Red Centre Adventure !

[Shock-On-T]

So jealous. I could get annual leave or would have been there.

 

[RichardMcN]

So jealous. I could get annual leave or would have been there.

Maybe next time @ShockOnT ! A few people have expressed interest in a future TOCA AGM in Alice. When we get the charging sorted of course. You could do a swap-over with another driver for the return leg and really save time.

 

[*KT*]

284wh/km in an S driving at 100km/h. That was some headwind indeed.

I only know that amazingly bad due to this forum. Thats my Xs daily average for me after a couple of squirts of ludicrous on the way to work!

 

[RichardMcN]

Yep @*KT* round town is worse. I get ~245Wh/km round town in an S with a hilly stop start trip to work (but glad I don't have ludicrous - my stomach isn't up for it!). Highway typically 200.

 

[Mark E]

Yep @*KT* round town is worse. I get ~245Wh/km round town in an S with a hilly stop start trip to work (but glad I don't have ludicrous - my stomach isn't up for it!). Highway typically 200.

Interesting - I average just under 200 around town and closer to 180 or under on the open road. That must really must have been some headwind.

 

[RichardMcN]

Here we go ! !

 

[Chuq]

So how far did you make it today?

 

[RichardMcN]

So how far did you make it today?

A modest but hopefully successful day @Chuq

These guys take their sports cars to the Territory for a bit of a burst !

Started out and got used to the scenery ...

Charging at Mt Gunstone Mine run by 2 families. Very hospitable. As Daryl (who is joining us from Canberra via Mildura) has discovered, 3 phase outlets with neutral connected are not that common in workshops (even if there is a neutral pin it is often not wired in). So they started up the diesel generator set for us! Left them with a couple of bottles of wine as a thank you.

420km to Coober Pedy (with mild headwing but just too much) and no fallbacks for over 200km before, so we took a leisurely drive to Glendambo - a 288km day overall.


Tessie loves Woomera !

This is the country of large salt lakes. Wow. Lake Hart has water now which is rare.

Normal for this sort of trip

Glendambo Hotel Motel. Rob was luke warm on 3 phase outlets and asked if electric cars could reach 110km/h ! ! ! I took him for a launch and dispelled the myth, and he's now accepted our 3 phase outlet and will be pushing the owners to let him install it !!

 

[RichardMcN]

COOBER PEDY DAY ! ! !

Dawn Start at Glendambo

We had 3 hours in CP while Tessie charged. A bit of a headwind so lots of charging.

Coober Pedy is the closest to the Wild West I have ever seen in Australia. With tourism added !

This cool underground hotel accepted our 3 phase socket and hopefully will install !

Crazy living arrangements ...

Mining tech!

Hmmm

Cool

Marla for the evening !

 

[WhiteStar]

Richard what a great trip, beautiful pics, fantastic commentary and a truly admirable mission. I know I'll be relating this story to as many people as possible...a real education to most.

 

[RichardMcN]

Thanks @WhiteStar . Plus it's fun !

Charging on the octopus (2x15A) at Marla

Fred from Pimba constructions was good enough to give us a 3 phase burst to 100% in the morning.

Long term we left Marla Roadhouse with a 3 phase outlet and a sign and the manager there thinks she'll be able to get it installed.

Alice Springs is 450km away with the Kulgera outlet untested and Erldunda unclear if installed.

So we do the first 2 hours at 70km/h to make Alice (against the headwind) if all fails. Great economy !

Hooray Kulgera (a less common 20A outlet) works ! (Thanks Daryl for organising)

The Gap at Alice

Yes this is registered!

Daryl arrives - now 2 Teslas in Alice !

And pancakes at the McDonnell Ranges Big 4 Holiday park where Brendan has installed two 32 amp 3 phase outlets for us and future EV's ! ! !

 

[Blue heaven]

Thanks @WhiteStar . Plus it's fun !

Charging on the octopus (2x15A) at Marla
View attachment 240966

Fred from Pimba constructions was good enough to give us a 3 phase burst to 100% in the morning.

Long term we left Marla Roadhouse with a 3 phase outlet and a sign and the manager there thinks she'll be able to get it installed.

