Road trip: Seattle to Vancouver, BC

[DMan]

In light of the supercharger price hikes, I have the option of taking my 2015 85D or an ICE suv.

Is supercharging still free for those of us with older Model S cars? Will we get charged idling fees at superchargers if the car is at full charge? Would it make more sense just to drive an ICE on a road trip now?

 

[Decibelle]

Definitely take the S unless you like driving one of your other cars more. SC is still free for your car and there are many places to charge between Seattle and Vancouver. Tsawwassen Mills, just across the border, is a great mall for a walk while charging. Just go out and move the car when the charge is full and head back in again if you need to continue shopping.

 

[ewoodrick]

If you have free Supercharging, it still is free. Yes, you will get charged idle fees. Why would it make more sense to drive an ICE?

 

[AMPd]

If you have free Supercharging, it still is free. Yes, you will get charged idle fees. Why would it make more sense to drive an ICE?

Well if supercharging is not free (which is what op is asking) some ICE cars are actually cheaper to use on a road trip.

 

[f205v]

Well if supercharging is not free (which is what op is asking) some ICE cars are actually cheaper to use on a road trip.

That is true only if you use ICEs smaller and less luxurious than a Model S and only in countries were the petrol cost is extremely cheap. Good luck trying to save on a roadtrip using an ICE in Europe!

 

[AMPd]

That is true only if you use ICEs smaller and less luxurious than a Model S and only in countries were the petrol cost is extremely cheap. Good luck trying to save on a roadtrip using an ICE in Europe!

Nope not true at all, A Lexus LS hybrid is more luxurious, same size as model S and would be cheaper to use on a road trip.

 

[f205v]

Well, on common terms, an hybrid is not usually referred to as an ICE (even if they have an Internal Combustion Engine).
If in your previous post your meaning was: ICE = ANYthing with an internal combustion engine (including hybrids), then you are right.
If it was to be read as commonly happens: ICE = an internal combustion engine vehicle ONLY (hybrids excluded), then I'm right especially considering European cost for petrol.

BTW, in any case the cost per Km (or cost per mile) is a little more complex calculation, where you have to factor in EVERY cost for the car (including depreciation and including cost of money over the time you own the car). I'm quite nerdy with numbers and keeping spreadsheets for every car and motorbike I have ever owned; in my specific case (your mileage may vary) my previous car was a second hand Mercedes GL, my actual car is in sign below.
The cost/km of the Mercedes has been 0,689651 CHF/Km (over a period of 5 years with a total of 160.000 Km)
The cost/km of the Tesla is extimated at 0,806 CHF/Km (over a period of 5 years with a total of 150.000 Km and a residual value at the end of the period of zero!) Obviously any residual value will contribute to reduce the cost/Km.

 

[BerTX]

Nope not true at all, A Lexus LS hybrid is more luxurious, same size as model S and would be cheaper to use on a road trip.

Gasoline is about $5.60US per gallon in Europe.

 

[AMPd]

Gasoline is about $5.60US per gallon in Europe.

I don’t live there, nor does OP. So how is that relevant to the questions asked?

 

[dark cloud]

Nope not true at all, A Lexus LS hybrid is more luxurious, same size as model S and would be cheaper to use on a road trip.

Lexus LS 460 at 19 miles per gallon: Seattle to Vancouver is 142 miles: using gas prices in Vancouver at 1.24/L today (it was 1.60 not long ago...) = $4.71 per gallon that would be $35.20 or $70.40 round trip.

If this person is able to fill up only in Seattle at average of $3.31 it would be $49.48 round trip.

At supercharger Tesla states $0.28 per kW online. Now how cold is it? how efficiently Does this person drive at? Let's say 300 Wh/mile? Is that reasonable? This would be $0.084/mile: round trip costing $28.87



As I say/do this I see this new article: https://electrek.co/2019/01/22/tesla-cuts-supercharger-prices-back-down-customer-backlash/

 

[AMPd]

Lexus LS 460 at 19 miles per gallon: Seattle to Vancouver is 142 miles: using gas prices in Vancouver at 1.24/L today (it was 1.60 not long ago...) = $4.71 per gallon that would be $35.20 or $70.40 round trip.

If this person is able to fill up only in Seattle at average of $3.31 it would be $49.48 round trip.

At supercharger Tesla states $0.28 per kW online. Now how cold is it? how efficiently Does this person drive at? Let's say 300 Wh/mile? Is that reasonable? This would be $0.084/mile: round trip costing $28.87



As I say/do this I see this new article: https://electrek.co/2019/01/22/tesla-cuts-supercharger-prices-back-down-customer-backlash/

Great math! Although next time you might want to use the numbers from the car I was actually talking about.
Not only that but most of the drive is highway so using a number that’s in between City and highway seems a bit misleading. But hey who am I to say anything, you’re the guy doing the math after all.

 

[henderrj]

If you have autopilot and adaptive cruise control, then it's also a no-brainer question. Why would you drive anything else? Money is only worth so much! Sometimes it's a good idea to spend it.

 

[BerTX]

I don’t live there, nor does OP. So how is that relevant to the questions asked?

Because @f205v , whom you were contradicting in your post and whom you quoted, is from Switzerland (which is in Europe, BTW).

 

[AMPd]

Because @f205v , whom you were contradicting in your post and whom you quoted, is from Switzerland (which is in Europe, BTW).

I didn’t see that nor do I see the relevance
If op was asking in general then yeah I see my error, but op provided specific location, so any and all comparisons need to be made with that in mind.

I can tell op to use his ice and spill gallons of gasoline on the highway and it’ll still be cheaper than driving a Tesla!!! ......and you’ll say no that’s not true and I’ll say yeah bro it’s totally true because in Venezuela the price of gasoline is 20 cents per gallon.... relevant?

 

[DMan]

I guess I should be more specific. Does my 2015 85D still have free supercharging (minus the idling fees)?

 

[dark cloud]

Great math! Although next time you might want to use the numbers from the car I was actually talking about.
Not only that but most of the drive is highway so using a number that’s in between City and highway seems a bit misleading. But hey who am I to say anything, you’re the guy doing the math after all.

Darn, missed the word hybrid: but you didn't have a model #: was that a LS600h? (holy crap that thing is almost as expensive as an S!) make that 26 mpg for highway (2 different sources), which makes it $36.36, quite a bit closer but hey, let's assume the Tesla got 250Wh/mi on the highway = $19.88. I know @jerry33 has a lifetime average less than that.

If he has to buy gas in Vancouver basically the Lexus is twice the price per mile, and that is assuming the Tesla charged completely using superchargers and didn't charge at home first for $0.10 per kW.

 

[dark cloud]

I guess I should be more specific. Does my 2015 85D still have free supercharging (minus the idling fees)?

If you had free unlimited supercharging before then you still do. They did not rescind anybodys UFSC.

 

[bmah]

Moderator note: Moved a post to Snippiness.

Bruce.

 

[MDR SEA]

Let's do the math -
1. ICE car @ 30mpg and gas @ $3.00/gal = $0.10/mi
2. Tesla @ 275mi/85KW and supercharger @ $0.20/KW = $0.062/mi
3. " " " " ..................................................$0.30/KW = $0.093/mi
Your numbers may vary...
Throw in auto pilot, etc...It's a no brainer,
Full disclosure - I make this trip on a regular basis.

 

[Jkhood]

My '07 Lexus LS460 just got 30.1 mpg on a trip from Portland to Bellingham, WA (278 miles). So there!