ChrisPDX
Member
I just returned last night. The return trip went even better! I was worried with TMC Connect that the GP and Mt Shasta SCs would be busy with traffic heading south, but that wasn't the case. In fact I only saw one other MS which was about 10-30 minutes behind me. Oddly enough for 3 stops they plugged into the same SC pair as me. I wanted to tell them not to do that as they were slowing down their charge rate, but I never actually meet them. Oh well.
Below is my return trip data. I'm having issues with the data going there, but it mostly matches. I also have two columns that show the EV Trip Planner data on reaching that site. Sorry for the bad formatting, but it's the best I could do without spending too much time on this (you may have to go full screen on your browser to read it).
What it all boils down to, if the weather is nice, you can charge to 20-30 miles above EV Trip Planner's numbers and have plenty of buffer to get there. The closer you leave with the trip numbers, the less buffer but faster charging you'll have. Please note I hit a lot of wind (mostly cross-wind) from GP to home. Otherwise my usage probably would have been better. But with that buffer, I was able to drive around 10% over the limit when possible.
Some other notes:
Good luck! I had a wonderful drive. Sure I couldn't charge as fast as the MS85s and had to be more careful, but the good news is it's not difficult and you can drive like normal without worry.
Below is my return trip data. I'm having issues with the data going there, but it mostly matches. I also have two columns that show the EV Trip Planner data on reaching that site. Sorry for the bad formatting, but it's the best I could do without spending too much time on this (you may have to go full screen on your browser to read it).
What it all boils down to, if the weather is nice, you can charge to 20-30 miles above EV Trip Planner's numbers and have plenty of buffer to get there. The closer you leave with the trip numbers, the less buffer but faster charging you'll have. Please note I hit a lot of wind (mostly cross-wind) from GP to home. Otherwise my usage probably would have been better. But with that buffer, I was able to drive around 10% over the limit when possible.
Some other notes:
- EV Trip planner uses some odd calculations when figuring range miles used. On my trip there, I had one leg with 150 rated miles or 46.3kWh and a return leg with 149 rated miles or 43.6kWh. So even though I generally came in below it's numbers, a buffer is still a good idea!
- GP-Springfield, do half a range charge. Once the charge rate drops below 20kW, you get diminishing returns on time. So go ahead and stop there and leave. You'll have plenty of charge to make it without hypermiling unless the weather is bad.
- Heading out of Mt Shasta in either direction requires so little charge, you won't spend much time there. I over charged on the way back simply because I couldn't eat lunch fast enough!
- Vacaville-Corning legs had such high ratings because it was such high speed with no mountains to slow you down. It's easy to go 80+ for most of it, but you're Wh/mile will go way up!
Good luck! I had a wonderful drive. Sure I couldn't charge as fast as the MS85s and had to be more careful, but the good news is it's not difficult and you can drive like normal without worry.