharger. I was glad when they put such a great station in that area as it's halfway between SF and LA, and I figured my 90D could do the 400 mile trip in a single stop. Unfortunately it took over an hour and a half at Kettleman to charge the battery enough so I could make it the remaining 200 miles to LA. There were about 35 stations available and no cars near mine, so it wasn't a load sharing issue. It started charging at 100kW but after about 15 min was down to 46kW, and then dropped all the way down to 3kW and was showing 4 hours to go before I could continue my trip! I had to walk back over and move my car to another station and the charge rate improved but I still ended up spending way longer than planned to charge the battery.

I'm wondering if it had to do with the low level of the battery when I arrived at Kettleman, which was about 10%. Could it be that the supercharger slowed down the current so the battery wouldn't overheat? This is a brand new 40 station supercharger, so I doubt if there were problems with the equipment. On the way back to SF we decided to do the trip in two stops and see if we fared better, and sure enough as with previous experience we were able to continue our trip after only 20 minutes of charging at each stop. So it seems the 90D has an issue with quickly charging a 90% depleted batter, vs making two stops at 60% depleted. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Big Earl]

I did a long drive from SF to LA over New Year's weekend and had a disappointing experience at the new Kettleman City supercharger. I was glad when they put such a great station in that area as it's halfway between SF and LA, and I figured my 90D could do the 400 mile trip in a single stop. Unfortunately it took over an hour and a half at Kettleman to charge the battery enough so I could make it the remaining 200 miles to LA. There were about 35 stations available and no cars near mine, so it wasn't a load sharing issue. It started charging at 100kW but after about 15 min was down to 46kW, and then dropped all the way down to 3kW and was showing 4 hours to go before I could continue my trip! I had to walk back over and move my car to another station and the charge rate improved but I still ended up spending way longer than planned to charge the battery.

I'm wondering if it had to do with the low level of the battery when I arrived at Kettleman, which was about 10%. Could it be that the supercharger slowed down the current so the battery wouldn't overheat? This is a brand new 40 station supercharger, so I doubt if there were problems with the equipment. On the way back to SF we decided to do the trip in two stops and see if we fared better, and sure enough as with previous experience we were able to continue our trip after only 20 minutes of charging at each stop. So it seems the 90D has an issue with quickly charging a 90% depleted batter, vs making two stops at 60% depleted. Has anyone else experienced this?

While I haven’t driven a 90 yet, I’ve found that on most Tesla vehicles, road trips are fastest when you Supercharger from 10% to 60% (the 100 is a beast and extends that to about 70%). Trying to squeeze a long trip into the minimum number of stops will take significantly more time than stopping more frequently and charging to a lower percentage. That’s because the car must slow down the charge rate at higher states of charging. Charging from 80% to 100% takes as much time as charging from 10% to 80%.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

To add to my comment above, yes the app notifies when it thinks you have enough to get to the next supercharger. However I plan all trips with EVTripPlanner, and that notification is always given before the car reaches what I consider to be a safe buffer... I guess given my slight exuberance while driving. So the notification is informative, but I have never acted solely upon it.

Hopefully a future update will allow us to set the desired buffer we want. Then we could set the alert to trigger at 20% or whatever buffer we want at the next SC vs what the car thinks we need.

 

[bxr140]

Hopefully a future update will allow us to set the desired buffer we want. Then we could set the alert to trigger at 20% or whatever buffer we want at the next SC vs what the car thinks we need.

Hopefully the in-car trip planner provides improved accuracy...

 

[WannabeOwner]

Trying to squeeze a long trip into the minimum number of stops will take significantly more time than stopping more frequently and charging to a lower percentage

Don't want to over-complicate it, but there is also time to turn off the highway, drive to charging stall, plug in and then the first minute or so the power ramps up.

