Living in The Lightning On The Road -- Almost a Year and Counting

[Sdctcher]

Wow, once you get a Tesla adapter you will feel like you died and went to heaven! It’s just that your charging options will double and if the EA chargers are full, no problem, there is a Tesla super charger around the corner.

PROMISES! PROMISES! My Ford Adapter has been on order since last Feb. but every month the order page adds a month.

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[Sdctcher]

When we camp for a few days, we carry a 5 kWh portable power station/auxiliary battery. This can power the L1 mobile charger and can simultaneously be charged via our solar (about 400-800 Watts depending on my mood when packing).

We charge up the mobile power station at home, and run the fridge off it during the trip. We also charge it while on DCFC on the road. Once we're at the camp site, we put out the solar panels and start charging the power station and turn on the L1 charger. We continue charging into the evening, letting the portable power station drain to about 10-20% (so it still powers the fridge over night). The next day we charge the power station back up on solar and when it reaches 100% (or sometimes earlier), we start charging the truck. Works pretty well.

This can get us at least a few tens of miles over a long weekend.

Before I started doing what I am doing I researched to death solar options to power the truck but since most everything I own is carried with me I have neither the room nor the weight capacity for a solar set up. I think we are a few years away from a good solution for someone such as I. I do have the capability to plug into my inverter in a pinch and slow charge if I am willing to just sit still for a few days. Thanks for your comments. I am sure they will help someone who camps out weekends.

 

[Sdctcher]

Great to hear your experience. Please give us updates when you feel like it. There are many that have considered what you are doing, but few who will make the move .

Sunset on the Salton Sea. I spent 6 rainy weeks in Oregon last Oct-Dec so am glad to get down here to warm and dry. I send you my umbrella. If I lived in your neck of the woods I might be "Grumpy Too".

 

[21st Century Truck]

[How fast is your Lightning mobile wifi? Any limits on data?]

It is the unlimted AT&T $20/mo. plan you can add to the Lightning. It is 5G and I get fast streaming coverage most everywhere I have been, surprisingly even places I go blank with my ipad and iphone 5g cell coverage. But I also carry an unlimted AT&T mobile hotspot so the truck is my backup.

[And how do you like the camper? Do you recommend it?]

I love my Bean but it can be expensive. My model is the Meaner Bean that is outfitted with every option except air conditioning. Base I believe is around $35K but mine is closer to $50K. I have hot water, furnace, awning and annex, shower, 2 105a Lithiums, 1000w inverter, 140w removable solar, fridge and propane stove, running water (17g), 3500# axeles, front storage, rock sliders, and articulating hitch. I like how it is heavy duty and well insulated one piece composite. It is set up for off-grid and off-road.

[I like you telling people, Lightning is not always Lightning fast]

HA! Yes, I can beat most everyone off the line but choose to drive like an old lady at 55 and go twice as far.

Thanks for the questions and comments.

Bean teardrop trailers are awesome! ...as are pretty much all teardrop trailers It's a classic American road invention going back about 90 years now, and making a comeback these days.

 

[hturnerfamily]

- we downsized from a diesel-pusher Class A Motorhome, having traveled across the country, to all contiguous states, most all provinces of Canada, and ALASKA, and loved it, to a 'tiny' 20' single-axle 3,800lb Camper, with queen-walkaround, and dining room slide... behind the LIGHTNING Pro SR... 'plugged in' to ProPower, AS WE TRAVEL.

- we no longer worry about campgrounds - we have our own power. We bring our own bottled water, and can get some 'showering' water, in the tank, and for the water heater, whenever we do hit a campground, but mostly never travel with water in the tank. We dump when we can.
It frees us up to travel 'spontaneously', with more intent to find DC Fast Chargers, or other charging options, versus 'having to be at campgrounds.
Walmarts and other big box parking lots are like Tesla Superchargers, too: we have a LOT more options.

- since the LIGHTNING has ProPower output, everything 'electric' is no problem. Even wifi/internet. We simply carry our T-MOBILE Home Internet device everywhere we go - it simply is 'plugged in' to a 120v outlet, whether in the camper, or in the truck, providing constant INTERNET, always. We've never traveled anywhere yet where there was any real signal issue. But, we also have our AT&T iPhone hotspots, too, so a 'back up' is always available, one way or the other.

 

[Sdctcher]

There are many that have considered what you are doing, but few who will make the move .

My opinion is that it is all about attacking and embracing limitations. Most people are too soft and they find comfort just living in their self imposed cocoons.

A majority of people find themselves limited in their lives by employment, family, finances, and their fear of actually trying something new and unknown. These are the dreamers, not the doers.

Most of the rest do not have the ability to plan, organize, and execute to the extent required to live within the current limitations imposed by EV Camping, especially those of the early Lightning. For my circumstances perhaps a Ramcharger with a 92 kW battery and generator might have been a better alternative, but I could not wait, and I love my Lightning.

Every pound of weight carried or towed, and every inch of mass towed outside of a "perfect" areodynamic shape will limit distance travelled. My choice was a low profile teardrop under 3000#.

