Macclesfield to Elgin and return

[Freds Dad]

We are going to a funeral in Elgin on Monday so planning to drive up on Sunday and return on Tuesday.

When looking to plan charging through Tesla website it’s suggesting a stop at Gretna and Aviemore on the way up and then Aviemore, Abington and Tebay on the return journey.

Any tips etc when using these chargers or any suggestions for alternative stops.

Thanks

 

[Medved_77]

Assuming you're fine for range, I'd avoid both and stop at Tebay (perhaps Abington at a push) then Perth instead.

Gretna is very busy with 4 V2 stalls. Aviemore same amount of stalls and speed but often ice'd.

If you want to try non-Tesla chargepoints then Charge Place Scotland are free to use in Perthshire and those charge points are located right next to the Tesla ones. Register with the Charge place Scotland app before you go for ease.

There are many non Tesla options available along the route which in places will be just as fast. as cheap or free. You can use ABRP to plan your trip around all makes of charge point.

 

[Freds Dad]

If you want to try non-Tesla chargepoints then Charge Place Scotland are free to use in Perthshire and those charge points are located right next to the Tesla ones. Register with the Charge place Scotland app before you go for ease.

Thanks. I've registered with CPS but can I pay via a bank card as the RFID card won't arrive on time?

 

[init6]

Thanks. I've registered with CPS but can I pay via a bank card as the RFID card won't arrive on time?

You can on most of the newer rapids. If you're willing to use Rapids, try the ones in Abington, not the services, I've found the Perth CPS chargers generally to be busier.

Edit: of course you can use the CPS app while waiting for the card - or indeed the CPS website.

 

[Medved_77]

Thanks. I've registered with CPS but can I pay via a bank card as the RFID card won't arrive on time?

Log in | ChargePlace Scotland

account.chargeplacescotland.org

Make sure you've got your direct debit setup for any charges. They'll send you an agreement via gocardless to sign. You'll get an invoice end of each month for any charging sessions.

RFID card just negates the need to use the app (and have a data connection) to start the charge on the chargers that don't support contactless payment.

 

[exlatccatsa]

It all depends what time you will be travelling. I left Aberdeenshire for High Wycombe, 532 miles, at 2300 last Saturday. Arrived 0945 after stopping at completely empty superchargers at Perth, Tebay and a quick top up at Warwick. Not one tombstone occupied. I'm heading up on Saturday night via a full cheap charge at West Drayton(Sat morning), Charnock Richards and Abington.
If you get to Gretna early enough or late enough it'll be OK, otherwise expect to queue before charging. I tend to use Abington more. Perth is usually quiet and has plenty of food close by. If you're not doing too much driving around when up in Elgin, you should be able to charge at perth North and southbound with nothing in between. A Better Route Planner works really well for planning. Have a good journey.

 

[UkNorthampton]

A Better Route Planner - first image is 2021 M3SR exported to excel - for a rough plan, adapt as needed.

Return trip, depends on time of day (this can be set in ABRP, as can many factors, free version used)

I don't know if it's worth skipping Charnock & doing Penrith (or is it Southbound only?) or another location. I don't know these chargers, others can better advise. Doing a return trip lists out these alternatives. Superchargers are presumably faster than Charge Place Scotland unless you're stopping for a meal anyway.

I redid this (second image) as 100% charge when leaving Cheshire + 2022 M3SR (60kWh Aero 18 inch wheels)

 

[init6]

I redid this (second image) as 100% charge when leaving Cheshire + 2022 M3SR (60kWh Aero 18 inch wheels)



View attachment 828538

Gretna to Edinburgh to Aviemore? Was that really the suggested route? What route did it take from Gretna? I would have thought you'd pass the SuCs at Eurocentral on the way to Edinburgh unless you went across country.
A little bit longer at Gretna should surely get you to Perth - a more direct route.

 

[UkNorthampton]

Gretna to Edinburgh to Aviemore? Was that really the suggested route? What route did it take from Gretna? I would have thought you'd pass the SuCs at Eurocentral on the way to Edinburgh unless you went across country.
A little bit longer at Gretna should surely get you to Perth - a more direct route.

Dunno, closed window. On a laptop, you have to use the touchpad to zoom the map & it's fiddly. I just wanted to show OP & others reading (perhaps contemplating their first EV), that there are ways to check beforehand and doing a return trip lists more options.

Only one routing went via Edinburgh. As it was set to leave now, it might have been affected by congestion / temporary (overnight) closures or glitch in Supercharger availability.

For a journey like this, I'll use ABRP as a guide, often skipping them if I can (driving slower through congestion, longer previous charge while eating a meal).

Several knowledgeable replies from people who use these chargers.

 

[Gezz]

I do an Aberdeen - Immingham - Hounslow - Tilbury then back via Dumfries once a month , I have charging at my offices and use CPS in Dumfries . But all the SC are not too full but there may be more tourists now

I was at Avimore two weeks ago … 50p / KW

Elgin - Avimore then south is a pain to drive , what you save on the lower speed you loose on the hills , I grew up in Elgin and always went that way south but there is something to be said for going the Aberdeen way avoiding a lot of the A9 longer distance but better roads and an SC in Aberdeen

 

[init6]

I just wanted to show OP & others reading (perhaps contemplating their first EV), that there are ways to check beforehand and doing a return trip lists more options.

