I am hoping to take my family in my MS60 this summer to Hilton Head, SC and would like to hear from some of you who have used the supercharger east coast network. Is this reasonable without too much range anxiety? If its too close a call with 2 youn children I will just fly, but thought it seems reasonable given most of the chargers are <150 mikes apart. I will have a fully packed car with 2 adults and 2 kids and plenty of luggage so figure 500 lbs. I also have 20" hankook tires. According to the ev planner the only stretch that's a concern is to Santee SC. Appreciate any input or real experiences in an MS60. The trip is 800 miles/ 12 hrs without charge time each way so will have to stop approx 6 times each way. Thx!
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
With a 85 I wouldn't have any concerns but with a 60 the need for having some built in buffer (some say 25% and others say 33%) I would be worried you could cut it really close. Additionally the need to really get a complete charge between some of the SC's can slow you down a lot. With the 85 you can let it get to about 80-85% at whihc point it's not tapered off to a pretty slow rate of charge. You might have to spend an extra 40 minutes or so (making your stops over an hour each) to get as close as possible to a complete charge. If you and the family are ok with that long wait at each of those stops and you are prepared to really slow down and drive at 50-55 if your range looks like you won't make it at your current burn rate then go for it.
(LMB spouse)
We drove from Boston to Charleston SC and back a few weeks ago in an S85. Coming back, we were loaded to the gills with two adults and our luggage, my son, and all his belongings from college. The superchargers are spaced pretty closely, so I don't think you will have any problems. We drove 80 with no issues, but you might have to slow down a bit in a 60.
I assume you have destination charging at Hilton Head. If not, the Savannah Supercharger is not much further and is only 109 miles from Santee. We charged at Santee, then drove to Charleston and stayed for two days without charging, doing some driving around, and still had plenty of range to get back to Santee. Would have been doable but close in an S60, though.
It's an awfully long day with young kids. Are you planning to break it up at all? We stayed just south of Richmond on the way down and at my mom's house in PA on the way back.
We drove from Boston to Charleston SC and back a few weeks ago in an S85. Coming back, we were loaded to the gills with two adults and our luggage, my son, and all his belongings from college. The superchargers are spaced pretty closely, so I don't think you will have any problems. We drove 80 with no issues, but you might have to slow down a bit in a 60.
I assume you have destination charging at Hilton Head. If not, the Savannah Supercharger is not much further and is only 109 miles from Santee. We charged at Santee, then drove to Charleston and stayed for two days without charging, doing some driving around, and still had plenty of range to get back to Santee. Would have been doable but close in an S60, though.
It's an awfully long day with young kids. Are you planning to break it up at all? We stayed just south of Richmond on the way down and at my mom's house in PA on the way back.
Last edited:
jcadman22
Tesla Owners Club Maryland
I just completed a trip from MD (suburban DC) to Raleigh, NC with my wife and three kids in our 60 and had no issues. On the way down we stopped briefly at Woodbridge and lingered at Glen Allen before heading to Rocky Mount to top off. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the Raleigh area has lots of free charging options so we were pretty comfortable roaming around. On the way home we bypassed Rocky Mount and took a more direct route to Glen Allen since it's only 120 miles from home and we knew we would be able to recharge. I don't know much about the Superchargers further south, but I'm pleased with the spacing that Tesla has set up and it should get even better as density gets better over time. You would do well to heed LMB's advice about breaking the trip up - traffic around DC any time of year can be soul crushing.
Thinkje
Member
Sounds like a fun trip, Jeff! Glad to hear traveling south in your MS60 is not a problem. By the way, how did your kids like sitting in the rear-facing seats for such a long time?
Vera
Vera
I drive from a Raleigh NC to the Philsdelohia / southern NJ area frequently. From Raleigh, I take 85 to 95 and stop in Glen Allen to supercharger. If I start with a full charge ~267 miles at home, IIRC I end up with around maybe 60 or so miles left when I get to Glen Allen. From there I go straight to Newark DE which according to the GPS says is 202 miles away.
There is a newer supercharger on line now in Woodbridge VA at the Potomac Mills Mall, which is in-between Newark and Glen Mills. This could come in handy for a 60 if the distance between Newark and Glen Allen is a factor.
There is a newer supercharger on line now in Woodbridge VA at the Potomac Mills Mall, which is in-between Newark and Glen Mills. This could come in handy for a 60 if the distance between Newark and Glen Allen is a factor.
Last edited:
I'd say the decision is about the extra time to charge and the impact on the kids rather than making it between the chargers. You shouldn't have any problems with the latter. Figure an extra 45 mins per charge (top end estimate) added to the trip.
We've done CT to Asheville in one day, with charging it ended up being 16 hours to drive 800 miles. Our kids were troopers but it's a long day.
We've done CT to Asheville in one day, with charging it ended up being 16 hours to drive 800 miles. Our kids were troopers but it's a long day.
KeithE - Check out plugshare as there are several charging option at Hilton Head. While not superchargers, these would alleviate your concern about the last leg of your trip.
