New Owner: Range, Charging, Will This Scenario Work?

[kbecks13]

Super helpful. Similar to ICE, 55 definitely seems to be a sweet spot.

What does +/-Aero mean?

I have P+ as well and can confirm those numbers are pretty close to accurate. I typically cruise around 70 mph and could get around 260-270 miles of range when extrapolating.

"Aero" refers to the aerodynamic hub caps that are only available for the 18" wheels (stock option).

I agree with what others have said in suggesting a 120V trickle charge over night (~4-5 miles per hour of charge isn't shabby!) and/or a quick stop at a supercharger. If you visit a supercharger with under 50% battery (it charges fastest when you are low on battery) then you could get 100 miles of range in less than 15 minutes! You'd probably only need 50 or so max, so it'd be over pretty fast.

But be careful - with the P, if you drive aggressive you will eat battery real quick

 

[TexasEV]

Thanks. Given my in-laws are in a Sugar Land, we almost exclusively use 71 to I10.

Why didn’t you say so? There’s a supercharger under construction at the Rudy’s on 59. See the Richmond supercharger thread in the Texas forum.

 

[WattsHappening]

What does +/-Aero mean? Edit, I realize that means Aero wheels. Didn’t know Aeros were available on so many Performance trims, so confused by that but similarly amazed they make such a difference.

The +/- means with or without the aero covers. Many of us remove the covers because we like the rims underneath and then install the aero covers for trips to maximize range.

 

[animorph]

Check the trip on EVTripPlanner or ABetterRoutePlanner. They should be able to estimate your range very accurately, absent inclement weather or headwinds. They can show what a stop at a Supercharger might cost you in time. You can also take a look on Google Maps to see the Supercharger location and what's around that might occupy the kids.

My wife and I really enjoy the stops. The chance to walk around for 15 minutes, hit the restroom, eat if needed, and look at nearby shops keeps us alert for the numbing job of hanging onto the wheel with one hand to avoid AP nags.

 

[leisurelee]

Another thing to consider. If they have a washer/dryer in the garage, you can always plug in to that to do your charging. It is otherwise easy to overlook that some larger appliances use 14-50 plugs.

If not, then at least that's something to take off the checklist. I would agree with the plan to supercharge during your trip, even if you have to go a little out of the way or take an alternative route. Check out Go Anywhere | Tesla or your car's nav to find chargers along your way and suggested charging stops.

*edit* Derp. Re-read your post about the dryer in the hall. Keep in mind that charging from that outlet would 1) charge a LOT faster than a 120, and 2) would take a LOT less time. Overnight while everyone is asleep and mom isn't doing laundry would be ideal. You'll get 30-35 miles per hour charge from one of those outlets versus the 3-4 from a 120.

 

[DB-Cooper]

Another thing to consider. If they have a washer/dryer in the garage, you can always plug in to that to do your charging. It is otherwise easy to overlook that some larger appliances use 14-50 plugs.

If not, then at least that's something to take off the checklist. I would agree with the plan to supercharge during your trip, even if you have to go a little out of the way or take an alternative route. Check out Go Anywhere | Tesla or your car's nav to find chargers along your way and suggested charging stops.

*edit* Derp. Re-read your post about the dryer in the hall. Keep in mind that charging from that outlet would 1) charge a LOT faster than a 120, and 2) would take a LOT less time. Overnight while everyone is asleep and mom isn't doing laundry would be ideal. You'll get 30-35 miles per hour charge from one of those outlets versus the 3-4 from a 120.

The only issues to overcome with the dryer idea are: Not sure it’s a 14-50, so need to figure out what adapters and extension cords I need to use to get it to the driveway. Secondly, I’m slightly concerned I won’t be able to close the door fully with the cord going through it which causes impact to HVAC, bugs, etc. my in-laws are old school and will probably observe all of this and think the car was a horrible decision and judge and nag constantly.

 

[SageBrush]

my in-laws are old school and will probably observe all of this and think the car was a horrible decision

All the more reason to install a 14-50 at their place. If you can install for free at your home, perhaps the same is true at the in-laws. You really do not want to miss this opportunity to teach them a lesson. That said, giving your 3 year old and yourselves a break from the car trip is a a very good idea ... so do both !

Part of the enjoyment of Tesla ownership is trivializing the refueling. My wife and I travel between two homes 250 miles apart fairly often so I recently installed a 14-50 at the other home. Even though I have access to L1 there and a very convenient supercharger en-route the ability to L2 charge at my destinations removes any need to plan or consider charging. A Tesla should not be as convenient as an ICE -- it should be more.

