Hi,
Two of the main south New Mexico tourist sites are White Sands National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns. South New Mexico is a big hole as it relates to EV charging options. I didn't see too much info on EV feasibility of these trips and and wanted to relay my experiences with doing it recently in our model X.
Short summary is, trip is doable IF you are comfortable driving beneath the speed limit and IF you have a high comfort for range anxiety.
Facts about my car: Tesla Model X P90, 100% charge is 230 miles, range mode on, 20 inch tires.
I drove from Albuquerque to Carlsbad (day 1), Carlsbad to caverns then caverns to El Paso (day 2), El Paso to white sands, then white sands back to Albuquerque (day 3).
Day 1: Abq to Carlsbad. Segment 1 was ABQ to Santa Rosa SC. Pretty easy, 140 miles or so. No issues.
Segment 2 was Santa Rosa SC to Carlsbad. This is 220 miles. I charged to 99%. EV trip planner had me arriving with anyone from 4-10% despite this. You take route 54 to route 285, which then takes you through Roswell into Carlsbad. Route 55 is backroads with speed limit of 60. I drove 5 beneath the speed limit as it initially had me arriving with 2% charge. On route 285 speed limit is around 65-70. I drove 10 beneath speed limit. I arrived in Carlsbad with 5% battery remaining, with ~320 wh/m. In Carlsbad, Carlsbad RV park has NEMA 14-50 charging plugs. I rented a spot for $35 for the night. Comfort in and La Quinta Inn are two hotels within walking distance of the RV park (I stayed at the latter).
Day 2: Carlsbad to caverns to El Paso. Overall trip is about 170 miles.
Segment 1: Carlsbad to the Caverns. Drove 5 beneath speed limit. Arrived at Caverns with 82% charge. We decided to leave our dog in the car with the AC instead of put her in a kettle there. Left AC blasting for 3 hours. Returned to find battery had drained to 70(!)%.
Segment 2: Caverns to El Paso. VERY VERY HAIRY. You take route 80 through the Guadalupe Mountains. Only charging options inbetween is to head out of the way south to Van Horn SC. Initially when we left Caverns it said we were to arrive with 0%. I usually can beat Tesla's estimate so I drove 10 beneath speed limit. (60 in a 70). There is TREMENDOUS high winds along this path. After I passed the route 54 option to go to Van Horn SC, I hit very high head winds 30-40 mph. Much of the next hour was spend with Tesla alerts saying I would not make my destination. Had to drive 50 mph (!) in a 75 mph zone in this area just to avoid percentage drops in my arrival estimate when the headwinds were this high. Thankfully roads are not heavily driven. Last hour of drive I made up some time driving 10 beneath limit and arrived with 2% battery remaining in El Paso. Certainly the AC portion of this made drive more difficult using 12% battery but headwinds are very high in this area and anyone traveling this route has to be really careful. We stayed at Home2 Suites which is near airport and has Destination charger.
Day 3: El Paso to White Sands then to ABQ.
Segment 1: El Paso to white sands. I took route 54 to get there. I was trying to make this loop and get to Truth or Consequences SC without having to charge in Las Cruces, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Drove 5-10 beneath on drive to white sands, and my initial estimate arrival of 48% increased to 58%. Used 10% driving around park.
Segment 2: White Sands to Las Cruces. Took route 70 to get back toward I-25. Again 5-10 beneath speed limit. Still didn't have enough to make it to truth or consequences SC without stopping in Las Cruces. Downtown they have a charger, charged for an hour to 40%. Its a quaint area. Had lunch there. Made it to truth or consequences SC with 3% battery driving 10 beneath speed limit (ie 65 mph in a 75 zone)
Segment 3: Truth or Consequences SC to Albuquerque. 150 miles. Pretty straight ward. Had a good tailwind, drove 5-10 above speed limit.
My overall efficiency on trip was 330 wh/m. Despite that I had more close calls (arriving with 0-5% charge) on this trip than any other, and that was despite driving 10 beneath the speed limit (sometimes more). Carlsbad to El Paso has high winds and have to plan for extra charge for that route specifically. Model S or 3, or 100D model X may have an easier time. Trip is doable but challenging.
