charging EVs on long trips...
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,680
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From: California
I think you will notice most of the people that don’t mind taking their EVs on long trips live in CA. The charging network must be light years ahead of everyone else. I mentioned this before but when plotting my rout on a road trip recently just for fun it would have taken me an hour and a half longer in my EV to get to the same destination. It’s not just the charging times, it’s also finding enough places to charge that are along the quickest route to your destination. That doesn’t seem like a problem on the west coast.
EV owners here are so casual about EV ownership, we could totally abandon ICE vehicles, except in the case of needing a bigger vehicle like an SUV or minivan, towing a trailer or boat etc which is the exceptions. I'm telling you the moment a minivan type EV like my Sienna comes to market, as much as I love my Sienna, it's being sold. To the majority of us EV owners here, not having to ever visit a gas station is a blessing
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,680
Likes: 3,760
From: California
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,540
Likes: 273
From: Illinois
I think you will notice most of the people that don’t mind taking their EVs on long trips live in CA. The charging network must be light years ahead of everyone else. I mentioned this before but when plotting my rout on a road trip recently just for fun it would have taken me an hour and a half longer in my EV to get to the same destination. It’s not just the charging times, it’s also finding enough places to charge that are along the quickest route to your destination. That doesn’t seem like a problem on the west coast.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,680
Likes: 3,760
From: California
It's interesting that you mentioned this. We're planning a road trip from the Chicago area to Charlotte next week, and out of curiosity I checked what the trip would look like in a Model 3 Long Range. Total charging time was about 1hr 20min. The charging locations weren't bad. Indianapolis, Columbus, Charleston etc. Not bad but you'd have to add drive times to and from the Supercharger locations, although they probably aren't too far off of the interstate. It was an interesting exercise for me.
Last edited by AMIRZA786; Mar 31, 2022 at 03:36 PM.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
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Likes: 274
thank you, this thread isn't about apartment complex chargers. 
if i had to go on a 1000 mile trip, based on what i've seen, and the fact that i'm not in california, i wouldn't want to do it in an EV. having said that, i have no interest in going on a 1000 mile trip at all, so it's moot.
i will have an EV, but my timing is not for at least a couple more years and things will have improved by then. plus they likely will make it brutally expensive to get another ice car.
if i had to go on a 1000 mile trip, based on what i've seen, and the fact that i'm not in california, i wouldn't want to do it in an EV. having said that, i have no interest in going on a 1000 mile trip at all, so it's moot.
i will have an EV, but my timing is not for at least a couple more years and things will have improved by then. plus they likely will make it brutally expensive to get another ice car.
If you look at it from that lens, it is certainly possible to go on long trips.
For me personally, anything with 2 charges is fine and reasonable.
That means that at my speed of 95 mph, i can easily do 500 km trips. Everything above 600km is a nuisance.
There are a lot of factors in play, first one is charging network and unfortunately anywhere in the world you are going to have problems with long trips if it is not a Tesla.
2nd is efficiency of the drive, Teslas with heat pumps are very efficient in real world driving at high speeds.
3rd is fast charging curve - making that charge fast up until 100% for that trip. Preheating helps a lot and newer vehicles can sustain high charging rates much longer. This can make easy 10-20m difference on single charge.
And maybe the biggest one is being able to plan properly. If your vehicle (Tesla only), can plan route well, you want to come to the charger at closest to 0% as possible. You have to have good software for that that can estimate charge left and show you that chargers are available.
If you often drive more than 600 km in my neck if the woods where we drive 100 mph, it is a no go. Around here for anyone to buy non Tesla if they drive over 200 km is dumbass.
Overall, i can't complain, never been happier with the car.
Everyone here will drive EV in few years, no matter how you slice it.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,631
Likes: 4,045
From: Maryland
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,631
Likes: 4,045
From: Maryland
Where pray tell are these EV zealots charging their EVs off of gas/diesel generators? Because I've never seen one that wasn't a gag.
Are you banned from google? Mostly for emergency situations, but there are even highway rescue trucks equipped with generators to charge dead EVs. The staged video just exaggerates reality and makes a mockery of it.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,631
Likes: 4,045
From: Maryland
Of course there are highway rescue trucks that generate electricity to help stranded EVs. Thats only logical.
These are for emergency situations. Where are the people who routinely charge their EVs with gas powered generators thinking thats "green" as you imply they do? You say there are many examples? Those people don't exist and you know it, you just hate EVs and look for any way to denigrate them and people who choose to buy them.
Of course there are highway rescue trucks that generate electricity to help stranded EVs. Thats only logical.
Of course there are highway rescue trucks that generate electricity to help stranded EVs. Thats only logical.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,631
Likes: 4,045
From: Maryland