[MSimpsonNj]

If something unexpected happens and you run out of range, blaming ABRP will not help.

Couldn't agree with you more when charging stations are so close together. No need to rely on ABRP and OBD in that situation. My circumstance involved knowing that the stations were too far away and had such heavy elevation changes that I needed something to help me guage how the car was consuming in real time to enable me to adjust as I went. Worked like a charm.

I'm now sitting in Bozeman with a short hop to Missoula tomorrow. Planning the trip back now....

 

[Dmitry]

Couldn't agree with you more when charging stations are so close together.

These stations are close because it is Atlanta. In general, depending on the route, EA stations are every 50-200 miles away. Sometimes more.

 

[The IT Guy]

My circumstance involved knowing that the stations were too far away and had such heavy elevation changes that I needed something to help me guage how the car was consuming in real time to enable me to adjust as I went.

Your story was epic! Some day we will have DCFCs every 50 miles, but until then, we need intrepid explorers like you!!

 

[MSimpsonNj]

I'm planning to travel from Lancaster Pa. to Missoula Montana the first week of August and then driving back again, 2752 miles one way.
Traveling on I-70 cutting up to I-15 at Green River then I-90 due to wanting to use EA chargers the whole way. Taking 3 and a half days.
My concern is having a charger breakdown and being stuck at that location not being able to make it to the next charger. Checking daily on Plugshare reporting I find I should be okay the whole way. However, today they are reporting the chargers at Green River not working, only one working cutting out every two minutes. I could probably get by with this.
If I skip that charger along the way it leaves me with 230 miles to next charger in Spanish Fork. I would need to charge to 100% at the stop prior to GreenRiver to make it comfortably. The longest planned distance to charge at several other stops is 214-217 miles based 3.8 kw/mile.

Is it a mistake to try to make it through the western states at this time of year or any other time for that matter?

I have 5000 miles on the car since Feb. and have had no problems whatsoever. I do trust the car at this point as long as I can get charging. I've only used EA chargers one time doing all my charging at home at level 1.

Hey Chiptuck - how is your trip going so far? I'm sitting in Missoula as we speak. All in all things went well, hope you are finding it to be the same....

 

[Chiptuck]

Hey Chiptuck - how is your trip going so far? I'm sitting in Missoula as we speak. All in all things went well, hope you are finding it to be the same....

We don't leave until next Tuesday. Have my Excel spreadsheet done along with a Plugshare route to keep checking which chargers to try for the max charge. Don't expect any problems so far in our planning. It is a shame how the EA chargers are such hit or miss, the technology and repair is not quite there yet. Can't imagine what will happen in the next year or two as more EV cars hit the road.

Hopefully the wildfires stay North for now. Have been out there other years were you can hardly see the sun and smell the smoke. We'll be seeing our granddaughters, a 3 year old and 4 month old along with my daughter and son in law. They live outside of Florence.

I can't drive 55.

 

[MSimpsonNj]

We don't leave until next Tuesday. Have my Excel spreadsheet done along with a Plugshare route to keep checking which chargers to try for the max charge. Don't expect any problems so far in our planning. It is a shame how the EA chargers are such hit or miss, the technology and repair is not quite there yet. Can't imagine what will happen in the next year or two as more EV cars hit the road.

Hopefully the wildfires stay North for now. Have been out there other years were you can hardly see the sun and smell the smoke. We'll be seeing our granddaughters, a 3 year old and 4 month old along with my daughter and son in law. They live outside of Florence.

I can't drive 55.

We had good luck with all of our EA charging stations. Fast and working. Have fun.

 

[PaulZooms]

We had good luck with all of our EA charging stations. Fast and working. Have fun.

I’ve also had good luck with EA charging stations. (Knock wood) Made it from Denver to Portland and around Portland for 3 days with 15 EA stops. About 1500 miles so far.

While there were a few units out along the way, most were operative. Only had to wait one place, Green River Coffee in UT where a Rivian R1T, Bolt and I5 were in progress and 1 Charger was out.

I had one free ChargePoint session in Price, UT compliments of UDOT. Had to pay $0.94 for one session at a Noodoe Charger in Twin Falls ID to get enough juice to make it to Mountain Home, ID.

We’ll see how it goes on the trip back. Will have to hit five 240v AC chargers in the Oregon boonies. Have the level 1 charger and a 50’ extension cord if those aren’t working.

 

[soozejb]

I'm planning to travel from Lancaster Pa. to Missoula Montana the first week of August and then driving back again, 2752 miles one way.
Traveling on I-70 cutting up to I-15 at Green River then I-90 due to wanting to use EA chargers the whole way. Taking 3 and a half days.
My concern is having a charger breakdown and being stuck at that location not being able to make it to the next charger. Checking daily on Plugshare reporting I find I should be okay the whole way. However, today they are reporting the chargers at Green River not working, only one working cutting out every two minutes. I could probably get by with this.
If I skip that charger along the way it leaves me with 230 miles to next charger in Spanish Fork. I would need to charge to 100% at the stop prior to GreenRiver to make it comfortably. The longest planned distance to charge at several other stops is 214-217 miles based 3.8 kw/mile.