My car is a 90, so can't speak for others, but Supercharging is linear from 10% to 60% at 5min per 10%.
60% - 70% = 7min - i.e. +2
70% - 80% = 9min - i.e. +4 - cumulative +6
80% - 85% = 6min - i.e. +3.5- cumulative +9.5
85% - 90% = 7min - i.e. +4.5- cumulative +14

and from 90% to 95% 12m, 95%-100% 28 mins, and then on the one time I've done it at a Supercharger a further 24 min @ 100% to balance the cells.

So assuming an additional charging-stop would take 6 minutes to get off highway and back on again charging to 80% is worthwhile, and if its more likely to be 10 minutes then even 85% is worthwhile.

But lots of other variables to consider of course.

 

[Tesomega]

I use ABetterRoutePlanner to plan my trips, this is a post showing how the battery charge cycles work..hope it helps
A Better Routeplanner

 

[CBPfromTN]

The Model S and X are the only EVs that can do long distance traveling in a reasonable amount of time. Compared to an ICE car it takes about 20-25% longer for charging on the way. The shorter the trip, the less charging makes a difference. For example on a 300-400 mile trip, you start with a full charge, stop once at a Supercharger and then you can run the battery down to your destination where you (hopefully) have a charger. For 5-6 hours driving you would only have to spend maybe 40 min at a Supercharger.

The longer the trip, thought, the more charging stops you will need and the ratio between drive time and charge time is about 1:4 to 1:5. That's a significant amount of time on long trips. One mistake a lot of new owners make is to charge to a pretty high level mostly out of uncertainty how much they will need to make it to the next Supercharger. While this is safe it slows you down overall significantly.

Superchargers are fast, but the charge speed depends very much on the state of charge. IOW, how much is left in your battery when you arrive has a big impact on how fast it'll charge.

Here are some number that show how big the difference is. Let's say you arrive with 0%.
In the first 10 minutes you will gain 70 miles
in the next 10 minutes you will gain 46 miles
in the next 10 minutes you will gain 36 miles
in the next 10 minutes you will gain 29 miles

In 40 minutes you got 180 miles. The average is 4.5 miles per minute

Now lets see how the numbers look when you arrive at 30% battery left.
In the first 10 minutes you will gain 29 miles
in the next 10 minutes you will gain 27 miles
in the next 10 minutes you will gain 20 miles
in the next 10 minutes you will gain 18 miles

In 40 minutes you got 94 miles. The average is 2.35 miles per minute

The difference is huge! Almost twice the speed when you arrive at 0% vs 30%!

Now of course it's not very good for the battery to run it down to zero. It is also very stressful on you and if anything goes wrong, you have absolutely no buffer. You should always allow yourself a buffer. But just from a time point of view, you should aim to arrive at the next Supercharger at a low state of charge to significantly cut down charge time.

I remember a trip where I met another Model S owner going the same route. I arrived 15 min later than she did at the first Supercharger with almost zero on my battery. I charged just enough to make it to the next Supercharger. It was 100 miles away, but I charged to 150 knowing I was going fast and had head wind. I left the Supercharger before the other driver. I arrived at the next Supercharger with 10 miles left. Again I charged just enough to make it to the next one. As I was done charging and pulled out, I saw the other driver pull in. Not only did she charge much more than she needed at the previous Supercharger, she also arrived at a high state of charge slowing her down again. Over a 200 mile distance I gained aprox one hour over the other driver. Same cars, same driving speed, same conditions. Just by optimizing the charge speed.

Again, I don't advocate to run your battery down too low. My message is: don't add in a big buffer just to be safe and then drive slow on top of it. It'll slow you down a lot. As I said in the beginning, it won't matter much on trips where you only have one or maybe two Supercharger stops. But the longer the trip, the more it makes a difference.

Use the trip energy app. It will predicts (based on your driving and the conditions) how much you will have in your battery when you arrive. Keep an eye on it and use it to aim for a low state of charge without risking anything. It's very useful to optimize your trip.

Wow! Lots of info and valuable info at that. I am so new to this, haven't gotten my car yet (hoping for late Feb. delivery) and all this is kinda overwhelming. I don't know if I'll ever learn all this, about how/when etc. to charge. I feel I need to study this post because it seems like a great "tutorial." I hope I will eventually learn all of this, the tricks/hints etc. Thank you for a brilliant post!