 

[djgarrett21]

Super helpful. Similar to ICE, 55 definitely seems to be a sweet spot.

What does +/-Aero mean? Edit, I realize that means Aero wheels. Didn’t know Aeros were available on so many Performance trims, so confused by that but similarly amazed they make such a difference.

That chart is nowhere near definitive. It is a good guide to show ballpark between trims.

 

[SageBrush]

That chart is nowhere near definitive. It is a good guide to show ballpark between trims.

It is quite good ... for the presumed conditions: no wind, dry roads, and minimal cabin conditioning.

 

[TexasEV]

The only issues to overcome with the dryer idea are: Not sure it’s a 14-50, so need to figure out what adapters and extension cords I need to use to get it to the driveway. Secondly, I’m slightly concerned I won’t be able to close the door fully with the cord going through it which causes impact to HVAC, bugs, etc. my in-laws are old school and will probably observe all of this and think the car was a horrible decision and judge and nag constantly.

Dryer outlets are never 14-50. They’re 14-30, or if the house is really old they’re 10-30. You would then need to buy the appropriate UMC adapter. But installing a 14-50 outlet in their garage might make more sense even if you only visit a few times/ year. You can’t beat the convenience. It may not be needed though if you’re close to the Rudy’s on 59.

 

[DB-Cooper]

Thanks for the headsup, yeah I know the dryer connections are different, not sure if it's a 3 or 4-prong but I can get the adapter.

I appreciate all the guidance, but my wife is even concerned of their opinion of us "stealing power". I think I'm going to have to get them to warm up to the idea of Tesla and EV first, I want to avoid dropping some stereotypes in here, but you'd have to meet my in-laws and know their history. Running cords out the house, messing with their dryer, not worth it. I'm already going to get weird looks, opinions and commentary in a language I don't speak for a 120 extension cord, so let's start there

Not changing subject here intentionally, but given so many people from Austin and/or Texas have chimed in, I have a new round of questions:

1. My wife works at Apple, they have free charging, however, this is my car. She really loves her Volvo. I only drive maybe 100-150 miles a week, mostly on the weekends. Our original plan was to have her take the car on Monday and/or Friday to give it a full charge for the week. I think we'll stay well within the 10-90% or even 20-80% (or 30-70%) bands. Any issue with this, basically a weekly charge. I read some comments on this, and it reminded me of watching a politics discussion on FaceBook or a discussion of religion at a bar.

2. Anyone add solar to their home, this is something that's been on our list, just wondering any specific accommodations I should consider.

Thanks

 

[LoL Rick]

Don't let the wife drive your car. If you do, you'll never get it back. Your 100-150 miles a week is going to work out to $3-$4 if you charge at home. So just do that.

Based on your comments about the in-laws, I recommend working in a quick supercharger stop so that you do not have to charge at their house at all. Once you take them for a ride in the car, they will want one. Then on the next trip they will already have home charging installed for their own Model 3.

One caution about the performance model: do NOT demonstrate the power to people who are not interested in it. Lots of people are genuinely afraid of it. If that is the case with your in-laws, put the car in Chill mode and just be quiet.

 

[suttonlr]

My FAVORITE part of owning a Tesla is having 270 miles of available range every
morning when I leave the house, I will never have to stop for fuel on the way to work. I sold my Model S a few months ago, bought a 4Runner, couldn’t stand going to the gas station, and Mopac without autopilot, so now I own a 3 (wife took the 4Runner). Install a 14-50 and enjoy the #1 perk of ownership. Especially since it’s only $300 with Austin rebates. Honestly I don’t notice the Tesla on my electric bill, I notice when I water the yard WAY more. For $15/mo I would want to drive my Tesla to work every day and not share it with my wife.

My parents live in Tyler. I don’t plan to ever supercharge unless I go further than that. My dad has a 50a welder plug I use at his place and I have that adapter.

Think of it like charging your iPhone. It would be a pain in the ass if you could only charge it when you are away from the house.

 

[wws]

With a three year old, a bio break along the way might be a good thing to plan for in any event. May as well be somewhere that has a Supercharger. The ten or so minutes you spend there would provide quite a bit of extra range.

Ask your in-laws to send you a photo of the 120v receptacle in their garage. If the neutral blade portion has a sideways "T" shape, it is a 20 amp receptacle. Then the Tesla 5-20 adapter would be a good thing to carry in your charge kit for a bump in charging speed over the 5-15.

