preparing for first road trip -- advice?

[rhaining]

I've got ~3K miles on my M3 long range, but all around town, charging exclusively at home. I'm preparing for my first road trip: round trip between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. I'll be going with my pre-teen son. I have T-Mobile cell service. My main concerns are about cellular data while in Canada. On some past trips (long ago), I wasn't able to get free or reasonably priced cell service while in Canada, so I always make sure roaming is off. I have no idea how seamless (or not) Tesla navigation will be while in Canada. I may charge solely at Tesla superchargers in the US, but of course would prefer more options.

Some specific questions:

• Do I need to do anything in advance of using a Tesla supercharger, or can I just drive up and start charging? E.g. do I need to setup an account first or something?
• Anything I should know about charging in Canada vs. the US? (I know it's the same plugs and power for home electronics, not sure about anything EV related.)
• Can I use Tesla voice controls and maps/navigation just fine while in Canada, without any special setup or cell service?
• A Google maps search shows 4 superchargers along my route: Arlington, Burlington, Bellingham, and Blaine. Anything I should be aware of about these 4?
• The Bellingham supercharger looks further off the freeway than I'd like to go, so I'm tentatively planning on just using the Blaine one, both up and down.
• Are there typically long wait times before starting to charge at any of these superchargers, or is there generally availability anytime I show up?
• Are there convenience stores or restaurants at superchargers?
• A recent Tesla patch included additional games that use a controller. Which controller types will work / anyone have a good recommendation for something specific?

Thanks in advance!

 

[VT_EE]

I've got ~3K miles on my M3 long range, but all around town, charging exclusively at home. I'm preparing for my first road trip: round trip between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. I'll be going with my pre-teen son. I have T-Mobile cell service. My main concerns are about cellular data while in Canada. On some past trips (long ago), I wasn't able to get free or reasonably priced cell service while in Canada, so I always make sure roaming is off. I have no idea how seamless (or not) Tesla navigation will be while in Canada. I may charge solely at Tesla superchargers in the US, but of course would prefer more options.

Some specific questions:

• Do I need to do anything in advance of using a Tesla supercharger, or can I just drive up and start charging? E.g. do I need to setup an account first or something?
• Anything I should know about charging in Canada vs. the US? (I know it's the same plugs and power for home electronics, not sure about anything EV related.)
• Can I use Tesla voice controls and maps/navigation just fine while in Canada, without any special setup or cell service?
• A Google maps search shows 4 superchargers along my route: Arlington, Burlington, Bellingham, and Blaine. Anything I should be aware of about these 4?
• The Bellingham supercharger looks further off the freeway than I'd like to go, so I'm tentatively planning on just using the Blaine one, both up and down.
• Are there typically long wait times before starting to charge at any of these superchargers, or is there generally availability anytime I show up?
• Are there convenience stores or restaurants at superchargers?
• A recent Tesla patch included additional games that use a controller. Which controller types will work / anyone have a good recommendation for something specific?

Thanks in advance!

Most T-Mobile plans include data and voice in Canada. Call them to confirm, but I think you are good to go. No need to turn off roaming.

 

[vanjwilson]

...

Some specific questions:

• Do I need to do anything in advance of using a Tesla supercharger, or can I just drive up and start charging? E.g. do I need to setup an account first or something?
• ...
• Are there convenience stores or restaurants at superchargers?
• ...

While I'm not familiar with the particular superchargers you've mapped, and I haven't traveled in Canada, I can reassure you about your two general supercharger questions.

You probably set up a payment method (credit card) when you took delivery of your car, but you can check it, and change or add a credit card by logging into your Tesla account, choosing the Account option, and then choosing Payment Method from the vertical menu that appears. (On the mobile app, the steps are slightly different: tap your profile picture, choose Account, and then choose Wallet.)

Once you have a current payment method on file, all you have to do at each supercharger is hold the handle a few inches from your charge port, with the handle pointed at the port like you're about to plug in, then press the button on top of the handle. The port will open, and you can just insert the handle. The car will track how much energy you use and bill your payment method after you finish the charging session.

Superchargers can be at a variety of different types of businesses: hotels, shopping centers, restaurants or convenience stores. The minimum requirement seems to be a place where Tesla drivers can use the bathroom, at least during regular business hours. They usually try to site the chargers in areas that have multiple dining options within walking distance.

