Plan to drive a Model 3 Performance across Canada and the US

[ecarfan]

(Moderator note: these posts were moved from the California Supercharger forum at Supercharger - Santa Monica Place (permit found, 10 stalls) to their own thread in this forum)

Here's hoping that is in place by end of September. I will be driving my new P3D+ end-to-end on Interstate 95 then the Trans-Canada-Highway then end-to end of Interstate 5 coming back to Santa Monica to begin the end-to-end of Interstate 10. It would be superb to start I-10 with a Supercharger.

Sounds like an awesome drive. I'm assuming you'll have to do most of the Trans Canada Hwy on L2?

 

[jbcarioca]

Not really. Most of the distance has Superchargers, but there is about 1/3 of the distance that does not. In many areas there are 60A or better L2 AC so that is far better than in might be and in almost every situation there is somewhere to stay overnight that has charging. Frankly, the only really difficult part is Western Ontario where there is not much population anywhere.

In a few weeks we'll know how it has gone...

 

[mlebl1h]

Not really. Most of the distance has Superchargers, but there is about 1/3 of the distance that does not. In many areas there are 60A or better L2 AC so that is far better than in might be and in almost every situation there is somewhere to stay overnight that has charging. Frankly, the only really difficult part is Western Ontario where there is not much population anywhere.

In a few weeks we'll know how it has gone...

I'd love to see a report as you progress, or when you're done. As for superchargers, there doesn't seem to be anything between Sudbury and Calgary, but yeah, chargehub shows lots of high-power L2 along that route.

 

[jbcarioca]

When I take delivery of my M3P+ next Tuesday I will have photos, and more during the treatment by First Impression. On the 11th, my traveling companion @raynewman (owner of Model S with two Model 3’s reserved in Brisbane) and I will commence the trip from Tampa. Soon I’ll post the planned route and post updates each day.

All this does depend on actually receiving delivery, of course...

 

[Blu Angel]

@jbcarioca,
This sounds like a great trip!

First going up US East coast
then across Canada
Finally down West US coast

How long are you planning to experience this drive?
What are you expecting for daily drive distances?
Coming by Toronto, Canada?

 

[jbcarioca]

@jbcarioca,
This sounds like a great trip!

First going up US East coast
then across Canada
Finally down West US coast

How long are you planning to experience this drive?
What are you expecting for daily drive distances?
Coming by Toronto, Canada?

The entire trip is about 40 days, including the return trip from Santa Monica, CA to Miami, FL.The idea is basically to travel all of I-95, nearly all the Trans-Canada (leaving out Newfoundland), then almost all of I-5, then the entirety of I-40.
Expecting to average about 650km per day, but quite a bit more in boring areas and much slower when it is interesting.
Probably the slowest stretch will be Sudbury-Winnipeg without Superchargers but with a lot of spectacular scenery.

 

[TLej]

Probably the slowest stretch will be Sudbury-Winnipeg without Superchargers but with a lot of spectacular scenery.

And then hammer down from Winnipeg to Calgary

 

[cpa]

US101 is a much better drive from Seattle south than taking Interstate 5. You are along the Pacific Coast throughout Washington and a lot of Oregon. In California the road kisses the coast near Crescent City and Eureka before heading inland until San Francisco. Highway 1 from Leggett will hug the coast until it merges with 101 just north of the Golden Gate. (Tolls over the bridge are collected inbound to San Francisco, however. Outbound is free.) Highway 1 also hugs the coast from San Francisco all the way to San Luis Obispo. Superchargers are in Monterey.

You can get to Interstate 5 from San Luis Obispo easily enough (Highway 166 east to I5, Supercharge at Ft. Tejon, then northeast on Highway 223 to Highway 58 to Barstow and Interstate 40.)

Interstate 5 is quite boring, particularly the further south you get.

Sounds like a fun trip. Apologies if these suggestions are already in your wheelhouse!

 

[Blu Angel]

@cpa,

Really like this suggested route Hwy US 101.

