Help plan route home from dealer (no NACs)

[clarktl]

Team

Picking up new MACH e (rally, text book range is 265) this weekend from a couple states over (Kansas City to Louisville KY). Looks like there is no way to get a NACs (unless go to Amazon lesser known brands).

I see that “a better route planner” has an option to toggle “NACS” to off. And it doesn’t make a huge difference in the total trip time.

Any suggestions? or should I rush buy a NACs? (but the best, A2Zev is not available on time. Lectron can but I’d be overpaying for one - 250 from amazon vs Under 2 on their webpage). Or, buying a different brand Amazon has for overnight shipping).

kind of prefer to use whatever comes with mach e since we don’t plan any other long trips for a while and can wait on the free ford charger.

We plan one overnight somewhere around saint louis on way home.

your advice on how to make this trip is welcome!

should we join a membership network - ie Tesla or EV or EA?) for cheaper rates? (If not using NACs and thus can’t really use most TESLA stations).

the dealer says just use the onboard ford system to plan the route.

thanks! We are a little nervous for both a new car and first ev trip!

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[The Electric Duo]

If I were you, I'd order the Lectron Vortex adapter. We've used the official Ford adapter and the ones from A2Z and Lectron. After some initial manufacturing issues, the Lectron Vortex is a good adapter and you can order it from Amazon for overnight delivery.

Here is my review of the Lectron & Vortex: https://mustangmacheclub.org/nacs-adapters-a2z-typhoon-vs-lectron-vortex/

I would not trust anything that isn't from Ford, Lectron, or A2Z at this time.

As for the route planning, use ABRP with the NACS adapter option checked. I loved using the car's nav and it did a great job on our road trips. But it currently won't include stops at Tesla Superchargers. I'm not one that says EA is the worst thing ever, but the Tesla Supercharger network will be a a better experience for a first EV road trip.

The memberships pay for EA or Tesla pay off pretty quickly - in 1 1/2 to 2 big charge sessions. But you have to sacrifice convenience to use them. The discounts do not apply if you use Plug & Charge. And if you can get Plug & Charge to setup before your trip back, it makes charging so simple. If you don't get P&C setup or you want to use the discount, it is not really that hard to activate a session in the FordPass app, in the car's Public Charging app, or even using the Tesla app.

Congrats on your Mach-E!

 

[HuntingPudel]

If ABRP is showing you a valid route that brings up CCS chargers at a frequency that won’t strand you and PlugShare shows all of those chargers as not problematic, I would just follow the ABRP route home. If any of those chargers are flagged as problematic on PlugShare and there are nearby Tesla Superchargers, I would pop the extra $ to get the Lectron overnight. ??

 

[ChasingCoral]

Team

Picking up new MACH e this weekend from a couple states over (Kansas City to Louisville KY). Looks like there is no way to get a NACs (unless go to Amazon lesser known brands).

I see that “a better route planner” has an option to toggle “NACS” to off. And it doesn’t make a huge difference in the total trip time.

Any suggestions? or should I rush buy a NACs? (but the best, A2Zev is not available on time. Lectron can but I’d be overpaying for one - 250 from amazon vs Under 2 on their webpage). Or, buying a different brand Amazon has for overnight shipping).

kind of prefer to use whatever comes with mach e since we don’t plan any other long trips for a while and can wait on the free ford charger.

We plan one overnight somewhere around saint louis on way home.

your advice on how to make this trip is welcome!

should we join a membership network - ie Tesla or EV or EA?) for cheaper rates? (If not using NACs and thus can’t really use most TESLA stations).

the dealer says just use the onboard ford system to plan the route.

thanks! We are a little nervous for both a new car and first ev trip!

If you don't plan to road trip much after this, you may want to just wait for the Ford adapter as you suggest.

You didn't say if the Mach E was Extended Range or AWD, so I tried ABRP for an E4 (standard range, AWD -- least range). It showed a pretty easy routing of only three charging sessions that includes one Tesla stop. That Tesla Supercharger in Haubstadt, IN has a Magic Dock, so you can charge there without an adapter. Definitely plan to stop and charge there so you can try out the difference.

