SoCal to the Bay Area - Supercharging Route Suggestions

[RIPmyAMG]

Hey all. Planning a road trip from SoCal to the Bay Area, and back.

Typically in the past, I’ve charged to 100% at home, and stopped at Harris Ranch. I usually arrive with sub 5% battery, and have to baby it a bit with the uphill climbs and lack of regen to that point, so having to stay under 75 on the freeway.

I then charge to 100% at Harris Ranch (they have such a mega insane stall setup now, so I’m never causing any hold ups for anyone).

I then usually arrive in the Bay Area with around 20% or less SOC.

I don’t necessarily get range anxiety, I get “going to a new random supercharger station” anxiety. Not being able to find it, being a pain to get in to, being super super busy and having to wait, etc, hence why I’ve stuck to my Harris Ranch single stop as I know there will always be a full speed charger available, guaranteed, and there’s great food available too.

Would like some thoughts on this 100% SOC -> sub 5% -> 100 SOC -> sub 20% SOC… I pretty much already know the answer… potential for increased battery degradation, but I shouldn’t worry too about it, etc, but still would like to hear your thoughts.

If anyone has a reliable supercharging route to head from Long Beach to the East Bay Area I’d love to hear it.

 

[systemr]

I just did this trip SF->LA and back this last weekend.

Charged to 90% and on the way down drove at 85mph and stopped at:
Firebaugh
Bakersfield

On the way back up I again charged to 90% and 1 stopped it at:
Harris Ranch (arrived w/ 6% SOC and had to draft behind a large truck at 65mph to play it safe)

The drive on the way down was preferable

 

[gaswalla]

Just did this route - my first time was in 2013 and there were three chargers then (Fremont, Harris Ranch, Hawthorne).
It is so, so easy now! It's really not hard to find a supercharger - literally drive to the marker on the nav map - the directions are not always perfect, but the marker is always spot on.
My recommendation based on your comments: Tejon Ranch (going north, the ones at the outlet mall - all are V3 and the mall is decent for amenties). you only need to charge up to 70% or so and then stop at Coalinga (in Harris Ranch front lot) with it's 80+ V3 stalls - again a quick charge only to 70% or so and then to Santa Nella at the Hotel Mission (around 40 V3 stalls) and then charge up to go your East Bay destination.
you can skip Coalinga if you get stuck shopping at Tejon and stay longer than 20 minutes

 

[DrComputer]

I got to be the guinea pig when I picked up my Signature Model S in October of 2012 from the factory and drove home to LA. There were only three chargers with only one stall at each location in Gilroy, Harris Ranch and Tejon Ranch. Back then, the guess-o-meter range predictions were scary, and when I got to the top of the grapevine, the car predicted I wouldn't make it the rest of the way home (it was wrong). Now, just put in your destination and let the car pick the best route. There are many interesting and cool Supercharger locations along the 5 freeway to stop at, so let the car be your tour guide.

 

[ucmndd]

There are so many options on this route now there really is no “right” way to do it. Stop when convenient. The stations are all close to the freeway and super easy to find.

If you’re in a hurry multiple stops will be decisively faster than just one where you need to get all the way to 100%.

 

[RIPmyAMG]

Thank you guys, really appreciate the input.

I know the supercharger maps are really quite decent now, but there's still been a few times where I've pulled up to a supercharger that the maps told me to, and was super not excited about the location or it was way busier than the computer thought.

I also just like to have the route pre-planned just so it's one less thing to think about.

 

[Kokukenji]

Hey all. Planning a road trip from SoCal to the Bay Area, and back.

Typically in the past, I’ve charged to 100% at home, and stopped at Harris Ranch. I usually arrive with sub 5% battery, and have to baby it a bit with the uphill climbs and lack of regen to that point, so having to stay under 75 on the freeway.

I then charge to 100% at Harris Ranch (they have such a mega insane stall setup now, so I’m never causing any hold ups for anyone).

I then usually arrive in the Bay Area with around 20% or less SOC.

I don’t necessarily get range anxiety, I get “going to a new random supercharger station” anxiety. Not being able to find it, being a pain to get in to, being super super busy and having to wait, etc, hence why I’ve stuck to my Harris Ranch single stop as I know there will always be a full speed charger available, guaranteed, and there’s great food available too.

Would like some thoughts on this 100% SOC -> sub 5% -> 100 SOC -> sub 20% SOC… I pretty much already know the answer… potential for increased battery degradation, but I shouldn’t worry too about it, etc, but still would like to hear your thoughts.

If anyone has a reliable supercharging route to head from Long Beach to the East Bay Area I’d love to hear it.

