SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
Let's recap:
You want to arrive in Telluride with more than 9% SoC, but you do not want to stop to add more SoC.
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Supercharger - Kayenta, AZ
- Thread starter MarkR
- Start date
You want to arrive in Telluride with more than 9% SoC, but you do not want to stop to add more SoC.
Kayenta is sorely needed. Any ETA?
While they’re at it a SC in Cortez CO would make the Phoenix to Telluride trips MUCH more reasonable for most Teslas (probably even standard range M3’s, X75’s, and S75’s) even in the cold, windy conditions common here in winter. A large percentage of Telluride visitors travel from Phoenix and it’s a ridiculously long trip in anything rated less than 300 mi due to needing to charge in Gallup and Farmington. To make matters worse Gallup only has 4 stalls, has significant issues, and bogs down regularly.
Consider traveling via Blanding if you can make it from Flagstaff. The Gallup SC I can be very slow. According to Tesla it’s a problem with the energy supply so out of their hands.
Also charging to 100% in Gallup (or Flagstaff for that matter) takes a long time. It's a much bigger issue than starting your trip with 100% (which should take no additional time). This is the main reason I recommended going through Farmington which I still think is the safest route. Stopping in Farmington adds about 47 minutes to the drive, but you'll save at least 20 net minutes of charging since you won't have to sit in Gallup for ages waiting for it to charge to 100%. Of course the added bonus is that you won't be cutting it super close arriving in Telluride. HINT: you won't be arriving with 9% with passengers in the middle of winter. It will be something like 2-4% if you're lucky.
But yeah, going through Blanding is slightly less drive time (7 minutes) than going through Farmington and it's much more scenic. Of course again, the problem is you'll end up being like 20-30 minutes slower than that because you'll be stuck in Flagstaff charging to full, but I could see the argument for that route simply because it's a nicer drive. Considering the elevation, going Flagstaff to Blanding on one charge is scarcely more difficult than the proposed Gallup to Telluride on one charge. But both of them are too difficult for a novice EV driver loaded down with weight in mid-winter imo, which is why I recommend the route through Farmington.
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Nope, arriving with 9% SoC would fine! Assuming that's actually what it ends up being around and not something terrifying like 2% haha. I was more just asking for what other people's experiences are like when driving from Phoenix to Telluride, where you charged, and how much SoC you arrived with (e.g., is the in-car nav telling me I'll arrive with 9% actually accurate?)
It's starting to sound like the current SC network doesn't have an ideal route to Telluride from Phoenix that doesn't take hours longer than an ICE vehicle. Yes, I can do Payson>Gallup>Farmington or Flagstaff>Blanding>Telluride as a worst case but I can already hear my passengers complaining about the 2.5 hours of extra trip time that adds. Sorry, kinda just thinking out loud here.
Someone above mentioned that a Cortez charger would help a ton – I agree. Kayenta and Cortez would theoretically be V3 chargers, so you'd likely only need to stop for less time at each one and make it to Telluride with plenty of range leftover.
Just wish there was some way to get word from someone at Tesla about the latest status on Kayenta at least. If anyone has any info, please share!
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
No, the drive to Telluride in an ICE is 7 hours and 37 minutes from my house (according to Apple Maps).
ABRP is showing a total trip time of 10 hours and 52 minutes, including 60 mins of total charging at Holbrook, Gallup, and Farmington. So actually, over 3 hours longer.
If not adding that third stop in Farmington, it's 9 hours and 29 minutes total.
Let me know if I'm missing something, but this is what I'm seeing on my end.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
The ICE drive time presumes no stops
This discussion started out with a question regarding Gallup to Telluride. That is the only part of it I am addressing. Grossly, it is ~ 90 minutes longer driving by distance to travel via FMN but that is not how it plays out on the road for a couple of reasons:
- Skipping FMN requires charging to a high SoC in Gallup, which takes quite a bit longer
- An additional charging stop lets you drive faster
- A straight drive from Gallup to to Telluride is a long drive and most people will stop for a break anyway
- The Gallup Supercharger tends to be considerably slower than the one in FMN
It might be helpful if you list what vehicle you have and what other settings you are using in ABRP. My Model S could make the trip in about 9:30 without needing to stop in Farmington. When I select our Model Y or Model 3, it says they could also skip Farmington and still take less than 10 hours.
