Europe Trip Planner - Gathering your thoughts on essentials

[teotutulan]

Hi Guys,

We are planning a trip across Europe, starting Colchester and ending up in Romania (Ramnicu Valcea).
They are a few things that springed into my mind and I would your help in order to clarify them - also, if you have any tips and trick, feel free to share.

Car is M3LR 2023.
I am planning the trip using ABRP which is connected to the live car data, picking up the battery level, etc. Having a Tesla, do I need any special cards for charging the car if I am using the Tesla Supercharge network? Also, am I correct in thinking that the prices will be different for Tesla owners and the other owners?

Is there a destination charger map (I think it is but I am too lazy to look for it - easier to ask here lol) - We are planning on sleeping at a hotel in Austria and I would need one with a destination charger.

Please correct me if I am wrong, with the cable that the car came with, I can charge on any charging station as long as it is CCS or type 2. Also, I can use the granny charger if I need it (albeit not being fast). Do I need any special adapters? Looking through the chargers in my town, they state that they are either CCS or type 2.

I have the correct documentation from leasing company V01something.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[NewbieT]

Checklist for travel in France - advice appreciated

We head off down through France in five weeks time so I'm busy pulling together things we may need to ensure we have some contingency if anything goes wrong. Also for charging outside of the supercharger network. Hopefully none of this is needed and we even have desination charging where we're...

teslamotorsclub.com

and

Road Trip - Charging in France & Spain

I’ve booked a holiday in Spain and rather than fly I will be driving a M3 SR+. I’ve used ‘A better route planner’ to plan my journey and all charging will be at Tesla Super Chargers. As a safety net, which other EV charging Apps would you recommend registering for use in France and Spain?

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[hgmichna]

No special adapters. You will mostly do well with the Tesla Superchargers.

You will need a charging app and a charging card for all other chargers. I recommend to install the Elli (VW) app, and in the app also order the Elli charging card. The reason is simple: Elli covers over 400,000 charging points all over Europe, more than any other to my knowledge. Since you will not use it often, price is irrelevant, but Elli is not outrageously expensive either. You can select the pay-as-you-go tariff, so you will have no base charges.

You will have to enter a payment method in the app. Remember also that the charging card has to be activated in the app.

 

[teotutulan]

No special adapters. You will mostly do well with the Tesla Superchargers.

You will need a charging app and a charging card for all other chargers. I recommend to install the Elli (VW) app, and in the app also order the Elli charging card. The reason is simple: Elli covers over 400,000 charging points all over Europe, more than any other to my knowledge. Since you will not use it often, price is irrelevant, but Elli is not outrageously expensive either. You can select the pay-as-you-go tariff, so you will have no base charges.

You will have to enter a payment method in the app. Remember also that the charging card has to be activated in the app.

Many thanks for the info. Will look into it. What do you know about the Tesla premium connectivity roaming. Will it work across Europe without any settings? Thanks a lot.

 

[NewbieT]

It’s a roaming e-sim. Works fine in Europe.

 

[Sean.]

Having a Tesla, do I need any special cards for charging the car if I am using the Tesla Supercharge network? Also, am I correct in thinking that the prices will be different for Tesla owners and the other owners?

No - just plug in and charge as normal.

Non-Tesla charging works the same way as it does here (in the opened SuC sites).

Also, I can use the granny charger if I need it (albeit not being fast). Do I need any special adapters?

A proper Tesla Schuko adapter for the granny would be advisable, especially if you don’t have destination charging.

 

[Mr H]

No special adapters. You will mostly do well with the Tesla Superchargers.

You will need a charging app and a charging card for all other chargers. I recommend to install the Elli (VW) app, and in the app also order the Elli charging card. The reason is simple: Elli covers over 400,000 charging points all over Europe, more than any other to my knowledge. Since you will not use it often, price is irrelevant, but Elli is not outrageously expensive either. You can select the pay-as-you-go tariff, so you will have no base charges.

You will have to enter a payment method in the app. Remember also that the charging card has to be activated in the app.

If he wants to use the UMC in Germany then the schuko adapter is required, however i have one and have never needed it

 

[Mr H]

If you're passing Frankfurt then give this place a try, you park your car on your rooms balcony...then plug it in

https://www.worldhotels.com/content/luxury-hotels/en_US/book/hotel-details.95559.html

 

[teotutulan]

If you're passing Frankfurt then give this place a try, you park your car on your rooms balcony...then plug it in

https://www.worldhotels.com/content/luxury-hotels/en_US/book/hotel-details.95559.html

This looks amazing! Do I need any adapters?

 

[teotutulan]

If he wants to use the UMC in Germany then the schuko adapter is required, however i have one and have never needed it

Planning on using the Supercharger network. What is UMC? do I really need it ?Thanks

 

[Sean.]

This looks amazing! Do I need any adapters?

I first heard about this hotel over at the Taycan forum where Damien stopped over in one of his road tours.

Apparently it’s an 11 kW EVSE on each balcony. See bottom of post #11 as linked.

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/taycan-to-the-alps-18-day-road-trip-2022.12402/post-183815

Don’t forget your Type 2 lead

 

[Sean.]

Planning on using the Supercharger network. What is UMC? do I really need it ?Thanks

It’s the Tesla supplied granny charger in the boot or frunk. Hopefully.

