Best trip planner for charging stations

[lacrosseboss18]

After a year of owning the car I’m taking my first big trip which will require me to charge while out.
Right now due to weather conditions
It’s a 3 hour drive, 146 miles right now. At 90% charged and my GOM on the app is saying 174miles. It’s 33F right now. We do have snow on the ground. I expect the weather to be similar this weekend when taking the trip. I also will be making the same trip back same day and I don’t think there is a charger at the location I’ll be at so I’ll need to stop somewhere for the first time.

I usually use Apple Maps for my gpa route planning. I know we have the onboard nav. I have plug share and chargepoint. Honestly only ever used Apple Maps.
Thanks for the input.

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[mkhuffman]

I run a plan using ABRP (do a Bing search for it) and then use the built in navigation system to validate and navigate the trip. You really should use the built in nav when it is cold because it will precondition your battery starting at around 19 miles before a planned DCFC stop. It only knows to do that if you use the Ford nav.

 

[Awmustang]

I run a plan using ABRP (do a Bing search for it) and then use the built in navigation system to validate and navigate the trip. You really should use the built in nav when it is cold because it will precondition your battery starting at around 19 miles before a planned DCFC stop. It only knows to do that if you use the Ford nav.

When did Ford start preconditioning? I've always heard them say they don't because they don't think there's any need. I know Tesla does this and there's talk Kia and Hyundai might start with a future update, but I thought Ford still wasn't doing this.

 

[lacrosseboss18]

I run a plan using ABRP (do a Bing search for it) and then use the built in navigation system to validate and navigate the trip. You really should use the built in nav when it is cold because it will precondition your battery starting at around 19 miles before a planned DCFC stop. It only knows to do that if you use the Ford nav.

Thanks. Didn’t know anything about the preconditioning from the gps trip planner.
I was reading the stickie for ABRP from @timbop (thanks for the work)

 

[RickMachE]

3.6.2 brought precondtioning.

 

[Tampamike]

Get the Electrify America app - that will be your first choice, usually. Get the PlugShare app - that will be the one you will use to check operability of any desired charge sites. Read the check-in’s to see what‘s working or not. Some stations have maintenance issues.

When you’ve identified the desired charger, just keep that in mind. Use the car’s nav for the actual drive. If you want to charge on the way there, you’ll have to add a charger as a waypoint since the car won’t automatically add it because you have enough range to get there. Use the DCFC filter to only use fast chargers. The car may pick a charger that you didn’t know about. That may be ok, like a fast EVGo, but it could be a marginally fast ChargePoint or an EA that has bad reliability (double-check it on PlugShare). Just know that ahead of time so that you can decide whether that stop works for you or not and then change it or keep it. You can also use the FordPass app to look at a route ahead of time as well. You can even save the trip for use in the car.

 

[AhardFSU]

When did Ford start preconditioning? I've always heard them say they don't because they don't think there's any need. I know Tesla does this and there's talk Kia and Hyundai might start with a future update, but I thought Ford still wasn't doing this.

Hyundai is already doing it and Ford does it when you use the built in nav and you’re I think 19 miles from the DCFC.

 

[AhardFSU]

After a year of owning the car I’m taking my first big trip which will require me to charge while out.
Right now due to weather conditions
It’s a 3 hour drive, 146 miles right now. At 90% charged and my GOM on the app is saying 174miles. It’s 33F right now. We do have snow on the ground. I expect the weather to be similar this weekend when taking the trip. I also will be making the same trip back same day and I don’t think there is a charger at the location I’ll be at so I’ll need to stop somewhere for the first time.

I usually use Apple Maps for my gpa route planning. I know we have the onboard nav. I have plug share and chargepoint. Honestly only ever used Apple Maps.
Thanks for the input.

As others have said, use plug share to check the reliability of DCFC charges that will be along your route. Pay attention to the most recent comments.

Make sure that you have plug and charge enable in Ford Pass so that you can just plug in and charge at EA stations that are working.

Download EvGo’s app and setup Autocharge+. You can ABRP to map out the trip before you leave. It allows you to enter the temp, speed and other factors to determine how many DCFC stops you’ll need and where.

Please remember that cold temps affect driving range in electric vehicles as does driving fast. So if you were average 3 miles per kWh during warmer months while driving 70 on the highway, you’ll average much less than that in cold weather.

We want to ensure that you have a good trip. That way you don’t come back to this forum and post about how you didn’t know such and such about driving an EV in cold weather and how the experience ruined your life. Just know that you may encounter some frustrations on your trip but if you’re prepared you can handle it.