Those are the limitations of current low-density charging network.
But, it's worth asking, would you ironbutt it all the way to Telluride if you were in an ICEV?
If not, then some of the charging time would be a break.
Hey man, trust me I'm not an EV hater or anything! I love my Tesla dearly and road trips in it are so fun for me. I personally am not worried about the extra time/distance, just thinking of my passengers. Sorry if I came off a certain way to you as such, I didn't mean to. Just trying to figure out my options.
Of course we would have stops in an ICE vehicle, so you're right let's add about 1 hour to the ICE driving time. That makes it a lot more reasonable of a difference between the two.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
I'm a fan of the FMN stop because it has it has a nice hotel attached for sleeping and/or restroom use; and more important to me, pretty good eating choices (and a supermarket) within walking distance. Gallup has the hotel but little else.
I find that trip planning focused on short charging stops where I arrive with a low SoC, intermixed with longer stops where I charge to a higher SoC during a desired extended break make for the best travel experience. This is not always possible but it is frequently the case. I also find it really useful to have a folding bicycle or compact scooter in the car so that I can easily enlarge the radius from where I am charging to where we want to spend the charging time.
I find that trip planning focused on short charging stops where I arrive with a low SoC, intermixed with longer stops where I charge to a higher SoC during a desired extended break make for the best travel experience. This is not always possible but it is frequently the case. I also find it really useful to have a folding bicycle or compact scooter in the car so that I can easily enlarge the radius from where I am charging to where we want to spend the charging time.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
I'm pretty sure Cortez has L2 charging at the visitor center so that is an option for a little reserve SoC if you prefer the idea of spending ~ an hour there. IIRC Cortez also is supposed to get DCFC, but I cannot remember if it is completed and it would require a CHAdeMO adapter. Check plugshare.
Unsolicited advice: I am not a fan of driving in the mountains at night, mostly due to deer
Unsolicited advice: I am not a fan of driving in the mountains at night, mostly due to deer
If it were me I’d skip NM and go via Blanding. There are plenty of campgrounds and L2 along that route (*Tuba City*, Kayenta, and Bluff, have a look at the Plug Share app).The extra time these will take, if you even need them, are probably equal or less to the time you’ll spend going to Farmington. Plus you won’t be adding the extra Farmington mileage to your car. My reasons.
1) Gallup SC issues can really slow you down. It’s crazy that along I-40 they have not replaced this poor SC with something bigger and more reliable. There a charge America location at the Gallup Walmart if you go this route and tge SC is having issues.
2) Farmington adds 45 minutes and significant unnecessary mileage. If you do go this way be advised that some mapping software will attempt to route you from Farmington to Telluride via Durango - Silverton - Ophir into Telluride. DO NOT GO VIA DURANGO SILVERTON OPHIR. Ophir pass is a Jeep road and closed in winter.
3) CO HWY 145 (Cortez-Telluride) is closed several times a year due to avalanche danger between of Rico and Lizard Head Pass.This happens sometimes during and immediately after significant snow fall. They keep it closed till the weather clears and they can bomb the threatening slide paths and clear avy debris from HWY 145. If this happens not all is lost, it also means you’ll have good skiing! You can check the CDOT website for road status. We unfortunately discovered this late one night, after arriving into Dolores around midnight and saw the CDOT road status sign “145 CLOSED DUE TO AVALANCHE HAZARD.” It was snowing and we luckily had enough juice to make it from Dolores to the SC in Blanding to go the longer western route into Telluride (via Slick Rock and Norwood) that avoids the major avalanche paths. We were so tired we slept in our car at Blanding SC till sunrise. If you choose the Kayenta-Blanding route to begin with you are already on track to take the Norwood option if necessary with much less hassle and detour.