You can check what's at a charger by clicking on it on the map of the Find Us page of the Tesla website, if you're at a computer, or tapping on its pin on the Tesla nav screen. In either method, there will be a section labeled "Amenities" in the window that pops up, and clicking/tapping on each icon will bring up a list of nearby amenities on the map. (see screenshot below)

• Knife and Fork icon: Dining options
• Signal Strength icon: WiFi options
• Bed icon: Lodging options
• Female/Male Silhouette icons: Restroom options

If a particular type of icon doesn't appear for a particular supercharger, it just mean Tesla doesn't consider that any nearby ones are within "walking distance", which can usually extend to half a mile around the supercharger.

Hope this helps, and good luck on your trip!

 

[charlesoris]

The superchargers in Canada are set for time-based billing, not like in the US which are based on kWh.

 

[BitJam]

Can I use Tesla voice controls and maps/navigation just fine while in Canada, without any special setup or cell service?

Voice commands and other things require the car to have cell coverage. When I go out of cell range I try to make sure I have plenty of music on usb. I also download music to my phone and download movies to my tablet.

I imagine most of the places in Canada where you travel will have cell coverage. I live in rural New Mexico near the Gila Wilderness so I frequently lose cell coverage when I try to go somewhere interesting.

A recent Tesla patch included additional games that use a controller. Which controller types will work / anyone have a good recommendation for something specific?

The wireless Logitech F710 and the wired (and cheaper) F310 have both worked here. I imagine most controllers will work. If you don't have data available in your center console usb ports you may want to invest in the kit that adds it. Some people also had to install a data cable that usually doesn't come with the kit.

You may also want to get a usb hub for the center console. I got a cheap one made by SUMK which has worked flawlessly. My strategy has been to use the glovebox port for my TeslaCam device only and use the center console ports for everything else.

 

[GtiMart]

I've travelled from Canada to US and superchargers will just work the same way, using the same credit card on file. There is no difference. Connectivity in the car worked fine after crossing the border although it might take a few minutes for the LTE modem to adjust. I've heard reports from other people that it will work as well in the other direction. Amenities vary persite just like in the USA. I believe you can see them when looking at supercharger details in the car?
Some superchargers are busier than others, more on weekends etc just like in the US. You'll get "live" availability in the car the same way you do at home.

 

[rhaining]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

Didn't realize there was a way to check amenities near superchargers on Tesla's site, that's good to know. OTOH I'm not interested in walking half a mile to get to them. :^)

Here are a few things I learned on this trip. I'm sure these are common knowledge to most Tesla owners but I'll post them in case it helps someone.