 

[EasyPass]

After a year of owning the car I’m taking my first big trip which will require me to charge while out.
Right now due to weather conditions
It’s a 3 hour drive, 146 miles right now. At 90% charged and my GOM on the app is saying 174miles. It’s 33F right now. We do have snow on the ground. I expect the weather to be similar this weekend when taking the trip. I also will be making the same trip back same day and I don’t think there is a charger at the location I’ll be at so I’ll need to stop somewhere for the first time.

I usually use Apple Maps for my gpa route planning. I know we have the onboard nav. I have plug share and chargepoint. Honestly only ever used Apple Maps.
Thanks for the input.

I do a similar trip a couple times in the winter (180 miles) and have settled on the following items to optimize the travel:

• Charge to 100% (240v) at home with the intention of leaving as soon as possible following full charge. Occasional, need based, "full charging" will not have long term harmful affects with AC input, vs. DC, especially when draining off the full charge immediately.
• Set a Departure Time in the Sync Schedule setup. This conditions the batt pack and warms the cabin to a set level of comfort.
• If possible, turn on heated steering wheel and seats to Automatic (Premium Edition) and leave the resistance heater on a low level when possible. This makes a large difference in range over a longer trip.
  • As a backup, I keep an electric blanket with integral cig lighter adapter in the frunk.
• There are four individual Electrify America charging stations at about 1-1.5 hours (~100 miles) away from my starting point, all in disparate locations. I check out Plug Share before leaving to see current operations at each one and plan a strategy in terms of 1st and 2nd choice contingencies. Each plan will significantly alter the overall route to the final destination, so this is the weakest link in the effort especially in rougher weather.

About half this trip is through the outback, i.e. State and National Park systems, and rural areas. Once in, there is little going back. So the middle segment charging is the linchpin to a good trip in my case. I'm lucky, however, in that my final destination resort has a free Chargepoin+ station that has always been available for an overnight 240v AC top up. Even then, I have to plan for one more public charge on the way back home.

Good luck.?

 

[lacrosseboss18]

Another thing to consider is that I stay at my destination for x period of time. The cars going to cool down by the time I need to drive it again.

the ford trip planner says

Point A to B 2hr 51ml, 147 miles 35% battery
I plan to be here for 5+ hours and weather will be 20-30f
Point B to EA charger 27 min, 19 miles
Charge there from 27-68% 26 min
EA to point A 2 hr 12% charge

i guess any concerns with getting from Point B to the charging station.

 

[Maquis]

Another thing to consider is that I stay at my destination for x period of time. The cars going to cool down by the time I need to drive it again.

the ford trip planner says

Point A to B 2hr 51ml, 147 miles 35% battery
I plan to be here for 5+ hours and weather will be 20-30f
Point B to EA charger 27 min, 19 miles
Charge there from 27-68% 26 min
EA to point A 2 hr 12% charge

i guess any concerns with getting from Point B to the charging station.

Is your car ER or SR?
If SR, 166 miles in freezing temps before charging is cutting it too close.

You won't lose any charge sitting for a few hours (or days for that matter).

 

[Logal727]

When did Ford start preconditioning? I've always heard them say they don't because they don't think there's any need. I know Tesla does this and there's talk Kia and Hyundai might start with a future update, but I thought Ford still wasn't doing this.

it's actually pretty recently that it was enabled quietly

 

[lacrosseboss18]

I have the extended range GT. I guess k was worried about warming up. And energy wasted there.

 

[AKgrampy]

Another thing to consider is that I stay at my destination for x period of time. The cars going to cool down by the time I need to drive it again.

the ford trip planner says

Point A to B 2hr 51ml, 147 miles 35% battery
I plan to be here for 5+ hours and weather will be 20-30f
Point B to EA charger 27 min, 19 miles
Charge there from 27-68% 26 min
EA to point A 2 hr 12% charge

i guess any concerns with getting from Point B to the charging station.

No experience driving distance myself but a suggestion would be perhaps leave a little early and stop for a full charge alone the way to your destination. Then see how that changes things for your return trip.

 

[dmastro]

Click the right side button on your steering wheel and tell it to Navigate to xxxx. It will program the fastest route including charging stops down to the minute. From there you can tap to drill down to see charger speeds, how many chargers are currently in use, typical peak times, and cost. It will dynamically change charging stations automatically if more efficient and precondition on the way.

Oh wait, that's my 3, not my E.

Plug in to your nav and go, and hope for the best.

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