 

[thewishy]

You will need a charging app and a charging card for all other chargers. I recommend to install the Elli (VW) app, and in the app also order the Elli charging card. The reason is simple: Elli covers over 400,000 charging points all over Europe, more than any other to my knowledge. Since you will not use it often, price is irrelevant, but Elli is not outrageously expensive either. You can select the pay-as-you-go tariff, so you will have no base charges.

I'd recommend Octopus Electroverse above Elli for a Tesla owner, the reason being
- Octopus doesn't have a subscription model, therefore there isn't a big push to upselling to a subscription model (Especially with a 12 month subscription)
- Octopus RFID card is free. In my experience, App based activation doesn't work reliably for destination chargers, and many charge for the RFID
- Octopus simply passes the network provider set charges back to you. For AC charging, Typically 20p / kWh for france, 40p /kWh for germany. Elli is more expensive with a subscription, and considerably more on a "pay as you charge" basis
- The main advantage of the subscription is discount access to Ionity, but even with a €180/year subscription, prices aren't actually much better than superchargers
- An octopus account isn't required, however if you do have octopus it just gets popped on your electric bill, and if you have octopus EV tariffs, they provide a small discount

Shell recharge is a reasonable backup to have, the provide the RFID card free, but unlike octopus they add admin fees for use.

 

[Mr H]

This looks amazing! Do I need any adapters?

type 2 cable that comes with the car

 

[Cardo]

Make sure you assign a € friendly card to your Tesla account under the charging section (there are two separate places to enter card details, make sure you you’re looking at the charging bit!). You will be charged in the local currency so you don’t want to be hit with unfavourable exchange rates or currency exchange fees.

 

[teotutulan]

I first heard about this hotel over at the Taycan forum where Damien stopped over in one of his road tours.

Apparently it’s an 11 kW EVSE on each balcony. See bottom of post #11 as linked.

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/taycan-to-the-alps-18-day-road-trip-2022.12402/post-183815

Don’t forget your Type 2 lead

Looks amazing, I would need to plan the trip that I get in the evening near Frankfurt, maybe on my way back. THanks a lot for this. Wife will be thrilled.

It’s the Tesla supplied granny charger in the boot or frunk. Hopefully.

It is, I have it but never used it.

I'd recommend Octopus Electroverse above Elli for a Tesla owner, the reason being
- Octopus doesn't have a subscription model, therefore there isn't a big push to upselling to a subscription model (Especially with a 12 month subscription)
- Octopus RFID card is free. In my experience, App based activation doesn't work reliably for destination chargers, and many charge for the RFID
- Octopus simply passes the network provider set charges back to you. For AC charging, Typically 20p / kWh for france, 40p /kWh for germany. Elli is more expensive with a subscription, and considerably more on a "pay as you charge" basis
- The main advantage of the subscription is discount access to Ionity, but even with a €180/year subscription, prices aren't actually much better than superchargers
- An octopus account isn't required, however if you do have octopus it just gets popped on your electric bill, and if you have octopus EV tariffs, they provide a small discount

Shell recharge is a reasonable backup to have, the provide the RFID card free, but unlike octopus they add admin fees for use.

I have that card and I am an Octopus user. How will I be charged though? In GBP or in the local currency (euro)?

type 2 cable that comes with the car

THanks, I have that cable.

Make sure you assign a € friendly card to your Tesla account under the charging section (there are two separate places to enter card details, make sure you you’re looking at the charging bit!). You will be charged in the local currency so you don’t want to be hit with unfavourable exchange rates or currency exchange fees.

I was thinking about adding the revolut card when I get closer to the departure. Thank you.

 

[thewishy]

I have that card and I am an Octopus user. How will I be charged though? In GBP or in the local currency (euro)?

The Electroverse app will show you the price in pounds, and that's what you'll be charged in. IE they'll deal with any currency exchange needed.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I can use the granny charger if I need it (albeit not being fast). Do I need any special adapters?

I have a Schuko adapter for the UMC which I've used in France, but as I understand if there are different variants for various EU countries, so you might need more than one adaptor - not to mention that plenty of houses in France are wired wrong-way-round - used to be the case that you needed the ability to switch Live-and-Neutral (or two adaptors, wire oppositely) - but maybe Tesla now handles Live/Neutral polarity that automatically?

You could get a separate adaptor - e.g. "Foreign-plug-to-13-AMP-socket" (e.g. if Tesla UK is sold out of Schuko) and then just plug the UMC into that, but that will restrict you to 13AMPs, whereas I think Schuko is 16AMPs. (If Tesla are sold out consider buying for Tesla in the country you are visiting - e.g. mailorder to where you are staying)

"Foreign-plug-to-13-AMP-socket" also means you can plug in an extension lead, and then the UMC ... if you think that might be necessary. Better to avoid daisy-chaining extension leads if you can.

ToughLeads sell various adaptors and robust extension leads

 

[hgmichna]

If he wants to use the UMC in Germany then the schuko adapter is required, however i have one and have never needed it

I have one left over. If we can find a convenient way to get it to you (the original poster), you can have it.

It is the short adapter for the UMC2 with a Schuko plug on one end and the special 6-contact plug on the other, that goes into the UMC2 charging cable that comes with every Tesla. It enables you to charge from ordinary household sockets.

 

[yessuz]

followin up on this one.

we will be traveling to france/spain (not decided yet) and I know that France and Spain have paid roads.

afe there any discounts for EVs other there? Do I need to buy something in order to go through all tolls?