The ski round-trip problem in the Northeast

[Robert.Boston]

Hookset and Brattleboro were good steps to opening the ski areas. Maybe we can put some pressure on Tesla execs who will be at the formal opening of the Hookset SC station. This Tuesday, 11:00am, North-bound side.

White River Junction/West Lebanon is shown as "coming soon" but there's no trace of any permitting activity in either town.
The Maine ski areas would be opened up with the SC string at Salisbury MA, Portland, Augusta, and Bangor that are shown on the 2015 map.

But: there's a gap, IMO, at St. Johnsbury (where I-93 and I-91 meet north of the Presidential Range).

The existing Superchargers are good enough to get to ​most ski areas in New England. What's really needed, though, is destination charging at the ski areas. Some have begun putting some charging in, but certainly not all.

 

[stevezzzz]

Update: It's worst than I thought it was. Cross post from another thread, but ski country here has the highest energy consumption out of anywhere in the US? That's crazy. Maybe with the P85D out Tesla will concentrate some more on the Northeast now, I can only hope.

Not quite apples-to-apples since this is Leaf data, not Model S data. But in a relative sense it's probably useful.

 

[AWDtsla]

Given Elon complaining about weak North Eastern sales at the shareholder conference yesterday, and the fact that what's keeping me from downsizing two ICE's to 1 Model S, I feel vindicated in this thread.

Can Tesla Motors put 2 and 2 together? We want to be able to drive to ski country (and now in the summer effectively vacation country).

 

[hcsharp]

Given Elon complaining about weak North Eastern sales at the shareholder conference yesterday, and the fact that what's keeping me from downsizing two ICE's to 1 Model S, I feel vindicated in this thread.

Can Tesla Motors put 2 and 2 together? We want to be able to drive to ski country (and now in the summer effectively vacation country).

The lack of superchargers is only half the problem. The crap they dump on the roads around here all winter discourages people from buying nice cars. It's not just Tesla. There are fewer performance cars sold in the Northeast period.

That said, Elon should not forget that more Roadsters were sold per capita in VT than any other state.:smile:

 

[AWDtsla]

The lack of superchargers is only half the problem. The crap they dump on the roads around here all winter discourages people from buying nice cars. It's not just Tesla. There are fewer performance cars sold in the Northeast period.

That said, Elon should not forget that more Roadsters were sold per capita in VT than any other state.:smile:

Model S is the _perfect_ car for the North East, because it's heavy use of aluminum. A fact I guess which isn't obvious to everyone, but aluminum does not rust like steel.

 

[Barry]

Model S is the _perfect_ car for the North East, because it's heavy use of aluminum. A fact I guess which isn't obvious to everyone, but aluminum does not rust like steel.

I know Tesla says when going to a car wash, an undercarriage wash should be avoided. Is there any approved way to remove road salt down there?

 

[JohnQ]

Model S is the _perfect_ car for the North East, because it's heavy use of aluminum. A fact I guess which isn't obvious to everyone, but aluminum does not rust like steel.

Right, aluminum does not rust since rust is FeO2. But it does corrode into Al2O3. Same process, different names. It's often said that aluminum oxide forms a "barrier" that prevents further corrosion where as iron oxide flakes off as it expands and presents more metallic surface to rust. As you can imagine it's much more complex than that simple statement. Aluminum corrosion can take different forms and doesn't necessarily form a nice barrier coating. It also creates issues with galvanic corrosion where steel hardware contacts the aluminum.

Of course, to the topic at hand, I took my S skiing 25 days this season. Didn't head to northern VT or NH, though.

 

[AWDtsla]

It's often said that aluminum oxide forms a "barrier" that prevents further corrosion where as iron oxide flakes off as it expands and presents more metallic surface to rust.

It's not that it's "said" it's that it happens. Steel cars turn into a giant piece of junk over a few years. Once rust starts it doesn't stop, it drills right through the chassis. Every element oxides, not every element rusts like steel. Take gold or silver for example. They too oxidize, they DO NOT rust.

It also creates issues with galvanic corrosion where steel hardware contacts the aluminum.

This is a design issue of joining dissimilar metals, it has nothing to do with aluminum itself.

 

[neroden]

I know Tesla says when going to a car wash, an undercarriage wash should be avoided. Is there any approved way to remove road salt down there?

I've never heard them say this. I do an undercarriage wash pretty routinely. If the car couldn't handle water spraying on it from underneath, it couldn't handle driving in heavy rain. It seems to be fine. Most of the undercarriage is a flat sheet of plastic anyway. The water isn't spraying with particularly high force. And it is very important to get the gunk off intermittently.

 

[bhuwan]

I've been pestering Sunday river for a while and they told me some exciting news is Coming soon I just looked on plug share and it looks like they installed 3 HPWC? Hopefully that's true!

