Hello from the Cotswolds, UK

[PV4EV]

Yes, I can feel a trip to Scotland coming on. An ignorant question, but do the Tesla HPC facilities all come with the charging lead or do you need to take that with you (plus Commando adapter)? Is there a thread I should look at which would fill me in on all the details for long range UK trips?

Eugene

I've done quite a few long journeys of up to 220 miles in one stint, knowing that I'll be charging overnight at the destination using either 13amp or 32amp. But as a backup I usually work out where the nearest 32amp or 70amp sites are … just in case. I've only ever needed a mid-journey top up on half a dozen occaisions. There are numerous websites for this, such as from :-

Home - Zero Carbon World


The 32amp / blue commando outlets can only be used if you've purchased a UMC cable from Tesla or made one up somehow. These charge up at the rate of about 25+ miles an hour.

The 70amp HPC chargers all have a dedicated cable attached, so you pitch up and plug in. They recharge the battery at about 60 miles an hour of charge (depends on your watts / mile usage).

I've often used the HPC located at the Castle Hotel, Taunton, M5. I've rolled up, plugged in and gone and had a meal in their restaurant.

The other HPC I've used a couple of times is at the Nottingham Belfry, just off J28 on the M1. But they tend to lock the box its attached to, although the receptionist will give you a key, and they've got a bar/restaurant right opposite the entrance.

If a charge point mid journey is critical, then I suggest calling beforehand just to make sure its all working....

Also, whilst I haven't yet done this, Ecotricity are gradually rolling out 32amp Mennekes charge points at all Welcome-Break motorway service stations, but you need to get the Mennekes adapter for this, and check the website for which locations have been commisioned - although I've seen some posts on the Leaftalk forum about 2 sites which appear to have had some teething problems.

If you're going to do some really long journeys get familiar with Range-Mode, and how the Estimated and Ideal range indications behave. One thing to bear in mind is to resist doing 95+mph up a motorway ... as the range will drop significantly to something like 120-140miles. If you want to maximise the distance just take it easy on the accelerator and do 60-70 on a motorway, or better still move with the traffic on major A roads where the average speed is more like 50-60mph, and if things are getting critical - go a bit slower !


Many UK owners have written up their first long journey, and the links below should provide a good insight as how they got on :-




A Range Test across the UK ..

A weekend in the English Lake District with a Roadster, UK HPC, Zero:Net, and OVMS

A Very British Road Trip (or 2010 Roadster Sport: A Space Odyssey, if you prefer))

Official HPC Charger Map for CH, DE, IT, AT, UK



Good luck with your first trip, and write it up when you get back !

[eugenel]

Thanks so much for all this information. I'll let you know when I've figured out my first long trip ...

[Kevin Sharpe]

Thanks so much for all this information. I'll let you know when I've figured out my first long trip ...

I'm based in Bradford on Avon (near Bath) and very happy to meet up and help answer any charging questions if required... I'm on ~29K miles in 20 months and only really do long distance driving (no commute)

[AndrewBissell]

All the Tesla HPCs come with the cable. From where you are the route to Scotland is probably:

Nottingham Belfry Hotel (70A HPC)
Raddison Blu Durham (70A HPC)

Alternative route:

Moat House Hotel Stafford (unsure of the status of the HPC)
Tebay Westmorland Services Northbound (70A HPC - please check ahead) - also accessible from Southbound by following hotel sign

There is no range anxiety between nodes as long as you don't speed.

In Scotland there are two HPCs

Marriott Dalmahoy near Edinburgh (70A HPC)
Macdonald Aviemore Resort (70A HPC)

I would highly recommend carrying your EVSE with the 32A commando socket with you as well as your 13A cable to give backups just in case. Zercocarbonworld.org Zero:Net lists great locations with 32A, and OpenChargeMaps tries to list everything.

Good locations (recommended by me or others I trust):

Loch Fyne Oyters
Mhor Hydro in Argyll
Whitnuir Organics on the A701 (turn off M6/M74 motorways at Moffett and come up that way to Edinburgh is my preferred route)
Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh (by the Scottish Parliament)
Radisson blu in Edinburgh (on the Royal Mile) - need a code to unlock a barrier - ask me by DM

If you get a Mennekes to Tesla cable (ask Kevin Sharpe or I have a source) then a few more charge locations open up:
Ecotricity at some Welcome Breaks - get their card in advance free
Chargeyourcar.org in the NorthEast - most of their CHADEMO locations also offer Mennekes at 32A and allow pay by phone on arrival - or get their card £5 for 2 weeks or £10 per month

[tdelta1000]

Hello,

Just bought one of the last RHD Roadsters left for sale in the UK.


Eugene

Enjoy it and keep us posted of your ownership experiences... Teslaspeed Eugene

[eugenel]

Just planning my first longer trip, from the Cotswolds to the Lake District (see attached image).



We're staying in a B&B in the grounds of the delightful Muncaster Castle (http://www.muncaster.co.uk/) and rendezvousing with friends at the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (http://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/). It's a 240 mile each way trip, but we hope to take advantage of a Tesla HPC at Stafford on the trip up and down, to take the stress out of the journey. The B&B was chosen not only because of its charms, but because it offers 'destination refuelling' courtesy of the UK's Zero Carbon World initiative (http://www.zerocarbonworld.org/).

Wish us luck!

Eugene

PS. Could we please have a UK sub-forum?

[eugenel]

Well, back from my first long trip to the Lake District (see previous post). All went well, with a top-up charge at the lovely Moat House Hotel in Stafford on both legs of the journey, with lovely food while the Tesla suckled at its HPC charger.

Here is an image of my Tesla on the top of the fearsome Hardknott Pass in the Lakes, one of the steepest and windiest roads in the UK:



It was about 250 miles each way, but over some serious terrain, lots of motorway driving and - alas - some wet weather. Anyway, the Tesla coped admirably and the holiday was a great success . The only slight drama was a power cut at our B&B accommodation on the morning we were leaving, which prevented us topping up.

Eugene

[PV4EV]

Nice pic of your Roadster against the rugged countryside ! What was the weather like ??


.. we also had a weekend away, went to a wedding and decided to make a weekend of it. However, whilst the Saturday ceremony was bathed in glorious sunshine, we woke up Sunday morning to really heavy rain, and it rained all the way back. And its still raining now 36 hrs later …

When checking out of the hotel the receptionist asked if electric cars "fizzle and short-out" in the rain … ... we made it back without being electrocuted, or sterilised by magnetic fields, and the Tesla behaved impeccably as always



Photos below show how nice Saturday evening was, and the miserable Sunday morning that followed :-

[jcstp]

nice trips and nice pics!!!!!!

[eugenel]

Nice pic of your Roadster against the rugged countryside ! What was the weather like ??

Thanks. The weather was cool and incredibly changeable. Overnight there was very heavy rain a couple of the days, but we did get a couple of great walks in up Eskdale and Wastwater. I waited until the rain stopped before attempting the Hardknott Pass and the car made light of the ascent and - in particular - the descent. While ICE cars laboured up and down and stank of ozone from their cooked clutches and brakes, I hardly touched the brakes on the way down, the regenerative braking more than adequate.

It was quite funny seeing my 6'6" accomplice trying to get out afterwards. I should have videoed it and put it on Youtube ... I'd be famous now!

Eugene