Hi everyone,
First post, getting my Model S from store stock tomorrow! (They had exactly the configuation I would have ordered... go figure!) :biggrin: P85, Blue, Tech, Air Suspension, HD Sound, etc.
Anyway, I'm coming to the MS from a 2012 Volt. Turns out the range of the MS is far more than I need on a daily basis 99% of the time, so, should be better all around. Can't wait.
The Tesla store manager let me 'borrow' the car (with dealer tags) after I put my deposit down and had funding and insurance in order, for a couple of days earlier in the week. I'm pretty comfortable applying my EV driving techniques of the Volt (which I never take out of L gear, higher regen) to the MS to improve my range. Driving from home to the store and back (~40 miles each way) I stayed pretty much spot on the actual vs rated range when I tried, even in winter conditions. Had to give it back for final detailing, changing out the rims (only thing it didn't have that I wanted), and official delivery (tomorrow!).
One thing I do a couple of times per year is drive from here, Sicklerville, NJ to around the Advance, NC area, then sometimes out towards Asheville for a little mountain drive, then back to Advance (friends there), then back home.
Looking at the SuperCharger network already in place, it looks like the first part of my trip should be pretty simple...
I'm thinking this part of the trip should be very doable. I regularly hypermile my Volt, getting as high as 51 miles of range out of its EV mode in decent weather. Cold weather kills the Volt's EV range, and I guess I'll have to see how badly it does the MS in real world conditions also. (I keep the cabin temps in the mid 60s with seat warmers on low usually).
Am I being too optimistic if I were to attempt this trip in a couple of weeks? I'll certainly jot down the locations of some Chargepoint J1772 chargers and such along the route as backup.
Now for the second part of my trip, I like to go from Advance, NC to Canton, NC (past Asheville) and back. Looks like that round trip is about 300 miles. I'm guessing ideally, in the summer/spring I could maybe make that without a charge in between... but I'm guessing the uphill (westward) portion of the trip up in elevation might kill me.
Recargo/Plugshare/etc show a lot of J1772 chargers in the Asheville area. I actually have used one with my Volt at one point (cant recall which) and there is one at the Energy United office on Hwy 64 in Statesville that I've used (Chargepoint) with my Volt. I'm wondering if I top off in Advance, drive to Statesville (~25 miles?), top off there, that should get me to a point where I could perhaps comfortably have a buffer to find a spot in the Asheville area to stop and charge for an hour or two to make it back to at least the Statesville j1772 charger?
I'm just trying to get an idea of how difficult this may actually be, but I'm excited to try
Some chargers that seem promising in that area:
I figure I shouldn't need a long charge in that area... but I could be wrong. I just think I may be a little too optimistic, especially in cold weather.
So, summary of what I'd like to do:
I guess my questions would be, is the Supercharger network "stable" enough for planning these long trips yet? It would really be bad to make it to say, the VA supercharger and not be able to charge for one reason or another. Has this happened? I don't mean having to wait behind other MS... that I can handle I'd think. I'd just be concerned that I'd get there and have all of the spots ICE'd or no power, etc.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
-wk
First post, getting my Model S from store stock tomorrow! (They had exactly the configuation I would have ordered... go figure!) :biggrin: P85, Blue, Tech, Air Suspension, HD Sound, etc.
Anyway, I'm coming to the MS from a 2012 Volt. Turns out the range of the MS is far more than I need on a daily basis 99% of the time, so, should be better all around. Can't wait.
The Tesla store manager let me 'borrow' the car (with dealer tags) after I put my deposit down and had funding and insurance in order, for a couple of days earlier in the week. I'm pretty comfortable applying my EV driving techniques of the Volt (which I never take out of L gear, higher regen) to the MS to improve my range. Driving from home to the store and back (~40 miles each way) I stayed pretty much spot on the actual vs rated range when I tried, even in winter conditions. Had to give it back for final detailing, changing out the rims (only thing it didn't have that I wanted), and official delivery (tomorrow!).
One thing I do a couple of times per year is drive from here, Sicklerville, NJ to around the Advance, NC area, then sometimes out towards Asheville for a little mountain drive, then back to Advance (friends there), then back home.
Looking at the SuperCharger network already in place, it looks like the first part of my trip should be pretty simple...
- Here to Newark, DE SC is ~40 miles. Guess I could top off there for the first trip to feel better about things.
- Newark DE to Glen Allen, VA is ~200 miles.... should be doable I'd assume, driving reasonably. Winter temp concerns maybe...
- Interestingly, the distance from Glen Allen, VA to Burlington, NC is almost the same, about 200 miles.
- From there to my destination in Advance, NC area is only about 70 miles, where I have access to a 50A outlet at a family member's residence.
I'm thinking this part of the trip should be very doable. I regularly hypermile my Volt, getting as high as 51 miles of range out of its EV mode in decent weather. Cold weather kills the Volt's EV range, and I guess I'll have to see how badly it does the MS in real world conditions also. (I keep the cabin temps in the mid 60s with seat warmers on low usually).
Am I being too optimistic if I were to attempt this trip in a couple of weeks? I'll certainly jot down the locations of some Chargepoint J1772 chargers and such along the route as backup.
Now for the second part of my trip, I like to go from Advance, NC to Canton, NC (past Asheville) and back. Looks like that round trip is about 300 miles. I'm guessing ideally, in the summer/spring I could maybe make that without a charge in between... but I'm guessing the uphill (westward) portion of the trip up in elevation might kill me.
Recargo/Plugshare/etc show a lot of J1772 chargers in the Asheville area. I actually have used one with my Volt at one point (cant recall which) and there is one at the Energy United office on Hwy 64 in Statesville that I've used (Chargepoint) with my Volt. I'm wondering if I top off in Advance, drive to Statesville (~25 miles?), top off there, that should get me to a point where I could perhaps comfortably have a buffer to find a spot in the Asheville area to stop and charge for an hour or two to make it back to at least the Statesville j1772 charger?
I'm just trying to get an idea of how difficult this may actually be, but I'm excited to try
Some chargers that seem promising in that area:
- 339 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville, North Carolina 28806 - Parking garage, $1.50/hr?
- 309 Wiggins Rd, Candler, NC, 28715 - Camp ground/RV Park - Seen someone mention here that they've charged there while staying at a cabin... but I would want a day trip.
- 221 Heywood Rd., Arden, NC 28704 - 4 J1772 Chargers, Eaton?
- 164 College St., Asheville, NC, 28801 - $1/hr parking deck...?
I figure I shouldn't need a long charge in that area... but I could be wrong. I just think I may be a little too optimistic, especially in cold weather.
So, summary of what I'd like to do:
- Leave Sicklerville, NJ
- Supercharger top off at Newark, DE (since I may not have time for a full home charge before leaving)
- Supercharger top off at Glen Allen, VA
- Supercharger top off at Burlington, NC
- Stop for the night (or two) in Advance, NC (family) - Charge to full there, one way or another (most likely can make use of their existing RV outlet)
- Head off towards Canton, NC driving very conservatively.
- Stop as possible/needed at misc J1772 public stations in between
- Return to Advance, again driving very conservatively.
- Get sufficient juice to make it back to Burlington, NC
- Run the return to NJ trip, possibly skipping the DE supercharger if comfortable with remaining range at that time.
I guess my questions would be, is the Supercharger network "stable" enough for planning these long trips yet? It would really be bad to make it to say, the VA supercharger and not be able to charge for one reason or another. Has this happened? I don't mean having to wait behind other MS... that I can handle I'd think. I'd just be concerned that I'd get there and have all of the spots ICE'd or no power, etc.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
-wk