I've driven it many times from San Fran down to Carmel to thru Big Sur and onto San Simeon (Heart Castle)
San Luis Obispo (wine route to Fess Parker Vineyards) Los Olivos and onto Santa Barbara & LA is just down from here

I would suggest you drive a max 500 km per day.
This will reduce at least 1 hour of driving and allow you to explore the regions

 

[jbcarioca]

US101 is a much better drive from Seattle south than taking Interstate 5. You are along the Pacific Coast throughout Washington and a lot of Oregon. In California the road kisses the coast near Crescent City and Eureka before heading inland until San Francisco. Highway 1 from Leggett will hug the coast until it merges with 101 just north of the Golden Gate. (Tolls over the bridge are collected inbound to San Francisco, however. Outbound is free.) Highway 1 also hugs the coast from San Francisco all the way to San Luis Obispo. Superchargers are in Monterey.

You can get to Interstate 5 from San Luis Obispo easily enough (Highway 166 east to I5, Supercharge at Ft. Tejon, then northeast on Highway 223 to Highway 58 to Barstow and Interstate 40.)

Interstate 5 is quite boring, particularly the further south you get.

Sounds like a fun trip. Apologies if these suggestions are already in your wheelhouse!

Good suggestions! I first made the 1/101 for the first time when I was about 5 years old, when my family lived in Santa Cruz and we drove to Victoria BC to see my mother's family. We were in my father's shiny new 1950 Ford. A year or so ago I made the same trip again in a Model X 90D. My travelling companion IIRC has never been on this route. If we have the time I'd love to do it, now that the closures are gone, although the last I heard I5 still had a fire closure or two. We also are visiting the Fremont factory on October 3 and are trying to get to Fresno for demonstration flights in the new Pipstrel Alpha:
Pipistrel ALPHA Trainer designed for Light Sport Aircraft Flying Schools
Odd that Slovenia ends out producing one of the first production electric aircraft.

 

[jbcarioca]

Now the first photos, pre- cosmetic surgery:

 

[WhiteStar]

We also are visiting the Fremont factory on October 3 and are trying to get to Fresno for demonstration flights in the new Pipstrel Alpha:
Pipistrel ALPHA Trainer designed for Light Sport Aircraft Flying Schools
Odd that Slovenia ends out producing one of the first production electric aircraft.

Sounds fantastic! I hope you & Ray have a great trip. All of great interest to me but especially the electric aircraft part & the scenery of course. I fly a Pipistrel Virus, an ICE tail-dragger version of the Alpha Electro. Please shoot some video of the Electro in flight & post.

I cannot wait for the day the Panthera Electro has the range of a Cirrus.

BTW having been to the Pipistrel factory, it’s no surprise they produced the first production electric aircraft, ironically not the Alpha but the Taurus electro motorglider released several years ago. I’m sure they haven’t sold many but still available to purchase.

 

[jbcarioca]

Sounds fantastic! I hope you & Ray have a great trip. All of great interest to me but especially the electric aircraft part & the scenery of course. I fly a Pipistrel Virus, an ICE tail-dragger version of the Alpha Electro. ..

BTW having been to the Pipistrel factory, it’s no surprise they produced the first production electric aircraft, ironically not the Alpha but the Taurus electro motorglider released several years ago. I’m sure they haven’t sold many but still available to purchase.

Ray mentioned you. I envy your visit to Pipstrel. My last visit to the area I was mostly on the Italian side so missed Pipstrel, much to my regret. I’m a fan of the APIS, almost pure glider performance less the irritating tow planes.

 

[cpa]

and are trying to get to Fresno for demonstration

JB, we live four miles from the Fresno SC. Give me a PM a day or two before your arrival, and I shall be glad to meet you there.

 

[X.l.r.8]

I envy you, I just drove my roadster back from Seattle to Toronto, L2 only and a 240 mile max range. Some places were 40A but 70A chargers help a lot for when you run out of supercharger stops.

 

[raynewman]

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