The stops ABRP recommended are:

The first stop at the Pilot is fine. The last stop at the Tesla is something you want to experience.
AVOID the Casino Queen stop. It is a ripoff at $1.41 per kWh.

I told ABRP to avoid that charger and it resulted in:

This is good because you will try out an EVGo (which has an EA nearby as a backup), an EA (Electrify America), and a Tesla. This will let you see the differences. With one session at each it wouldn't be worth paying for a membership that gives you discounts.

I recommend a couple of things:
1. Make sure the dealer charges your battery to 100% before you arrive.
2. Use the onboard ford system to plan the route
3. Have the ABRP plan as a backup to compare against.

 

[AZMMESTAR]

If you don't plan to road trip much after this, you may want to just wait for the Ford adapter as you suggest.

You didn't say if the Mach E was Extended Range or AWD, so I tried ABRP for an E4 (standard range, AWD -- least range). It showed a pretty easy routing of only three charging sessions that includes one Tesla stop. That Tesla Supercharger in Haubstadt, IN has a Magic Dock, so you can charge there without an adapter. Definitely plan to stop and charge there so you can try out the difference.

The stops ABRP recommended are:

The first stop at the Pilot is fine. The last stop at the Tesla is something you want to experience.
AVOID the Casino Queen stop. It is a ripoff at $1.41 per kWh.

I told ABRP to avoid that charger and it resulted in:

This is good because you will try out an EVGo (which has an EA nearby as a backup), EA (Electrify America), and a Tesla. This will let you see the differences. With one session at each it wouldn't be worth paying for a membership that gives you discounts.

I recommend a couple of things:
1. Make sure the dealer charges your battery to 100% before you arrive.
2. Use the onboard ford system to plan the route
3. Have the ABRP plan as a backup to compare against.

What an awesome, helpful response!

 

[Hati12]

You can find lodging near St Louis with a Level 2 charger and add 180-200 miles range overnight. If you are new to Electrify America, remember the new EV etiquette is to stop charging at 80% as the rate of charging slows greatly. Usually there will be someone waiting for your charger (at least here in California). Enjoy your Mach e. When they work, they are the greatest vehicle ever!

 

[Sikkun]

Extended range or normal?

Current temperature my extended range RWD could do said trip with 1 stop at EA at Veterans memorial parkway while I eat at Popeyes. Assuming you can handle driving the speed limit and not 20 above.

If you are staying in St. Louise just find a hotel with destination charger and you shouldn’t need to DC charge at all.

But this forums seems to think EA doesn’t work and you must buy a Tesla adapter, see attached affiliated link.

 

[clarktl]

@Sikkun So how much does range fall at speeds? I honestly do cruise above the speed limit (10-15 over). Sounds like I need new habits!

 

[clarktl]

@Sikkun So how much does range fall at speeds? I honestly do cruise above the speed limit (10-15 over). Sounds like I need new habits!

I have a rally. So technically extended range. But not a lot of real data out there. Best safe estimates are fords projected 265. (But I see many report beating that in the whisper mode cruising)

 

[Snakebitten]

You are going to have so much fun on this trip. New Rally. New Adventure.

Enjoy!

 

[Sikkun]

@Sikkun So how much does range fall at speeds? I honestly do cruise above the speed limit (10-15 over). Sounds like I need new habits!

I have seen numbers thrown around like:

70 MPH - 270 mi
75 MPH - 235 mi
80 MPH - 207 mi
85 MPH - 183 mi
90 MPH - 163 mi

which would indicate around 12% drop per 5 MPH over the EPA range (which I believe is set at 65).

For example this last weekends trip back from Ohio I had to drop to 65 earlier than the speed limit does in order to make it back on a single charge…granted I could have stopped at Bucee’s for a second charge outside Richmond, KY, but lowering my speed was the faster option.

So speed will deff kill your range, along with elevation (uphill, down is great) and cold weather.

With the Mach E on a long trip I just set my cruise to the speed limit and admit speeding isn’t gaining you that much time in life. Especially if your going to lose way more time having to charge longer.

Short trips are for driving the car in a sporty way.

 

[VaporTrails]

I have seen numbers thrown around like:

70 MPH - 270 mi
75 MPH - 235 mi
80 MPH - 207 mi
85 MPH - 183 mi
90 MPH - 163 mi

which would indicate around 12% drop per 5 MPH over the EPA range (which I believe is set at 65).

