What is your travel charging strategy?

[brob]

Just did a 1700 mile round trip. This is my second long trip. I figured out my strategy and thought I would share it. I am interested in others people’s approaches, so please post your tips.

1. charge to 100% before you leave. A no brainer.
2. Always Be Charging. If we have to stop for a bathroom break, we are fast charging. Even for a 5-10 minute stop.
3. At each charging stop, I figure out the next stop and get a good distance estimate, then I add 50 mile buffer to that so I arrive with about 20% left. Then I only charge enough to get me that distance.
4. for the last charging stop, I only charge with a 20-30 mile buffer because I can charge cheaply at home (maybe for the destination too).

Other notes:
A. Charging locations vary dramatically in amenities, and you don’t really know what is really available until you stop there once (with the exceptions of Walmart/EA and Sheetz/Tesla).
B. I stopped at dealerships a few times. If they are open, there is a comfortable place to wait. If they are closed, there is nothing to do and you can wait in your car. For bad stops, I get out the Ford pass app and charge just enough to get to the next “good” stop.
C. The Ford navigation is extremely accurate for EST because the charging time is included, and as I stated before, if I stop, I charge. This is an improvement on traveling with an ICE car.
D. I feel like I spent a max of an hour waiting. Detailing your car’s interior is an excellent use of this time. I recommend it.

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[RickMachE]

Just did a 1700 mile round trip. This is my second long trip. I figured out my strategy and thought I would share it. I am interested in others people’s approaches, so please post your tips.

1. charge to 100% before you leave. A no brainer.
2. Always Be Charging. If we have to stop for a bathroom break, we are fast charging. Even for a 5-10 minute stop.
3. At each charging stop, I figure out the next stop and get a good distance estimate, then I add 50 mile buffer to that so I arrive with about 20% left. Then I only charge enough to get me that distance.
4. for the last charging stop, I only charge with a 20-30 mile buffer because I can charge cheaply at home (maybe for the destination too).

Other notes:
A. Charging locations vary dramatically in amenities, and you don’t really know what is really available until you stop there once (with the exceptions of Walmart/EA and Sheetz/Tesla).
B. I stopped at dealerships a few times. If they are open, there is a comfortable place to wait. If they are closed, there is nothing to do and you can wait in your car. For bad stops, I get out the Ford pass app and charge just enough to get to the next “good” stop.
C. The Ford navigation is extremely accurate for EST because the charging time is included, and as I stated before, if I stop, I charge. This is an improvement on traveling with an ICE car.
D. I feel like I spent a max of an hour waiting. Detailing your car’s interior is an excellent use of this time. I recommend it.

1) Yes.
2) No. Quick pee is less than 5 minutes. Most of the time it's a rest area on the highway or right off the exit, not by a charger.
3) Use ABRP, round up. 73% becomes 80%. Evaluate as you go, sometimes can skip a stop. Rarely exceed 80%.
4) Arrive home or at destination with 10% or less, unless it's the Lightning at a hotel, then I calculate how much I will get at hotel to get to 100%, and fill up prior to then hit 100% overnight.

A) GoogleMaps tells you.
B) Almost never, almost always slow or blocked.
C) Only use it to next charger.
D) Don't feel, know. Charging stops average 30 - 45 minutes. Relax, take it easy.

Plan via ABRP, pick nightly stops, find hotels with free charging if economics work. Morning of trip join Tesla and/or EA for discount, then immediately downgrade.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

I try and stick with EA network which works well in western Michigan (the only place I drive to). I buy the $7/ month membership before I go. EA is at Meijer stores, which carries everything I’d ever want to buy on a roadtrip.

I’d charge to 80%, unless the wife and kids are late (car stays plugged in and charging and I’m always sitting with the dogs in the car). Although people are generally nice, I prefer to quickly get a bite and stick with the car.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Here’s my strategy. Similar to others. Plan with ABRP and PlugShare before the trip. Adjust the ABRP settings to match the weather conditions. Shut the car off while charging so the battery can have max heating/cooling.

I take screenshots of my ABRP plan to use a a reference for on the fly adjustments.

 

[RickMachE]

While it's valid to focus on the fast charging curve, in reality I find that the time to get to the charger and get going loses out to just waiting to get to 70 or 80%.

 

[Tampamike]

Mostly agree.

Charging to 80% - I almost always charge to 80% on a DCFC. Yes, it may slow down the overall charge time, but not much, OR, it may eliminate a charge stop completely. The real reason, though, is “a bird in the hand…” It’s getting better but being plugged into a working charger will pay dividends later if the next planned stop is full or inop.