1) Gallup SC issues can really slow you down. It’s crazy that along I-40 they have not replaced this poor SC with something bigger and more reliable. There a charge America location at the Gallup Walmart if you go this route and tge SC is having issues.
2) Farmington adds 45 minutes and significant unnecessary mileage. If you do go this way be advised that some mapping software will attempt to route you from Farmington to Telluride via Durango - Silverton - Ophir into Telluride. DO NOT GO VIA DURANGO SILVERTON OPHIR. Ophir pass is a Jeep road and closed in winter.
3) CO HWY 145 (Cortez-Telluride) is closed several times a year due to avalanche danger between of Rico and Lizard Head Pass.This happens sometimes during and immediately after significant snow fall. They keep it closed till the weather clears and they can bomb the threatening slide paths and clear avy debris from HWY 145. If this happens not all is lost, it also means you’ll have good skiing! You can check the CDOT website for road status. We unfortunately discovered this late one night, after arriving into Dolores around midnight and saw the CDOT road status sign “145 CLOSED DUE TO AVALANCHE HAZARD.” It was snowing and we luckily had enough juice to make it from Dolores to the SC in Blanding to go the longer western route into Telluride (via Slick Rock and Norwood) that avoids the major avalanche paths. We were so tired we slept in our car at Blanding SC till sunrise. If you choose the Kayenta-Blanding route to begin with you are already on track to take the Norwood option if necessary with much less hassle and detour.
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If you do go to Telluride via Blanding and it requires significant L2/campground charging then on your return trip to PHX do consider going via Farmington and Gallup. The return from Blanding - Flagstaff uses a bit more energy due to much more uphill into Flag and you’re often going against the prevailing SW winds so requires a slow full 100% top-off at Blanding SC before driving to Flag. Alternatively the return trip via Gallup is a lot of downhill so requires less energy going home. Having said that if it is a busy travel day Gallup is best avoided or minimized if at all possible and the detour to Farmington SC might be worth it.
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Wow, good note on Ophir pass. ABRP was actually routing me through there. I have heard about Ophir pass from my many times to Telluride but never would have expected a navigation system to route me through there!
At the moment, I’m leaning towards doing the route of Payson>Gallup>Farmington, then backtracking from Farmington to go the “normal” way to Telluride via Cortez. It’s a bummer but I don’t know if I have any other option.
The in-car Tesla nav still seems to think I can get away with just charging in Payson and Gallup and then arriving in Telluride with 9% SOC (total trip time 9 hours 15 mins). Not sure what to make of that now. In my experience, that thing has been super accurate with its estimates but you all have provided good advice on your personal experience that makes me think twice.
Your Tesla nav estimate can easily be off by 10% due to headwinds, extreme cold or precipitation, even more so if you use cabin heat. Here are some good efficiency techniques you can use (incase you don’t already know these):
1) Drive 5mph slower than posted speed.
2) Dress warm and minimize cabin heat, instead use seat heat.
3) Draft semis using autopilot. Set even at 2-3. This makes a big difference w head winds... and the wind does like to blow out across the Colorado plateau! There’re a decent amount of semis between Gallup, Farmington, and Cortez so it’s easy to do.
1) Drive 5mph slower than posted speed.
2) Dress warm and minimize cabin heat, instead use seat heat.
3) Draft semis using autopilot. Set even at 2-3. This makes a big difference w head winds... and the wind does like to blow out across the Colorado plateau! There’re a decent amount of semis between Gallup, Farmington, and Cortez so it’s easy to do.
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You should read the last 30 posts - they give some other options.
. I'll add one more: I hear the skiing at Purgatory is nice. . Enjoy the adventure, and don't take any guff from your passengers!Now, does anyone have any new info on a potential supercharger in Kayenta...?
Nothing compares to Telluride...most beautiful place I've ever skiedYou should read the last 30 posts - they give some other options.
Now, does anyone have any new info on a potential supercharger in Kayenta...?
I'll make this trip work one way or another! But yes, back to the original thread topic...
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