How long did it take you to go from 5% to 100 at Harris Ranch if I may ask.

 

[RIPmyAMG]

How long did it take you to go from 5% to 100 at Harris Ranch if I may ask.

Roughly an hour on the dot. Enough time to get and eat a delicious brisket sandwhich from the "Harris Ranch Express" for lunch and let the dog run around a for a few minutes and pee, use the restroom myself, and then back on the road. Was good the whole rest of the way there with no additional stopping needed for food or bathroom breaks or otherwise. If you have an at home charger at your destination, this is a great option IMO.

For this particular trip I won't so I'm probably going to need to make a secondary stop in the Bay Area to get some charge into the battery for the next day, hence why I'm considering doing a stop in between my take off point to Harris Ranch so I can blast through to it at 80mph instead of having to keep it under 70 in order to actually make it.

 

[Kokukenji]

Thanks for sharing. We usually drive down to SoCal using our ICE cars at least once a year so will likely attempt it with the MY sooner than later.

 

[Big Dog]

Make that run frequently. Used to stop at Harris Ranch, but usually just stop at Kettlemen (so don't have to baby it).

 

[RIPmyAMG]

Thanks for sharing. We usually drive down to SoCal using our ICE cars at least once a year so will likely attempt it with the MY sooner than later.

The run from the Bay to Socal is a lot shorter, so I'd expect one stop at Harris Ranch, and depending on where you're headed in SoCal you'll probably need a second stop after it.

 

[RIPmyAMG]

Make that run frequently. Used to stop at Harris Ranch, but usually just stop at Kettlemen (so don't have to baby it).

Thanks for your input, this is the kind of stuff I was looking for. Was considering a quick stop at Kettlemen so I don't have to baby it, then do my usual stop at Harris Ranch, because I love the food. Lol.

 

[RIPmyAMG]

Also have been just considering driving my ICE (BMW E46 M3) instead, to not have to worry about charging, and to also do that classic "take your special car on a long road trip, take pictures at gas stations and stops along the way, etc etc" and also get to drive it on my favorite roads out there, but the lack of creature comforts (comparatively to the Tesla), noise, and lack of Autopilot will suck lol.

I won't have access to home charging out there which is why it also makes sense. Will be fun to take friends on rides and drive my old favorite roads.

But man... EV's have really spoiled long boring monotonous drives for me when it comes to ICE's... the noise, vibrations, having to actually drive... not to mention the manual transmission if I hit some traffic...

Tough choice that I have to make. Going to take the M3 up for a 2 hour (4 hour round trip) drive up to Angeles Crest tomorrow as a test run to see if I can tolerate it lol.

 

[Mateo83]

Heading south we made it to buttonwillow, then all the way to Disneyland. Heading back we made it to Kettleman city

 

[TheLex]

I found that when coming back from SoCal (San Diego), I had to charge up right before the Grapevine and then again at Tejon. After that I made tp about Los Banos before having to recharge again.

 

[ucmndd]

I found that when coming back from SoCal (San Diego), I had to charge up right before the Grapevine and then again at Tejon. After that I made tp about Los Banos before having to recharge again.

You must not have charged very much at Santa Clarita…

 

[TheLex]

You must not have charged very much at Santa Clarita…

I typically charge to 80%. And on that day, being it was the Thanksgiving holiday week, the stalls were very full so Tesla limits the charge to 80-85%.

 

[ucmndd]

I typically charge to 80%. And on that day, being it was the Thanksgiving holiday week, the stalls were very full so Tesla limits the charge to 80-85%.

80% should have pretty easily gotten you all the way to Kettleman City in a Model Y. You certainly could have gotten to any of the Bakersfield-ish chargers on I-5 without stopping again at Tejon.

Also a tip: when your charge limit gets set to 80% at a “high usage” supercharging station, you can just adjust the slider back up to whatever you want, if you do desire.

 

[Kairide]

Heading south we made it to buttonwillow, then all the way to Disneyland. Heading back we made it to Kettleman city

Where is the Buttonwillow one? The nav took me to it after Firebaugh, but I couldn’t find the actual chargers. I was on some random back roads and saw a sign that said Super Chargers with an arrow but never found them. It was midnight and foggy so I couldn’t see much. I ended up turning around and going to Bakersfield.

 

[TheLex]

80% should have pretty easily gotten you all the way to Kettleman City in a Model Y. You certainly could have gotten to any of the Bakersfield-ish chargers on I-5 without stopping again at Tejon.

Also a tip: when your charge limit gets set to 80% at a “high usage” supercharging station, you can just adjust the slider back up to whatever you want, if you do desire.

We did get past Kettleman City once we charged up at Tejon. We got to Los Banos.