Jay peak no longer responds to my
Emails

 

[AWDtsla]

So the Hooksett supercharger has been in place for a while, however you still can't make a round trip from that supercharger and back to it while visiting Loon or anywhere north of it unless you find destination charging. There needs to be a supercharger somewhere on I-93 between Woodstock and Littleton For worry free trips. That would also enable trips to Canada using 93.

Has anyone asked or heard anything?

- - - Updated - - -

I've been pestering Sunday river for a while and they told me some exciting news is Coming soon I just looked on plug share and it looks like they installed 3 HPWC? Hopefully that's true!

Jay peak no longer responds to my
Emails

No reply from Bretton Woods.

 

[figers]

So the Hooksett supercharger has been in place for a while, however you still can't make a round trip from that supercharger and back to it while visiting Loon or anywhere north of it unless you find destination charging. There needs to be a supercharger somewhere on I-93 between Woodstock and Littleton For worry free trips. That would also enable trips to Canada using 93.

Has anyone asked or heard anything?

- - - Updated - - -



No reply from Bretton Woods.

Why can't you make it to Loon with that super charger? What Tesla model do you have? I just ordered the Model X 60D and hope to make it to Loon this winter. Range is 200, but wonder how much I lose in the cold and with elevation. Could unlock roughly 40 more miles of range since it's really a 75 battery. Any destination chargers around Loon?

Thanks,
Luke

 

[figers]

It's only 80 miles to / from Loon and the Hooksett super charger.

 

[AWDtsla]

Why can't you make it to Loon with that super charger? What Tesla model do you have? I just ordered the Model X 60D and hope to make it to Loon this winter. Range is 200, but wonder how much I lose in the cold and with elevation. Could unlock roughly 40 more miles of range since it's really a 75 battery. Any destination chargers around Loon?

Thanks,
Luke

P90D. Use evtripplanner.com. Put it relevant numbers for what a day-trip to an ski area looks like, and adjust speed multiplier to match the flow of traffic at uncongested times. (it's even colder at 5-7am when you're driving there, I've done this trip start at 0F and warming up to 10-15F by noon). When you do this, it does say you can make it to Loon and back to Hooksett southbound without destination charging, IF you range charge at Hooksett northbound on the way there, but just barely. The problem is it doesn't take into account vampire loss and startup costs in the cold. If you went there, and immediately turned around, you could probably make it. But I have 0 faith that you can make it after being parked in the cold for ~8 hours.

Loon does have 2 destination chargers, but what happens if you aren't the only Tesla there and you didn't get there early enough? Loon mountain is an absolute zoo. Hope we both don't show up on the same day.

Sorry, you won't be able to do this trip unless you destination charge at loon in a X 60D, at least not on a day where you need climate control.

 

[AWDtsla]

It's only 80 miles to / from Loon and the Hooksett super charger.

Rated miles used from Hooksett northbound, to Loon, back to Hooksett southbound with it 15F outside and a 1.1 multiplier (average speed of 76-77 mph in a 75 mph zone) is 227 miles. Not including startup costs again, i.e. warming your car up when you leave.

 

[figers]

Rated miles used from Hooksett northbound, to Loon, back to Hooksett southbound with it 15F outside and a 1.1 multiplier (average speed of 76-77 mph in a 75 mph zone) is 227 miles. Not including startup costs again, i.e. warming your car up when you leave.

I don't plan on any day trips, rather planning on staying down the street from Loon and charging overnight... Wondering if a 110V will be enough or if I need to use 240V.

we'll also see how quickly I unlock the X from a P60D to be a P75D

 

[figers]

Have you looked at Plugshare or chargepoint maps to help you make it back to the southbound super charger with a short extra stop?

 

[AWDtsla]

Have you looked at Plugshare or chargepoint maps to help you make it back to the southbound super charger with a short extra stop?

Yes, but not "short". Maybe, with luck, if you can stop for dinner for 2 hours, then go to the supercharger to stop again. At that point just give up on the day trip and plan for lodging and overnight charging. A supercharger by Loon would really mean a several minute stop there to drive with confidence and without delay.

I've been over it 20 times forwards and backwards.

 

[figers]

Ragged Mountain has an offer of $299 for a season pass, there is a supercharger on the way there from Boston and I plan to stay in Lebanon, NH where there is a supercharger to top up at night.

Not as good a mountain as Loon, but good enough for teaching a 3 and 5 year old...

 

[shelbri]

Instead of making two stops, drive 65 mph both ways instead of 77mph and you'll save time overall (adds only 10 minutes each way and avoids a lengthy Level 2 charging stop) and improve your Wh/mi. While cold temps reduce range because you have the heater running, speed above 65mph has an impact as well.