I note the following plugshare observations:
-Hilton Head Nissan is on your route and has a J1772. Word is Nissan dealers are very accommodating to Tesla owner's, but I would recommend calling them to confirm.
-Westin Resort has a J1772 that is only available to resort guests.
-There is a plugshare user with a 14-50 in the area
If you're not staying at the Westin, contact your hotel/resort to see if they have charging availability. If they don't recommend they contact Tesla to participate in Tesla's destination charging program. https://teslafactory.wufoo.com/forms/destination-charging/
As previously noted on these forums, you should pre-arrange to have a Chargepoint account or any other account you can acquire, just in case of emergency. Last issue you want is to find a station and not be able to charge due to administrative issues.
I note the following plugshare observations:
-Hilton Head Nissan is on your route and has a J1772. Word is Nissan dealers are very accommodating to Tesla owner's, but I would recommend calling them to confirm.
-Westin Resort has a J1772 that is only available to resort guests.
-There is a plugshare user with a 14-50 in the area
If you're not staying at the Westin, contact your hotel/resort to see if they have charging availability. If they don't recommend they contact Tesla to participate in Tesla's destination charging program. https://teslafactory.wufoo.com/forms/destination-charging/
As previously noted on these forums, you should pre-arrange to have a Chargepoint account or any other account you can acquire, just in case of emergency. Last issue you want is to find a station and not be able to charge due to administrative issues.
I have used the Lumberton NC to Santee SC, both are quick. Just get a full charge and you should be fine. Also try keep it at 75mph (or lower). The 4 times I have run that route I didn't wait for full charges and it was fine. 1 time was close with 1 mile left, but again I didn't have a full charge and didnt want to wait at an 80amp HPWC lol I also had a full size spare in the front. 2 of those 4 I had my 2 kids, wife and luggage.
I would probably get as full as you can at Santee. There is no place to charge once you leave and are close to Bluffton. HHI has some chargers listed but I haven't seen them. The Nissan dealer is out close to Sun City. I believe they have 2 chargers. I run up and down i95 a lot. and haven't had any problems. There is also a KOA but I haven't call them about charging.
The main thing I see from driving 95 so much is speed makes a huge difference. If I go 80-85mph it'll suck up miles like no other. 70-75 seems good and if Im low on rated range, I like a 5 mile buffer at all times, I just go about 65 and draft.
I would probably get as full as you can at Santee. There is no place to charge once you leave and are close to Bluffton. HHI has some chargers listed but I haven't seen them. The Nissan dealer is out close to Sun City. I believe they have 2 chargers. I run up and down i95 a lot. and haven't had any problems. There is also a KOA but I haven't call them about charging.
The main thing I see from driving 95 so much is speed makes a huge difference. If I go 80-85mph it'll suck up miles like no other. 70-75 seems good and if Im low on rated range, I like a 5 mile buffer at all times, I just go about 65 and draft.
NigelM
Recovering Member
Note the suggestions up-thread but I will add that charging opportunities on Hilton Head are very few. IIRC, the Nissan dealership is on the main highway on the mainland (about 18 miles from HHI) with nowhere convenient to hang out while charging (unless you are looking at their cars). There are several RV parks on the island but if you're going in season they may be difficult to get into. Savannah supercharger is about 50 miles from HHI.
IOW, make sure you arrange charging in advance if you are going to need it on the island.
IOW, make sure you arrange charging in advance if you are going to need it on the island.
Last edited:
@KeithE;
I recently did a trip from Northern Virginia to Savannah and posted a table with narrative about my trip. You can find it in the Mid-Atlantic thread. Or, you can select the link below to go to it directly.
Have fun!!
OBTW, I have a MS 85......just so you know.....
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/31679-Northern-Virginia-to-Savannah-and-back
I recently did a trip from Northern Virginia to Savannah and posted a table with narrative about my trip. You can find it in the Mid-Atlantic thread. Or, you can select the link below to go to it directly.
Have fun!!
OBTW, I have a MS 85......just so you know.....
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/31679-Northern-Virginia-to-Savannah-and-back
I made the round trip from Northern NJ to Charlotte NC during Memorial Day weekend. Both times, I charged at Newark DE, Glen Allen VA and Burlington NC Superchargers. I arrived with atleast 50 miles of range at each supercharger.
However, I used cruise control most of the time set at 3 miles above the speed limit and I achieved Rated range during the whole trip. So, it is possible to do the trip in MS60. Just watch your speed.
However, I used cruise control most of the time set at 3 miles above the speed limit and I achieved Rated range during the whole trip. So, it is possible to do the trip in MS60. Just watch your speed.