Dealer charger - I have used several with success. The new ones at Ford dealers are usually good and not busy. That’s another area that’s improving - not like the old days where there might be one on a wall behind the dealership. The new ones are usually in blocks of 4 right out front with new units and part of the BOCN.

 

[SeattleMachE]

I just did a road trip from Seattle to Boise, stayed overnight for a break, then Boise to Moab. Then reversed. I used Apple Maps for my whole route, stopping at the chargers suggested by the app, and then charged to the recommended % (sometimes with a little buffer due to the cold/inclement weather).

The only hiccup was on my way back, about 2 hours from Seattle. Apple Maps routed me to a BP charge station, but when I got there I wasn’t able to get any of the chargers to work. My best guess is the chargers weren’t 100% operational yet. A minor inconvenience as I was close to many other stations.

I also used PlugShare to find level 2 chargers near my overnight stays, to get some minimal (but free) charging while out shopping or eating out.

 

[justalfe]

with the standard range I got on my car I will probably not take this on any kind of road trip..

 

[RickMachE]

I just did a road trip from Seattle to Boise, stayed overnight for a break, then Boise to Moab. Then reversed. I used Apple Maps for my whole route, stopping at the chargers suggested by the app, and then charged to the recommended % (sometimes with a little buffer due to the cold/inclement weather).

The only hiccup was on my way back, about 2 hours from Seattle. Apple Maps routed me to a BP charge station, but when I got there I wasn’t able to get any of the chargers to work. My best guess is the chargers weren’t 100% operational yet. A minor inconvenience as I was close to many other stations.

I also used PlugShare to find level 2 chargers near my overnight stays, to get some minimal (but free) charging while out shopping or eating out.

PlugShare likely would have told you that the location wasn't operational.

 

[Colorado MME GT]

Long trips are possible in an MME. They just require more planning. I don't care for the Ford Nav app. I prefer to use ABRP to plan the trip and Google Maps to navigate. I agree with charging to 80% at any charger that is reasonably priced and fast. I'd rather arrive at the next charger with more charge than originally anticipated than push it. I recently documented a roundtrip trip from Denver to Titusville, FL, which was a 4,300-mile trip. I used EA and Tesla chargers and had premium memberships with both.

 

[SeattleMachE]

PlugShare likely would have told you that the location wasn't operational.

True, but not worth the hassle of checking PlugShare for every stop.

 

[mdwinther35]

Mostly agree.


Dealer charger - I have used several with success. The new ones at Ford dealers are usually good and not busy. That’s another area that’s improving - not like the old days where there might be one on a wall behind the dealership. The new ones are usually in blocks of 4 right out front with new units and part of the BOCN.

And the Ford dealerships tend to have nice restrooms ?

 

[Tampamike]

True, but not worth the hassle of checking PlugShare for every stop.

Oh, I disagree. It literally takes less than a minute to check the station on PlugShare. I even check locations that I’ve used many times before just to make sure they haven’t gone TU since my last visit.

 

[Tampamike]

And the Ford dealerships tend to have nice restrooms ?

And free coffee! And new cars to look at.

 

[Teslaeata]

Just did a 1700 mile round trip. This is my second long trip. I figured out my strategy and thought I would share it. I am interested in others people’s approaches, so please post your tips.

1. charge to 100% before you leave. A no brainer.
2. Always Be Charging. If we have to stop for a bathroom break, we are fast charging. Even for a 5-10 minute stop.
3. At each charging stop, I figure out the next stop and get a good distance estimate, then I add 50 mile buffer to that so I arrive with about 20% left. Then I only charge enough to get me that distance.
4. for the last charging stop, I only charge with a 20-30 mile buffer because I can charge cheaply at home (maybe for the destination too).

Other notes:
A. Charging locations vary dramatically in amenities, and you don’t really know what is really available until you stop there once (with the exceptions of Walmart/EA and Sheetz/Tesla).
B. I stopped at dealerships a few times. If they are open, there is a comfortable place to wait. If they are closed, there is nothing to do and you can wait in your car. For bad stops, I get out the Ford pass app and charge just enough to get to the next “good” stop.
C. The Ford navigation is extremely accurate for EST because the charging time is included, and as I stated before, if I stop, I charge. This is an improvement on traveling with an ICE car.
D. I feel like I spent a max of an hour waiting. Detailing your car’s interior is an excellent use of this time. I recommend it.

I’m in UK and match your 1, 2, 3 & 4 to a tee!

Charge infrastructure in UK must be the best in the world, no need to even plan charge stops anymore because there are just so many it’s possible to just stop when you need, never wait, never disappointed by busy or broken charge points.

Don’t use Ford Nav, it’s substandard by comparison with Apple Maps and UK infrastructure means it’s charge planning & routing is redundant!

EV use in UK is ace ?

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