BC2BC-2022 - Mexico to Canada - 10th Anniversary edition - June 2022

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TonyWilliams

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Messages
10,107
Location
Vista, California USA
Link to the original event in 2012: https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8879

BC2BC-2022 - Mexico to Canada - 10th Anniversary edition - June 18 - 21, 2022

Follow along in June 2022 with this link: https://qccharge.com/blogs/announcements/bc2bc

I will be conducting the 10th anniversary of BC2BC, from Mexico to Canada, in a 2022 Nissan LEAF e+ (62 kWh battery, 226 mile range, 100 kW charging speed). I won't have my 10 year old daughter to join me this time, so it might be a solo trip.

Just like ten years previously, we will start at the Mexican border at San Ysidro, California and end at the Peace Arch state park in Blaine, Washington state.

How far has development of the LEAF involved in that time?

How much better is the charging infrastructure?

How much faster can the original 8 day 5 hour trip be improved?

BC2BC-2022
10th Anniversary
June 2022
 
Wow! Awesome!

You'll be able to fly thru CA vs. before due to way more CHAdeMO.

Too bad former Aerovironment WCEH I think is in a wonky state though w/the ownership transfer. I remember you were able fly thru OR and WA thanks to WCEH vs. lack of CHAdeMO in CA. Hope WA and OR is all ironed out by the time you start.
 
I was reading through most of the posts of the original trip. It's fun to relive the details. My oldest son was supposed to be setting up the website, and I think he did get something basic set up at the last minute in 2012. Just weeks after completing the BC2BC-2012 trip, he died at age 23, just a week after he graduated from college.

My daughter, Kendal, who rode with me as a 10 year old also died last year, March 2020. With COVID-19, we couldn't even have a funeral.

I do have one remaining child, my 21 year old son. He just got his Private Pilot license, and should be graduating from University of Oregon in 2023.

Anyhoo, here's some media from the 2012 event, in WIRED: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/06/leaf-baja-to-bc/
 
From June 15, 2012:

"I wanted a record that every Tom, Dick and Harry won't beat !!! (not easily anyway). So, 100.7 miles, Morro Bay to Big Sur. The new Gidmeter helped a lot, because whilst climbing the steep portions, I could hold speed more accurately with the amperage read out. One hill I was climbing at 10mph, and the speed slipped down to 8mph, so rather than accelerate the car, I could very carefully bump up power (far easier in ECO mode) from, say 14.5 amps to 15 amps, until I stopped the speed decay without wasting energy accidentally accelerating. I arrived in The camp site with just a bit past VLB, at about 5% Gid."

"Folks, there wasn't much more for this car to give, so I absolutely had to plan the drive, and drive the plan. My red car would NOT have completed this leg. Like an airplane crossing the pond, we set half way point contingency plans, to determine to press on, or return. I had 53% at the halfway point, and knew that the worst elevation changes were still ahead. I went to "very aggressive energy conservation" mode for the last half."

"When we arrived at the RV campground, I left the car running after i plugged in to the NEMA 14-50, and of course, as I already knew, the heater does not work until it is charged back up above 20%. The heated seats and steering wheel saved us in the 47 degree temps. The red car would have froze us! I forgot that this car even had the electric seat warmers until I started shivering."

"Fog was thick, and I had to keep cycling the defrost to see. Then, when I finally remembered the heated steering wheel, it did help with defrost. Phil's kit to run the fan only would have helped a lot."

"Final numbers from memory: 5.0 miles/kWh, 5% remaining, well over 5 hours enroute (with one stop to rest), 100.7 miles."
 
Oh no! I remember reading about your son's death as IIRC, it was related the Phoenix range test.

TIL about your daughter. :( I remember seeing her in the videos of your BC2BC trip.

Hope the battery in that '11 Leaf isn't too degraded. Of course, the weather is impossible to predict this far out. Hope it's not blazing hot when you need to DC FC. At least there's now Plugshare + so many more charging opportunities now.
 
TonyWilliams said:
From June 15, 2012:

"I wanted a record that every Tom, Dick and Harry won't beat !!! (not easily anyway). So, 100.7 miles, Morro Bay to Big Sur. The new Gidmeter helped a lot, because whilst climbing the steep portions, I could hold speed more accurately with the amperage read out. One hill I was climbing at 10mph, and the speed slipped down to 8mph, so rather than accelerate the car, I could very carefully bump up power (far easier in ECO mode) from, say 14.5 amps to 15 amps, until I stopped the speed decay without wasting energy accidentally accelerating. I arrived in The camp site with just a bit past VLB, at about 5% Gid."

"Folks, there wasn't much more for this car to give, so I absolutely had to plan the drive, and drive the plan. My red car would NOT have completed this leg. Like an airplane crossing the pond, we set half way point contingency plans, to determine to press on, or return. I had 53% at the halfway point, and knew that the worst elevation changes were still ahead. I went to "very aggressive energy conservation" mode for the last half."

"When we arrived at the RV campground, I left the car running after i plugged in to the NEMA 14-50, and of course, as I already knew, the heater does not work until it is charged back up above 20%. The heated seats and steering wheel saved us in the 47 degree temps. The red car would have froze us! I forgot that this car even had the electric seat warmers until I started shivering."

"Fog was thick, and I had to keep cycling the defrost to see. Then, when I finally remembered the heated steering wheel, it did help with defrost. Phil's kit to run the fan only would have helped a lot."

"Final numbers from memory: 5.0 miles/kWh, 5% remaining, well over 5 hours enroute (with one stop to rest), 100.7 miles."

My sincerest condolences Tony. I can't even imagine the challenges you have gone thru.
 
Hi Tony,
What a great plan!!! I was there that day 10 years ago when you arrived in Seattle. A fun time meeting you and talking about your adventure for sure! I've since moved to the eastern side of the state but will post your announcement on the Seattle FB page, if you haven't already done so. Question, does your Leaf have the original battery in it, or has it been upgraded?

Best of luck and I'll be keeping track of your progress.

We will likely make some serious upgrades to the car!
 
June 18-21, 2022 - 10th anniversary of BC2BC.

I will be departing from the Mexican border on Saturday morning, June 18, 2022

I’m going to Canada! (from Mexico) in a Nissan LEAF! It has been upgraded to a 2022 LEAF with 62kWh battery. The same route as 2012.

I will be in:

San Jose, California on Sunday, June 19, 2022

Eugene, Oregon on Monday, June 20, 2022

Peace Arch

June 18-21, 2022 - 10th anniversary of BC2BC.

I will be departing from the Mexican border on Saturday morning, June 18, 2022

I’m going to Canada! (from Mexico) in a Nissan LEAF! It has been upgraded to a 2022 LEAF with 62kWh battery. The same route as 2012.

https://goo.gl/maps/hVy4vMUjxRMg2Kiq5

I will be in:

San Jose on Sunday, June 19, 2022

Eugene, Oregon on Monday, June 20, 2022

Peace Arch State Park, Blaine Washington on Tuesday night, June 21, 2022
 
I wish I could upload photos! You can go to my website to see pics and track my progress, starting Saturday, June 18, 2022.

https://qccharge.com/blogs/announcements/bc2bc
 
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