Vancouver to Alberta Trip Planning

[pairtrader]

The 320km stretch from Kamloops to Valemount should be ok, but I contacted someone in Clearwater and I could stop there for a couple of hours. They only offer 30 AMPS, but they said they would only charge me $5 and it's on a beautiful lake. Not a bad place to rest for a couple of hours. Dutch Lake Resort RV Park, Clearwater, BC, Wells Gray Park, Canada

Valemount to Edmonton is 488km, so I would stop in Jasper or Hinton. There is a KOA in Hinton with 50 AMP chargers that I'm sure I could access.

For a 2 day drive I'd like to do as much as possible the first day so that I can arrive earlier on the second day. To me that would suggest that the best route is Valemount overnight on the way to Edmonton, but through Calgary with overnight in Revelstoke on the way back.

@Zapped - thanks, I will PM Spurkey before my trip.

 

[pairtrader]

I just drove from Vancouver to Edmonton last week. I drove the Calgary, future Supercharger route. It took 30 hours. All chargers that I used were Sun Country CS90s giving me between 65 and 84km/hr of charging. I'm driving back next week, but will spend a night in Revelstoke this time. KOA not open yet so it will be at the Best Western. I took a lot of notes so I will make a larger post after I return.

After leaving Hope, towards the Coquihalla, I lost 100km of rated range in 46km travelled. On the same charge, arriving in Kamloops, I travelled 30km without losing a single km of rated range (121km remaining, increased to 125km before dropping).

Calgary to Edmonton averaged only 193w/km despite an average speed of 110-125km/hr.

I believe the Valemount/Jasper route to Edmonton would be more efficient, but we need a good charger in Hinton, or possibly Edson for that to work. The Best Western in Edson does not have a charger despite being listed on several websites. If you have more time, this route would be doable after May 15th when most RV parks are open with 30/50amp service.

 

[Canuck]

After leaving Hope, towards the Coquihalla, I lost 100km of rated range in 46km travelled. On the same charge, arriving in Kamloops, I travelled 30km without losing a single km of rated range (121km remaining, increased to 125km before dropping).

I noticed the same thing driving home from the interior last weekend on the number 3. I initially lost rated km must faster than the actual driving amount then I went for a number of km not losing any rated range. It was my first trip and I found this part of the calculation to be really strange. I started with a full range charge in Tulameen and drove to South Surrey (300 km total) with 122 rated range left. So I was really impressed overall but the manner in which the rated range counted down made no sense to me.

 

[gpetti]

I just drove from Vancouver to Edmonton last week. I drove the Calgary, future Supercharger route. It took 30 hours. All chargers that I used were Sun Country CS90s giving me between 65 and 84km/hr of charging. I'm driving back next week, but will spend a night in Revelstoke this time. KOA not open yet so it will be at the Best Western. I took a lot of notes so I will make a larger post after I return.

After leaving Hope, towards the Coquihalla, I lost 100km of rated range in 46km travelled. On the same charge, arriving in Kamloops, I travelled 30km without losing a single km of rated range (121km remaining, increased to 125km before dropping).

Calgary to Edmonton averaged only 193w/km despite an average speed of 110-125km/hr.

I believe the Valemount/Jasper route to Edmonton would be more efficient, but we need a good charger in Hinton, or possibly Edson for that to work. The Best Western in Edson does not have a charger despite being listed on several websites. If you have more time, this route would be doable after May 15th when most RV parks are open with 30/50amp service.

thanks for posting and I look forward to your detailed post.
Did you have any anxious moments? Any Tesla moments?

 

[Zapped]

I just drove from Vancouver to Edmonton last week. ...... I'm driving back next week, but will spend a night in Revelstoke this time.

If you're near St. Albert and looking for a charge, stop by for a coffee. We have a Sun Country CS90 at our office.

I'll be making the Vancouver - Edmonton trip the beginning of May

 

[Paul8810]

I took a lot of notes so I will make a larger post after I return.

Look forward to seeing your detailed post. I too will be traveling Vancouver to Edmonton May long weekend, so I'm a tad concerned about the availability of chargers. It appears many locations only have one charger.

 

[PoweredByRain]

I noticed the same thing driving home from the interior last weekend on the number 3. I initially lost rated km must faster than the actual driving amount then I went for a number of km not losing any rated range. It was my first trip and I found this part of the calculation to be really strange. I started with a full range charge in Tulameen and drove to South Surrey (300 km total) with 122 rated range left. So I was really impressed overall but the manner in which the rated range counted down made no sense to me.