• I used the car's navigation system to navigate to the supercharger I wanted to go to. This proved to be a good idea for a reason I didn't expect: it began pre-conditioning the batteries for optimal supercharging. Good to know: always tell the car if you're heading to a supercharger.
• There is no building or signage for a supercharger. I was expecting something like a gas station / convenience store combo, something you can easily see from the road, but they're just a set of chargers in rented parking lot spaces of other businesses.
• Because of this, I had a slightly hard time finding the first one which was a little freaky. (I was already nervous taking an EV for a long road trip for the first time, relying on a sparse network of chargers I've never seen before, and the car's map leads me to... a large strip mall's empty parking lot with no charging station in sight. Not great. It triggered "range anxiety". But just like the range anxiety of buying an EV for the first time, you quickly realize such fears are totally overblown. I drove around the parking lot and eventually found the place. FYI, this was in Blaine and the superchargers are near the Jack-in-the-Box.) Once I knew not to look for big signs or buildings, it was trivial to find the 2nd one on the return trip, which also happened to be a much smaller parking lot so hard to miss the chargers.
• As others said would happen, I didn't need to do anything special to use a supercharger. Didn't need to set up an account, didn't need to swipe a credit card, nothing. I just drove up, and plugged in like I was at home, and it worked. Even easier than using a gas station! Apparently, I had setup a credit card on my Tesla iPhone app when I first got the car, and it charged that credit card automatically.
• I had a pleasant experience with another Tesla owner, who was kind enough to answer my dumb and pedantic questions. Having a Tesla and meeting other Tesla owners does feel a bit like being in a club, which is nice. I learned that, because the couple had bought their EV 4 years ago when Tesla offered different incentives, they had free supercharging for life! Pretty great deal!
• Supercharger prices were 4x what I pay for electricity at home, but still ~half the price of gas. I spent a total of $20 on 44 KWHs which was ~60% of a full battery charge on my M3LR, split across two chargings. The entire round trip from the Seattle area to Vancouver BC and back was ~115% of a full battery charge.
• There were zero amenities at the superchargers themselves. No hot food, no vending machine, no bathroom, no squeegee to clean the windshield, not even a trash can. But in both cases, there was a fast food joint within 100 yards. (Both superchargers were next to Jack-in-the-Boxes in different towns. Maybe Tesla made a bulk deal with the chain?)
• I don't think this was ideal, but I charged to 100% at home, stopped at 50%-60% at a supercharger, and charged up to 90%. Thinking it would take some time, I got a snack for both of us at the fast food place and used the bathroom. This amount of charging took ~10 minutes or less, and was done well before I was ready to leave!
• After charging, the Tesla gave me these tips. This was just the right level of info for me. I can't immediately find a website with this info, so here it is:
  • Find the fastest supercharger - filter by 3 electric bolt icons in navigation
  • Navigate to the supercharger - battery will precondition for faster charging
  • Arrive with 20% battery or less - maximize charge rate
  • Leave space between cars - neighboring stalls may share power
  • Move your car after charging - idle fees may apply
• I charged in 10 minute increments so had no time to try out games or the new controller I had purchased.
• I don't pay for premium connectivity on the car. (TBH I haven't bothered to learn how the car deals with connectivity. I assume it has it's own slow cell connection which Tesla (wisely) doesn't make you pay a subscription for, though I suppose it's possible it's piggybacking on my cell's phone's cell connection via Bluetooth.) Whatever the case, all car functions continued to work flawlessly after crossing the border. It was great having always-on maps in Canada! (Due to a horrible roaming experience years ago, I usually just take a printed map.) The Tesla's maps even translated KM/H to MPH. I was briefly paranoid I would get some automatic surcharge to my credit card given the app has my credit card, but I haven't seen any such charge.
• Overall, it was a fantastic experience and cheaper than a gas car. I will happily use my M3 for any road trips where it's just me. (Taking the whole family and luggage, the M3 might be a bit too cramped for a long trip.)

 

[Rocky_H]

Because of this, I had a slightly hard time finding the first one which was a little freaky. (I was already nervous taking an EV for a long road trip for the first time, relying on a sparse network of chargers I've never seen before, and the car's map leads me to... a large strip mall's empty parking lot with no charging station in sight. Not great. It triggered "range anxiety". But just like the range anxiety of buying an EV for the first time, you quickly realize such fears are totally overblown. I drove around the parking lot and eventually found the place. FYI, this was in Blaine and the superchargers are near the Jack-in-the-Box.) Once I knew not to look for big signs or buildings, it was trivial to find the 2nd one on the return trip, which also happened to be a much smaller parking lot so hard to miss the chargers.

The navigation will basically get you into the parking lot, but not more specific than that. What you do then, is look at the map a little closer. The pin on the map will be very exact to show exactly where the stalls are and where your car is, so you can see what direction to go.

There were zero amenities at the superchargers themselves. No hot food, no vending machine, no bathroom, no squeegee to clean the windshield, not even a trash can. But in both cases, there was a fast food joint within 100 yards.

Yeah, you have to think of that differently. The Superchargers themselves are not any kind of store or business. It's just an agreement for them to rent some parking spaces at the edge of someone else's parking lot. So you just look around on Google Maps or whatever at what places are nearby.

 

[threeputts]

I don't think this was ideal, but I charged to 100% at home, stopped at 50%-60% at a supercharger, and charged up to 90%.

Next time try to arrive at 10-20% and charge to whatever you need to get to the next one with 10-20% again. Your charge stops will be noticably faster.

 

[bradtem]

Some too late advice. You will find no problems at all so long as your mobile phone plan covers Canada without fat roaming charges. If it doesn't, consider a plan switch. Or worst case if you will spend more than a few days, get a Canadian SIM card from one of the various companies that sell them and have a local phone. Forward your US number to the Canadian number (possibly before switching SIMs)

Now, the other piece of advice, if you plan on getting out of Vancouver. Vancouver is loaded with superchargers and Teslas, and the main highway (TCH) also has plenty. But BC is a very large province and there are no superchargers in many areas -- but there are lots of CCS chargers, even free ones in the southern half of the province. No fast charging of any kind north of Prince George. So get the Tesla CCS adapter or CHAdeMO adapter for any real road tripping there.