Reno <--> Boise: Bridging the Gap

[jackbowers]

While it is possible to hyper-mile the 253-mile gap between the Winnemucca and Boise Superchargers in the summer, it doesn't work in the winter and taking three extra hours to go through Twin Falls isn't much better. Two of us in Reno who do this route often are lobbying the owner of the "Say When" casino in McDermitt and we're offering to pay for a destination charger, installation costs and (if necessary) electricity.

But what I don't know is, how many others would be interested in traveling this route? I hope to meet with the casino owner sometime soon, and would like to give him an idea of how popular the route would be. Also trying to gauge whether we would need two chargers or if one would suffice.

Thanks!

 

[David Kent]

Stopping in Jordan Valley Oregon for 1 hour at RV park is probably only viable option.

 

[KJD]

Have you contacted Tesla about this idea? They have been pretty generous in providing HPWC hardware in the past.

[email protected]

 

[Rocky_H]

While it is possible to hyper-mile the 253-mile gap between the Winnemucca and Boise Superchargers in the summer, it doesn't work in the winter and taking three extra hours to go through Twin Falls isn't much better. Two of us in Reno who do this route often are lobbying the owner of the "Say When" casino in McDermitt and we're offering to pay for a destination charger, installation costs and (if necessary) electricity.

But what I don't know is, how many others would be interested in traveling this route? I hope to meet with the casino owner sometime soon, and would like to give him an idea of how popular the route would be. Also trying to gauge whether we would need two chargers or if one would suffice.

Thanks!

That is a very significant route, since even gas car drivers I have talked to said they always take that route driving between Boise and the SF bay area.

Jack Bowers, You mentioned “two of us in Reno who do this route often”. I may have met the other person if this is who you are talking about. Dave Aubuchon lives in the Reno area and has charged at my house in Boise a couple of times on his trips here. He was the first I heard of to do that drive from Winnemucca to Boise in one straight shot.

For most people on that route, I thought Jordan Valley was the more common stop than McDermitt, but neither is all that big. Jordan Valley does have the RV park that is the current solution, but does also have a few businesses (restaurant, ice cream place, and a coffee shop) that might be willing to install a HPWC.

- - - Updated - - -

Have you contacted Tesla about this idea? They have been pretty generous in providing HPWC hardware in the past.

[email protected]

Right idea, but our contacting the destination charging program doesn’t help. Tesla wouldn’t know who to give it to. We need to talk with the businesses and find some place willing to take it, and have them ask for it.

 

[Cottonwood]

Right idea, but our contacting the destination charging program doesn’t help. Tesla wouldn’t know who to give it to. We need to talk with the businesses and find some place willing to take it, and have them ask for it.

Correct! If yo can find the right business, and the business contacts the Destination Charging Program, that works best. Restaurants, Motels, etc seem to have the best success.

Destination Charging Contact Form

 

[jackbowers]

Update: I met with the casino owner and gave him a 75A Clipper Creek unit that Tim Hastrup donated to the cause when he left for Denmark. The casino owner will be lining up a visit from an electrical contractor in early February, and I've agreed to pay the installation cost (which is coming from an unexpected windfall from interest earned lending out my Tesla stock to short-sellers). The casino owner will pay for the electricity and allow EV travelers to charge for free. Although Tesla has ignored this route, I see it as a high priority. Oregon is raising the speed limit on highway 95 from 55 mph to 70 mph effective 3/1/16, and there's no way that Tesla drivers going between Boise and Reno are going to be happy taking three extra hours to go through Twin Falls!

P.S. The Destination charging program is a future possibility, but right now Tesla is apparently back-ordered on HPCs for who knows how long. It appears that some Model S buyers under the referral program are getting free HPCs and center consoles delivered with their cars, which has depleted the stock. Also, the reason I picked this location, not Jordon Valley, is that the casino is a 24-hour location, and is a more pleasant place to hang out for an hour compared with what I saw in Jordon Valley. If a second charging site near Marsing can be identified I'll help pay for that too.

 

[Rocky_H]

Wow, that is amazing! Thank you.

 

[roblab]

Thanks, Jack!

I, for one, surely appreciate you and your efforts.

I don't drive to Boise, but to Ontario, only a couple miles further, to a motel with 14-50 overnight charging. I plan to do this in May, so I miss out on your winter excitement, and I traded up to a 90D, which helps a bit. I was planning to just do the 260 mile jump, but now I'll have to see the casino and view the charger.

