DC to Pittsburgh and back

[dan_meh]

Whoa ? hardware on site at the top of the turnpike (Somerset travel plaza, westbound)
North Somerset Travel Plaza (Coming Soon)
Penn. Turnpike, Exit 110 Westbound, Milepost 112.3,, 179 N Plaza Access Rd, Somerset, PA 15501

https://www.plugshare.com/location/892354

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[rreddy3]

My trip to the ‘burgh is coming up next week. Starting from Centreville/Chantilly area.

Any thoughts on route choices that are “best” and in the flip side, “worst” for EV range (disregarding weather effects)?

Thanks

PS. I called the PFJ in Grantsville a couple of days ago and was told the chargers are not in service yet. I got the impression they weren’t installed yet either.

 

[RickMachE]

My trip to the ‘burgh is coming up next week. Starting from Centreville/Chantilly area.

Any thoughts on route choices that are “best” and in the flip side, “worst” for EV range (disregarding weather effects)?

Thanks

PS. I called the PFJ in Grantsville a couple of days ago and was told the chargers are not in service yet. I got the impression they weren’t installed yet either.

ABRP

 

[rreddy3]

ABRP

True enough!

ABRP gives three options. The Ford navi and ABRP agree on their preferred route.

In an ICE car, I would take a different, more scenic and interesting route, but maybe with this car I will take the ABRP and Ford navi advise.

 

[RickMachE]

True enough!

ABRP gives three options. The Ford navi and ABRP agree on their preferred route.

In an ICE car, I would take a different, more scenic and interesting route, but maybe with this car I will take the ABRP and Ford navi advise.

You can force the route in ABRP and see if it says it's feasible. May not be "optimal", but may be "doable". Sometimes it's not.

 

[rreddy3]

You can force the route in ABRP and see if it says it's feasible. May not be "optimal", but may be "doable". Sometimes it's not.

One of the routes ABRP shows is one I would take as a more scenic, interesting route. It projects one charging stop slightly over half way of the trip.

I am using 2 mi/kwh @ 65 mph for the reference consumption on ABRP. My lifetime actual is around 2.8ish. I think 2 m/kWh is fairly conservative. Although it might not be far off actual for this trip considering the terrain.

 

[RickMachE]

One of the routes ABRP shows is one I would take as a more scenic, interesting route. It projects one charging stop slightly over half way of the trip.

I am using 2 mi/kwh @ 65 mph for the reference consumption on ABRP. My lifetime actual is around 2.8ish. I think 2 m/kWh is fairly conservative. Although it might not be far off actual for this trip considering the terrain.

I think it's great that you're planning conservatively.

But...

1) ABRP takes terrain into account.
2) ABRP takes seasonal weather into account, so if you plan a trip on 2/1/XX and then change the date to 8/1/XX, you'll see the difference in efficiency impact the route.
3) 2.0 is crazy conservative for a Mach-E. I use 2.7. In reality, at 65, it should be more like 3.2.

 

[rreddy3]

Thanks for the information Rick.

 

[dan_meh]

My trip to the ‘burgh is coming up next week. Starting from Centreville/Chantilly area.

Any thoughts on route choices that are “best” and in the flip side, “worst” for EV range (disregarding weather effects)?

Thanks

PS. I called the PFJ in Grantsville a couple of days ago and was told the chargers are not in service yet. I got the impression they weren’t installed yet either.

The turnpike is still the best route. I bet ABRP told you the same. Stop in the Bedford EA - it’s been reliable for me - if you need a top up before going up.

Leaving from Centerville, and depending on where in the Burgh you’re going, you might not even need the stop. I stop because I want to arrive at a high state of charge.

Lots happening for those of us who make this trip. Applegreen is adding Alpitronic stations at the service plazas (starting in Somerset), Tesla is digging up the Somerset Wendy’s for V3.5 (looks like), and Pittsburgh is getting DC Fast Charging sprinkled around the city.

 

[rreddy3]

The turnpike is still the best route. I bet ABRP told you the same. Stop in the Bedford EA - it’s been reliable for me - if you need a top up before going up.

Leaving from Centerville, and depending on where in the Burgh you’re going, you might not even need the stop. I stop because I want to arrive at a high state of charge.

Lots happening for those of us who make this trip. Applegreen is adding Alpitronic stations at the service plazas (starting in Somerset), Tesla is digging up the Somerset Wendy’s for V3.5 (looks like), and Pittsburgh is getting DC Fast Charging sprinkled around the city.

Thanks Dan.

Interestingly enough, ABRP is taking me a very different route.

Up 28, out the toll road, then W around Leesburg, onto 7 to Winchester, and then cross country thru PawPaw, WV to Cumberland. From there it's a normal route to the South Hills; over 68 to Keyser's Ridge, down Rt 40 to Uniontown, and up the Mon Valley Expressway. In this case, then it's up 51 to the destination in Whitehall.

