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Nappe
Member
Calgary isn't that much closer to Drumheller than Canmore. Right now Drumheller has RV parks, like S'Toon mentioned, and there are plans for EV chargers in town by next summer.
My kids loved climbing up and down the badlands terrain at that age, and the museum is excellent.
beeeerock
Active Member
I wouldn't let the absence of a Calgary SC stop you. There are enough charging points out there to make this an entirely do-able trip, with a little pre-planning. Remember, the Alberta guys are living with the current situation and don't seem to be selling their cars! :biggrin:
Vacationing is about taking the road less traveled, stopping to see the sights, looking for mini adventures and not being in a hurry. Unless you're traveling with my wife...
Solving the charging problem was part of the fun last summer when I went east. I cooled my heels for a few more hours than I intended or wanted to at the time, but it was all good and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Or sooner, because that trip caused me to buck up for the second charger when I returned home! :tongue:
You will learn to recognize a Peavey Mart sign from a distance...
That's funny. I had a second charger installed while I was in for the annual inspection in Toronto. I had traveled from Victoria, B.C. via I-90. I wanted to try going back to B.C. via the Trans-Canada Highway. It requires a lot of patience. And there was one spot in northern Ontario where I did not have a second charging option, so if the charger was out of commission I was probably going to be spending the next few days there on 110V somewhere. Then on the prairies - yes, thank goodness for Peavey Mart. I charged at the Peavey Mart in Winnipeg, in Regina, in Moose Jaw, and Medicine Hat.
As for coming from B.C. to Drumheller - as has been pointed out, there are plenty of options, but one that seems obvious from plugshare.com is the Rosebud Country Inn.
Rosebud Country Inn | Rosebud, AB | Electric Car Charging Station | PlugShare
If you stay there you'd have a full charge near Drumheller. You could do a fair bit of driving and still make it back to Canmore.
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Canuck
Well-Known Member
Which only goes to prove that Tesla is really doing the initial Model X configuration wrong by hiding the dual charger option on the order page and, to make matters even worse, they are saying that if you don't order it at the factory it can't be done later at the service centres.
Canuck
Well-Known Member
beeeerock
Active Member
The options on Plugshare seem to grow every week. What was almost an adventure for me in August likely wouldn't feel as much like exploring a new frontier next August. If you haven't read about Alf from Williams Lake and his Roadster adventure, it's worthwhile doing so. http://driving.ca/tesla/auto-news/news/the-high-road-charge-across-canada Since meeting him this summer, I stop in to visit with him when I'm in Williams Lake and figure if he could take on a solo EV trip across Canada a few years ago, never having seen the car, and at the tender young age of 82... I can't complain too loud about getting ICE'd by uncooperative Peavey Mart staff in Medicine Hat... or getting wedged in the back alley in High River by the garbage truck. First world problems and all that...
Alf's story is a great one and I got a new detail or two when the subject came up again. Great guy, really interesting. Sitting drinking beer in his backyard on a warm afternoon next to his bee hives is an experience! :biggrin:I haven't seen how big the base charger is on the X... I thought there was talk about it being bigger than the 10 kW in the MS. For the average American, doing 90% of their driving in the cities, the network of Superchargers across the USA (still growing) is probably great enough that the cost of the second charger isn't justified. I wouldn't say that's the case up here though... it will be a long time before the charging network (any DC Fast Charge) will be dense enough to make the Sun Country units irrelevant. Being able to max out at 80 amps continuous will be valuable for some time yet, unfortunately.
Canuck
Well-Known Member
It's only 12 kW (48 amp). Regardless of the amount of Superchargers, the US is huge (far more roads and drivable land than we have) and there's no Superchargers at most ski hills, resorts, hotels, etc. where HPWC's are being installed more and more every day. Plus, it takes some of the pressure off the SC's when you can charge at 80 amps rather than 40/48. Even 72 amps (the max for the Model X if you can even find the option on the website) is a step down from 80.
Tesla Hides Model X High Power Charger Option From Customers - Gas 2
I understand that SunCountry is looking at placing an L2 in Drumheller. We have made it there and back in our Model S85D from Calgary. The disneyland trip is awesome, we recently did that drive, check it out:
tesla003 - Tesla Model S drive to Disneyland - 3100KM's driven, 60 hours traveling, 16 superchargers visited, 5 family meals, $3.40 in electricity costs for the drive, 2 Motel Stays, 1 Mass attended and my family of six arrives at Disneyland to continue the adventure.
https://youtu.be/GWRvM2T_QHk
tesla004 - Tesla Model S drive home from Disneyland - 3100KM's driven, 62 hours traveling, 15 superchargers visited, 5 family meals, $0.00 in electricity costs for the drive, 2 Motel Stays, 1 Mass attended and my family of six arrives at home safely. Travelled through snow and rain, and a blizzard or two.
https://youtu.be/UlQsc1aw4aM
tesla003 - Tesla Model S drive to Disneyland - 3100KM's driven, 60 hours traveling, 16 superchargers visited, 5 family meals, $3.40 in electricity costs for the drive, 2 Motel Stays, 1 Mass attended and my family of six arrives at Disneyland to continue the adventure.
https://youtu.be/GWRvM2T_QHk
tesla004 - Tesla Model S drive home from Disneyland - 3100KM's driven, 62 hours traveling, 15 superchargers visited, 5 family meals, $0.00 in electricity costs for the drive, 2 Motel Stays, 1 Mass attended and my family of six arrives at home safely. Travelled through snow and rain, and a blizzard or two.
https://youtu.be/UlQsc1aw4aM
dmd2005
Active Member
I haven't looked to close at plugshare yet, and considering to add a dual charger in the red MS we're picking up next month. My kids don't have the greatest patience and I guess I'll pack some electronics and download some new movies they can watch on their iPads.
Looks like a fun trip Mike. I wonder how hot the back seats would be in the summer. I'll be adding 35% tint to cut down heat and get a portable battery operated fan for the summer if we do a Cali trip.
Looks like a fun trip Mike. I wonder how hot the back seats would be in the summer. I'll be adding 35% tint to cut down heat and get a portable battery operated fan for the summer if we do a Cali trip.
beeeerock
Active Member
This comes back to the whole discussion of whether a destination charger should be higher or lower current. My belief is that actual *destination* chargers should be sized to give a charge overnight, so that the hotel (or whatever) could install two lower current units over one higher current model. Or install in that ratio. Reason being, nobody wants to get up at 1AM to swap plugs... better to have enough units and let them trickle overnight. And there may be a limit to how much current can be provided from the main panel anyway.
However, if you're talking about the Peavey Mart type of charge station, for people looking to continue on their way as soon as possible, then yes, the more amps the better. I just question whether the growth of the SC network (at least south of us) might mean high current level 2's will be less relevant as time goes on - except for actual destinations.
Canuck
Well-Known Member
I'd like to see just one 80 amp HPWC at destinations and then a few 30 amp J1172. The HPWC would come in real handy when you arrive with low range and just want to check in, unpack, and the go out on the town. Those extra miles are really needed at times like that.
Our kids have been warm a few times, but now I know how to get them cool air. Just force air through the the dash and mid vents, and angle them to send air up towards the back' and increase the fan speed, that's it.
We we also have the screens which I bought to keep it warmer in the winter, and it helps keep them cooler too. They survived the cold and heat of a drive from Calgary to Anaheim, so it's not too hard to keep them comfortable back there.
Also there are several places in Calgary now and more than a few owners on plug share who will happily lend a charger.
Lon12
Member
Canuck
Well-Known Member
3s-a-charm
Active Member
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