Charging cost - there is no "best" network / provider on a trip

[RickLightning]

As I posted, we just took a 5,336 mile trip across ten states. Here's the EA cost at the chargers we used (before 25% discount), showing you it matters where you charge. Note that on many routes, there are no other fast charging options, including Tesla. For example, several spots have Tesla chargers, but they are V2 (Green River, UT for example). In other cases (for example crossing Colorado), there are some Tesla chargers we could have used with the adapter. But we have 25% off the EA rates, so 36 cents and 42 cents. Tesla was 42 cents (cheaper if we pay the $12.99 fee for the discount, would be 31 cents). Saving 9 cents would breakeven on Tesla at 144kW. So, in total on this trip, with the adapter, we probably could have save some money overall with Tesla. But many Tesla locations have time-specific rates, so you have to take into account. In other cases, like in Nebraska, Tesla charges per minute like EA (state requires it). Tesla would be 59 cents vs. 44 cents (33 with discount). In Wyoming, there are no Tesla chargers on our route, nor most of Nevada until you are outside Reno. Choice will be nice in the future.

On a per kWh basis (all states we were in except NE and WY), rates varied from 48 to 64 cents per kWh. Per minute rates were all 44 cents. We get 25% off, so 36 to 48 and 33 cents. One per minute location was locked at 21 cents, in Nebraska as I recall.

Portage, MI - 56 cents
Joilet, IL - 48 cents
Geneseo, IL - 56 cents
Coralville, IA - free 50kW charger
Williamsburg, IA - 48 cents
Waukee, IA - 56 cents
Council Bluffs, IA - 48 cents
Lincoln, NE - 44 cents per minute. Assuming 2.5kW per minute, that's 17.6 cents per kWh. We filled up here on the way home before hitting IOWA at nearly 3x the cost.
Grand Island, NE - 44 cents per minute.
Lexington, NE - 44 cents per minute. We used the level 2 charger by the hotel, $4 flat fee.
Ogallala, NE - 44 cents per minute.
Fort Morgan, CO - 48 cents
Evergreen, CO - 56 cents
Condo - 35 cents per kWh, 5 hour limit, then parking fee.
Grand Junction, CO - 56 cents
Green River, UT - 56 cents
Hotel in SLC - free level 2
West Wendover, NV - 64 cents
Elko, NV - 64 cents
Winnemucca, NV - 64 cents. We used the 125kW charger at the Ford dealership on the way out, but used this one on the way back due to speed of charging.
Fernley, NV - 64 cents
Hotel in Reno - free level 2
Sacramento, CA - 48 cents (lots of EA locations, prices vary, we picked 48 cent locations)
Pleasanton, CA - 56 cents

Way home

Sacramento, CA - 56 cents

then the same route until Wyoming, which was all 44 cents a minute. Hotels provided free charging on day 1 and day 4 on the way home.

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[Ffxdude]

Part of the problem with road tripping now is deciding which network to get the membership with. Used to be simple - get an EA membership. Now (for me anyway) it’s almost route dependent. If I go one direction I’m going to utilize more EVGo than EA, on others it’ll be more EA and Tesla.

 

[Maxx]

Thanks for a great report. Could you share more about hotels? How many chargers? How many of them were Tesla (did you use adapter)? Could you lock in a charger with your reservation? Or it was a crapshoot when you got there?

in other words, how would you maximize the chance of getting a level 2?

 

[RickLightning]

I have never come across a hotel with reserved EV charging, which is why I always have a DC backup. I find Tesla about 25% of the time.

 

[SC_Sparky]

If you have calculated the cost per mile that would be interesting...

 

[RickLightning]

If you have calculated the cost per mile that would be interesting...

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/trip-from-se-michigan-to-california-and-back.18767/

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