It's giving me a bit of a top up at a SC site on the way into Winchester, and then more juice at the SC site in Cumberland. I am using a very conservative reference consumption in ABRP.

Of all the ways to and from Pittsburgh, the one I've never driven is the route through PawPaw. That said, I've about convinced myself, 'what the heck, I've got the time, let's give that route a whirl'. I've got the time. The Ford navi also identified the PawPaw route. I think it's because it's the most direct, almost a straight line from here. If anyone has driven the PawPaw route, I would be curious to know what you think of it.

In an ice car I would typically out 66, up 81, and around Winchester and up to Hancock, and then over 68 to Keyser's Ridge etc. Only exception was when my father-in-law was in the VA hospital in O'Hara Twp, then we turnpiked it.

Yes, I did see those welcome changes coming on the Turnpike. That will improve that route. The PFJ in Grantsville, MD on 68 will be a game changer when it's open. Assuming I go 68, maybe I'll stop by and see the progress or lack thereof firsthand.

thanks for your input Dan

 

[dan_meh]

It's giving me a bit of a top up at a SC site on the way into Winchester, and then more juice at the SC site in Cumberland. I am using a very conservative reference consumption in ABRP.

I’ve used the SC in Cumberland and it works well. Be careful if your passenger opens a door- the parking lot is on a 45 degree angle!

I’ve done that route in an ICE car. It’s beautiful. Slow and beautiful.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Whoa ? hardware on site at the top of the turnpike (Somerset travel plaza, westbound)
North Somerset Travel Plaza (Coming Soon)
Penn. Turnpike, Exit 110 Westbound, Milepost 112.3,, 179 N Plaza Access Rd, Somerset, PA 15501

https://www.plugshare.com/location/892354

Interesting. That’s Applegreen, the same folks who took over management of the NJ Turnpike plazas and threw out the Tesla Superchargers.

 

[Billyk24]

The turnpike is still the best route. I bet ABRP told you the same. Stop in the Bedford EA - it’s been reliable for me - if you need a top up before going up.

Leaving from Centerville, and depending on where in the Burgh you’re going, you might not even need the stop. I stop because I want to arrive at a high state of charge.

Lots happening for those of us who make this trip. Applegreen is adding Alpitronic stations at the service plazas (starting in Somerset), Tesla is digging up the Somerset Wendy’s for V3.5 (looks like), and Pittsburgh is getting DC Fast Charging sprinkled around the city.

Please stop in New Stanton and use the Tesla chargers at GetGo just off the Turnpike. Traveling east from this location is going to include a 1500+foot elevation gain over 20 miles which will eat thru your hvb pack.

 

[rreddy3]

I think it's great that you're planning conservatively.

But...

1) ABRP takes terrain into account.
2) ABRP takes seasonal weather into account, so if you plan a trip on 2/1/XX and then change the date to 8/1/XX, you'll see the difference in efficiency impact the route.
3) 2.0 is crazy conservative for a Mach-E. I use 2.7. In reality, at 65, it should be more like 3.2.

Rick,

I was finally able to recently make the Pittsburgh trip from northern Virginia. The route included interstate, interstate equivalent, 4 lane route 522 which in VA is not controlled access, 2 lane 522 in WV, I70 with 55mph speed limits in considerable areas and construction zones, PA turnpike, and 4 lane not controlled access Route 51 in PA to the south hills suburbs. A real mishmash of roads.

On the turnpike and the interstates and interstate equivalent (except for portions of I70 posted at 55) I ran anywhere from 65 to 75 with a couple of bursts up to 80ish, all traffic and congestion dependent.

Trip WB was 266 miles, and the car displayed consumption of 3 miles/ kwH. The return EB trip was a slightly different route, 257 miles and 3.1 miles / kwH consumption.

Frankly I was surprised the overall numbers were that good.

I have swapped out my OEM 19" wheels for Atomic AWZZ in 20x8.5 w/ OEM offset and am using Pirelli P Zero AS Plus 3 tires in 245/45 x 20. I thought that combination might be more of range/consumption penalty than it appears to be, at least on a trip with quite a bit of road and speed variety where lower speeds may tend to balance against the higher speed stretches. On a trip that is more heavily weighted toward instate travel I suspect my numbers would be sub-3 miles/kwH.

To your point that my 2 mi/kwH reference rate for ABRP is quite conservative, you are of course correct. I am going to increase it to 2.5 to 2.7 miles /kwH. 2.5 is certainly still pretty conservative. I recall you saying you use 2.7 or thereabouts. Honestly, I think you've got the right number at 2.7. With my wheel/tire combination 2.7 may be better than the 3.2 you also noted above.

Just wanted to share this with you, FWIW.

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