It primarily has to do with hills. What you're really looking at is the amount of energy remaining in the battery. It's just expressed in terms of how far you can go on level ground going at a specific speed, whereas what you're doing isn't that at all. If you're going faster than that speed, or uphill, or in terrible conditions (e.g. slush or heavy rain), you're going to consume more energy to go one kilometre than would be the case for "rated" (55 mph on the flat, dry roads) conditions. If you're going slower, or downhill, you're going to consume less energy to go one kilometre than would be the case for "rated" conditions.

The car would be less misleading, I think, if it just showed you energy in kWh. But people in general don't seem to want to see that, they want an estimate of distance - I guess people don't like to do the multiplication or division in their head. Really, the only way to give an accurate estimate of energy use is to know the route in advance, including the exact terrain and weather.

 

[Cottonwood]

It primarily has to do with hills. What you're really looking at is the amount of energy remaining in the battery. It's just expressed in terms of how far you can go on level ground going at a specific speed, whereas what you're doing isn't that at all. If you're going faster than that speed, or uphill, or in terrible conditions (e.g. slush or heavy rain), you're going to consume more energy to go one kilometre than would be the case for "rated" (55 mph on the flat, dry roads) conditions. If you're going slower, or downhill, you're going to consume less energy to go one kilometre than would be the case for "rated" conditions.

The car would be less misleading, I think, if it just showed you energy in kWh. But people in general don't seem to want to see that, they want an estimate of distance - I guess people don't like to do the multiplication or division in their head. Really, the only way to give an accurate estimate of energy use is to know the route in advance, including the exact terrain and weather.

Another way to look at it is to consider total energy available from present location to destination. If you add battery energy to potential energy, this all works out a lot cleaner. The potential energy in the car is approximately 6 rated miles/1,000 feet or 3 rated km/100 meters. If you higher or lower than your destination, convert that elevation difference to rated km, then add or subtract that from your battery energy in rated km. This total energy calculation should track much better.

Someone really needs to write an App for the Tesla to do this calculation for us. It really helps in the mountains.

 

[Zapped]

It sure would be nice if Telsa could have Google maps show your current elevation.

This website is great for finding those elevation changes on the mountainous trips
Elevations for Route
( found elsewhere on this forum)

 

[Cottonwood]

I sure would be nice if Telsa could have Google maps show your current elevation.

This website is great for finding those elevation changes on the mountainous trips
Elevations for Route
( found elsewhere on this forum)

For iPhone users, "My Altitude" is a free App that will give you current altitude. If you have not been using anything that activates the GPS recently, give it 30 seconds to stabilize for an accurate reading. I am sure there are other similar, free iPhone and Android Apps out there.

 

[pairtrader]

I just completed my return drive from Vancouver to Edmonton and back. It would be great if the Model S could record ALL of the data from a trip, but I will do my best to give you guys a sense of what you're in for. I did a better job taking notes on the way home. Note that all chargers were SunCountry CS90s and it's important to mention that all were available when I arrived. I made sure that I had a backup option at most stops, but it would have been a CS60, CS40 or worse, which would have really delayed me.

Vancouver to Edmonton - Clear driving conditions, no snow or rain

Downtown Vancouver - Hope
Rated Range used: 193km Driving Time: 1:35 Charge time: 1:45 Charge Rate: 82km/hr (CS90) @ Hope Municipal Hall - Well located right in town, Blue Moose Cafe across the street is a good place to rest.

Hope - Kamloops
Rated Range used: 263km Driving Time: 2:10 Charge Time: 2:15 Charge Rate: 70km/hr (CS90) @ Holiday Inn & Suites and White Spot - I called ahead and they said it was fine for me to use it without being a guest. I said I would eat at the restaurant, but it wouldn't have mattered. They said people often ICE the 2 spots that the cable can reach and that they would try to put a pylon down for me to save it. When I arrived there was no pylon, but the spot was available in a busy parking lot. I am considering getting a capable extension cord in case I get ICE'd in situations like this. Several restaurants nearby, but not a beautiful spot. I left before I had a full charge with the intention of stopping in Chase to charge (45 mins away).

