Tesla Cross-Country Trip

[airj1012]

They had warmish weather and a tailwind, I think. From the little that got out about the nuts and bolts of the trip, I think they were a bit concerned on leaving Flagstaff, but with conservative driving were able to relax toward the end of the leg as it became clear Blanding was in range. EV Trip Planner suggests that with a 0.9 speed factor and 40 degree temps, the route will require about 252 Rated miles.

By the way, I'm contemplating a trip through that stretch the last week of February, and I found an open-all-year RV park in Tuba City that could provide a 50A booster charge to make Blanding-Flagstaff less dicey, especially westbound.

Ya, they didn't drive like normal people. I forgot where I saw this information but supposedly they didn't drive with the heat on. They were given handwarmers at superchargers from the support van. It might have been an unpleasant trip with all the extras turned off, but they still made it.

 

[InTheShadows]

Ya, they didn't drive like normal people. I forgot where I saw this information but supposedly they didn't drive with the heat on. They were given handwarmers at superchargers from the support van. It might have been an unpleasant trip with all the extras turned off, but they still made it.

They could have made it in comfort had they just spent a little more time at the superchargers. Their goal was speed though so they sacrificed comfort to achieve their goal. My guess is John and Jill did it in comfort with range mode turned off.

 

[Cottonwood]

I'm curious how they managed Flagstaff -> Blanding. It's 252 miles and my max range charge is around 253 now so I don't think I could attempt it, especially because it looks like there are zero charging options in between. I guess the cars are new and it's about a 1000 foot elevation decrease, but it would be cool to know how fast they drove and how close they cut it.

They actually reported this leg as 247 miles in their Blog at Cross Country Rally: By the Numbers. I have gone 237 miles in the cold and uphill, so I know this is doable with good hypermiling techniques, just be careful. Maybe Tesla will put a Supercharger in at Kayenta, AZ in the future. This would make taking this shortcut much easier, and offer an nice visit to Monument Valley on the way.

Remember those car ads with the car at the top of a butte, most were done in Monument Valley, but you probably need a Skycrane to lift an MS to the top of one of those buttes... :wink:

 

[Zaxxon]

They could have made it in comfort had they just spent a little more time at the superchargers. Their goal was speed though so they sacrificed comfort to achieve their goal. My guess is John and Jill did it in comfort with range mode turned off.

I'm a little confused as to why they went with this specific goal, as well. It does highlight the awesomeness of the Superchargers, but their choices on the trip make it so that 'normal folks' can not replicate it. No one is going to drive cross-country in the winter with the heat off the entire way, nor will they prevent others from Supercharging next to them in order to minimize their charge time. I would have preferred them to have simply driven cross-country in a 'normal' fashion and reported their results. It still would have been an impressive achievement, and one that any prospective Tesla customer could achieve.

 

[J in MN]

I remain confused about the real goal of the trip. They claimed to be going for a "least time charging" record, but to do that they should have driven as slowly as possible (safely) -- which they didn't do. Their real goal seemed to be to do as fast a cross-country trip as possible using the supercharger network (but that wouldn't get into any record books).

I suspect they were trying to hit the numbers listed at the top of this map.
Elon Route Map
Which means drive the speed limit +/- what's required to arrive at destination with an empty battery, and only charge enough to reach the next SpC.

But, due to the 6+ hours lost in the CO snow storm, and the broken sleeper van (fatigue), the goals were no longer achievable, so the plan was changed to optimize arrival time at the cost of charging time.

- - - Updated - - -

... but their choices on the trip make it so that 'normal folks' can not replicate it.

Well, when you set a record, do you really want 'normal folks' to be able to replicate it?

I will admit to being surprised (and disgusted) when seeing them roll into Albert Lea with frosted side windows and layers of jackets, hats and gloves. But, if I am trying to set a record, I sure will take every advantage I can get.

 

[Zaxxon]

Well, when you set a record, do you really want 'normal folks' to be able to replicate it?

I will admit to being surprised (and disgusted) when seeing them roll into Albert Lea with frosted side windows and layers of jackets, hats and gloves. But, if I am trying to set a record, I sure will take every advantage I can get.

No, when going for a record that's certainly true. I question whether that particular record was the best PR choice. In any event, it's still quite the achievement, and I'm just quibbling.

