SRM3+ trip report

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

We bought the Standard Range Plus Model 3 (SRM3+) in anticipation of doing +700 mile cross country trips. So I planned a trip from Huntsville to Memphis SuperCharger; RV park in Tunica MS; Tupelo SuperCharger, and; Huntsville home. Instead this was my ~13 hour route:

Highlights of the trip:

• AutoPilot with Autosteer works - normally a 13 hour trip would be pretty exhausting but other than needing a nap, this was OK.
• Autosteer keeps me alert - it seems the right hand lane marker or curb, especially when it seems to curve away can lead to the car trying to 'split the difference' right at the ditch. It is easy to override the steering but it happens within a second or so stay alert. We also had another random, lane change abort. Using the turn signal to get the car to change lanes to the left, it just goes over the left line and then 'retreats' back into the original lane. The surprise is worse than the actual driving event.
• Better destination planning - the Hollywood casino has an RV park where I was planning to take a nap and get a NEMA 14-50 charge to reach Tupelo. But due to a front desk delay, I decided to try their craps table ... their ONLY table had closed up at 11PM and I don't go to a casino to play a craps video game. A security guard recommended another casino, Horseshoe, ~5 miles way, so I checked it out and paid $4 for an hour of craps table fun. I started to drive back to the RV casino and realized "I'm not really that tired" and drove back to the Memphis Supercharger.
• Cat nap at the charger - after 'watering the shrubbery' (NOTE: always visit bathroom before charging!) I let the seat back and took a brief nap while charging. I used both 5-10% pad on the battery before heading to my next destination. I did run low on the last leg which I resolve by taking slower, county roads and more direct route.
• Arrived with 17 mi indicated on the battery - used this to measure the battery charge.

• 54.88 kW - JuiceBox charge
• 15 mi residual range * 219 Wh/mi = 3.29 kWh - from car display
• ~58.17 kWh best guess of usable battery capacity

Bob Wilson

ps. Backup video of the lane change abort and curving right lane marker/curb problem:

 

[bwilson4web]

I forgot to include the trip costs:

• Memphis, TN Supercharge $5.56
• Memphis, TN Supercharger $1.50
• Tupelo, MS Supercharge $5.47
• Huntsville AL recharge $5.50

Total: $18.03 for 537 miles, ~= $0.0336/mile
$3.37 / 100 mile

I can live with that.

Bob Wilson

 

[SammichLover]

Great to hear it went well. How high a SOC did you need to take it to? My concern about the smaller packs for tripping is needed to stay longer because you need to charge into the slower portion of the kW charging curve, at higher SOC %.

I let the seat back and took a brief nap while charging.

I have a Driver Profile labeled "Reststop" dedicated for that.

Did you keep the fan drawing outside air during charging? It isn't too bad in warm weather, and maybe you were in pretty humid territory anyway? But it is a good idea to not let moisture build up in cabin while napping.

When the lanes get really wide like that for too long, AP does get a bit squirrelly about it. Sometimes it'll flash red-hands for you to take over, too, indicating it was not confident in what it was supposed to do. Did it do that?

 

[bwilson4web]

Great to hear it went well. How high a SOC did you need to take it to? . . .

I went by the built-in, trip planner. The first from Memphis to Tupelo Supercharger a projected 5% and I arrived with 7%. The Tupelo to home leg started with +20 miles and ~10%. However, the projected route involved 70 mph, divided highway and I was concerned that I'd have to get an L2 charge in Decatur.

There is another route that takes slower county roads south of the river. There is no known way to adjust the route so I magnified the screen and identified the direct county roads. Once I reached Hartselle, the route re-drew properly.

I ran into a detour and road resurfacing. But I drove back on cruise control and arrived home with 15-17 miles left in the battery.

I have a Driver Profile labeled "Reststop" dedicated for that.

Great IDEA!

Did you keep the fan drawing outside air during charging? It isn't too bad in warm weather, and maybe you were in pretty humid territory anyway? But it is a good idea to not let moisture build up in cabin while napping.

In mosquito country and on a charger, we run the A/C.

When the lanes get really wide like that for too long, AP does get a bit squirrelly about it. Sometimes it'll flash red-hands for you to take over, too, indicating it was not confident in what it was supposed to do. Did it do that?

I had two, very brief, alerts that passed very quickly. I didn't have a cabin camera so I couldn't really tell the trigger.

Bob Wilson

 

[bwilson4web]

The trip meter showed 118 kWh and I started with ~55 kWh in the battery. This suggests 118 - 55 ~= 63 kWh from the SuperCharger costing $12.53 or ~$0.20/kWh. My home electricity costs $0.10/kWh.

Bob Wilson

 

[ewoodrick]

Congrats! If I remember correctly, you were worrying about the route. A great step at removing the range anxiety!

 

[bwilson4web]

I was less worried about the route than understanding how the trip planning tools work in the Model 3. I'm thinking about making a YouTube intro video.

Bob Wilson