Driving Between Ottawa and Toronto

[mknox]

I regularly travel from Ottawa to Newmarket... My hope is that I'd be able to do the trip in a model S in a single charge, in the summer at least. Does that seem likely?

I would say yes. I have a (roughly) 80 mile round-trip commute between the GTA and the Waterloo Region. I easily get below 300 Wh/mi and my overall average for June to-date is just over 300 Wh/mi. That means I am realizing (or even bettering) the car's Rated Range. I took the screenshot below this morning after arriving at work. I usually get a bit better efficiency on the way home, and my daily number is usually around 270 Wh/mi... and that's driving "normally" with a/c on and so forth.

Your 383 km / 238 mi trip should be well within the cars 265 mile Rated Range. I've not done that trip, so the only uncertainty in my mind would be elevation changes and driving style related to the types of roads you're on.

 

[Richard_B]

Thanks for the tips and comments! I usually set the cruise control for just under 100 km/h, though one often ends up going slower, of course. My plan is to get a Tesla charger installed at my dad's in Newmarket for overnight charging so that we can make the extra push to Waterloo or London for other relatives (though full-charging in either city seems pretty limited right now), though the dryer plug would be easy to access with a long enough cable. On my route we go through Uxbridge and there's a charger listed there at a car dealership by PlugShare, though it doesn't say what kind it is. I assume at the Best Western one would be expected to spend the night. We sometimes hit Peterborough at supper-time and the steakhouse would be a welcome change from the Subway we normally stop at.

 

[mknox]

... so that we can make the extra push to Waterloo or London for other relatives (though full-charging in either city seems pretty limited right now)...

There is a high power (90 amp) Sun Country charger at the Best Western in Milton just off the 401 (have used it) and there is supposedly another at the Best Western in London by the 401 (haven't used it). There are some good charging spots at London Hydro and just north of the Masonville Mall in London as well.

There is a 30 amp ChargePoint charger at the Conestoga Mall in Waterloo (have used it) as well.

 

[Richard_B]

There is a high power (90 amp) Sun Country charger at the Best Western in Milton just off the 401 (have used it) and there is supposedly another at the Best Western in London by the 401 (haven't used it). There are some good charging spots at London Hydro and just north of the Masonville Mall in London as well.

There is a 30 amp ChargePoint charger at the Conestoga Mall in Waterloo (have used it) as well.

The Best Western is a bit south of London and so I missed it on the PlugShare map. That would be the place to stay when we visit. My brother told me about the charger at the Conestoga Mall.

Does anyone know how long it would take to charge using an SC90 charger? Or maybe I should say, how much charge would you get in an hour (say?).

 

[Doug_G]

I assume at the Best Western one would be expected to spend the night. We sometimes hit Peterborough at supper-time and the steakhouse would be a welcome change from the Subway we normally stop at.

If I'm not staying I make a point of going to the restaurant, if they have one. Unfortunately that particular Best Western doesn't have a restaurant.

I've charged there a few times at Peterborough and they were really nice about it even when I wasn't staying - they suggested I walk up the street to the nearby restaurant. I made a point of arranging a recent trip so I could actually stay there for a night. I think that's a very appropriate thing to do!

 

[mknox]

I've charged there a few times at Peterborough and they were really nice about it even when I wasn't staying - they suggested I walk up the street to the nearby restaurant. I made a point of arranging a recent trip so I could actually stay there for a night. I think that's a very appropriate thing to do!

I agree. Even when I stopped at the Best Western in Milton just to "try it out", I went in to the restaurant and had a meal.

 

[LazMan]

Hi. I'm planning on driving to Ottawa from Toronto in 2 weeks.

My plan is to stop for dinner in Kingston at the Best Western (260km from home) and charge for at least 1 hour.

Then continue to Ottawa (200km).

I will then stay overnight at the Best Western in Ottawa and do the trip backwards on the way home.

So: Range charge (425) - 260 + 100 - 200 = 45 km buffer. (maybe more than 1 hour in Kingston).

Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks.

 

[MacLeodMX]

So: Range charge (425) - 260 + 100 - 200 = 45 km buffer. (maybe more than 1 hour in Kingston).

