Between Phoenix and Palm Springs there's loads of bugger all, dear boy

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Coinneach

Active member
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
35
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I was planning on a road trip this summer, Phoenix to LA. Unfortunately, the stretch between Buckeye (where a new EA station just went live) and the next available QC that I know of is in Palm Springs, 242 miles. My GOM says I'm good for 264 (!), but even if I were inclined to trust it, I doubt that accounts for driving through the Sonoran and Mojave deserts in July.

Be honest with me, is this trip even doable without resorting to renting an ICE?
 
You won't be able to make it on one charge unless you charge somewhere midway between Phoenix and Palm Springs...even with the SL-e Plus...Phoenix to Tucson you won't have any problems with.
 
dsh said:
You won't be able to make it on one charge unless you charge somewhere midway between Phoenix and Palm Springs...even with the SL-e Plus...Phoenix to Tucson you won't have any problems with.

Yeah, that's the problem: ain't nowhere to charge in the middle of the desert. (Note to self: if the Lottery gods decide to smile on me, build a station in Quartzsite.)
 
I know... you may need to charge where you can plug in 120 volt, except may Take 6-7 hours.
 
Hampton Inn & Suites
2011 E Donlon St,
Blythe, CA 92225

9.6 rating.

$0.50/kWh

Both Chademo and CCS, most of the past problems in the comments seem to be CCS issue(s).
 
Coinneach said:
Plugshare on desktop doesn't work for me and just barely works on mobile.

Maybe try a different browser? On Mobile are you using the PlugShare app, or trying to make it work with the browser? The app has worked well for me in the past. It was the most important app for me when I was making longer trips.

In addition to the fast-charge in Blythe there appear to be L2 opportunities in Quartzite, Ehrenberg, Blythe and Desert Center.
 
Nubo said:
Coinneach said:
Plugshare on desktop doesn't work for me and just barely works on mobile.

Maybe try a different browser? On Mobile are you using the PlugShare app, or trying to make it work with the browser? The app has worked well for me in the past. It was the most important app for me when I was making longer trips.

In addition to the fast-charge in Blythe there appear to be L2 opportunities in Quartzite, Ehrenberg, Blythe and Desert Center.

L2 is totally not happening. 6.6kW is just too friggin' slow.

Re Plugshare, it helps to set the right connectors and networks. :roll: I also assumed that the Hampton in Blythe would be restricted to guests, but apparently it's open to the public.
 
Coinneach said:
L2 is totally not happening. 6.6kW is just too friggin' slow.

Unless you need to stop for other reasons, like lunch, dinner or overnight.

Or unless the alternative is calling a tow truck.
 
WetEV said:
Unless you need to stop for other reasons, like lunch, dinner or overnight.

Or unless the alternative is calling a tow truck.

I may not be capable of 1000-mile day trips anymore, but I'm not overnighting during a 400-mile trip. If calling a truck with a generator or whatever is a plausible scenario, I just won't go.

At home on my L2 14-50, I get the expected 5% per hour. 153 miles from Phoenix to Blythe, and another 153 from Blythe to Calimesa using CHAdeMO looks like adding an hour at each stop. Resorting to L2 en route would be silly.
 
Coinneach said:
WetEV said:
Unless you need to stop for other reasons, like lunch, dinner or overnight.

Or unless the alternative is calling a tow truck.

I may not be capable of 1000-mile day trips anymore, but I'm not overnighting during a 400-mile trip. If calling a truck with a generator or whatever is a plausible scenario, I just won't go.

At home on my L2 14-50, I get the expected 5% per hour. 153 miles from Phoenix to Blythe, and another 153 from Blythe to Calimesa using CHAdeMO looks like adding an hour at each stop. Resorting to L2 en route would be silly.

If you arrive in Blythe, and a dump truck has just crashed into the only CHAdeMO in town, your choice are: rent a car there and pick it up sometime, hire a tow truck to tow your car to Calimesa, or plug into an L2. You get 6kWh per hour, that's roughly 20 miles. If you have 50 miles of range left, you need about 5 hours plus margin. Not great, but consider the alternatives.