Kamloops to Chase
Rated Range used: 57km Driving Time: 0:45 Charge Time: 2:15 Charge rate: 84km/hr (CS90) @ Chase Equipment & Supply - This is an interesting spot to charge. It is maybe 30ft off the highway. It is BEFORE Chase on the Vancouver to Edmonton route. Your GPS will probably overshoot it so keep an eye out. It is basically a dirt lot with some machines and cars parked. There is an EV sign. Fruit/veg stand that is closed for the season. No bathrooms and nothing walkable. Good spot to read or sleep at a good charge rate. I can't see this one being taken up, impossible to be ICE'd and there is a CS60 if the CS90 is taken. The CS90 is the one on the right when facing them. You can also check on the sticker on the side of the charger. ***There is no charger at Home Hardware despite being on plugshare. Also, cell reception came and went at this charger. Was almost 100% solid for the car, hit or miss on my phone.

Chase to Golden
Longest drive between charges for me in both directions. I called the Sicamous Best Western about using their CS100, but they weren't having any of it. Guests only. Not even if it was available and I paid.
Rated Range used: 332km Driving Time: 3:30 Charge Time: 2:30 Charge Rate: 68km/hr (CS90) @ Golden Home Hardware - This is on the edge of town. You can walk to Overwaitea Grocery store. No restroom, but you pass a Petro Canada on the way in and out of town. I had a nap here as it was quiet and nothing else to do.

Golden to Canmore
Rated Range used: 193km Driving Time: 2:10 Charge Time: 3:10 Charge rate: 73km/hr @ 950 8Ave (Plugshare calls it Banff Canmore 2014 Winter Games, sign says Canmore Commuity Arts Center - NAV address is correct) - This charger is great because it's right in town. I slept here on the way as it was 1am, but enjoyed a long charge during the day on the way back. Little chance of being ICE'd.

Canmore to Calgary
Rated Range used: 124km Driving Time: 1:20 Charge Time: 2:50 Charge Rate: 68km/hr @ Ramada near the airport (used to be Greenwood Inn) - Little chance of being ICE'd as it's a single spot near the entrance. They didn't care at all that I wasn't a guest. Buffet breakfast available. Beware Alberta's ridiculous photo radar! It is everywhere in Calgary and Edmonton and especially annoying after coming off highway speeds. I am expecting a ticket in the mail.

Calgary to Red Deer
Rated Range used: 168km Driving Time: 1:15 (you won't be able to drive under 105km here without being a menace) Charge Time: 0:45 top up Charge Rate: 68km/hr @ Peavey Mart - Little chance of being ICE'd, painted spot near entrance. Had several people say that they have never seen an EV there. Restaurants in the area.

Red Deer to Edmonton
Rated range used: 160km (a bit of an estimate as I took a detour to get the car washed before heading to the downtown area) Charge Time/Rate: 6km/hr at sister's house, ouch!

Total driving time: 14:30 Total Charge Time: 15:30 Total A to B time: 30 hours! I expect driving time of <13 hours and charge time of 3 hours once the Superchargers are in. I was forced to drive significantly slower than I would have if range wasn't an issue.
I started in Vancouver with a full charge and rated range of 431km.



Edmonton to Vancouver - Clear with rainy stretches, ice at Coquihalla summit, Rogers pass fog at night. I was expecting to benefit from an elevation loss of 2200 ft versus a gain of 2200ft on the way out. I also planned to make 6 charging stops instead of 7, by skipping Calgary and going to Merritt instead of Kamloops. I included avg energy and actual distance in my notes this time.

Edmonton to Red Deer
Rated Range used: 187km Actual Distance: 160km Avg Energy: 210W/km Driving Time: 1:40 Charging Time: 2:00 Charge Rate: 68km/hr @ Peavey Mart (again)

Red Deer to Canmore
I skipped Calgary and took the route West at Airdrie, as directed by NAV. This was a very scenic route with great mountain views. Less traffic and rolling hills.
Rated Range used: 246km Actual Distance: 232km Avg energy: 185W/km Driving Time: 2:30 Charging Time: 3:30 Charge Rate: 73km/hr @ same charger (best place to stop for long charge IMO)

Canmore to Golden
I charged up to 80% in Canmore so that I could minimize my time in Golden. Good charger, boring area.
Rated range used: 155km Actual Distance: 165km Avg energy: 166W/km (lowest leg by far) Driving Time: 1:45 Charging Time: 2:00 Charge rate: 68km/hr @ Home Hardware (again)

Golden to Chase
Again the longest leg between charges. I wanted to make it to the machine shop on the other side of chase where I knew I could get 80km/hr+ and that it would be available. Planned to sleep there for a few hours.
Rated range used: 349km Actual Distance: 311km Avg energy: 195W/km Driving Time: 3:35 Charging Time: 3:20 Charge rate: 81km/hr @ Chase Equipment & Supply

