Almost uneventful 4500 mile trip

[On the Road with Ralph]

I’m a few days away from my 20th road trip of 1500 miles or more each. Except for checking on the status of a few key chargers along the way, I am making less and less use EV route planners. In my view, the charging infrastructure in the US is getting very close to “just get in the truck and go” status. And most of my driving is in the wide open west.

On my last trip (about 2000 miles) I averaged 2.3 per the truck and 2.2 per my recorded calculations. But I tend to stay off of interstate highways and travel the back roads (and on the last trip, to places where there are hardly any roads at all). I’m usually driving between 55 and 70 mph between stops. On that last trip, my average “fuel” cost was $.31 per kilowatt (I have memberships at both Tesla and EA, and take advantage of free charging when it is available at hotels).

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[Robert1380]

I just did it.

Trip from Miami to Florida. ABRP comes up with 7 stops for 3:38, arriving with 6%. I then force each stop to 80%. Do I, replan (as it might skip a stop or redo them), then another. Now have 9 stops for 4:48, wasting at least 1:10.

Yeah I’ve been playing with all the settings and it’s having me stop for 9 minutes at one and 27 another and 40 another. Seems that just force- charging it to 80% at each stop would be so much easier and less stops at the end of the day.

I thought that perhaps the drastic variation’s in time and SOC was calculated for some type of battery maintenance or conditioning.

 

[RickLightning]

Yeah I’ve been playing with all the settings and it’s having me stop for 9 minutes at one and 27 another and 40 another. Seems that just force- charging it to 80% at each stop would be so much easier and less stops at the end of the day.

I thought that perhaps the drastic variation’s in time and SOC was calculated for some type of battery maintenance or conditioning.

Its goal is to balance charging and driving. You can select less stops for longer or fewer stops that are shorter, versus optimal.

I find it is not accurate on the total time for a stop, so mine adds 10 mins. Exit highway, sit at traffic light, or 3. Find charger, pull in enough, start charging, then repeat to get back on highway. So a 7 min charge is more like 20 min plus.

If it says anything over 70, I go to 80%. If it says mid 80s, I cut it to 80 and arrive at then next charger more empty. I arrive home with under 10%.

I also prioritize networks. Tesla, IONNA, and then EA. If it doesn't give me Tesla, I force it if possible. It ignores cost, I don't. Sign up for Tesla membership morning of trip (for 25% discount), then immediately downgrade, takes effect in 30 days. 1+ charges is breakeven. Avoid EA plan unless no Tesla chargers available in that area (Montana).

 

[Rayden]

I just did it.

Trip from Miami to Columbus. ABRP comes up with 7 stops for 3:38, arriving with 6%. I then force each stop to 80%. Do one, replan (as it might skip a stop or redo them), then another. Now have 9 stops for 4:48, wasting at least 1:10. Arrive with 64%.

That's a great example for showing how it can be counterintuitive for charging times/percentages.

 

[Robert1380]

Its goal is to balance charging and driving. You can select less stops for longer or fewer stops that are shorter, versus optimal.

I find it is not accurate on the total time for a stop, so mine adds 10 mins. Exit highway, sit at traffic light, or 3. Find charger, pull in enough, start charging, then repeat to get back on highway. So a 7 min charge is more like 20 min plus.

If it says anything over 70, I go to 80%. If it says mid 80s, I cut it to 80 and arrive at then next charger more empty. I arrive home with under 10%.

I also prioritize networks. Tesla, IONNA, and then EA. If it doesn't give me Tesla, I force it if possible. It ignores cost, I don't. Sign up for Tesla membership morning of trip (for 25% discount), then immediately downgrade, takes effect in 30 days. 1+ charges is breakeven. Avoid EA plan unless no Tesla chargers available in that area (Montana).

You get back with home with only 10%? Man that's gutsy. If I get to less than 20 before the next stop I start having heart palpitations. Since my longest trip one way has only been around 200 miles or so, I'm not as comfortable, trusting my decisions or my uncanny ability to mis-calculate something important. Probably over-thinking it.

