If you started with 45 PSI, What was the highest PSI during this journey ?Trip was compliant with covid regulations in the UK and the European leg was permitted due to compassionate exemption.
1. Car details
- 2020 TM3 SR+
- No heat pump
- No aero covers
- 3rd party mud flaps front and rear
- Tyre pressures ~45 PSI
- 2021 Maps.
- 2021.4.18.2
2. Route Map
Scotland > England > Wales > England > Netherlands > Germany > Poland > Czechia > Slovakia
The detour to Pembrokeshire was for a wedding. As expected, this was the hardest part of the journey in terms of charging, however after fiddling with some engenie and podpoint account setup it wasn't too tricky.
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3. Charges
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4. Observations
I didn't make any alterations to my usual driving style, so no attempt at hypermiling or being cautious with the acceleration. I managed to have some fun on the auto-bahn. I've done similar trips in a BMW E39, E61, Audi A6 (all estate) and Jaguar X308 so they're a point of reference for my observations.
- The car knew I was in NL and the LTE signal was active before I'd disembarked the ferry. I'd read about the need to reset the car when arriving on the continent but this was not required.
- Being able to quickly switch the display from miles to KM was really useful.
- Autopilot seemed a lot more confident, far less jerky compared to the UK. I don't enjoy using it in the UK but did around 20% of the trip with it in Europe.
- No phantom breaking issues occurred. I passed loads of curtain sided lorries and when passing noticed they jumped away from the car on the visualisation rather than toward the car.
- The speed sign recognition and map speed is dangerously wrong, especially in Germany. Many issues of no speed limit enforced where it was actually 120 and failure to recognise reduced speed limits due to roadworks. It's often hard to know what the speed limit is when in a foreign country, especially if the limit is enforced when certain conditions apply, and you don't understand the language that's written below the speed limit. I'll probably setup waze for the return leg, just to handle the speed limits.
- Speed limits aside, the navigation was spot on, It's really clever how it works out which superchargers you need to visit and for how long.
- The leg between Dresden and Wroclaw was probably the tightest for range, I was advised to charge to 100% to arrive with 6%. I was also told to keep my speed under 120kph, I did this for the first 10 minutes, the warning then went away, and ultimately I arrived with 21%, far more than the 6% forecast.
- I was flashed once by an oncoming vehicle when my lights were dipped, so not sure if that was just a friendly local or if the lights would benefit from some adjustment to driving on the right hand side of the road.
- Many of the superchargers visited were on the forecourts of petrol stations (Gulf, Shell, Orlen). This makes sense to me yet not something I've seen in the UK yet.
Overall I found the SR+ to be a comfortable and competent tourer compared to my previous rides. Most of the time I was ready to stop and take a break when I needed to charge. I suspect with the LR or P I would have been able to reduce the charges stops/time charging and make the journey a bit quicker.
The EU leg took around 19 hours including stops, by the time I got to Poland though, I think I was probably the slow factor rather than the car as I'd already been driving for around 14 hours at that point.
I'm due to drive back in a month, fingers crossed the FSD/EAP subscription is active then as I'd love to activate that for the return leg.
Many thanks to @spdpsba and @noelebob as your Tesla Referral miles covered this trip, ultimately I spent around £30 to do the 1985 miles.
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7 Countries/2000 mile road trip in an SR+ - Observations from the continent
- Thread starter Medved_77
- Start date
IIRC, I started with 41/42 and pressures when checked during the trip were around 45 PSI. Was a couple of years ago so can't recall for certain. Also seems like tyre pressures for a journey aren't tracked in Teslamate.
Thanks Adam and helpful as always. I’ll find those variants of Schuko. Predominently going to use SC but not sure about my accomodation whether they have any DC. I quickly checked the map and there is a SC nearby, so if I can’t figure out the Schuko variants I’ll use the SC. Thanks for the info regarding Octopus Electroverse, I’ll use that - looks like has good coverage in Italy too.
Will message if need anything. And you have a lovely break. Waiting to hear from you about your long trip!
Very helpful. I am also thinking of the same route and I also have another option in terms of my destination. I have done the MB tunnel in my BMW M3 and I don’t think Tesla M3 is going to beat that aural sound unfortunately. But would love to do the tunnel again! Any RFID cards you know other than Octopus elecroverse? Stopovers at hotels with DC is a good idea. Will try and do that.
nope. Just contactless and electroverse. Some mentioned others for france but if you're going main routes I don't think it'd be needed. As mentioned above we also mostly abandoned the ABRP print outs and let the car nav handle things.
Thanks, in terms of recovery services, is the Tesla one is enough? I am dreading puncture and my inability to fix this other than carrying a spare and call one of the recovery services. I also have one of the AA or RAC subscription something I can’t remember. Hope this is enough. I am not as resourceful as Adam @Medved_77 or other members when it comes to repairing the car unfortunately.
