I'm sure some members have done this. I have a 75D with 22s. Realistically how many times did you have to charge? Thanks!
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K-MTG
Sunshade Captain of TMC
xkwizit
Member
As @Lump mentioned, EVTripPlanner would give you the closest. However, "NorCal to SoCal" is a bit vague as well for someone to give you advice. Depending upon where in NorCal you start and where in SoCal you are going plus weather plus how fast do you normally drive on highways, expect anywhere from 2 to 4 times to stop. My general thumb rule is every 2.5 hours or about 180-200 miles. And with that much time, everyone in my car wants to stretch out anyway,
Drove from the San Francisco area to Orange County (Disneyland) and boy I'll never take the tesla again with kids for sure.
The total trip for us was over 10 hours one way. I just hope that the superchargers keep improving in the future it might be a better experience.
The total trip for us was over 10 hours one way. I just hope that the superchargers keep improving in the future it might be a better experience.
Maybe he's going from Eureka to San Diego.... Or maybe Gilroy to Santa Barbara.
Going to need more specifics..the 22 inch wheels are going to reduce your range compared to some of the comments here. I'd plan on charging every 150 miles to 80%
Going to need more specifics..the 22 inch wheels are going to reduce your range compared to some of the comments here. I'd plan on charging every 150 miles to 80%
thecloud
As rhythm raced inside, the ship came alive
Just as a point of comparison, in a P85 with 19" wheels, the Sunnyvale-to-Anaheim trip takes under 8 hours for me on I-5. It's about 6 hours of actual driving, 70-ish mph, with an hour-long stop at Harris (including brunch and gift store purchases) and a 45 minute stop at Tejon (including a bathroom and snack break. Sadly, the Yogurtland is no more, but that's a different thread.)
If you are in San Francisco then you would add 45 minutes to drive down the peninsula on 101, plus maybe another 20 minutes or so to charge at Gilroy before taking the 152 over Pacheco Pass to I-5. That takes the trip up to 9 hours.
Your last sentence hints at a bad supercharger experience. Is that where the extra hour went?
I'm driving from the napa valley area.
It is just easier to drive our gas SUV. I just love driving my X.
It is just easier to drive our gas SUV. I just love driving my X.
xkwizit
Member
Yes it was. I had cruise set to 80mph so perhaps that effected it greatly, I'm not sure.
I have the 20" rims as well, but I really didn't feel like switching the tires for the trip. It could have helped but I don't know if it would have made the difference.
xkwizit
Member
Speed and weather are one of the top killers of range. However, besides that there's also a reprogramming of expectations when road tripping with Tesla. It's a bit because the charging network isn't as dense as the gas station network but also because it takes longer to recharge.
Smaller trips in the beginning like to Monterey area help to tune yourself and the family to what to expect. Once, you have achieved that, road tripping with the X is so much fun.
Also, there is enough info in this forum to help you understand how to optimize supercharging time versus range so you spend more time on the road than at superchargers.
Smaller trips in the beginning like to Monterey area help to tune yourself and the family to what to expect. Once, you have achieved that, road tripping with the X is so much fun.
Also, there is enough info in this forum to help you understand how to optimize supercharging time versus range so you spend more time on the road than at superchargers.
It comes down to time. I love the car. I don't think I'll buy outside of tesla for a long time.
I just need to wait a few years and I'll likely have a tesla waiting at my second home in OC so I'll just fly there and save the time.
I just need to wait a few years and I'll likely have a tesla waiting at my second home in OC so I'll just fly there and save the time.
thecloud
As rhythm raced inside, the ship came alive
That explains the 10 hour trip. Roughly 7.5 hours driving, 2.5 hours stopped at 3 supercharger locations, averaging 45 minutes each. Sounds about right.
Faster speeds (plus wind and elevation changes) will eat up range more quickly, as you guessed, but you would still have to stop 3 times. Coming from Napa down through the East Bay and over to I-5, that would be Gustine, Harris Ranch, and Tejon Ranch. You can plot your trip on evtripplanner.com and see how long each segment would be. (I think it's being overly optimistic about how long this particular trip takes, but it's still a good tool to use in addition to Tesla's onboard navigation.)
As @xkwizit said, it requires a change of mindset to do a Tesla road trip. My wife is actually happy that we stop more often, but I can appreciate that not everyone is in a stop-and-smell-the-roses mood on long trips. If you can let go of having to be at your destination at a specific time, then the trip becomes far more relaxing. When I do have to be at my destination at a specific time, I just factor in the difference and leave earlier than I used to.
Some folks feel that the absolute time from point A to point B is all that matters, and I've read posts on this board that complain about how Tesla is never going to be accepted by the mass market until the elapsed door-to-door clock time is just as quick as a gas-powered car. That argument misses the point, in my view, because you can make use of the charging time to eat and stretch your legs and refresh yourself. It's really nice arriving at "point B" not feeling completely wiped out by the journey.
israndy
Supercharger Hunter
In my ICE I go Bay Bridge to downtown LA and I don't need to stop on the drive down. Typically I am at 83 MPH as those that pass me are often nabbed, but the cops seem to drive right by me, so that seems to be the limit w/o entanglement. At that rate the trip takes about 4.5 hours. But I have the power to keep the speed up and I usually leave at 9 PM to avoid traffic.
I am curious about the Tesla, if I drive slower, but I save enough power to not have to stop one time is that a strategy people use? Or is the difference between various highway speeds negligible (55-85)? On my current electric motorcycle I see the fuel running out and I duck down to surface streets to get home as I can go twice as far even with traffic lights as I can on the freeway at 60 MPH. Full fairing, so NOT as aerodynamic as the Tesla, or my current Honda Insight.
