Los Angeles - Las Vegas trip with Superchargers

[neptune2000]

Given the distance, I could easily make it just with one stop at Barstow Supercharger, and refill at Last Vegas Supercharger for the way back, skipping the Rancho Cucamonga and Primm Superchargers, but I am guessing Barstow is probably overcrowded and the other two not so much.

Anyone with experience with the LA - Las Vegas trip and recommendations?

 

[blues]

I've done this trip 5-6 times most of them before the Primm & Rancho Cucamonga charger opened, and only stopped in Barstow and had no problem with it being full (all Fri-Sun trips). Although when there were only 4 stalls, I once pulled into the last spot and another S came by 5-10 minutes later and had to wait. I have yet to see it completely full since the expansion.

 

[schwedisch]

Just my 2 cents, but I have never seen the Barstow charger full since the expansion either. I would try to avoid the Las Vegas Supercharger though, it is just not in a very good location with no amenities. I would rather stop in Primm and top up and skip the Vegas supercharger entirely.

 

[ProphetM]

The LV supercharger is just a couple blocks (little, downtown-sized blocks) from the Container Park. Just go up to Fremont and then left. Restaurants, shops, restrooms, even a playground. Like so:

The Container Park is enclosed and must be entered from Fremont, but when leaving there is an exit along 7th, near where "The Perch" shows on this map. There are a ton of businesses in the Container Park that just don't show up at this zoom level.

Downtown Container Park - Boutique Shopping, Unique Dining, Live Entertainment in Las Vegas, Nevada

As you can see on the map there are also restaurants along Carson such as Eat, Vegenation, and Carson Kitchen. And of course Fremont is filled with stuff, as the Container Park is kind of the east end of the modern redevelopment.

 

[neptune2000]

Thanks for all the recommendations.

 

[markb1]

Yep, was going to say, there are decent amenities at the LV supercharger. I did find it painful to get in and out due to traffic, though, the one time I was there.

 

[ProphetM]

Yep, was going to say, there are decent amenities at the LV supercharger. I did find it painful to get in and out due to traffic, though, the one time I was there.

Las Vegas Academy, the public arts high school, is across the street (to the south) from the supercharger, so you probably want to avoid Bridger if you're there at the beginning or end of a school day - 7am, and 2-3pm.

 

[Jool]

I've done San Diego to Vegas a couple times and only really had to stop at Barstow. I topped up a bit at the Primm supercharger but it wasn't necessary as the hotel we stayed at offered to trickle charge the car. No problems with overcrowding, even on a weekend.

 

[clx]

Leaving from LA, how much charge do you guys have at the beginning of the trip? Would it be more efficient to charge to 90% and make it all the way to Barstow or charge to 70% and do a quick top off at Racho Cucanonga, then charge again in Barstow?

 

[markb1]

Leaving from LA, how much charge do you guys have at the beginning of the trip? Would it be more efficient to charge to 90% and make it all the way to Barstow or charge to 70% and do a quick top off at Racho Cucanonga, then charge again in Barstow?

If the 90% charge doesn't cost you any time (because it's at home while you sleep, for example) by all means, do that. To optimize charging time, you want to arrive at the supercharger with as little charge left as you are comfortable with. There's really nothing to gain, time-wise, by adding an extra supercharger stop to the first leg of your trip.

Once you get to Barstow, though, the most time-efficient thing to do is charge just enough to make it to Primm, so you'll be at a minimum state of charge in Primm, and thus charge faster. If you've got something else to do in Barstow, like eat a meal, that might change the equation.

Even though arriving with as little charge as possible is theoretically best, please leave a buffer, so you are sure to get to the next supercharger!

 

[clx]

Once you get to Barstow, though, the most time-efficient thing to do is charge just enough to make it to Primm, so you'll be at a minimum state of charge in Primm, and thus charge faster. If you've got something else to do in Barstow, like eat a meal, that might change the equation.

Thanks, so what's the recommended state of charge when leaving Barstow? If I charge too much in Barstow, does it actually make the trip longer due to longer charge time on Primm?

 

[markb1]

Thanks, so what's the recommended state of charge when leaving Barstow? If I charge too much in Barstow, does it actually make the trip longer due to longer charge time on Primm?

I'm not sure how much you need in Barstow, because I always have eaten lunch there and gotten an excess of charge. If you use the trip planning feature in your car, it should tell you when you have enough to make it to the next charger. Also, check out EV Trip Planner.

If you do charge more than you need in Barstow, it will slow down charging in Primm, but you won't need as much if any charge in Primm. So the time wasted will all be in Barstow.