Any one is Salem, Oregon?

[lifeincolor]

I just got my Leaf up in Willsonville yesterday (tried to go to Power Nissan here in Salem, they were, unfortunately, clueless about the Leaf when I went). I'd love any tips for going up to Portland or down to Eugene. How far have you gone in your Leaf, to the coast? I have an SL with quick charge.
Amber

 

[pkulak]

I just did Portland to Eugene and back last weekend. The two Blink chargers in Salem work great. They are 5 bucks, but I don't mind supporting EV infrastructure. There's also a Nissan one near the courthouse that works great too, plus it's cheaper and is in a much nicer location if you want to get out of your car. If you get to 100% in Salem you can make it all the way to Eugene no problem. If you wanna do 80%, then just stop at Halsey as well for 10 minutes.

 

[lifeincolor]

Awesome thanks for that info! I think I'll charge in Halsey both ways and skip charging in Eugene, my friend doesn't live by any chargers. I still need to order all the cards and key fobs for various charging stations.

 

[pkulak]

Awesome thanks for that info! I think I'll charge in Halsey both ways and skip charging in Eugene, my friend doesn't live by any chargers. I still need to order all the cards and key fobs for various charging stations.

Keep in mind that you will _never_ get anything from Blink. They stopped shipping cards long ago. Make an account, but then use the app or website to get a "guest code" before each trip. And sometimes the level 2 chargers say "Guest charging not available at this time" the first time you do it, but it works if you go through the whole process again. PITA, but that's what you get with a company that just went bankrupt.

The Aerovironment guys are awesome though. They'll send you a FOB in a week tops (by express mail!), and even if you don't have it yet, they man that 1-800 number 24-hours a day and are happy to start your charge with a phone call.

 

[ttime4four]

Keep in mind that you will _never_ get anything from Blink. They stopped shipping cards long ago. Make an account, but then use the app or website to get a "guest code" before each trip. And sometimes the level 2 chargers say "Guest charging not available at this time" the first time you do it, but it works if you go through the whole process again. PITA, but that's what you get with a company that just went bankrupt.

Beaverton Nissan gave me a Blink card when I picked up my Leaf. I was able to create a membership account and activate the card that same day. No issues using the card twice now - once at the Convention Center parking and once at the QC in Fred Meyer, Tualatin.

Perhaps if you ask, the folks at Willsonville will give you a Blink card.

 

[DarkStar]

Keep in mind that you will _never_ get anything from Blink.

Give Blink a call and they will send you a card: 888-998-2546

 

[pkulak]

Wow, the Beaverton dealer sounds like the place to go in Portland. I went the to East Portland guys. They were super nice, but didn't seem to know much about the Leaf, and they certainly didn't hook me up with any charging cards!

I just called Blink and the guy said that cards will start going out in about 4-6 weeks. Hell, I'm just happy I got through to someone. Figured the phones would be unplugged.

 

[lifeincolor]

I got a Blink card from Wilsonville when I bought the car too, the others I ordered, OpConnect already came. Glad to know about Aero, I was afraid to travel south since I don't have the key fob yet, but it sounds like I don't need to worry. Tomorrow I do Salem to Eugene, wish me luck!

 

[debbieandpatrick]

Hello, you can easily get to the Coast also. AV/West Coast Electric Hwy stations @ Grand Ronde and up and down the coast from Astoria to Florence so far. Look on the Plugshare map online. We live at the coast and go the valley all the time--often use Grand Ronde, McMinnville, Monmouth. Wish they'd get Quick Charge in Corvallis! As far as Blink cards, our card no longer works so we've had to call them every time. They have promised to send new cards but it never happens. Maybe the purchaser of all those stations will get it together eventually. Hope you like your Leaf. We've been all electric since July with 2 of them.

 

[lifeincolor]

Cool, I'll have to try the coast. Congrats on being all electric! I did another trip to Eugene yesterday. It seems that keeping speed low is the key for us getting there without warnings!

 

[Knight5429]

I live in Lebanon. I have a 2011 and have traveled as far north as Salem and as far south as Eugene. I have also driven to Redmond by going to Detroit charging then to Sisters and charging. It was a close drive never went over 45 almost turned around before Sisters. Came home after charging in Sisters to 100% highway 20 was at 13 miles when I got to top of the mountain made it up coming down. Still my record for single charge at 93.7 miles.

 

[ObjetDart]

The Aerovironment guys are awesome though. They'll send you a FOB in a week tops (by express mail!), and even if you don't have it yet, they man that 1-800 number 24-hours a day and are happy to start your charge with a phone call.

+1 for AV. I live in Eugene and I've used their QCs in Springfield, Brownsville (I-5 exit 216), Cottage Grove, Monmouth, and McMinville, multiple times for several of them. Always work, always available when I pull up, and always free. Not sure how much longer that free part will last, but it's great to have it!

 

[ObjetDart]

Cool, I'll have to try the coast. Congrats on being all electric! I did another trip to Eugene yesterday. It seems that keeping speed low is the key for us getting there without warnings!

Good to know you can make it all the way to Eugene from Salem in one shot. From my house to the charger in Salem is just over 70 miles. I haven't worked up the nerve yet to attempt that when it's 65mph interstate the whole way...I always wimp out and stop to top off at the Halsey/Brownville QC on the way.

 

[pkulak]

Cool, I'll have to try the coast. Congrats on being all electric! I did another trip to Eugene yesterday. It seems that keeping speed low is the key for us getting there without warnings!

Good to know you can make it all the way to Eugene from Salem in one shot. From my house to the charger in Salem is just over 70 miles. I haven't worked up the nerve yet to attempt that when it's 65mph interstate the whole way...I always wimp out and stop to top off at the Halsey/Brownville QC on the way.

It can totally be done. I've done it North to South a couple times, but you hit low battery warning for sure, which I'm not a big fan of doing. And the last time I did it I had a couple things to do in Eugene before I could charge and ran it down below VLB. There's almost no reason not to stop if there's a QC right on your way. It doesn't add any time to your trip; charge here for a bit or run the battery down more and spend more time at the next stop.

 

[ObjetDart]

Well...there IS at least 10 minute overheard per QC charge, I'd estimate, what with getting on/off the freeway and then messing around with the QC station (logging in, plugging in, communicating with vehicle, etc.) But yeah, in general I agree, if the QC is there, and it's free, why the hell not?

What speed do you drive at when you do the full trip without charging?

 

[pkulak]

What speed do you drive at when you do the full trip without charging?

I keep a 65 max, in the slow lane, but if I come up on a truck doing 58, I'll hang there for 10 miles or so. So, I totally take it easy. That Nissan charger by the courthouse (my favorite QC in Salem) is 65 miles from downtown Eugene (60 of it freeway), so 65 the whole way should be fine too.

 

[debbieandpatrick]

Great conversation on going Salem to Eugene or vice versa. We need to take Leaf 2 to Lithia in Eugene after the first of the year for its first service visit. We brought it home to the coast via the Veneta charging station, charged at Florence, a little charge at Newport, and home north of Depoe Bay. Going Newport to Corvallis to Halsey might be a stretch--for a lot of our driving we wish Corvallis had a QC. There is one planned for Tangent that might help us connect to I-5. If we go to the valley via Lincoln City, the charging network is really well laid out but not so great getting to Eugene.

 

[ObjetDart]

Yes the lack of any QC in the Corvallis/Albany area is an annoying gap in the otherwise excellent Oregon charging network.

In the meantime, it looks like retracing your original route home is your best bet for getting back to Eugene.