 

[CBPfromTN]

Heh, yeah, when I just got the car I started with a 20% buffer, then learned how accurate the trip computer is to my speeding (75mph typically) and now feel comfortable with 7%-10% (just out of the red and into the yellow on the trip planner tab). If the trip graph dips into red, I slow down to 70mph, if it starts giving me more than 10%, I speed up to 80mph.

Works perfectly for warm weather. I may need to adjust this for cold weather, we'll see how I do in the winter.

Just curious, but how long did it take you to get comfortable with all of this? How low to run the battery, how much to charge when you arrive at the SC, etc. I am no dummy but reading all of these posts with all these calculations etc is making me feel pretty overwhelmed. I ordered my Model S 75 in early Dec. Will take delivery by end of Feb./beginning of March. Won't be making road trips very often but this is almost "information overload" for me! I don't know if I will EVER have this part of driving my Tesla this fine tuned! Thanks for a great post, though. Very interesting and detailed!

 

[Chaserr]

CBP, punch in your car details at abetterrouteplanner.com and plan out some road trips. Near, far, doesn't matter. Look at the trip details, play with your average speed, it will calculate stop locations and times based on your set buffers. It's decently accurate, and in-car you can adjust your trip to arrive sooner with lower % as you go because the GPS app is also very accurate. It's harder at first, but arriving at a stop with lower % lets you charge faster, and before long you'll be less interested in paying attention to range than in leapfrogging superchargers as you travel across the country.

IT took me 2 or 3 trips to get comfortable; what I found really helps was to change the range display to energy instead so it shows % and not miles, that way the on-dash mile indicator will never lie to you, and it works more like the fuel gauge you're already used to.

 

[CBPfromTN]

CBP, punch in your car details at abetterrouteplanner.com and plan out some road trips. Near, far, doesn't matter. Look at the trip details, play with your average speed, it will calculate stop locations and times based on your set buffers. It's decently accurate, and in-car you can adjust your trip to arrive sooner with lower % as you go because the GPS app is also very accurate. It's harder at first, but arriving at a stop with lower % lets you charge faster, and before long you'll be less interested in paying attention to range than in leapfrogging superchargers as you travel across the country.

IT took me 2 or 3 trips to get comfortable; what I found really helps was to change the range display to energy instead so it shows % and not miles, that way the on-dash mile indicator will never lie to you, and it works more like the fuel gauge you're already used to.

Chaserr, thank you! I am just a bit overwhelmed with the learning I'm going to have to be doing shortly. I am excited, othrilled beyond words and absolutely cannot wait to get my car and get started but again, I am a bit intimidated, I admit it. I love gadgets, I love very few cars, have only loved one (my 1999 Jaguar XJ8 Vanden Plas that I traded in, in Feb.of 2016 with only 51,000 miles on it. It was Anthracite (similar to Obsidian Black) and in pristine condition BUT it was 17 years old, even though it had been a great car, very little time in the shop other than annual maintenance....) It was a stunning car, you didn't see them everywhere you looked (like all of my friends' Lexus automobiles.....) SO, it was time to get into something newer. I traded for a new 2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, also metallic black, top of the line, loaded, every option available and it gets 39 mpg....BUT....I don't love it. I like it. I have enjoyed it and after driving my 1999 Jaguar, wow.....this Avalon was like piloting a space ship! So many gadgets, UNBELIEVABLE.....but I just don't love it. It's just not "it." Now: I am entering a new era. My Tesla and again, I'll be in love with my car (I hope!) I like a car that everyone else doesn't have. I like a car that does things no other car does. I decided a long time ago that I was interested in Tesla but never considered it......not seriously, because I couldn't see dropping that much money on another new car. But, here I am. Waiting. Thinking about all the "stuff" I'm going to have to learn....CAN I? I think I can. I am pretty nervous. But this is the "it" car for me. Different, stunning, sleek, elegant, powerful and beautiful. Who could ask for more? This is it. I hope I am ready and able to meet the challenge LOL. Thank you so much for the hints/tips. I have a feeling I am in for a big time! I am going to that website right now and start experimenting. I do have a "lead foot" so I'll probably have to calm it down a little bit :-( but I am ready! (Fremont: Please hurry!!!) Thanks, Chaserr!

