Tesla Hates Nevada

[Matsayz]

Ely, NV is 243 miles from Las Vegas, NV. So, while Ely, NV is a good site, would want something between. Ash Springs, NV (on US-93) looks like it has a gas station/convenience store, but power could be an issue.

I could swear Ash Springs or at least Alamo had an EV charger... they’re not showing up on PlugShare but when I drove out to Rachel earlier this year I swear I saw one.

Also there’s this link if it hasn’t been posted.
Website for the plans/etc
Nevada Electric Highway

Website of the map of NV with planned/built chargers
http://energy.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/energynvgov/content/Programs/NEH Map v2.11.pdf

 

[RVTechNomad]

Sorry--I pasted the wrong link for PlugShare Ely, NV
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You

Wow! It would cost $50 at the location you linked. They want $5 plus 0.50/kWh to charge there. I had no idea it is so expensive to use other chargers. I have free supercharging but I didn't realize how valuable it is.

 

[Nosken]

Wow! It would cost $50 at the location you linked. They want $5 plus 0.50/kWh to charge there. I had no idea it is so expensive to use other chargers. I have free supercharging but I didn't realize how valuable it is.

Yea, much public charging is almost as expensive as gas (some sites are free). Glad that Tesla is so committed to a great, reasonably priced charging network. FYI--You can use ABRP and select other brands to see how much charging on trips would be. A Better Routeplanner

The build out of Superchargers is amazing.
supercharge.info

 

[wws]

A group of us did US 50 from Ely to Sacramento about a year ago. Our tour group of about 30 cars included three Teslas - @Lanny in his Model S 70D, another couple in their Model X 75D, and myself. After Supercharging in Wendover, we headed down Alt 93 and 93 to Ely where we spent the night. We charged at the Ely KOA using their 14-50 hookups. The touring group did lunch at Cold Springs Station, and then spent the next night in Fallon. It was a tight run for the Model S and X, so they did a bit of 14-50 charging in Eureka at the Silver Sky RV park while I ate some breakfast. (The owner of the Silver Sky RV is a real nice fellow and would like to see more business from EV drivers.). We stopped in Austin to sightsee, then proceeded to Cold Springs Station. Charged using their 14-50s while we ate lunch. In Fallon, we used the CHAdeMO to get enough charge to make it to the Stateline Supercharger (south shore of Tahoe.)

As it turned out, we travelled the route the same weekend as the Silver State Classic. Good thing we had reservations at the Ely KOA as every site was full, and they were turning folks away.

Since then the State of Nevada has sponsored CCS/CHAdeMO/L2 sites at Cold Springs Station, Austin, and Ely. Unfortunately according to PlugShare reviews, there have been some issues with the high speed chargers. Hopefully they can get them resolved soon.

 

[ElectricIAC]

OK, maybe not, but there is a BIG hole in the middle of the state preventing travel without a huge detour.

I normally travel across the state of Nevada 2 times each year. From Arizona we pass through Las Vegas heading due north on Hwy 93 on our way to the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. From Las Vegas, the next charger on the route is in Twin falls Idaho, a distance of 494 miles. Can't make it in my 2019 X- LR.

It's not just the N-S route that has been neglected, traveling E-W on Hwy 50 is also not possible in a Tesla. From Nephi, UT to Reno, NV is 525 miles.

The town of Ely nicely intersects 93 and 50 and is the perfect location for a Supercharger.

Does anyone know how to request a Supercharger be located in Ely, NV? I have been to this page Supercharger | Tesla but don't see where I can enter a request.

Thanks.

I-15 corridor not good enough?

 

[domodan]

I-15 corridor not good enough?

It takes you much further East.

 

[Satmanager]

I am in the process of researching my purchase of either a model 3 or Y. But I will have to travel up on Hwy 93 occasionally to Ely and Elko. While I see Elko is covered with a Supercharger, the stay at Ely is more problematic. Ely does have a DC fast charger now, just have to have the right adapter. We just have to wait until Tesla can find the time to start covering the roads less traveled.

 

[Matsayz]

I am in the process of researching my purchase of either a model 3 or Y. But I will have to travel up on Hwy 93 occasionally to Ely and Elko. While I see Elko is covered with a Supercharger, the stay at Ely is more problematic. Ely does have a DC fast charger now, just have to have the right adapter. We just have to wait until Tesla can find the time to start covering the roads less traveled.

The only adapter you need is the J1772 which comes with the vehicle. Plugshare is a great app/website for seeing what's out there beyond SuperChargers. Also, you'll want to pick-up a 14-50 adapter from Tesla (Gen 2 NEMA Adapters). Using that adapter and the mobile charging cable that comes with the car you can stop at any RV park and charge. Now of course that would be kinda slow, 30mph(added range per hour) but it's better than a tow truck.

