-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Need tips for trip from Vancouver to Big White and Osoyoos
- Thread starter Chets
- Start date
Here's a couple of sites that'll help you plan out your trip:
A Better Routeplanner
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
In general, since you'll be moving away from the Supercharger network, you'll want to have a CHAdeMO handy. You'll have more fast(er) charging options with your trip planning.
A Better Routeplanner
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
In general, since you'll be moving away from the Supercharger network, you'll want to have a CHAdeMO handy. You'll have more fast(er) charging options with your trip planning.
I stayed at the Best Western in Kelowna which has level 2 chargers, so I charged overnight and didn't even need to use the Superchargers there.
Used my Chademo adapter along the way so barely needed to use any Superchargers throughout the entire trip (did a super quick $7 charge in Hope just in case, but technically I didn't even need to do that with free Chademo availability, in my SR+)
Used my Chademo adapter along the way so barely needed to use any Superchargers throughout the entire trip (did a super quick $7 charge in Hope just in case, but technically I didn't even need to do that with free Chademo availability, in my SR+)
I second this - get a CHAdeMO adapter. It allows you to charge at 50kW, for free, on the BC Hydro network:
BC Hydro EV stations map
The BC Hydro stations are well placed along the highways and in urban areas. I charge almost exclusively from BC Hydro stations (using a CHAdeMO adapter) and the most I ever pay is a few dollars for parking.
Navigate to the Merritt Supercharger. Have a pee and a bite to eat. Maybe 15 minutes. Then navigate to the Kelowna Supercharger which is co-located with the best western hotel. From there Penticton and Osoyoos are close. A Chademo adapter is handy as Chademo stations outnumber Supercharger locations 10 to 1 in BC. Some are free. Above 75 % Chademo adapter charges about the same speed as a Supercharger.
On edit. Didn’t realize you had an SR plus. Maybe take a quick break at hope as well.
On edit. Didn’t realize you had an SR plus. Maybe take a quick break at hope as well.
Last edited:
Depending on your plans, you may be fine with just the Supercharger network plus available Level 2 public charging near places you stop.
Getting to Kelowna is easy with multiple Superchargers on the way. Definitely stop in Hope, you may need to stop in Merritt as well with an SR+.
Kelowna to Big White isn't much of an issue, the Supercharger is near the bottom of the highway that goes up there. The only available charging on the hill depends how long you're staying and/or if someone is kind enough to offer their outlet. As long as you get a good charge (no need for 100%) before heading up, you can use quite a bit before coming back down.
Penticton and Osoyoos gets awkward. You can charge up high in Kelowna (say, 96%), and try to do it in one go if you return to Kelowna. This gets a bit sketchy though, and doesn't leave a lot of room for standby power (e.g. preconditioning the cabin). I assume you're doing some sort of wine tour -- many of the wineries have charging options, especially for Tesla. Look those up on PlugShare (show both Tesla and J1772 connectors). If you can charge at just a couple places while you're there, it's enough to do a day trip that direction without much range anxiety.
Having a CHAdeMO adapter makes things easier, as many more CHAdeMO stations are available. CHAdeMO is somewhere between Supercharging and public Level 2 chargers in speed, closer to Supercharging. There are people that rent out the adapters in Vancouver, as well as the Okanagan. You usually do need membership apps to use the stations (e.g. Greenlots and Flo) and it's best to have the physical card for the Flo networked stations.
Important Note: On PlugShare, "Tesla" refers to only to slower Level 2 charging, but "Supercharger" refers to... well, Supercharging.
Other note: If you are in a situation where you suspect you will get stranded, find the nearest CHAdeMO station even if you don't have an adapter and contact me on here. I'll come out with my adapter and un-strand you. I'd most likely be coming from Vernon though, so it's not a timely rescue.
Getting to Kelowna is easy with multiple Superchargers on the way. Definitely stop in Hope, you may need to stop in Merritt as well with an SR+.
Kelowna to Big White isn't much of an issue, the Supercharger is near the bottom of the highway that goes up there. The only available charging on the hill depends how long you're staying and/or if someone is kind enough to offer their outlet. As long as you get a good charge (no need for 100%) before heading up, you can use quite a bit before coming back down.
Penticton and Osoyoos gets awkward. You can charge up high in Kelowna (say, 96%), and try to do it in one go if you return to Kelowna. This gets a bit sketchy though, and doesn't leave a lot of room for standby power (e.g. preconditioning the cabin). I assume you're doing some sort of wine tour -- many of the wineries have charging options, especially for Tesla. Look those up on PlugShare (show both Tesla and J1772 connectors). If you can charge at just a couple places while you're there, it's enough to do a day trip that direction without much range anxiety.