I don't think I'd buy an EV if that was ever a suggested route

 

[exlatccatsa]

Charge 15% more at Charnock and on that table you'll make it to Abington bypassing any problems at Gretna.
ABRP always seems to route me to Edinburgh from either Moffat or Abington. I've done it once..( adding about 20 min to my journey). Nice scenery but I prefer the motorway than a winding A road especially half way through the drive.
If you haven't done a long journey before, it's nothing to worry about. You know that all the superchargers will be working when you get there, you'll be able to see how busy they are on the map long before you get to them. You'll also give that your range will drop by a few percent as you go farther north due to the drop in temperature and vice versa as you go south.
Use ABRP as a guide but adjust your charge times to get to where you want to charge as it will purely give you the fastest route with the minimum charge time and not take into account that you could charge longer whilst having something to eat.

 

[Gezz]

Charge 15% more at Charnock and on that table you'll make it to Abington bypassing any problems at Gretna.
ABRP always seems to route me to Edinburgh from either Moffat or Abington. I've done it once..( adding about 20 min to my journey). Nice scenery but I prefer the motorway than a winding A road especially half way through the drive.
If you haven't done a long journey before, it's nothing to worry about. You know that all the superchargers will be working when you get there, you'll be able to see how busy they are on the map long before you get to them. You'll also give that your range will drop by a few percent as you go farther north due to the drop in temperature and vice versa as you go south.
Use ABRP as a guide but adjust your charge times to get to where you want to charge as it will purely give you the fastest route with the minimum charge time and not take into account that you could charge longer whilst having something to eat.

Great advice and good comment on the range changing going north and south , might not be too noticeable with the current weather but you see it a lot in more winter times

And I concur don’t worry about long drives , I went to London from Aberdeen on day two when I got a 2wd SR+ , no issues but I did it in the evening

I’m doing my normal trip to Tilbury next month , then on to Belgium then Germany . Bit of a long hike home from there , might make a post but the worst bit is Aberdeen to Eurostar

 

[UkNorthampton]

I don't think I'd buy an EV if that was ever a suggested route

If roads closed overnight, or some other problem, it would affect all cars. Only driven up that way once or twice, not sure on suitability of that ONE routing out of about 5 I tried.

Out of interest, I tried a few options for EV & ICE.

EV: 7:17 via Edinburgh Newbridge vs 7:08 without - save on charging time at Gretna Green (but may not include getting to/from chargers, I can't remember if it does).
ICE 7:07 (google - all roads lead to Perth)

Spoiler: Details

 

[Overworked]

Tebay- although the SC’s are on the southbound side you can drive round from the northbound side to them and return the same way using a service road.

The Perth SC’s are plentiful and rarely busy, if you take the A90 route towards Aberdeen the same is true of the SC’s at Dundee.

At Abington there are 6 Tesla SC points but also 2 x Gridserve. A mile away in Abington village there are two CPS 50kw rapids that are free and the same power you might get when sharing at the SC.

 

[init6]

If roads closed overnight, or some other problem, it would affect all cars. Only driven up that way once or twice, not sure on suitability of that ONE routing out of about 5 I tried.

You make a good point. ABRP is better than some route planners for EVs but you've got to apply common sense. Routing Via Edinburgh to save a few minutes charging at Grtetna is not sensible. Especially as you drive past 2 other SuCs to get there.

If you've already got the car, then I find the nav system does a very good job - although again, check for sensible routes.

 

[exlatccatsa]

You make a good point. ABRP is better than some route planners for EVs but you've got to apply common sense. Routing Via Edinburgh to save a few minutes charging at Grtetna is not sensible. Especially as you drive past 2 other SuCs to get there.

If you've already got the car, then I find the nav system does a very good job - although again, check for sensible routes.

Yes ABRP is a good planner but the car on the day is more accurate especially when you have driven a few miles and it is continuously recalculating the energy usage. A bit of unexpected rain, change in wind direction an increase/decrease in the usual weight in the car will all have an effect on predicted and actual range of the car.

 

[Overworked]

... and of course live traffic changes.

 

[exlatccatsa]

Yes, I was planning the route this morning, couldn't figure out why Edinburgh was the shortest route by over 20min... usually the other way round.. the 74 was closed Gretna north for quite a way.

 

[Freds Dad]

Thanks everyone for tips and advice.
We ended up having a short stop at Tebay, it was very busy, and a bigger charge at Perth and we were the only car there. Planning to use Charge Scotland in Elgin at 28p kWh then two quick stops at Perth and Tebay on the return.

It’s been our first long journey since getting the car in March but after realising how easy the SuC network is to use we are thinking of a trip to the Algarve in late September so I will be back asking for charging tips for Portugal.