-Randy
I am curious about the Tesla, if I drive slower, but I save enough power to not have to stop one time is that a strategy people use? Or is the difference between various highway speeds negligible (55-85)? On my current electric motorcycle I see the fuel running out and I duck down to surface streets to get home as I can go twice as far even with traffic lights as I can on the freeway at 60 MPH. Full fairing, so NOT as aerodynamic as the Tesla, or my current Honda Insight.
-Randy
xkwizit
Member
@Randy Spencer - I don't think anyone can really skip a supercharger session just by driving slower. Yes, they may be able to shave off a few minutes of charging time but i don't believe there's enough trade off. For me 70-75mph on highways gives me the ideal balance between speed and charging time. The main savings in time come from knowing how far are the next two superchargers. It's advisable to arrive near empty and leave at 70% just when the supercharging slows down. If you have enough to reach the next one plus some buffer, get back on the road.
Also, since in many places, superchargers are about 100miles apart, you may want to skip the next one.
@Jmedlin - yes - with little kids it's a new kind of challenge especially when you are not moving. Maybe some folks with younger kids can chime in. I have read road trip posts from several of them so they may have some insight to share.
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Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
I drove in my X75 from Fremont (picked it up at the Factory, to San Diego.
The Tesla has enlightened me on the benefits of leisurely travel. The thoughts of pulling a Red Eye all nighter, arriving in the early morning exhausted from the trip no longer has much appeal for me.
We made a mini vacation out of picking up the X. Drove from the Factory over to Monterey, stayed at a delightful B&B right on the coast. Spent that evening, and the next morning walking the spectacular coastline. Enjoyed some great meals with wonderful ocean/coast views.
Charged up at a nearby Supercharger and were planning to drive down PCH along the ocean, but a recent rain closed the road to vehicles, so we still needed to take the freeway home. Punched in our new route into the planner, and followed the blue line all the way home.
Total time at SuperChargers was about 1 1/2 hours. These stops had us simply following the display from Super Charger to Super Charger. At each stop we either had a meal, or did some shopping. One was right next to a Costco where we learned they have some of the best tasting pizza for bargain prices. We learned about some of the features of the car on the way, and were blown away at how much space was available in our 5 seater.
The sound system and Slacker are a delight, with good quality material, and no hunting from station to station as the miles rolled on.
We were treated like superstars by people wanting to know about the SUV. How far will it go?...how much did it cost...how fast is it to 60...etc. Everybody wanted to see the doors wing open.
Comparing an electric vehicle to an ICE vehicle might be an interesting discussion, but kind of like arguing about Trump vs. Hillery. They are so different that comparisons are futile. The owners will be changed by the ownership, much like becoming parents, getting a new career, getting married, or learning to scuba dive. Arguing which is the better sport, SCUBA or snow skiing will end up much the same way. No easy answer. An Electric vehicle will change the owner as much as getting a Model T did change the previous horse owner.
The Tesla has enlightened me on the benefits of leisurely travel. The thoughts of pulling a Red Eye all nighter, arriving in the early morning exhausted from the trip no longer has much appeal for me.
We made a mini vacation out of picking up the X. Drove from the Factory over to Monterey, stayed at a delightful B&B right on the coast. Spent that evening, and the next morning walking the spectacular coastline. Enjoyed some great meals with wonderful ocean/coast views.
Charged up at a nearby Supercharger and were planning to drive down PCH along the ocean, but a recent rain closed the road to vehicles, so we still needed to take the freeway home. Punched in our new route into the planner, and followed the blue line all the way home.
Total time at SuperChargers was about 1 1/2 hours. These stops had us simply following the display from Super Charger to Super Charger. At each stop we either had a meal, or did some shopping. One was right next to a Costco where we learned they have some of the best tasting pizza for bargain prices. We learned about some of the features of the car on the way, and were blown away at how much space was available in our 5 seater.
The sound system and Slacker are a delight, with good quality material, and no hunting from station to station as the miles rolled on.
We were treated like superstars by people wanting to know about the SUV. How far will it go?...how much did it cost...how fast is it to 60...etc. Everybody wanted to see the doors wing open.
Comparing an electric vehicle to an ICE vehicle might be an interesting discussion, but kind of like arguing about Trump vs. Hillery. They are so different that comparisons are futile. The owners will be changed by the ownership, much like becoming parents, getting a new career, getting married, or learning to scuba dive. Arguing which is the better sport, SCUBA or snow skiing will end up much the same way. No easy answer. An Electric vehicle will change the owner as much as getting a Model T did change the previous horse owner.
I just need to wait a few years and I'll likely have a tesla waiting at my second home in OC so I'll just fly there and save the time. [/QUOTE]
Come on. It will take you an hour to drive to SFO. 2 hours or more to check in and wait. 1 hour to get to LAX. Another hour to get bags and rental car. Another hour to drive to destination. That's at least 6 hours. I drive from Huntington Beach to San Francisco in 7 hours and 15 minutes in our 85S including a 45 minute supercharging pit stop and lunch and save the cost of the parking, air fare and car rental.
[/QUOTE]Come on. It will take you an hour to drive to SFO. 2 hours or more to check in and wait. 1 hour to get to LAX. Another hour to get bags and rental car. Another hour to drive to destination. That's at least 6 hours. I drive from Huntington Beach to San Francisco in 7 hours and 15 minutes in our 85S including a 45 minute supercharging pit stop and lunch and save the cost of the parking, air fare and car rental.
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