Also, if it were me, I'd just sneak away sometime over the weekend by volunteering to "go grocery shopping". (After all - how much of the in-laws can you take in one sitting? ) Find a nearby location on plugshare that also has a grocery store in the lot. It may require Chargepoint or some other account to activate it - so be prepared.

But as others point out, this is all temporary. When the Richmond, Tx Supercharger opens you'll be golden just using it.

 

[GoodOmens]

Thanks for the examples. Power isn't free in CoA, given it's a Co-Op, each bracket costs more and the car basically costs you at the top bracket. While our power is cheaper than California, it's by no means practically free and you may want to consider a more efficient fridge. I think we will plan biobreaks around superchargers and Colombus is a good stop, 2/3 of the way there.

In regards to the Level2 charger, I did see that, but I can basically install my own 14-50 220V next to my sub for free. My main power meter is on the side of the house and my garage is connected on a 50A sub which powers everything in my home except the ACs and a few exterior lights. I wasn't aware the city would pay for a sub-panel retrofit/re-install. Even at 50%, not sure it's needed as I think 30A 14-50 on the existing panel which I can do myself is still better.
.

Um, don't install a 14-50 plug on a 30a circuit. Not only is it against code it can be dangerous if someone down the line plugs something in that draws 50amps (not to mention your mobile charger will assume it's 50a and trip you circuit)

 

[DB-Cooper]

Um, don't install a 14-50 plug on a 30a circuit. Not only is it against code it can be dangerous if someone down the line plugs something in that draws 50amps (not to mention your mobile charger will assume it's 50a and trip you circuit)

You are right. It will be on a 50A. My point was that given my other stuff I would limit it to 30A as that sub runs basically everything in my house except the ACs and my Ovens.

 

[hmerrill3]

Unless the home is a rental or you plan on selling soon, go with the Tesla Wall adapter over the plug! It is far more convenient to use - you do not have to fish out your portable charging kit and pack it back up every charge. It is like having your own gas pump in your garage without all the smelly fumes! Even if you cannot give the HPWC a full 100 amps, you can just turn the inside dial down to what you put your breaker at. Nothing is more convenient than just holding the cord near the charge connector and pushing the button and having it open to plug in. Don't worry it will not let you put it in drive with the wall connector still connected.

Got a 15-50 at my place. The charging connector has been unplugged from the wall exactly three times since we got the car on September 1st (trips from Houston to Dallas, Baton Rouge & New Orleans). While on the road it was used only twice (110v charging). It's really slow but if the car isn't

While the HPWC looks nice it really isn't necessary. You can easily use the provided charger charging overnight, leaving it at home plugged in during the day. For city driving, you only need the J1772 adapter to access in-town Blink and Chargepoint systems if you get in a bind. For road trips I unplug and take the charger only as insurance.

 

[StellarRat]

Got a 15-50 at my place. The charging connector has been unplugged from the wall exactly three times since we got the car on September 1st (trips from Houston to Dallas, Baton Rouge & New Orleans). While on the road it was used only twice (110v charging). It's really slow but if the car isn't

While the HPWC looks nice it really isn't necessary. You can easily use the provided charger charging overnight, leaving it at home plugged in during the day. For city driving, you only need the J1772 adapter to access in-town Blink and Chargepoint systems if you get in a bind. For road trips I unplug and take the charger only as insurance.

This is my exact conditions as well. I have an LR. It has nearly the same range on a full charge as my old car did with a full tank of gas. I have yet to need during travel charging and it's been since July 11 now. The UMC is plenty for my needs.

On related note my friend just completed a trip from Austin to Houston and back in her LR. There were no problems other than an ICEed 48 amp Tesla charger at her hotel. She made the trip to Houston at 80+ mph with a full charge and had 70 miles left when she arrived. Slowed charged overnight, messed around in Houston and Galveston all day the next day, and caught a 20 min Supercharge on the way home. She rated the experience a 5/5 discounting the idiot ICEers.

 

[jrielley]

As for your solar panel question, SolarEdge makes an inverter with a port for an EV charging cable. You pay more for the inverter (and still have to buy the cable) but it can make sense if you don't already have a 14-50 or HPWC set up. All the breaker, conduit and wiring work is already paid for. Makes lots of sense if the inverter is close to where you park and it's far from your electrical panel.