strider
Active Member
No but I doubt Founders and the earliest SSL's are crazy enough to want to try and drive from SF to LA at 45mph. By which I mean, this a young person's challenge 
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Hmmm... was considering trying it this Sunday after I pick up my car Saturday afternoon in Fremont. There's a lot that wouldn't be ideal though:
- I'll have my whole family. I figure a total passenger and cargo load of about 470 lbs
- Kids are going to get cranky after that much time in a car, even if it's a brand new S
- I'll really be wanting to open it up in that thing. Maybe I'll drive it like mad for a bit then top it off before I start the 400 miles
- Would probably take 101. So I'd be hoping no one slams into the slow lane. I have a Roadster but not sure--do people think it would be better to go a constant speed or to take surface streets with starts and stops?
- I'd need to spend the night. Do people think I'll lose many miles by letting it sit for 9 hours? I'd like to drive about 4-5 hours on Saturday, sleep 9 hours, then drive the other 6-9 hours on Sunday. Would rather go a bit slower to make up the loss than have to spend the night near Fremont and do the whole 400 miles in one go.
I'm thinking this is probably a tall order. I could always enjoy the car for a couple weeks and then take it out on a weekend just to try for this under more ideal conditions. But I'm guessing someone will beat me to the punch.
- I'll have my whole family. I figure a total passenger and cargo load of about 470 lbs
- Kids are going to get cranky after that much time in a car, even if it's a brand new S
- I'll really be wanting to open it up in that thing. Maybe I'll drive it like mad for a bit then top it off before I start the 400 miles
- Would probably take 101. So I'd be hoping no one slams into the slow lane. I have a Roadster but not sure--do people think it would be better to go a constant speed or to take surface streets with starts and stops?
- I'd need to spend the night. Do people think I'll lose many miles by letting it sit for 9 hours? I'd like to drive about 4-5 hours on Saturday, sleep 9 hours, then drive the other 6-9 hours on Sunday. Would rather go a bit slower to make up the loss than have to spend the night near Fremont and do the whole 400 miles in one go.
I'm thinking this is probably a tall order. I could always enjoy the car for a couple weeks and then take it out on a weekend just to try for this under more ideal conditions. But I'm guessing someone will beat me to the punch.
Not necessarily 400 miles, but this is a good sign. In fact, I think its the first "public" indication of range beyond the 265 rating. (of course motortrend achieved less range, but they weren't exactly trying...)
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/10035-Edmonds-Beats-EPA-s-265mile-Range!
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Or, maybe, no freeway at all and add up your total tally over several days of timid driving all on a single (range) charge: Edmonds Beats EPA's 265mile Range!!
Congrats, dadaleus! Looking forward to pics and your feedback on the Model S.
@dadaleus: my recommendation would be to drive to Indian Springs, stay overnight at one of the many hotels with EV charging, and then drive southeast from there and do laps around the Salton Sea. Yeah, it's not sexy, but its flat and roads are lightly traveled enough that you can dawdle along at 40 mph without being a complete pain. It's 18 miles from the Renaissance in Indian Springs to Mecca, at the top of the Salton Sea. Three laps around, then back to Indian Springs, is 402 miles by my reckoning.
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
Dadaleus,
First of all, congrats! Only a couple of days to go until you get your S.
As for going for the 400 miles, I'd offer two thoughts. First, you'll make it a LOT easier if you are by yourself, or at most with one other person. 400+ lbs of extra weight is definitely going to make your task more difficult. Second, I think the biggest contributing factor to success at this, besides the obvious like hills and speed, is the weather. If you can go at a time when you don't need heating or A/C (but the windows rolled up) for what will end up being a pretty long trip, that's going to be the best way to maximize your mileage.
First of all, congrats! Only a couple of days to go until you get your S.
As for going for the 400 miles, I'd offer two thoughts. First, you'll make it a LOT easier if you are by yourself, or at most with one other person. 400+ lbs of extra weight is definitely going to make your task more difficult. Second, I think the biggest contributing factor to success at this, besides the obvious like hills and speed, is the weather. If you can go at a time when you don't need heating or A/C (but the windows rolled up) for what will end up being a pretty long trip, that's going to be the best way to maximize your mileage.
mnx
2018 M3P
Good luck dadaleus!
I was really hoping to give this a shot at some point, but I haven't even had the chance to configure my car yet...
I was really hoping to give this a shot at some point, but I haven't even had the chance to configure my car yet...
Yea, re weather I was thinking coming down PCH/101 would be best because it would be cooler than being out in the desert. I get the advantage of being out east for flat and no traffic, but would be painful to not use A/C. I guess I'd just go in some shorts and a t-shirt and keep the windows down. I think I'll just not try this weekend, and if I feel like making a dedicated attempt in a couple weeks, and no one else has claimed this, I could try it then. I'm just too lazy to give this the try it may really need. One thing to go slow, another to do all the other things necessary.
One thing to go slow, another to do all the other things necessary.
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strider
Active Member
Further up thread I think the way would be to drive at night on 101. Other cars will be going slower than they will be on I-5 so it'll be safer and the Rabobank stations are there in case you won't make it.
NigelM
Recovering Member
You still have to give way (yield) to traffic already on the roundabout, which on many roads will mean coming to a complete stop.
I am sure there are a lot of these in rural america. This one we used as a bicycle race lap when I was at college. This has some elevation gain that you would probably look to avoid. But only 1 stop sign (right turn), and one other right turn per almost 8 mile lap. And it is way rural, and a pseudo dead end so, unless you go during the Georgia Tech Bicycle race, you won't have to worry about stopping but once per 8 miles.
It would be boring as hell though. We capped that race at 56 miles because the laps were pretty short. And we also would have a time trial on it earlier in the day.
http://binged.it/SLR3tc
It would be boring as hell though. We capped that race at 56 miles because the laps were pretty short. And we also would have a time trial on it earlier in the day.
http://binged.it/SLR3tc
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I thought there was something about the trip having to end up @ Fremont or something -- I thought it was a prescribed target pair of start and stop cities. Perhaps I'm misremembering it.
Does it have to actually be a GPS-proven distance, or does a dyno run of 400 miles count?
Does it have to actually be a GPS-proven distance, or does a dyno run of 400 miles count?
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