Chase to Merritt
Rated range used: 180km Actual Distance: 145km Avg energy: 213W/km Driving Time: 1:40 (Ice at peak of Coquihalla, trucks skidding around, one jack-kniffed and blocked traffic completed in the other direction, be careful! It was 4am) Charging Time: 1:40 Charge Rate: 78km/hr @ 2202 Voght Street (There seems to be misinformation about this one on the SunCountry site and even plugshare, the 2202 Voght St address will get you there and there is a CS90 and an ABB fast charger (500V 120AMP if you have an adapter)) A couple of blocks from a 7/11. The visitor center on the other side of the highway had nothing that I could find.

Merritt to Hope
Rated range used: 143km Actual Distance: 122km Avg energy: 202W/km Driving time: 1:15 Charge Time: 1:45 Charging rate: 82km/hr at same charger at Municipal Hall

Hope to downtown Vancouver
Rated Range used: 149km Actual Distance: 167km Driving Time: 1:55 (a bit of an estimate on these numbers as I made a detour to pick up my dog)

Total driving time: 14:20 Total charging time: 14:05 Total time: 28:25

Notes:
-I drove slower than I otherwise would have to increase efficiency. I wouldn't say that I drove as efficiently as possible all the time.
-I was conservative about having enough range to make it to my next charge. My lowest remaining range was around 45km arriving in Canmore on the way to Edmonton. I knew that I could stop short in Banff if things were looking close.
-As mentioned in another post, it's remarkable how much range you lose on inclines, but if you are generally aware of your altitude changes, you'll know that regen time is coming. I plan to look into altitude measuring options as some of you have discussed.
-Anything under CS90 is obsolete for road trips IMO. Only there for backup or an overnight stay.
-No harm in calling ahead. I have had people tell me that their supposed charger does not exist. (plugshare is user managed and can be wrong)
-I made sure I had a backup plan if my planned charger was unavailable, even if it was just a CS40.
-Most RV parks and campgrounds open May 1st or May 15th, which will give you more options for 50AMP chargers.
-I was glad I had 19" wheels in Alberta, land of potholes. I'm curious how Alberta drivers are finding their 21s? I hit one pothole pretty good, but no damage.
-I should hit 5000km in my first month since delivery....this machine is meant to be used!
-We all know about the Tesla 0-60, but I'd like to know the 100km - 160km time. It's breathtaking how quickly and smoothly you can pass large trucks. Much safer than in my old car.
-Think long and hard about making this pre-supercharger journey with your significant other. It's a true exercise in patience. I would have spent a night rather than going for best time.
-I can't wait to follow the same route with Superchargers next year!


Good luck in your travels and feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Next trip, all of July down the US West Coast.

 

[Doug_G]

Nicely done!

I can estimate the 100-160 time for you.

My drag racing results (pack was not full so could be faster): Drag Racing at Luskville

Trap was 171 kph at 12.7 seconds. Since 0-100 is about 4 seconds, I'd say 100 to 171 kph is about 8 seconds. Assuming linear (conservative because it starts running out of poop above 160) the 100-160 time is about 6.75 seconds. Probably more like 6 seconds in reality.

 

[gpetti]

I just completed my return drive from Vancouver to Edmonton and back. It would be great if the Model S could record ALL of the data from a trip, but I will do my best to give you guys a sense of what you're in for. I did a better job taking notes on the way home. Note that all chargers were SunCountry CS90s and it's important to mention that all were available when I arrived. I made sure that I had a backup option at most stops, but it would have been a CS60, CS40 or worse, which would have really delayed me.

First off, thanks for doing this - great detail and I will be reading this in some depth. Not sure when the superchargers will finally get here but the rated range usage etc. is all good stuff. I'm interested in going to the Okanagan so I won't get as far as Chase; however, its good to see that you were able to get all the way to Chase.

Canmore to Golden
I charged up to 80% in Canmore so that I could minimize my time in Golden. Good charger, boring area.
Rated range used: 155km Actual Distance: 165km Avg energy: 166W/km (lowest leg by far) Driving Time: 1:45 Charging Time: 2:00 Charge rate: 68km/hr @ Home Hardware (again)

I had assumed this would be worse than Golden to Canmore, i.e. that it would be more uphill from Canmore to Golden but there is a lot of downhill into Golden I guess. Is there anything near that home hardware?