Thanks to everyone for their feedback. It seems to me that since all the chargers are <150 miles it should be doable without range anxiety. I have had my MS for over a year and 15k miles, have never travelled farther than 150 mies on a trip so have yet to try a supercharger. NJ has been far too slow to enable Tesla. I haven't even made it to Hamilton yet. Since I am under 5k vin my battery is series A and won't allow above 90kwh charge so will take a bit longer to top off. As far as charging on the island I've been assured by the folks at Marriott Baroney Beach resort that their is an outdoor outlet available for charging. Scary, but I plan to use their standard outlet to fill up. My folks will have their ice car there so I can leave mine charging. It would be a perfect world if every hotel and resort in America put a simple Nema 14-50 online. Does anyone have a hotel suggestion where to stay half way? Preferably close to a supercharger or onside 30amp charger. Thx!
Not sure where in NJ you are starting. But using the "middle" of NJ as the starting point, it appears halfway is just about the border between NC and VA. There are a lot of hotels in Roanoke Rapids, NC (about 10 miles south of the border) but I don't know any of them so can't comment. Same thing with Emporia, VA --- just about 15 miles north of the border. If you can drive another 40 miles south of Roanoke Rapids, you will be in Rocky Mount. As you probably know, there is a Tesla Supercharger there ---- right next door to the DoubleTree hotel. I haven't stayed at a DoubleTree lately, but over the years I have stayed at one of their properties I found them to be good. Don't know if you can make it all the way to Rocky Mount --- a little over 400 miles, so that would be a long drive --- especially with children.
There is another potential if you are willing to consider a campground. Yogi Bear Campground in Emporia, VA has cabins for rent and electric service --- they advertise 30 amp and 50 amp. Might be fun for the kids. I did this one time --- went to the Virginia Beach area and picked up my two grandsons and we stayed the weekend in a cabin at the KOA campground, and I had access to a 50 amp circuit the entire time. It worked great and I had fun with the grandsons.
There is another potential if you are willing to consider a campground. Yogi Bear Campground in Emporia, VA has cabins for rent and electric service --- they advertise 30 amp and 50 amp. Might be fun for the kids. I did this one time --- went to the Virginia Beach area and picked up my two grandsons and we stayed the weekend in a cabin at the KOA campground, and I had access to a 50 amp circuit the entire time. It worked great and I had fun with the grandsons.
(LMB spouse)
@KeithE -- You have a 60. I'm pretty sure that the 60 kilowatt-hour A battery does not have the 90 kilowatt charging limit. I believe the 60's can charge at 105 kilowatts if the Supercharger is rated that high. 105 kilowatt charging only occurs if the battery is mostly empty and starts ramping down within ten minutes or so.
Perhaps a more knowledgeable 60 owner can jump in here...
@KeithE -- You have a 60. I'm pretty sure that the 60 kilowatt-hour A battery does not have the 90 kilowatt charging limit. I believe the 60's can charge at 105 kilowatts if the Supercharger is rated that high. 105 kilowatt charging only occurs if the battery is mostly empty and starts ramping down within ten minutes or so.
Perhaps a more knowledgeable 60 owner can jump in here...
jcadman22
Tesla Owners Club Maryland
Even though Rocky Mount may be a stretch to reach on the first day I think it would be a good place to spend the night due to it's proximity to the hotel. There are a few restaurants nearby, but it's not the best location to while away the time while the car charges. Woodbridge & Glen Allen are near shopping and restaurants so there are other diversions. I ended up playing catch with the kids for a bit and they played some games.
@Thinkje - The kids were not as excited about the road trip as I was when they considered taking turns riding in the rear-facing seats. Mom's minivan with the DVD player got thumbs up for road trips but the 'adventure' of road tripping in the Model S won out. Not to mention that we didn't have to pay for charging anywhere! Driving 700 miles would have cost over $150 in the ICE so taking the Tesla paid for some of our meals.
@Thinkje - The kids were not as excited about the road trip as I was when they considered taking turns riding in the rear-facing seats. Mom's minivan with the DVD player got thumbs up for road trips but the 'adventure' of road tripping in the Model S won out. Not to mention that we didn't have to pay for charging anywhere! Driving 700 miles would have cost over $150 in the ICE so taking the Tesla paid for some of our meals.
paco3791
TMC OG
@islandbayy is probably the MS60 owner who has the most miles, and supercharging experience, on this site who posts on a regular basis and has posted some very educational experiences he's had in the past. I'd have to go back and find the thread but I believe based on his past experience you will only see the full 105kwh if your are at or below 20 miles of rated range and even then the charge rate will start tapering off very quickly in my experience. The disadvantage of the 60 is that the 0%-80% charge from a super charger takes a little longer and doesn't get you quite as far as an 85. The advantage of the 60 is that on average 60's get quite a bit better wh/mile efficiency over the 85. See this thread for more info on that (Lifetime Average Wh/mi - Page 73)
As above I don't think the MS60 is capped at 90kWh for Supercharging. The supercharger experience for me has been great. Just make sure you check that its charging and what its charging at. I had to move twice for "slow charging". All I do is pull up plug in and check real quick on the screen if it all good I go have a bite to eat by that time its usually ready for the trip to continue.
Similar threads