For example this last weekends trip back from Ohio I had to drop to 65 earlier than the speed limit does in order to make it back on a single charge…granted I could have stopped at Bucee’s for a second charge outside Richmond, KY, but lowering my speed was the faster option.

So speed will deff kill your range, along with elevation (uphill, down is great) and cold weather.

With the Mach E on a long trip I just set my cruise to the speed limit and admit speeding isn’t gaining you that much time in life. Especially if your going to lose way more time having to charge longer.

Short trips are for driving the car in a sporty way.

Those are solid numbers for a GTPE, which will be in the conversational neighborhood for your Rally. As far as routing, ABRP will set your comfort level wherever you like in terms of arrival percentage/buffer. By default, I think it is 10%. Ford Nav is going to be conservative. I think Apple Maps is set on 20% arrival charge.

If this is your first EV, do plan for frustration in the public DC charging. I’ve had times where Plug and Charge just worked, times I initiated from the Public Charging/Charge Assist Sync app, and times where I had to use the charging operators phone app.

 

[Tampamike]

Yeah, if you don’t plan on road-tripping the Rally in the future, then just hit the road with a full charge and use the car’s nav to find chargers. Electrify America, EVGo’s, Pilot/FlyingJ’s and Chargepoints all work fine (if they’re working!) They all have apps you can download for searching and paying or you can just use the Public Charging app in the car to activate and pay for any in-network chargers. just set up your Blue Oval Charge Network with payment method in the Ford Pass app or on-line at Ford.com in your account. Do this as soon as you can as Ford is slow in processing things on-line.

Check planned charge stops with PlugShare app by reading the check-ins. You’ll see if it’s a good station or a maintenance dog.
Charge to 80% at chargers and recharge at 20%.
Hotel charging is usually free but don’t count on it as they might be taken when you get there - always have enough charge on arrival to get to another DC fast charger.
You can arrive at home as low as you’re comfortable going - there’s always a working, open plug and no waiting.

Good luck!

 

[YeOldeTraveller]

Good luck with the trip.
I set ABRP to use 2.5 mi/kw @ 65 in the settings. This seems to be close enough for most uses.

Charing will drop to ~42 KW at 80%, so stop there unless you need the range. The Rally will hold that ~42 KW to beyond 90% if needed. (Somewhere around 93% if will drop again.)

I've reported some of the charging data for my Rally here.

No long, only highway speed runs yet, but I have one that was mostly 75 mph with some hills that used 62% to go 151 miles.

I didn't push the routing very hard, but ABRP works well for planning, the in-car nav did what I asked, but that didn't get too far in the weeds. The suggested route looks good to me. You will not need to charge as high as you have the larger battery.

 

[Nikos]

Team

Picking up new MACH e (rally, text book range is 265) this weekend from a couple states over (Kansas City to Louisville KY). Looks like there is no way to get a NACs (unless go to Amazon lesser known brands).

I see that “a better route planner” has an option to toggle “NACS” to off. And it doesn’t make a huge difference in the total trip time.

Any suggestions? or should I rush buy a NACs? (but the best, A2Zev is not available on time. Lectron can but I’d be overpaying for one - 250 from amazon vs Under 2 on their webpage). Or, buying a different brand Amazon has for overnight shipping).

kind of prefer to use whatever comes with mach e since we don’t plan any other long trips for a while and can wait on the free ford charger.

We plan one overnight somewhere around saint louis on way home.

your advice on how to make this trip is welcome!

should we join a membership network - ie Tesla or EV or EA?) for cheaper rates? (If not using NACs and thus can’t really use most TESLA stations).

the dealer says just use the onboard ford system to plan the route.

thanks! We are a little nervous for both a new car and first ev trip!

Welcome to our forum and congrats with your purchase of your Mach E.
The folks in this forum will help you with advice, recommendations and actual personal experiences to enjoy your Mach E for years to come.
Please plan ahead, be patient, don’t let anxiety ruin your plans and relax and enjoy the experience of an EV.
You won’t go back to gas from here on.
Good luck.

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