Bend, Burns, Ontario overnight, Winnemucca, Lovelock, Fallon for family, and Fernley overnight, then home. Makes a nice drive.

 

[tritbs1998]

We drove Winnemucca to Boise in October and stopped at the RV park in Jordan Valley. As it turns out we would have had enough range to make it home (in Boise). We did 60 through Oregon. However, a destination charger in McDermitt would be fabulous. Thanks for making it happen!

I did notice on the Plug Share site that the RV park in Orovada is offering the use of 14-50 outlets.

 

[Rocky_H]

Update: I met with the casino owner and gave him a 75A Clipper Creek unit that Tim Hastrup donated to the cause when he left for Denmark. The casino owner will be lining up a visit from an electrical contractor in early February, and I've agreed to pay the installation cost

Jack, any follow-up on whether the casino got this installed or will be soon?

 

[jackbowers]

Latest update: The Casino owner finally got a bid for the electrical work, and I agreed to cover the cost. No install date yet. Because McDermitt is an out-of-the way place it's hard to get electrical contractors to drive out there, and this project is not his top priority, so it's been slow going.

Turns out there is an RV park owner in Jordon Valley (Sunny Ridge) who has interest in doing a Tesla charging station, but hasn't been able to secure a charger yet, so to get things going I'm going to take him a destination charger tomorrow and donate it to the cause. It's not an ideal location but you can walk along the highway a couple blocks to a Basque restaurant and a gas station (although not recommended at night).

 

[jackbowers]

Great news! Turns out the charger was installed last week. I stopped by on the way to Boise to inspect and test it out, everything looks good. 72A 208V (15 kW) setup delivers 40-45 mile per hour charge rate with Model S/X.

 

[Rocky_H]

That's great news, thanks. Good to have greater than 40A available on that route, although my single charger will not be as appreciative as other people's cars.

 

[David15]

That's great news, thanks. Good to have greater than 40A available on that route, although my single charger will not be as appreciative as other people's cars.

Great work Jack. I'm in Boise right now and my son, Rockys neighbor, told me about the "Say When" charger. We brought the truck and travel trailer this time, but the charger will definitely come in handy in the future.

 

[Vic_F]

We drive that route 1-2 times per year from Roseville, CA to Boise area to visit family. Will be nice once I get my Model 3.

 

[ecarfan]

Jack, thanks for your good work! Did you put that charging location on Plugshare?

 

[Rocky_H]

Jack, thanks for your good work! Did you put that charging location on Plugshare?

It's in there. A few more people have checked in on it since then.

 

[FlatSix911]

Well done!

 

[cpa]

Yes, much thanks from me on this installation. I used it a couple weeks ago! I also met LuAnn, owner of the Say When. Forty minutes of charging let me arrive at Winnemucca with 7%. I have dual chargers.

Now that the speed limit in Nevada on US95 is 70, this location really helps.

 

[obe1]

Just did this stretch, thank you for all the work to get the Say When hooked up. Figured I would offer my numbers/experience, maybe help someone in future.

I used abettertripplanner to plan trip. Details: Model x 100D 20" winter tires with 45 cold PSI. 110% speed.

The Plan: 100% from N end Boise to Say When 85% 2:55 min, S.W. -> Winnemucca 37% 1:08 min.

Reality: Boise -> S.W.: Avg outside Temp 32deg, inside 60deg, driver seat warmer (3), steering wheel on. Mostly dry, a few spots of wet road. 2 hour 55 min. 94% used. 456 Wh/Mi, Speed Avg 60, Driving mostly 7 over limit and passing fast.

Difference plan vs reality: 9% extra usage. Checked the trip planner, showed the speed at only 60 for areas that are really 70, seems to be a common problem with this stretch of road, no one seems to have fully updated the speed limit. This is a problem with autopilot as well, when have no data car reverts to 55 MPH

Reality: S.W. -> Win: Slowed to Speed limit 70, no heavy foot passing, 1:13 min, 34% 392 Wh/Mi, Avg Temp 23 deg

What I learned, will do differently: Spent 2+ hours charging. Have 72 AMP charger = 14.5% per hour 14 Kw. So the extra few min I saved driving fast with lots of passing, was heavily penalized with the slower charger time. For example if I can save 50 Wh/Mi for the 183 Miles = 9.15 Kw or 40 Mins. That is with the 72 AMP charger.

The route planner other then this stretch was impressively accurate.

Also I realized later that range mode was not on, hand face palm.