First cross country trip! Need tips!

[MoeHouston]

So I am moving across country! From Michigan to Seattle WA, I decided I was going to take my first big EV road trip(may regret that later). Its about a 2300 mile trip. Will be stopping along the way. Looking for hotels with charging stations. However what was your best route plan tool? If you have ever gone such a far distance. Did you use Ford's nav system was that the best option? Or the new apple EV charging map route (not sure if I completely trust that yet). PlugShare is kind of helpful but can be a bit overwhelming. Just curious how everyone else broke this down. Did you plan hotels within your path or steer off a bit?

Thanks for any helpful tips! I take the drive next weekend!

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[roamtheworld]

PlugShare is the GO TO app.
https://www.plugshare.com
Once you map your route then get the apps for the chargers along the way.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I start by mapping out the route and chargers that I like on A Better Route Planner. I then use ABRP and PlugShare to find hotels with chargers. Save that information and use the Ford Nav as my primary navigation with Waze open but not navigating in the background to alert me for cops, accidents, etc.

ABRP has the best route planning tools but it is lousy as a navigation app. It will also identify where there are segments that are low on chargers.

PlugShare is great for checking up on chargers. It's especially good to see how many hotel chargers are there, how we they've been working, and how recently. Remember that DCFC can be CCS or CHAdeMO, so select CCS only. It's best to have multiple chargers at a hotel to increase the odds of having it open when you get there. You may be able to call the hotel and have a charger held for you but that's rare. I also prefer to pick a hotel with a DCFC nearby just in case.

 

[RickMachE]

First, use GoogleMaps to see the direct route.

Then, use A Better Route Planner to plan your trip. Due to lack of charging in states like Montana and Wyoming, you will be routed south.

Figure out how far you want to drive, estimating that charging will add about 20% in time. Then, use Plugshare with the hotel selector on to find lodging with charging.

That is a 4 or 5 day trip doing 500 miles a day.

You may want to buy a Tesla Tap to use Tesla destination chargers at hotels. You can select the Tesla adapter in Plugshare and ABRP.

Check every stop's ratings in Plugshare ahead of time, then on the day of the trip.

 

[MoeHouston]

First, use GoogleMaps to see the direct route.

Then, use A Better Route Planner to plan your trip. Due to lack of charging in states like Montana and Wyoming, you will be routed south.

Figure out how far you want to drive, estimating that charging will add about 20% in time. Then, use Plugshare with the hotel selector on to find lodging with charging.

That is a 4 or 5 day trip doing 500 miles a day.

You may want to buy a Tesla Tap to use Tesla destination chargers at hotels. You can select the Tesla adapter in Plugshare and ABRP.

Check every stop's ratings in Plugshare ahead of time, then on the day of the trip.

This was a tremendous amount of help. Thank you so much!

 

[Garbone]

My tip is, Do not rely on Hotels chargers, they are a thing and do work but there is always that a-hole in the Tesla that sits there from 7pm until after you pull out a 9:30am in the morning. Clerk's are not always helpful, it is a tough choice for the managers, try to manage the the chargers or just let the patrons sort it out themselves.

 

[RickMachE]

I thought I'd show two different maps illustrating the challenges of an EV through states where no charging network exists.

With GoogleMaps, going from Detroit to Seattle is 2,353 miles, with an expectation of about 34 hours of actual driving.

Now, using A Better Route Planner, it's much different, as there are no high speed chargers in Western Minnesota (last one is in Minneapolis), the entire state of North Dakota, or the eastern half of Montana (nothing until Butte). It wants you to take the ferry across the lake to Chicago, then go through southern Canada. 2,515 miles in total with 10 1/2 hours of charging, making the trip 54 hours long.

If you set ABRP to avoid ferries and international borders, the route goes through Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and then up. 2,605 miles, 53 hours total with 10 1/2 hours of charging.

None of this takes into account charging overnight at a hotel which would optimize things and eliminate several hours of charging. That's where you decide you want to drive X miles in a day, figure out where that is, find a hotel, and add it in. For example, if you leave Detroit and want to drive about 500 miles, that puts you around the middle of Illinois. You could charge at Joliet just enough to get to your hotel with 10 - 20% charge, then charge full overnight.

Here's that map, untweaked. It adds 250 miles over the direct, non-charging route.

 

[roamtheworld]

Interesting story about the current state of chargers in US.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/06/28/1053908/electric-vehicle-charging-stations/

https://afdc.energy.gov/stations/#/find/nearest?fuel=ELEC&ev_levels=dc_fast&country=US

As RickMachE states the Northern half of the US has LARGE gaps in charging coverage.
Planning is something a EV driver HAS to do that ICE drivers can get away doing less of for long trips.

It can be done so enjoy the sights and don't be in a hurry.

 

[RickMachE]

A great analogy for an EV owner is being an airline pilot.

1) Always prepare a flight plan.
2) Always have an alternate destination (i.e. charger).

 

[Regularmache]

PlugShare is the GO TO app.
https://www.plugshare.com
Once you map your route then get the apps for the chargers along the way.

Interesting that the ABRP App only has 3.6 stars?

 

[RickMachE]

Interesting that the ABRP App only has 3.6 stars?

I would assume that people have too high expectations of a free app, and some are not smart enough to use it.

 

[rfrommd]

I also prefer to pick a hotel with a DCFC nearby just in case.

This. Especially if you're going to be rolling in with a low charge. You don't want to be stranded if all the hotel chargers are broken/ICE'd/in use.

 

[timbop]

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...ning-with-abrp-abetterrouteplanner-com.12504/

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/scarlett-the-road-warrior-with-scars-to-prove-it.10369/

 

[roamtheworld]

Interesting that the ABRP App only has 3.6 stars?

I personally found ABRP harder to use overall and the fact you have to pay for full features turned me off as well. The free PlugShare App along with Apple/Google and built maps was plenty for me to plot out any trips.
I had PlugShare loaded and displayed in CarPlay in seconds so that's what I have stuck with. I'm sure over time I will get more comfortable with ABRP and give it a full shakedown.

 

[timbop]

Interesting that the ABRP App only has 3.6 stars?

The web app is far easier to use on a laptop/desktop.

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