Are you staying in Ely? If you'll have access to even a normal 120Volt house outlet you'll get about 5mph of charge which can be more than 60miles of added range overnight.

Here's a Shell station with multiple charging types (Tesla's can only use adapters for J1772 & Chademo right now). The Chademo adapter is like $500 though. PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You

And finally www.abetterrouteplanner.com will let you actually map out your route. You pick the exact model vehicle you have, add weight, tell it what % you want to arrive with, etc. It's a great resource.

 

[wws]

I agree with what Matsayz says.

Tesla has covered US 95 between Reno and Las Vegas with Superchargers for a while now. They also have complete I-80 coverage. But US 93 is somewhat underserved. Just Superchargers in Las Vegas and Wendover. US 50 isn't served at all - until you get to Stateline at Lake Tahoe and then into California.

So I would suggest just budgeting for a CHAdeMO adapter ($450). The State of Nevada is in the process of sponsoring a bunch of CCS/CHAdeMO sites around the state in rural areas. Looking at Plugshare, there are already two sites on US 93 between Las Vegas and Ely, then the one in Ely itself. While the adapter is somewhat expensive, it is less than a set of tires and less than 1% of what you are paying for the car...

And yes - you'll want to order a 14-50 adapter for the UMC so you can use RV parks as a backup. Likewise, a 5-20 adapter is also handy to carry - as you'll sometimes find them in hotel/motel parking lots. A 5-20, running at 16 amps, will give a couple extra MPH of overnight charging over the 5-15 plug, at 12 amps, which comes with the car. The UMC adapters are only $35 each from the Tesla store.

 

[ElectricIAC]

I agree with what Matsayz says.

Tesla has covered US 95 between Reno and Las Vegas with Superchargers for a while now. They also have complete I-80 coverage. But US 93 is somewhat underserved. Just Superchargers in Las Vegas and Wendover. US 50 isn't served at all - until you get to Stateline at Lake Tahoe and then into California.

So I would suggest just budgeting for a CHAdeMO adapter ($450). The State of Nevada is in the process of sponsoring a bunch of CCS/CHAdeMO sites around the state in rural areas. Looking at Plugshare, there are already two sites on US 93 between Las Vegas and Ely, then the one in Ely itself. While the adapter is somewhat expensive, it is less than a set of tires and less than 1% of what you are paying for the car...

And yes - you'll want to order a 14-50 adapter for the UMC so you can use RV parks as a backup. Likewise, a 5-20 adapter is also handy to carry - as you'll sometimes find them in hotel/motel parking lots. A 5-20, running at 16 amps, will give a couple extra MPH of overnight charging over the 5-15 plug, at 12 amps, which comes with the car. The UMC adapters are only $35 each from the Tesla store.

I-80 is covered but in desperate need for some V3 lovin’. You’d be surprised how fast 4 V2’s Can get clogged.

 

[Satmanager]

I generally don’t need to remain overnight in Ely, it is up and back after a meeting there or in Caliente. I am a state officer with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and need to travel to visit different Posts in the state. The Hwy 93 route is the only one that gives me concern.

But as WWS pointed out, there is the CHAdeMO charging available. For the piece of mind, the $450 is well spent.
So top off in Ely, make it to Elko, hit the supercharger there. Return. You can avoid the much longer I-15 route.

 

[Matsayz]

I generally don’t need to remain overnight in Ely, it is up and back after a meeting there or in Caliente. I am a state officer with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and need to travel to visit different Posts in the state. The Hwy 93 route is the only one that gives me concern.

But as WWS pointed out, there is the CHAdeMO charging available. For the piece of mind, the $450 is well spent.
So top off in Ely, make it to Elko, hit the supercharger there. Return. You can avoid the much longer I-15 route.

Is there an outlet at the building your meeting is at? Or maybe see if you could get it approved to have a charger installed? If it’s a Gov’t building they may see it as improving things even if it does take a year to complete the paperwork.

If you aren’t immediately turned off by the price of the Chademo adapter then do it up. Most people are completely peeved at even thought of having to spend more money after buying the car. Let us know what you do and make sure you use a referral code so you get the free supercharger miles since you’ll be using them!

 

[Satmanager]

Is there an outlet at the building your meeting is at? Or maybe see if you could get it approved to have a charger installed? If it’s a Gov’t building they may see it as improving things even if it does take a year to complete the paperwork.