I'm sure if you started a thread on Tesla recovery opinions it'd be an active one 
I've not had experience of needing it luckily, but didn't get anything extra. There was enough to fuss about already
- toll tag to simplify toll gates
- sticker thing for travelling on swiss motorways
- added euro coverage to insurance
guessing maybe you need equivalent for Italian motorways? not sure
I've not had experience of needing it luckily, but didn't get anything extra. There was enough to fuss about already- toll tag to simplify toll gates
- sticker thing for travelling on swiss motorways
- added euro coverage to insurance
guessing maybe you need equivalent for Italian motorways? not sure
Double check the AA/RAC cover includes European breakdown cover. I've not used Tesla roadside assistance but wouldn't be comfortable with relying on that solely. Personally, I have European breakdown cover included (repatriation, car hire, expenses etc) with my bank account (Nationwide Flex Plus) which is bundled as a package with phone/key/travel insurance and a few other items for around £12 a month.
@spdpsba check out this youtube video - folkestone to italy in a model 3 RWD
and they did a google doc of the charge stops etc. May be useful as a confidence boost or baseline for planning even?
google doc link
(if the link doesn’t work he put it in a reply to one of the comments in the video fairly early on in the replies)
and they did a google doc of the charge stops etc. May be useful as a confidence boost or baseline for planning even?
google doc link
(if the link doesn’t work he put it in a reply to one of the comments in the video fairly early on in the replies)
Tesla shop have the regular Schuko and Italian adapter - not sure which one is compatible. Can the regular Schuko one can be used in Italy?
I think the answer depends on the age of the building (or its electrics) that you'll be staying in. There's more info on wikipedia but as a brief history, until the 1950s, electrical supply in some parts of the country was delivered via different consumer connections, one for lights and one for other(s) which operated at different voltages, on different meters and on different tariffs.
Newer sockets have adopted the standard Schuko that's used in most of Europe, so if you're only going to buy one, I'd go with that.
Edit: Went deeper into the rabbit hole and read this:
History of the Italian electrical system
An overivew of the evolution of the electrical system in Italy throughout its history, including the voltage and frequency change and the ongoing move to a different standard of plugs.
samuele963.github.io
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WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
On cross-continental journeys I have used ABRP to decide on e.g. West vs. East route, and also where we are likely to be at various times, and which would be best for the lunch stop etc. Other than that, having picked a route, as you say, I've just gone with what SatNav tells me for next Supercharger - on the basis that Traffic / weather will impact my consumption
ABRP allows setting a Start Time, and also a Departure Time for any stops so, for example, an overnight stop can set a set-off time and then the "lunch time" point on the journey will be apparent. With ICE we used to drive off the motorway and find a nice restaurant, with EV we are more inclined to plan on what looks to be a well appointed refuelling motorway stop, which also has Supercharger, so now I plan that, whereas with ICE we took pot-luck on finding a restaurant.
We take the MS on those sorts of journeys - more spacious, huge boot, and we take an "other season" wheel with us, which would enable roadside assistance to fit that so we could get to a town for a proper repair - but unlikely to find the right sized tire other than "Tomorrow delivery".
I also carry a patch kit (not had to use it, but I reckon I could do myself [i.e. without taking wheel off the car - e.g. a screw in the main part of the tyre]), and an aerosol "gunk and re-inflate tyre" (in that situation I don't care if QuikFit/similar will say the tyre is not repairable), and also a 12V cigarette lighter tyre-pump.
And where do you connect this 12v cigarette lighter tyre pump in Model 3? You mean an adapter from USB C -> Cigarette lighter female?
Zilla91
Active Member
Never bothered to look there, I am ashamed of myself! In the supposedly high tech Tesla world 12v was the least highlighted or reviewed item, so never bothered to look for it! It is almost 21/2 years before knowing that model 3 also has a 12v!
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The 12v socket has its uses ... there's room for an inverter in the armrest compartment that's suitable for running mains voltage items like standard charger for a laptop ... or plug in an adapter for an extra double USB socket or whatever ... as well as running the tyre pump ...
During my younger days I use that for only one purpose - just as it says on the tin. I remember in those days when I buy cars I used to look for two of them as standard - as one will be occupied with that old lovely tomtom, so you need a second 12v lighter to light a cigarette. Since stopped smoking I have never looked for it and I guess my love for tomtom had died with that too!
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
In my case its a Model-S
Presumably there is some sort of 12V pump that is compatible with Model-3 etc.
Pretty much any of them AFAIK. Certainly the one I have that’s has been kicking around my garage for years works just the same as on any previous vehicle… well except for the fact that the higher pressure means it takes (even) longer than usual.
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