Good luck.
Two of the main south New Mexico tourist sites are White Sands National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns. South New Mexico is a big hole as it relates to EV charging options. I didn't see too much info on EV feasibility of these trips and and wanted to relay my experiences with doing it recently in our model X.
Short summary is, trip is doable IF you are comfortable driving beneath the speed limit and IF you have a high comfort for range anxiety.
Facts about my car: Tesla Model X P90, 100% charge is 230 miles, range mode on, 20 inch tires.
I drove from Albuquerque to Carlsbad (day 1), Carlsbad to caverns then caverns to El Paso (day 2), El Paso to white sands, then white sands back to Albuquerque (day 3).
Day 1: Abq to Carlsbad. Segment 1 was ABQ to Santa Rosa SC. Pretty easy, 140 miles or so. No issues.
Segment 2 was Santa Rosa SC to Carlsbad. This is 220 miles. I charged to 99%. EV trip planner had me arriving with anyone from 4-10% despite this. You take route 54 to route 285, which then takes you through Roswell into Carlsbad. Route 55 is backroads with speed limit of 60. I drove 5 beneath the speed limit as it initially had me arriving with 2% charge. On route 285 speed limit is around 65-70. I drove 10 beneath speed limit. I arrived in Carlsbad with 5% battery remaining, with ~320 wh/m. In Carlsbad, Carlsbad RV park has NEMA 14-50 charging plugs. I rented a spot for $35 for the night. Comfort in and La Quinta Inn are two hotels within walking distance of the RV park (I stayed at the latter).
Day 2: Carlsbad to caverns to El Paso. Overall trip is about 170 miles.
Segment 1: Carlsbad to the Caverns. Drove 5 beneath speed limit. Arrived at Caverns with 82% charge. We decided to leave our dog in the car with the AC instead of put her in a kettle there. Left AC blasting for 3 hours. Returned to find battery had drained to 70(!)%.
Segment 2: Caverns to El Paso. VERY VERY HAIRY. You take route 80 through the Guadalupe Mountains. Only charging options inbetween is to head out of the way south to Van Horn SC. Initially when we left Caverns it said we were to arrive with 0%. I usually can beat Tesla's estimate so I drove 10 beneath speed limit. (60 in a 70). There is TREMENDOUS high winds along this path. After I passed the route 54 option to go to Van Horn SC, I hit very high head winds 30-40 mph. Much of the next hour was spend with Tesla alerts saying I would not make my destination. Had to drive 50 mph (!) in a 75 mph zone in this area just to avoid percentage drops in my arrival estimate when the headwinds were this high. Thankfully roads are not heavily driven. Last hour of drive I made up some time driving 10 beneath limit and arrived with 2% battery remaining in El Paso. Certainly the AC portion of this made drive more difficult using 12% battery but headwinds are very high in this area and anyone traveling this route has to be really careful. We stayed at Home2 Suites which is near airport and has Destination charger.
Day 3: El Paso to White Sands then to ABQ.
Segment 1: El Paso to white sands. I took route 54 to get there. I was trying to make this loop and get to Truth or Consequences SC without having to charge in Las Cruces, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Drove 5-10 beneath on drive to white sands, and my initial estimate arrival of 48% increased to 58%. Used 10% driving around park.
Segment 2: White Sands to Las Cruces. Took route 70 to get back toward I-25. Again 5-10 beneath speed limit. Still didn't have enough to make it to truth or consequences SC without stopping in Las Cruces. Downtown they have a charger, charged for an hour to 40%. Its a quaint area. Had lunch there. Made it to truth or consequences SC with 3% battery driving 10 beneath speed limit (ie 65 mph in a 75 zone)
Segment 3: Truth or Consequences SC to Albuquerque. 150 miles. Pretty straight ward. Had a good tailwind, drove 5-10 above speed limit.
My overall efficiency on trip was 330 wh/m. Despite that I had more close calls (arriving with 0-5% charge) on this trip than any other, and that was despite driving 10 beneath the speed limit (sometimes more). Carlsbad to El Paso has high winds and have to plan for extra charge for that route specifically. Model S or 3, or 100D model X may have an easier time. Trip is doable but challenging.
Good luck.