 

[RickLightning]

You get back with home with only 10%? Man that's gutsy. If I get to less than 20 before the next stop I start having heart palpitations. Since my longest trip one way has only been around 200 miles or so, I'm not as comfortable, trusting my decisions or my uncanny ability to mis-calculate something important. Probably over-thinking it.

I use an OBD adapter and CarScanner. I see the exact kWh I have. I am driving on a trip, and see via This Trip at each charging stop the efficiency of the prior leg (which is lost upon restart). Trip 1 shows me the total trip (I reset at start). I see the conditions of weather with my eyes. If I am getting say 1.7 on each leg, I take 1.5 x remaining kWh and that is my exact miles to empty. I know exactly my route home from my last charging stop, nothing unknown. I see clearly I have say 15 extra miles. I cannot possibly be off by enough to not make it.

Easypeasy.

 

[Robert1380]

I use an OBD adapter and CarScanner. I see the exact kWh I have. I am driving on a trip, and see via This Trip at each charging stop the efficiency of the prior leg (which is lost upon restart). Trip 1 shows me the total trip (I reset at start). I see the conditions of weather with my eyes. If I am getting say 1.7 on each leg, I take 1.5 x remaining kWh and that is my exact miles to empty. I know exactly my route home from my last charging stop, nothing unknown. I see clearly I have say 15 extra miles. I cannot possibly be off by enough to not make it.

Easypeasy.

Which OBD dongle are you using?

 

[RickLightning]

Which OBD dongle are you using?

OBDLink MX. No longer made. MX+ is closest.

 

[Robert1380]

OBDLink MX. No longer made. MX+ is closest.

I actually have both of those but never really used either on for any type of planning.

 

[RickLightning]

I actually have both of those but never really used either on for any type of planning.

CarScanner was like $5.99. But you can use it free for quite a while.

 

[Robert1380]

CarScanner was like $4.99. But you can use it free for quite a while.

I’ve got the paid version of CS but never delved into its functionality. 98 percent of the driving we do is local, being within a couple hundred miles of home so I haven’t really explored it. I’m sure I’ll be getting an education on its use during this trip.

 

[RickLightning]

I’ve got the paid version of CS but never delved into its functionality. 98 percent of the driving we do is local, being within a couple hundred miles of home so I haven’t really explored it. I’m sure I’ll be getting an education on its use during this trip.

Energy remaining
Battery temp (for winter)
Charging speed requested vs offered, shows defective charger
Instant efficiency
SOH (times 131 tells you max possible energy, which you will only see with 100% charge, on a level 2 charger allowed to finish, and 77 degree battery).

kWh (energy remaining) of course takes into account SOH. If you look at it when battery is cold versus warm, you see a large change.

 

[Robert1380]

Energy remaining
Battery temp (for winter)
Charging speed requested vs offered, shows defective charger
Instant efficiency
SOH (times 131 tells you max possible energy, which you will only see with 100% charge, on a level 2 charger allowed to finish, and 77 degree battery).

kWh (energy remaining) of course takes into account SOH. If you look at it when battery is cold versus warm, you see a large change.

Dang, sounds pretty useful.....if you use it LOL

 

[msadan]

Getting ready to do a 2300 mile trip. Was wondering if you charged during your trip per the recommendations of the Ford mapping or ABRP?

I’m curious cuz I never figured out why when setting up the routes it has you stop for 10 min at one location and 26 at another and so on. Wondering if most people just charge to 80-90 percent at each stop?

I mostly planned it out ahead rather than using Ford's nav or ABRP. I tried to plan it so I would arrive with 10%-20% and then charge to 70%-80%. I hit any Ionna locations that were along the way, then filled in the gaps with Tesla Superchargers. In the few spots that weren't covered by either of those I used EVgo or EA. When I got to California I used Apple maps and let it plan the Supercharger stops.

 

[K6CCC]

Although you have an OBD reader, I post this for information. I have the OBDLink LX which is quite a bit less expensive than the MX+ that Rick posted: https://a.co/d/0a38Ph48
Works great with CarScanner. I had it prior to buying my Lightning.

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