Is it a mistake to try to make it through the western states at this time of year or any other time for that matter?

I have 5000 miles on the car since Feb. and have had no problems whatsoever. I do trust the car at this point as long as I can get charging. I've only used EA chargers one time doing all my charging at home at level 1.

If you see that there will not be charging ahead, how about using the DC charging cable provided with your car and charge overnight at the motel where you'll be staying the night?

 

[MSimpsonNj]

If you see that there will not be charging ahead, how about using the DC charging cable provided with your car and charge overnight at the motel where you'll be staying the night?

The only problem with that is that assuming 10 hours of charging overnight, you only gain about 40 miles (at least in the US).

 

[Chiptuck]

The only problem with that is that assuming 10 hours of charging overnight, you only gain about 40 miles (at least in the US).

That's true. It also wouldn't be worth the hassle hooking up with possibly someone trying to steal the cord and breaking it off or something. They could easily steal an extension cord if used.
I plan on stopping for the night at nearby EA chargers.

 

[MSimpsonNj]

That's true. It also wouldn't be worth the hassle hooking up with possibly someone trying to steal the cord and breaking it off or something. They could easily steal an extension cord if used.
I plan on stopping for the night at nearby EA chargers.

There are a good number of hotels with Level 2's, usually for free to hotel guests. I'd get a Tesla to J1772 adapter though as many are Tesla Destination chargers....

 

[CoSolar]

If you see that there will not be charging ahead, how about using the DC charging cable provided with your car and charge overnight at the motel where you'll be staying the night?

The provided charging cable is actually an AC level one but finding lodging that provides a level two charging option for overnight charging is a good idea.

 

[Mainiac]

Just a tip but when I do a long road trip I like to plan my charging stops so that if I get to a bad charger I am within driving distance of another option. I find the car is a joy to roadtrip with.

I am wondering about something myself. We may road trip to Canada from the USA at some point. I am wondering if it will be easy to set up charging accounts on the fly to charge their. I am assuming my charge point and Electrify America accounts will work with their charges. Anyone know about this?

 

[MSimpsonNj]

Don't know about ChargePoint but I understand that you will need a new account (and app) to use Electrify Canada. EA won't work, they are on different systems. And of course, it won't be free.

 

[ArtSpot]

Just a tip but when I do a long road trip I like to plan my charging stops so that if I get to a bad charger I am within driving distance of another option. I find the car is a joy to roadtrip with.

I am wondering about something myself. We may road trip to Canada from the USA at some point. I am wondering if it will be easy to set up charging accounts on the fly to charge their. I am assuming my charge point and Electrify America accounts will work with their charges. Anyone know about this?

We will need to bring back the old "Last Chance" signs for charging stations (instead of gas).

 

[The IT Guy]

We will need to bring back the old "Last Chance" signs for charging stations (instead of gas).
View attachment 44600

"Next Service 300 Miles", not 100, according to the earlier post.

 

[MSimpsonNj]

Chiptuck - just a note on the EA charging station in Missoula at the Walmart. My experience has been that although they are getting the job done, they are very inconsistent. Unit 2 seems to get going for two minutes and then quits, Unit 1was not working at all, and unit 3 works most of the time though not always at max speed. I have not tried unit 4 yet. Too add to it, for some reason when trying to call EA from that location on Verizon. I get a message that my call cannot be completed. Happened on two different days. When I get back to my Airbnb I can call fine. Really weird. I had 5 bars of service too.

 

[Chiptuck]

Chiptuck - just a note on the EA charging station in Missoula at the Walmart. My experience has been that although they are getting the job done, they are very inconsistent. Unit 2 seems to get going for two minutes and then quits, Unit 1was not working at all, and unit 3 works most of the time though not always at max speed. I have not tried unit 4 yet. Too add to it, for some reason when trying to call EA from that location on Verizon. I get a message that my call cannot be completed. Happened on two different days. When I get back to my Airbnb I can call fine. Really weird. I had 5 bars of service too.

Thanks for the heads up. Leaving tomorrow morning arriving Friday evening. I have T-Mobile which has good service everywhere I needed it the last trip out there.

That's will be the problem the whole way out there is finding which charger is the fastest or even works. I'll be dependant upon reports from other drivers along the way. However it seems that what works fine for one car doesn't for the next. Fast charging is nowhere near ready for primetime. But then we are still taking the same chance of finding a clean and comfortable hotel along the way. Some reviews are all over the place.