Every mph above 55 driven, and mph of headwind will reduce efficency exponentially, as will any increase in elevation. I do my best to remain a flat-lander and when I am forced to climb mountains I plan to have a charger at the top, or factor in my estimated regeneration for a hopeful charger after coming back down.

Every degree of temperature below 75 degrees, and every inch of rain or snow, will decrease kW/mile. Below 50 degrees with rain is a 40% killer.

Panic will ensue when there is no Plan A, B and C included in anticipated charging schedules. Numerous times I have arrived at a dead Plan A station. I paniced only the first time. Now I always have at least a 20% reserve. If there is no charger I do not go.

Unlimited Nationwide travel in a towing Lightning is not now possible because there is still a lack of DC chargers in some areas (think Montana, dry-side Oregon, and Northern Maine) so pre-planning is critical.

The Lightning "Guess-O-Meter is getting better but not so much in Towing Mode. I normally gain up to 50% as I progress.

Confusion reigns in range estimates. Under perfect conditions towing I can drive 225 miles 100% to 0%. That is really not my actual range. On the road I am limited to a 90% charge and I try to stick to a 25% Reserve. My true range equals about 150 miles, and that is in "perfect" conditions. Normally I try to arrive at my stations somewhere around 100-125 miles. In my last 10,000 miles coast to coast that has been no problem.

Over the next few years fulltime recreational EV towing will certainly get better but right now it remains a taunting endeavor. I hope this fact will not scare away more of you risk-takers. It requires pioneers to forge paths and make the mistakes that those that follow may learn from.

 

[Joe Dablock]

You are so right, but an ER would be a little help. The NAV just doesn’t take terrain into consideration. But I the driver who does know the terrain is free to override the NAV because we really are in control ( NAV doesn’t consider that the next 100 miles is primarily down or up hill).

 

[Sdctcher]

You are so right, but an ER would be a little help. The NAV just doesn’t take terrain into consideration. But I the driver who does know the terrain is free to override the NAV because we really are in control ( NAV doesn’t consider that the next 100 miles is primarily down or up hill).

Correct. I am old school and continually do my homework each day's drive with various apps and maps and Goggle Earth. From the start I have never trusted NAV, even with updated AI, which often seems to be coded by a 16 year old. I read my Guess-O-Meter but view it as merely the opinion of one less informed than I. (BTW - My Lariat is an ER).

 

[linuxgangster]

I see you do alot of fast charging. Does this save you money in the long run. I am a new owner and only have fast charged once and it seemed very pricey. Most places around here are charging .40 - .50 KWh. According to my calculations its pretty much a wash compared to my Ram 1500 I had before.

BTW I have read similar reports that DC fast charging is not as bad as all the theoritical data has suggested.

BTW enjoy the life you are living. Do you hunt, fish or hike? I know I would be hitting up rivers and streams constantly to fly fish if I was out all the time like you. Sounds like so much fun!

 

[Sdctcher]

I see you do alot of fast charging. Does this save you money in the long run. I am a new owner and only have fast charged once and it seemed very pricey. Most places around here are charging .40 - .50 KWh. According to my calculations its pretty much a wash compared to my Ram 1500 I had before.

BTW I have read similar reports that DC fast charging is not as bad as all the theoritical data has suggested.

BTW enjoy the life you are living. Do you hunt, fish or hike? I know I would be hitting up rivers and streams constantly to fly fish if I was out all the time like you. Sounds like so much fun!

Since I now I have no permanent residence I usually have no choice but to fast charge. When possible I slow charge at hotels or campgrounds. For my first year of Lightning I charged at my farm on my 50a, but a year ago I sold the farm and am on the road everyday. I was paying 9 cents/kW (KY). Now I normally pay 42 cents at EA or 64 cents at EVgo.

Yes. Recent newer studies of how real people charge indicates that batteries will last much longer than anticipated, and as long as the charge regimen is within recommended limits fast charging is no worse than slow charging.

Being nearly 80 years old, I am beyond my time of hunting, fishing, or rugged hiking. I do try to ride my bike at least 10 miles every day though to stay in shape. I wish I had tried this lifestyle decades ago but EVs were slow to develop. Thanks for asking. My advice is do it before you get too old.

 

[21st Century Truck]

I see you do alot of fast charging. Does this save you money in the long run. I am a new owner and only have fast charged once and it seemed very pricey. Most places around here are charging .40 - .50 KWh. According to my calculations its pretty much a wash compared to my Ram 1500 I had before.

The DC Fast charging prices depend, among other corporate decisions for that particular charging network, on the state that the DC Fast charging session happens in.

Electricity, like natural gas and potable water, is a state regulated utility deemed necessary for economic social functioning of society. Hence, the state's electricity board (or its eq.) sets the overall price structure.

Some states regulate by "time of connection" for example Indiana. Others regulate by "amount of draw" for example Ohio. In my experience thru 2022 - 2024, it was almost 1/2 the price to DC Fast charge in Indiana if I could, rather than just over the border in Ohio.

Cheapest state(s) I ever found for DC Fast charging = Wisconsin and Utah, and the most expensive by far = New York.

Things change all the time... "Your mileage may vary"

 

[RickLightning]

The DC Fast charging prices depend, among other corporate decisions for that particular charging network, on the state that the DC Fast charging session happens in.