Having a CHAdeMO adapter makes things easier, as many more CHAdeMO stations are available. CHAdeMO is somewhere between Supercharging and public Level 2 chargers in speed, closer to Supercharging. There are people that rent out the adapters in Vancouver, as well as the Okanagan. You usually do need membership apps to use the stations (e.g. Greenlots and Flo) and it's best to have the physical card for the Flo networked stations.
Important Note: On PlugShare, "Tesla" refers to only to slower Level 2 charging, but "Supercharger" refers to... well, Supercharging.
Other note: If you are in a situation where you suspect you will get stranded, find the nearest CHAdeMO station even if you don't have an adapter and contact me on here. I'll come out with my adapter and un-strand you. I'd most likely be coming from Vernon though, so it's not a timely rescue.
Chademo adapter is definitely useful. IMO BC Hydro fast chargers are located in places you actually want to stop, such as free public rest stops with washrooms, so that you don't need to waste time and money going somewhere like Boston Pizza or a hotel restaurant.
On my most recent trip on Canada Day weekend, the highway was closed 10km West of Revelstoke due to flooding. My plans revolved around getting to the Revelstoke Supercharger, but I ended turning back and charging at a BC Hydro DCFC to get back to Kelowna. Another Tesla owner without the Chademo adapter ended up at the same location and needed to ask the supermarket permission to use their 120V outlet for a charge.
During the same trip, the Merritt Supercharger was also down. So I suggest definitely Supercharging at Hope and whenever you can, to make sure you have enough power to get you to your final destination or back to your previous Supercharger or another DCFC or Level 2 charger, in case your next charger is not available or the highway gets shut down
On my most recent trip on Canada Day weekend, the highway was closed 10km West of Revelstoke due to flooding. My plans revolved around getting to the Revelstoke Supercharger, but I ended turning back and charging at a BC Hydro DCFC to get back to Kelowna. Another Tesla owner without the Chademo adapter ended up at the same location and needed to ask the supermarket permission to use their 120V outlet for a charge.
During the same trip, the Merritt Supercharger was also down. So I suggest definitely Supercharging at Hope and whenever you can, to make sure you have enough power to get you to your final destination or back to your previous Supercharger or another DCFC or Level 2 charger, in case your next charger is not available or the highway gets shut down
Almost all of these stations are not free where OP is talking about charging. You’ll need a Flo/ChargePoint/B.C. Hydro account and pay higher rates than the super chargers.
You need an account most times anyways, but there are definitely free ones along their route.
- Penticton: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Crowsnest near Osoyoos (but out of the way): PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Connector (Loon Lake rest area): PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Coquihalla (Britton Creek rest area): PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
These are the only ones really "missing" by having to pay that aren't near a Supercharger:
- Oliver (Fortis/Flo): PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Osoyoos (Petro-Can): PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Kelowna - Summerhill Estate Winery: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- West Kelowna - Mission Hill Winery: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Peachland - Downtown: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Summerland - Dirty Laundry Vineyard: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Penticton - Poplar Grove Winery: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Osoyoos - Burrowing Owl Estate Winery: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
- Osoyoos - Gyro Park: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
I guess I should've enumerated that list to begin with, but it's all on PlugShare.
Regarding CHAdeMO Pricing
If they're used to Urban Superchargers like some in the Vancouver area, the $18/h CHAdeMO stations can actually end up being cheaper than the Superchargers. The per-minute pricing really kills at these.
For example, this is one of my cheaper Urban Supercharger bills (from Surrey):
- 1h06m $23.13, approximate power delivered = 60kWh (Tier 1 25 min @ $0.22/min, Tier 2 41 min @ $0.43/min)
So, approximate pricing is...
- BC Urban Supercharger: ~$0.386/kWh
- CHAdeMO @ $18/h: ~$0.391/kWh
For me, enabling "Fee Required" does not eliminate the free ones from the map. Weird.
I'm planning to go to Penticton from Coquitlam and charge to 100% at Hope SC. We are only 2 adults with a small luggage in a SR+. ABRP only gives me option to go from Merritt and Highway 5, but I really want to go from Highway 3 (Princeton). Can I make it without charging on our way? It's 244km!
Can you borrow a Chademo? If not because of the elevation it may be tight. Otherwise bring a picnic lunch and do some level 2 in manning park or somewhere else.
You can make ABRP adopt the route you want by putting in one or more intermediate waypoints (in this case Princeton). I tried that for the settings I use for summer for my SR+, and it showed using 76% of battery from Hope to Penticton (70% for the reverse route). So as long as you have a way to charge in Penticton, and you're going before it gets cold and snowy, that route should be no problem. Winter would be a different story...
I did the same thing and I'm arriving in Penticton with 39%, So I'll go that highway as I've heard it's beautiful.
Similar threads
- Article