Plausible, as there is only one DCQC in town. Unlikely. Depends on something I don't know anything about, your risk tolerance. I'm sure mine is different, the only thing I'll suggest is you consider alternative plans if plan A doesn't work.
 
Coinneach said:
Nubo said:
Maybe try a different browser? On Mobile are you using the PlugShare app, or trying to make it work with the browser? The app has worked well for me in the past. It was the most important app for me when I was making longer trips.

In addition to the fast-charge in Blythe there appear to be L2 opportunities in Quartzite, Ehrenberg, Blythe and Desert Center.

L2 is totally not happening. 6.6kW is just too friggin' slow. ...

From what you gave, you're on the cusp of being able to make it without any charging. So an hour or two of L2 at the halfway mark may be all you need to comfortably make the trip. You can also greatly increase your efficiency by slowing down. Sounds non-intuitive but slowing down can be a lot faster than speeding yourself into needing a big charge.
 
Nubo said:
From what you gave, you're on the cusp of being able to make it without any charging. So an hour or two of L2 at the halfway mark may be all you need to comfortably make the trip. You can also greatly increase your efficiency by slowing down. Sounds non-intuitive but slowing down can be a lot faster than speeding yourself into needing a big charge.

The GOM still shows me 250-ish miles at 100%, while my planned trip is close to 400. However, the GOM isn't accounting for 100+ degrees for several hours straight. A single stop at midpoint is theoretically possible, assuming I can dig up a DCFC right there. I've only been electric for four months and haven't done a long trip yet, so still very leery of pushing limits. I need to do a turtle run, probably this weekend when Phoenix is looking at the high 90s, and see how accurate the thing is.

I'm aware that I can do, say, 65. The time advantage of 75 is negligible, especially when taking the longer charge time into account, as you noted. There's also a pretty sharp elevation gain, about 1,000 feet, before the long descent in B mode.

If all else fails, I can always ride my Vulcan. Across the desert. In high summer. :shock:
 
My advice would be don't risk it unless taking a hotel in a worst case scenario is okay with you. I have a sl plus and it's gom is very accurate when you've been driving at highway speed at least a few mins. From what I have found on my trips from salt lake to Boise, the gom is usually underestinating on plus models. Especially when going up hills it becomes pesisimistic to the point of encouraging range anxiety. If you're going to drive in hot weather the car actually does much better. I drove mine in rain and cold and it still did okay though. Also when going down hills use the momentum to keep the car going rather than b mode. It heats the battery less and is more efficient to use kinetic energy than covert to electricity. I have tested both on big huge hills, aka Wasatch Front mountains, and it works best to just coast down. I use my e pedal the whole time too and just keep it in between using power and regen when going down hills and basically only regen when it starts going faster than the speed limit. Another trick if you can get away with it, is don't use climate control. Although in your case thats probably not an option due to the hot temps. As for speed 70mph seems to be the max you'll want to go before it burns way more power. Something to keep in mind too is as you drive your tire pressure will increase therefore reducing rolling resistance. So as you go about your trip the miles per kw will probably get better. I would still check your tire pressure, and maybe over inflate slightly. My leaf sl plus had crazy low pressure from the factory. Hopefully some of this helps.
 
Two reinforcing points: regen is indeed much less efficient than coasting. Regen is at most 40% efficient, and usually less. Coasting is close to 100% efficient. And Nissan seems set on suggesting tire pressures that are good for a softer ride, but bad for range. If the door sticker says 38psi like mine (it was 36psi on the older Leafs!) set it to 40psi for normal driving, and 42-44psi for maximum range.
 
Coinneach said:
Nubo said:
From what you gave, you're on the cusp of being able to make it without any charging. So an hour or two of L2 at the halfway mark may be all you need to comfortably make the trip. You can also greatly increase your efficiency by slowing down. Sounds non-intuitive but slowing down can be a lot faster than speeding yourself into needing a big charge.

The GOM still shows me 250-ish miles at 100%, while my planned trip is close to 400.

Ah, I misread. Good luck.
 
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