 

[bluetinc]

I think they were in a catch 22. The only other record that comes to mind would be fastest travel coast to coast in an electric vehicle (which they may have set anyway?). The largest issue with that record is the only real way to try to set it is to break the law. Probably not something the corporation itself wants to do, especially if there were an issue such as an accident along the way. The record holder for that in an ICE had a heavily modified car to do it in and held a average speed a good bit over 100 mph the whole way.

Peter

No, when going for a record that's certainly true. I question whether that particular record was the best PR choice. In any event, it's still quite the achievement, and I'm just quibbling.

 

[airj1012]

Tesla Model S Cross Country Rally -- Los Angeles to New York - Tesla Model S Cross Country Rally -- Los Angeles to New York - YouTube (official Tesla video)

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Nice! Their choice of music is always cool.

 

[chickensevil]

I'm a little confused as to why they went with this specific goal, as well. It does highlight the awesomeness of the Superchargers, but their choices on the trip make it so that 'normal folks' can not replicate it. No one is going to drive cross-country in the winter with the heat off the entire way, nor will they prevent others from Supercharging next to them in order to minimize their charge time. I would have preferred them to have simply driven cross-country in a 'normal' fashion and reported their results. It still would have been an impressive achievement, and one that any prospective Tesla customer could achieve.

But they were going for speed. There was no need to prove it was "possible" John and Jill did just that already (and given John and Jill's east to west travel that is more reflective of "worst case" since not only was it cold, but they had the extra wind resistance killing their efficiency). So at this point, they wanted to go for as fast as possible to help dispel the myth that you can't quickly cross the country in an EV (given that prior to the superchargers it would take weeks or a month to do this because of all the slow charging). Also, given how many superchargers they skipped, clearly you have some extra comfort room there. Take the "normal" route, don't skip, and you will be just fine using all the features of the car.

 

[772]

Yeah, I really like their music choices, too

I noticed the cars look like they're pretty low to the ground... more evidence there were on 6.0?

Also, those MS look really clean in NYC! Did they get them washed/detailed at all?

Also also, is that Aaron's blue MS @ 2:46? Nice parking spot you got there!

 

[brianman]

If you ever want to go further, slow down. Simple as that.

Note that the answer is not this simple in very cold (or very hot) weather. Unless of course you disable the BMS (letting your battery degrade horribly) and don't care if the driver arrives at the destination alive.

 

[JRP3]

Huh? Slow down, go further.

 

[airj1012]

Tesla Model S Cross Country Rally -- Los Angeles to New York - Tesla Model S Cross Country Rally -- Los Angeles to New York - YouTube (official Tesla video)

Tesla killed the original link. Here is one they released on Facebook so this one shouldn't be going anywhere.

The full length "film" of the coast to coast journey by Tesla Motors - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX90oDuwhPk

 

[brianman]

Huh? Slow down, go further.

I was referring to the fact that sometimes climate control -- for user and/or battery -- can make duration-of-travel significant in the range equation in the opposite direction to the impact of wind resistance.

 

[aaron.s]

Yeah, I really like their music choices, too

I noticed the cars look like they're pretty low to the ground... more evidence there were on 6.0?

Also, those MS look really clean in NYC! Did they get them washed/detailed at all?

Also also, is that Aaron's blue MS @ 2:46? Nice parking spot you got there!

772 -

Actually, no thats not my car - but another owners... I was parked at the end of the street.

I am actually in the video though - starting at 2:50 towards the top by the store doors, talking to Liz @ Tesla (PR Head), during the Quadracopter footage!

Aaron

 

[JRP3]

I was referring to the fact that sometimes climate control -- for user and/or battery -- can make duration-of-travel significant in the range equation in the opposite direction to the impact of wind resistance.

So you're saying the car will require more than waste motor and inverter heat to condition the pack while driving in some cases?

 

[brianman]

So you're saying the car will require more than waste motor and inverter heat to condition the pack while driving in some cases?

Yes, that's half of what I'm saying. Of course the "in some cases" is important.

 

[stevezzzz]

So you're saying the car will require more than waste motor and inverter heat to condition the pack while driving in some cases?

Yes. Cabin heating or cooling figures into the equation, too. What it boils down to is that the optimal cross-country speed (to maximize range) creeps upward as the parasitic loads from pack and cabin heating/cooling increase.

 

[JRP3]

Sure, I wasn't surprised that cabin heating would put a significant drain on range, but was surprised to find out that pack heating could do the same. It makes sense of course since at fairly steady speeds the motor and inverter should be relatively lightly loaded, highly efficient, and producing limited amounts of waste heat.