Alice Springs is 450km away with the Kulgera outlet untested and Erldunda unclear if installed.

View attachment 240964

So we do the first 2 hours at 70km/h to make Alice (against the headwind) if all fails. Great economy !
View attachment 240965

Hooray Kulgera (a less common 20A outlet) works ! (Thanks Daryl for organising)
View attachment 240967

The Gap at Alice
View attachment 240968

Yes this is registered!
View attachment 240969

Daryl arrives - now 2 Teslas in Alice !
View attachment 240970

And pancakes at the McDonnell Ranges Big 4 Holiday park where Brendan has installed two 32 amp 3 phase outlets for us and future EV's ! ! !
View attachment 240972

Strawberries, Pancakes, Pavlova, Cappuccino, EV charging, Big 4 Holiday park you Rock!

 

[*KT*]

Fabulous wh/km Richard. I need to learn to drive like you.
How much dust is getting inside? I noticed my seals coped very well after my offroad adventures but certainly accumulated dust in the charge port and at the bottom of the falcon wing doors. What impress me is the sensors/cameras cope well with the dust. Better than they cope with dead bug bits.

 

[RichardMcN]

Fabulous wh/km Richard. I need to learn to drive like you.
How much dust is getting inside? I noticed my seals coped very well after my offroad adventures but certainly accumulated dust in the charge port and at the bottom of the falcon wing doors. What impress me is the sensors/cameras cope well with the dust. Better than they cope with dead bug bits.

When the alternative is being stuck in the outback, the motivation to drive conservatively is there, believe me @*KT* ! !
Just stick the autopilot on 70, range mode, fan high, aircon off, turn up the music and enjoy the scenery!
Actually remote outback roads are great for hypermiling. With the low traffic volumes and open visibility, road trains can just cruise past you and you are not forced to speed up as they come up from behind !

On the dust front, we have our permit now for the Mereenie Loop Road which the Visitors Centre says is 4WD and the Landcruiser mob says is too rough for us! I'll really be able to let you know then ! ! !

On the other hand my sister did it in a Ford Laser two years ago with 2 young kids !
.

 

[*KT*]

Motivation indeed. Actually what you say makes a lot of sense regarding outback driving and hypermiling in an EV. I am sure you have it down to a fine art by now. I assume there are times you have been a little less conservative this year, just due to experience. And others (like the Adelaide stretch) where that knowledge helped you be more conservative than a beginner would have.

I saw the undercarriage thursday night in the service centre. It seems pretty solid and definately less bits to get torn off on rocks etc, not to mention no petrol tank to get punctured.
If the laser can do it, tessie definately can. Looks a hoot.

 

[baillies]

Keep up the good work! Seems you like these radio interviews.

Plug in and GO

 

[RichardMcN]

NOW FOR THE ECO FAIR ...

Alice springs is a lot greener, tidier and more scenic than people think. The Gap is in the distance ...

The Tesla Team in the Curry Cook Off against 4 other mostly local teams!

Wish them luck. L-R Costa (judge), Daryl (75D), Greg (AEVA and TOCA), Rich Bentley (yellow shirt organised this trip), Hugh from Towoomba, Dennis the surfer (travelling with us).

Hooray - not a victory but placed in the top 5 ! !

Lots of interest at the fair ...

Our little talk

And to cap it off, Rex the Alice Springs Town Council CEO, agrees to install two 3 phase outlets. Maybe a TOCA AGM at Alice Springs is not out of the question !

Now for a Rotary engagement and then ULURU via the Loop !

 

[AudubonB]

Dang...it's been over 24 hours and no update. All Alaska is I'm anxiously waiting the next installment!

 

[Blue heaven]

Dang...it's been over 24 hours and no update. All Alaska is I'm anxiously waiting the next installment!

Same here, I'm thinking that Macca's in Kings Canyon doesn't offer free wifi for Richard to upload photos.

 

[JenniferQ]

As a former expat to OZ, and citizen as well, now living in California, I am in awe of the effort this trip took. Good onya, mate!

We are so spoiled here with our Tesla superchargers every 100-200 miles. You are bringing the change.