If you aren’t immediately turned off by the price of the Chademo adapter then do it up. Most people are completely peeved at even thought of having to spend more money after buying the car. Let us know what you do and make sure you use a referral code so you get the free supercharger miles since you’ll be using them!

Ely does have its own building (my post meets at the YMCA on North Buffalo in Las Vegas) and probably has an outdoor 15 amp outlet, but that would be all. They are not Government buildings. That is why I am gathering all of the information now to budget the expense of all the extras that I need - like the garage electrical circuit.

and I have the referral code set aside. Have a Air Force buddy that has a Tesla.

 

[wws]

Ely does have its own building (my post meets at the YMCA on North Buffalo in Las Vegas) and probably has an outdoor 15 amp outlet, but that would be all. They are not Government buildings. That is why I am gathering all of the information now to budget the expense of all the extras that I need - like the garage electrical circuit...

I would definitely recommend getting the CHAdeMO adapter. You are going to want to use it en-route at either the Alamo or Panaca CHAdeMO stations. The thing about the Ely CCS/CHAdeMO site though is that it is pretty new, and there have been some issues getting it running right. Some of the early checkins have been negative, and it seems to be taking them a long time to get it working. So I would also definitely suggest a 14-50 (and/or J1772) backup plan.

Perhaps the VFW could install an outdoor 14-50 receptacle for you to use - at least as a backup in case the Ely CHAdeMO station is not working. It likely wouldn't cost them much money to install one. Maybe one of the VFW folks could even do it gratis. As a second backup, plugshare shows a couple of 14-50s at the nearby N Nevada Railway Museum, and a J1772 at Sahara Motors. I've used the Ely KOA to charge my car overnight via 14-50. If I do it again, I'd like to rent a teepee to stay in!

Even if the Ely CHAdeMO is working, doing two or three hours of 14-50 charging at the VFW post during your meeting would save a significant amount of time and money spent at the CHAdeMO. The Mobile Connector would give you about 30 MPH of charging compared to about 150 MPH at the CHAdeMO. So three hours at the VFW would save over half an hour at the CHAdeMO. If you can find a Gen 1 Mobile Connector to buy or borrow, the 14-50 can supply 40 amps, instead of 32, and would give about 40 MPH of charging.

I plugged your trip (LV->Ely) into ABetterRoutePlanner (A Better Routeplanner) using a Model 3 (LR AWD with 19" wheels) and turned on the CHAdeMO filter. I also set leaving LV with 100% charge and arriving in Ely with 10% charge. It recommends stopping at the Alamo CHAdeMO for 40 minutes, then on to Ely. If you get the 18" Aero wheels, it estimates you only have to stop in Alamo for 31 minutes.

 

[israndy]

Here's a Shell station with multiple charging types (Tesla's can only use adapters for J1772 & Chademo right now). The Chademo adapter is like $500 though. PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You

And finally www.abetterrouteplanner.com will let you actually map out your route. You pick the exact model vehicle you have, add weight, tell it what % you want to arrive with, etc. It's a great resource.

If you wanna route that isn't based on Supercharger waypoints you might try PlugShare's Trip Planner. Put in Reno to Grand Junction in ABRP and it will take you thru Salt Lake, not the more direct Ely route with a CHAdeMO adapter at your side that PlugShare will show you.

 

[RVTechNomad]

I-15 corridor not good enough?

I did use I-15 a few months ago to go to Bitterroot Vally MT. It is quite a bit longer and I don't get to see any of the beautiful NV back roads (interstate all the way).

 

[Big Earl]

Have you ordered a CHAdeMO adapter yet? It’s a real help for the roads you’re trying to drive. I have one and it’s great.

$400 in the Tesla online store. CHAdeMO Adapter

 

[blazure]

I'm surprised Nevada isn't one of the next Tesla Insurance states considering we have a Gigafactory that is trial running Semis from Reno, many California tourists and transplants, a great tourist population to showcase robotaxis, and the new and proposed Boring Company tunnels. Texas makes sense for the new Gigafactory. Illinois is an insurance mecca so it probably has great talent to recruit from. Is Tesla hoping to partner with the tech scene in Washington?

Meanwhile the eastern part of the state feels neglected for road tripping. Each month without a CCS-SAE adapter announcement or broader supercharger coverage is a let down.

 

[JetFalcon]

There is only 3-4 Superchargers in the Phoenix AZ area.

I had to be sure to top off in in Buckeye AZ (arriving from CA) so I had enough to commute around Phoenix.

 

[NegativeK]

Has anyone done the Silver State Challenge in a Tesla? It looks like a heck of a lot of fun -- but the nearest chargers are Chademo, 30 miles north of the start and 20 miles south of the finish..