stjohnh
Well-known member
Hi Guys, My daughter recently moved from Palo Alto to Truckee and I was thinking of taking my Leaf to visit. This is my proposed trip:
Palo Alto->SoS.F. 27mi QC to 80%
So.S.F->Vacaville 63mi QCto 80%
Vacaville->Davis 21mi QCto 80%
Davis->Auburn 48mi, 1200' climb, dinner, 1hr L2
Auburn->Colfax(el 2400') 17mi, 1200' climb, overnight L2 to 100%.
Colfax->Truckee 53 mi. 42mi from Colfax to peak elevation 7000' then 10mi descent to Truckee(el 5800)
LEAFer made the following comments (next 3 paragraphs):
Sacramento to Colfax: 52.6 miles and 2,500 climb. Conservatively estimate 7 extra miles needed per 1,000 foot climb or about 17 miles. Meaning a total of 70 miles "consumed". That will be tight, but at 55mph in the right lane quite doable. (This is just an example. You're probably better off doing a stop in Auburn after doing a QC in Davis or Elk Grove, before doing the final leg for the day to Colfax. Remember also that the QC will be very slow to get from around 85% to 100% and heat the battery.)
Colfax to Truckee: Also 52.1 miles, but 4,700 foot climb to get to Donner Summit (before you can "coast" into Truckee on a 1,200 feet descent. The 7 miles per 1,000 is rough and conservative, but this extra 32.9 miles (7 * 4.7) needed for the climb will make for some "anxiety". There are estimates of 1.3kWh/1,000 climb which translates to "only" 4.55 miles/1,000 at 3.5miles/kWh efficiency. Much better, of course, but for planning purposes I would not trust the 4.55 number. In addition, the actual practical experience of doing it ... results in nervous eyes watching the GOM as it drops precipitously during the continuous climb. You'll need to know very precisely how many miles left to get to Donner Summit.
Reverse: On a downhill like this I would count on getting back "only" 3 miles (it might turn into 4) per 1,000 descent -- especially at the beginning when regen is limited. So, from the Summit (7,200) to Sacramento: about 25 miles gained. Thus you should easily make Sacramento ( I would still travel 55mph ). But for practical purposes, you'll be stopping earlier to pick up some juice (Colfax, Auburn, Roseville, etc). Also Elk Grove or Davis adds some distance to make the QC.
Anyway, the proposal seems reasonable to me if I don't try to 65 after leaving Davis (last QC), and should give minimal waiting time for charging (assuming open station).
What do you think? Got a better plan? What are the pitfalls?
BTW There is an RV park about 1/2 way from Colfax to Truckee that I could use if I really needed juice.
Palo Alto->SoS.F. 27mi QC to 80%
So.S.F->Vacaville 63mi QCto 80%
Vacaville->Davis 21mi QCto 80%
Davis->Auburn 48mi, 1200' climb, dinner, 1hr L2
Auburn->Colfax(el 2400') 17mi, 1200' climb, overnight L2 to 100%.
Colfax->Truckee 53 mi. 42mi from Colfax to peak elevation 7000' then 10mi descent to Truckee(el 5800)
LEAFer made the following comments (next 3 paragraphs):
Sacramento to Colfax: 52.6 miles and 2,500 climb. Conservatively estimate 7 extra miles needed per 1,000 foot climb or about 17 miles. Meaning a total of 70 miles "consumed". That will be tight, but at 55mph in the right lane quite doable. (This is just an example. You're probably better off doing a stop in Auburn after doing a QC in Davis or Elk Grove, before doing the final leg for the day to Colfax. Remember also that the QC will be very slow to get from around 85% to 100% and heat the battery.)
Colfax to Truckee: Also 52.1 miles, but 4,700 foot climb to get to Donner Summit (before you can "coast" into Truckee on a 1,200 feet descent. The 7 miles per 1,000 is rough and conservative, but this extra 32.9 miles (7 * 4.7) needed for the climb will make for some "anxiety". There are estimates of 1.3kWh/1,000 climb which translates to "only" 4.55 miles/1,000 at 3.5miles/kWh efficiency. Much better, of course, but for planning purposes I would not trust the 4.55 number. In addition, the actual practical experience of doing it ... results in nervous eyes watching the GOM as it drops precipitously during the continuous climb. You'll need to know very precisely how many miles left to get to Donner Summit.
Reverse: On a downhill like this I would count on getting back "only" 3 miles (it might turn into 4) per 1,000 descent -- especially at the beginning when regen is limited. So, from the Summit (7,200) to Sacramento: about 25 miles gained. Thus you should easily make Sacramento ( I would still travel 55mph ). But for practical purposes, you'll be stopping earlier to pick up some juice (Colfax, Auburn, Roseville, etc). Also Elk Grove or Davis adds some distance to make the QC.
Anyway, the proposal seems reasonable to me if I don't try to 65 after leaving Davis (last QC), and should give minimal waiting time for charging (assuming open station).
What do you think? Got a better plan? What are the pitfalls?
BTW There is an RV park about 1/2 way from Colfax to Truckee that I could use if I really needed juice.