 

[Chaserr]

The lead foot is natural, you'll discover that your whm (watt hours per mile, basically how much energy your car uses as you drive) is much higher for the first few months, and should gradually drop as you get used to that rocket ship acceleration and start to use less of it. Or don't, I still floor it at every stop and always will. But most owners find the rush exhilarating but fade back to normal driving soon enough. No matter what though, that grin is never going to go away.

 

[CBPfromTN]

The lead foot is natural, you'll discover that your whm (watt hours per mile, basically how much energy your car uses as you drive) is much higher for the first few months, and should gradually drop as you get used to that rocket ship acceleration and start to use less of it. Or don't, I still floor it at every stop and always will. But most owners find the rush exhilarating but fade back to normal driving soon enough. No matter what though, that grin is never going to go away.

Aha, Chaserr, you don't know how true that is (about the "lead" foot.) My husband drives like a little old woman, OMG, it makes me CRAZY. It's a killer riding with him in his Expedition or F150 <sigh> My brother, a retired pilot from 20 yrs in the USAF and 20 years with FED EX, (just recently) is also a "lead foot" as was our father. My brother always takes off from a stop light, like a bat outta hell! He drives a very nice car but I know he loves Teslas and we kinda compete with gadget acquisitions. Since he is in Memphis and I am in Nashville, I have kept this a secret from him. He has NO IDEA I have ordered a Tesla and I am planning my next trip to my parents' house in Memphis after I take delivery of my new car. I cannot wait to see his face!!! I have a feeling I will be getting my first referral at that time! YAY!! That is going to be almost as much fun as it will be seeing my car for the first time! (Only sad part is I am driving it straight to the detailer to put Opti-Coat Pro Plus and also a clear bra wrap on the front, so I can't even take it home when it arrives at the dealership...) I am about to have myself a BIG TIME. I am totally into this! Thank you for your responses!!

 

[Max*]

Just curious, but how long did it take you to get comfortable with all of this? How low to run the battery, how much to charge when you arrive at the SC, etc. I am no dummy but reading all of these posts with all these calculations etc is making me feel pretty overwhelmed. I ordered my Model S 75 in early Dec. Will take delivery by end of Feb./beginning of March. Won't be making road trips very often but this is almost "information overload" for me! I don't know if I will EVER have this part of driving my Tesla this fine tuned! Thanks for a great post, though. Very interesting and detailed!

If you watch the trip graph while driving (Energy -> Trips), you can be comfortable after just a couple trips. You can see how it adjusts as you drive. So you know that if you follow the expected line, you'll arrive with the expected charge.

If your line is below the expected line, do nothing or slow down. If it's above it - do nothing or speed up.

That post is pretty old, I have over 53k miles now, a lot of it road tripping. In the winter, I go to about 10%-15%, and when the temps were in the low double digits (12-15F), I went to a 20% buffer. And as I kept driving, that buffer dwindled to maybe 5%-7% by the time I arrived at the next SpC.

 

[David99]

Wow! Lots of info and valuable info at that. I am so new to this, haven't gotten my car yet (hoping for late Feb. delivery) and all this is kinda overwhelming. I don't know if I'll ever learn all this, about how/when etc. to charge. I feel I need to study this post because it seems like a great "tutorial." I hope I will eventually learn all of this, the tricks/hints etc. Thank you for a brilliant post!

Thanks! With the new cars being sold now the batteries are less dependent on the state of charge. You get a great charge rate at almost any level. So you don't have to think about optimizing it as much as I described it. With the new cars/batteries, you just want to stay away from very low and very high levels. So basically stay away from 6% or lower and obviously, the charge rate is still very slow if you charge 90% so only use that when you have the time. Other than that, really, just enjoy the car. It will work fine!