Does that seem reasonable?

I think that depends on a few variables like wind, elevation changes, speed, construction/traffic stop/starts, wheels, etc.

My recent 460km trip had a net zero elevation change and cost me 488km in range... I think the 6% difference was my 21" wheels, as I kept stops at a minimum, and speed at 90km/h.

How immune to range anxiety are you? - for me it starts when range gets under 75km

 

[Doug_G]

First tip: do not take the 416. The best route is Perth Road (County Road 10); that's the first exit in Kingston. It is much prettier, significantly shorter, has much less traffic, and you'll use a fraction of the power because of the lower speed limit. Plus it takes the same amount of time as the 416 - the lower speed is cancelled out by shorter distance.

Personally I tend to stop in Cobourg instead of Kingston. The hotel is much EV-friendlier, has a nice restaurant, and I have repeatedly done that trip with no range anxiety whatsoever. It's easy in summer; in winter at -20C you have to be a little more careful with your speed but it's still very doable.

A general note... especially in the winter it might be easier to stop in Kingston when going Toronto-to-Ottawa, and Cobourg when going Ottawa-to-Toronto. It's a lot faster charging if you do a Range charge for a longer first leg, then a top-up for the second shorter leg.

 

[LazMan]

Okay, home to Coburg is 100km.

Coburg to Ottawa is 311.

I generally have no trouble averaging less than 193 Wh/km so I usually can do better than rated. When I drove to Bancroft on a hot summer day with A/C going, my 550km average was about 170 Wh/km.

I think I will try your suggestion for Kingston on the way to Ottawa and Coburg on the way back. That way I probably won't have to even do a range charge, maybe just a 90%.

I spoke to Kingston and they seemed pretty receptive. I will definitely take County Road 10.

Thanks.

 

[Doug_G]

I'd do a range charge anyway. The impact of being at 100% for a matter of hours is negligible, and having that extra charge will definitely save you some time at your stopover.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Always do a range charge when going on a road trip. You have a big battery, use it.

 

[LazMan]

Great Success!..

I drove to Ottawa last night and stopped in Kingston to charge for about 1 hour at the Best Western Hotel while having dinner. I think I added about 60k in an hour.

I spent most of the time about 10-15km above the limit. On the way to Ottawa, my average energy use was 169 Wh/km. That seems very low. It was warm out at about 23C and maybe there was a tail wind.

I arrived in Ottawa via the 401 and 416 and still had 90km of range left. I could have made it without recharging.

Overnight I charged at a 30amp Sun Country charger which took a pretty long time. However, it had just completed a range charge when I was ready to drive back to Toronto.

I took the scenic route along highway 7 and arrived back in Toronto with 31km left. Pretty impressive. Average energy use on the way home was 178 Wh/km. Average was 173Wh/km for 850km.

Remarkable car.

 

[Doug_G]

Nicely done!

Just remember, though, that it takes more juice in winter.

 

[LazMan]

Yes, of course. But, hopefully there will be superchargers by then.

 

[Doug_G]

That would be great, but I will be very pleasantly surprised if they appear before March 21st.

 

[mknox]

That would be great, but I will be very pleasantly surprised if they appear before March 21st.

That's a very specific date, or are you saying the last day of winter :wink: I actually thought the first bunch of Canadian Superchargers were due in the "Fall" (or by December 21st).

 

[Doug_G]

They said "winter 2013" IIRC. I'm setting my expectations low so I can be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed. (And if I'm too optimistic then I won't be disappointed as much.)

 

[dj905]

I just got back from a quick trip from west of Toronto to Ottawa in the Model S. We averaged 179Wh/km on the way up, and 190Wh/km on the return trip. A headwind seemed to have made the difference on the return trip. We made good use of the Sun Country Highway chargers at the Best Western hotels in Cobourg, Kingston, and in Bells Corners. Average speed was around 105km/hr on the 401.

David

 

[Doug_G]

That's pretty good consumption levels for 105 kph. Do any drafting?

I usually find I use more going West than East. As you say, prevailing winds.