-I was glad I had 19" wheels in Alberta, land of potholes. I'm curious how Alberta drivers are finding their 21s? I hit one pothole pretty good, but no damage.

Don't know yet, I only had my 21" wheels on for about 10 minutes before I put the 19" winters on. Hopefully I'll have the 21s back on soon but I will definitely be dodging pot holes as much as possible.

-We all know about the Tesla 0-60, but I'd like to know the 100km - 160km time. It's breathtaking how quickly and smoothly you can pass large trucks. Much safer than in my old car.

The thing I find really cool is that there is so little sound when accelerating at these speeds you just hear the sound of the wind increasing.

 

[pairtrader]

I had assumed this would be worse than Golden to Canmore, i.e. that it would be more uphill from Canmore to Golden but there is a lot of downhill into Golden I guess. Is there anything near that home hardware?

Hi gpetti,

I have Canmore altitude of 4,860ft and Golden 2,600ft, so a pretty good loss in a short distance. Nothing that I found near the Home Hardware in Golden. Overwaitea Grocery store. There was a restaurant in an old-style house that was probably somewhat fancy. There was a motel or two down the road so this could be an overnight charge if you're comfortable leaving your car in the Home Hardware lot unattended. You're trying to make it to Summerland?

 

[green1]

-Think long and hard about making this pre-supercharger journey with your significant other. It's a true exercise in patience. I would have spent a night rather than going for best time.

Considering you spent roughly the same amount of time charging as driving I know exactly how that would go... and it wouldn't be good!

great, and very detailed post!

I am curious as to some of your choices though, I haven't studied the route closely enough, but it seems it could have been done with fewer, longer stops instead of how you actually did (you have some legs over 300km, but most in the 150 range) obviously some places you have no choice, but it seems it would be more enjoyable to stop fewer times, even if you're stuck longer (and your sleep pattern would have been better!)

 

[pairtrader]

Considering you spent roughly the same amount of time charging as driving I know exactly how that would go... and it wouldn't be good!

great, and very detailed post!

I am curious as to some of your choices though, I haven't studied the route closely enough, but it seems it could have been done with fewer, longer stops instead of how you actually did (you have some legs over 300km, but most in the 150 range) obviously some places you have no choice, but it seems it would be more enjoyable to stop fewer times, even if you're stuck longer (and your sleep pattern would have been better!)

I agree that it was possible to stop fewer times. A few times I just wanted to get back on the road and was also curious about other chargers. If I were to spend a night at a hotel or campground, the stops would be different and it would be a slightly different experience.

One example would be Merritt to Vancouver, skipping Hope. I decided to go to Hope rather than wait longer in Merritt because I knew that I could spend my time at the Blue Moose Cafe on a comfortable couch rather than in my car, or at A&W. I also knew that the charge rate was slightly higher in Hope, so it was worth moving on.

I wanted go A to B as quickly as possible so that I could compare the pre and post-Supercharger era. I'm really looking forward to the drive with the superchargers, not only for shorter charge time, but for a more "spirited" drive.

 

[pairtrader]

Nicely done!

I can estimate the 100-160 time for you.

My drag racing results (pack was not full so could be faster): Drag Racing at Luskville

Trap was 171 kph at 12.7 seconds. Since 0-100 is about 4 seconds, I'd say 100 to 171 kph is about 8 seconds. Assuming linear (conservative because it starts running out of poop above 160) the 100-160 time is about 6.75 seconds. Probably more like 6 seconds in reality.

I can't argue with that math, but it really felt faster and I don't have a P85. Would driving at 100km/hr, then punching it to 160 be any different than going zero to 160 and measuring the 100-160 portion. I guess what I mean is that the motor could be a bit spent on the 100-160 portion if it just did 0-100. FWIW, I have zero expertise in this area.

p.s. I just saw a Roadster on my way home. I saw a couple at our last rally, but this is the first I've seen in the wild, at least now that I have an eye for them.

 

[Doug_G]

Judging by the feel of it, the "P" part is mostly in the launch. It no doubt does a bit better at higher speeds too, but the difference is much smaller.

 

[Canuck]

Thanks for the detailed post Pairtrader. Great info.

I stopped at the Blue Moose last Saturday on the way to our cabin. I really like it there too. It will be interesting to see where they put the Supercharger in Hope.

 

[pairtrader]

Here a a few photos of the chargers I used.....just because.

Hope

Kamloops

Chase

Chase 2

Golden

Red Deer

Merritt