Electricity, like natural gas and potable water, is a state regulated utility deemed necessary for economic social functioning of society. Hence, the state's electricity board (or its eq.) sets the overall price structure.

Some states regulate by "time of connection" for example Indiana. Others regulate by "amount of draw" for example Ohio. In my experience thru 2022 - 2024, it was almost 1/2 the price to DC Fast charge in Indiana if I could, rather than just over the border in Ohio.

Cheapest state(s) I ever found for DC Fast charging = Wisconsin and Utah, and the most expensive by far = New York.

Things change all the time... "Your mileage may vary"

Your information is dated.

Some states HAD fast charging by time vs. usage because the provider (i.e. EA) had to get approval to charge for ELECTRICITY. Once they got that approval, they changed from time to usage.

Specifically:

- Indiana is no longer a per minute state. You can see this in the EA app.
- UT isn't remotely the least expensive state, in fact it's 64 cents before discount with EA. Neither is Wisconsin.

You used to be able to see the per minute states on the EA website, that's no longer available. Nebraska was per minute, that's gone.

The biggest way to save money fast charging is to do your homework. You can lookup rates in the EA app, the Tesla app, etc.

I am planning a trip that will go through 12 states. Tesla, after discount, ranges from 30 cents to 37 cents per kWh. EA (I have to use a few EA chargers due to lack of Tesla SuperChargers) is 36, 42, and 48 cents after discount. In other words, Tesla Supercharging is cheaper.

In addition, you need to lookup these prices if you want to save money, because in many places there are multiple Tesla SuperChargers. One stop showed me paying 43 cents after discount. I moved to one close by and now will be paying 30 cents. That's a savings of 30%. Let's assume a charge from 15% to 80%, that is a savings of $10.97 on that one location. ABRP is great, but like all charging apps it doesn't take cost into account.

In another situation, ABRP said to charge at EA. I forced a Tesla SuperCharger before EA, fill to 80%, then only hit EA to get to the next charger.

If I had to guess, there's probably at most 2 states still with per minute charging, but I don't know which they are.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Your information is dated.

Some states HAD fast charging by time vs. usage because the provider (i.e. EA) had to get approval to charge for ELECTRICITY. Once they got that approval, they changed from time to usage.

Specifically:

- Indiana is no longer a per minute state. You can see this in the EA app.
- UT isn't remotely the least expensive state, in fact it's 64 cents before discount with EA. Neither is Wisconsin.

You used to be able to see the per minute states on the EA website, that's no longer available. Nebraska was per minute, that's gone.

The biggest way to save money fast charging is to do your homework. You can lookup rates in the EA app, the Tesla app, etc.

I am planning a trip that will go through 12 states. Tesla, after discount, ranges from 30 cents to 37 cents per kWh. EA (I have to use a few EA chargers due to lack of Tesla SuperChargers) is 36, 42, and 48 cents after discount. In other words, Tesla Supercharging is cheaper.

In addition, you need to lookup these prices if you want to save money, because in many places there are multiple Tesla SuperChargers. One stop showed me paying 43 cents after discount. I moved to one close by and now will be paying 30 cents. That's a savings of 30%. Let's assume a charge from 15% to 80%, that is a savings of $10.97 on that one location. ABRP is great, but like all charging apps it doesn't take cost into account.

In another situation, ABRP said to charge at EA. I forced a Tesla SuperCharger before EA, fill to 80%, then only hit EA to get to the next charger.

If I had to guess, there's probably at most 2 states still with per minute charging, but I don't know which they are.

My information is from 2022 - 2024. Of course it's dated... things change all the time, as per my post.

 

[TaxmanHog]

In August of 2023 Mass went from Time connected to KWh consumed, they also added Mass sales tax of 6.25% the value of kWh consumed, IMHO, this charge is enough to supplant any concern for excise taxes lost and looking for mechanisms to recapture the lost revenue, EV's are now carrying their burden for highway maintenance.

 

[RickLightning]

In August of 2023 Mass went from Time connected to KWh consumed, they also added Mass sales tax of 6.25% the value of kWh consumed, IMHO, this charge is enough to supplant any concern for excise taxes lost and looking for mechanisms to recapture the lost revenue, EV's are now carrying their burden for highway maintenance.

I used to push charging (or pull it) into the per minute states on a trip. Leaving Florida for Georgia (which was per minute)? Get over the border with 10%, and fill up to 90% at the last stop in Georgia.
One issue is that per minute is impacted by charging SPEED, so once you hit 80% the cost/benefit changes. At 90% it's lost.

It's also different between vehicles, because at a fast charger how much juice you get per minute varies. For example, my Mach-E routinely averaged 1.7 or 1.8kW per minute. My Lighting beat that quite handily, around 2.5kW per minute.

Before EA went to per charger pricing, you could see the list on their website of per minute states. There were about a dozen states at one point, and the per minute rate was as low as 21 cents. Do the math - 2.5 kW delivered for 21 cents = 8.4 cents per kWh. Let's call it 10 cents. That's cheaper than many people's home charging costs.

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